Florian Bartsch

​​​Florian Bartsch is an actor, director and teacher in Paris. He founded the theatre companies The Improfessionals, NEW – The Improvised Musical and Schwartzbrotgold as well as the improvisation school Impro Academy.

​I have been learning from Dr. Ira Seidenstein since 2008. I took eight workshops each one lasting a week, and performed in one clown show directed by him. I worked text, body, dance, creation of an act, solos, duos, rhythm, precise movements and free flow.

My experience with Dr. Seidenstein:

As an improviser: I learned to hold back ideas, (Nothing Exercise) which was hard coming from an improvisation school of thinking which proposes the opposite "your first idea is the best idea". I learned how to stay alive as an actor even when sitting down on a chair in a scene (Laurel & Hardy Exercise and Cleopatra Exercise). Dr. Seidenstein offered several new ways to create character based on body moves: to use physical improvisation to trick yourself out of your head in order to find new ways, new characters, and new stories.

As an actor: I found ways to feel more grounded in space (6 Directions Exercise), and how to work with different speeds to provoke organic emotional changes (3 Loosenings Exercise). I learned to create characters with my legs (Walks Exercise), which was to me unusual coming from a Western acting world that is dominated by facial mimics and arm gestures. I learned how to use my arms in a more open, engaging way to connect with my own emotions or with my partner on stage. (the idea of 'open armpits = open heart'). The Core Mechanics Exercise triggered artistic use of my body that I wasn't aware I could do before.

As a clown: Having been initiated by a Peruvian clown teacher, I continued that path with Dr. Seidenstein. The simplicity of his anarchistic, childlike approach taught me how to instinctively know when I need to leave space and time for my stage partner, and, when to tease or provoke him/her to revitalise the scene. (The Four Articulations Method)

As a performer: I learned how to raise or lower the energy or intensity level of my performance. I learned how to give an intense energy input in the beginning of any scene no matter what the ambiance of that scene is. So that due to that initial energy injection I can then when the energy level drops I can produce new energy that I can surf on a constant never ending wave of energy, so the performance doesn't die. Dr. Seidenstein's guidance has been healing to relocate my inner confidence as a powerful and cheeky performer which I had kind of lost being busy with the enormous time I spend teaching.

As a teacher: Having been a teacher for 15 years, I made peace with repetition as a tool, which I never really liked until I met Dr. Seidenstein. Now I know how to well pace the repetition of exercises. I have been teaching Dr. Seidenstein's method in France and in improvisation festivals all over the world. The Creative Twist Exercise and the Walks Exercise have been jokers to get students away from their habits, leaving their comfort zone to discover alternative ways. It worked in every single country in which I've taught. I've gained a lot of inspiration watching Dr. Seidenstein adapting his method and communication to the very diverse students he had taught how to change (rebellious teens, slow and fast learners, extremely shy students as well as divas, people who have difficulties controlling their bodies, over-controlled dancers who don't dare to express their creativity freely, students who constantly don't listen).

As a director: I learned new ways to coach and mentor artists (Actors, Singers, Dancers, Musicians, visual artists). Being relatively new in the world of directing, I learned useful advice how to deal with the different egos of different artists (young talents, peak performers, highly talented but restless souls etc). I got lots of creative advice to craft my concepts and show formats such as NEW - The Improvised Musical.
I took, Dr. Seidenstein's techniques and developed and adapted some of them, having always been encouraged to keep on going on my artistic path, rather than just "copying the master".

Not to forget the important space for humour and laughter during all the moments of intense work and learning.

Ira Seidenstein