The Edge of the Stage: Life Lessons from Performance Training

Whether you are a performer or a professional, we’re here to offer techniques, tools and tips from performer training to connect to yourself and others with purpose and presence all while navigating your own life as a human.

Cocktails and Mocktails of Emotion: Motivating Multitudes 11/12/2025

Cocktails and Mocktails of Emotion: Motivating Multitudes Hosts: Matthew Ellenwood (EmoVerity, Ellenwood Studios) Ellenwood Studios – https://www.instagram.com/ellenwood_studios/ Berit Elizabeth (Emotive Agility Training) Emotive Agility – https://www.instagram.com/emotiveagility/ Summary: In this episode, Matthew and Berit dive into the “mixology” of emotions—how real-life feelings rarely show up neat, but as nuanced blends (“cocktails” and “mocktails”). Using performer-training tools, art analogies, and live facial-expression drills, they show you how to intentionally serve (and taste) emotional mixes to create clearer communication, better regulation, and deeper connection—at home, on stage, and at work. Key Topics: • Mixologist vs. Taster: the sender/receiver roles we play in every interaction. • Why emotions show up in blends, not singles—and how that complicates interpretation. • The “rule of three”: curating no more than 2–3 emotions to keep your message clear. • Color theory for feelings: subtractive mixing (CMY) and pigment ratios as an emotion map. • Two-emotion gradients in practice (e.g., surprise+fear; appreciation+frustration). • The Hexagon Task (Ekman & Friesen): morphing between emotions at set ratios (90/10 → 10/90). • Live demos: moving from tenderness → anger at different ratios and what each “tastes” like. • Exercise 1: The Taster—naming what you see when someone “serves” an expression. • Exercise 2: The Mixologist—blending tenderness ↔ anger using only eyes/brows/mouth. • Lightning Round: mixing disgust + joy (why your body laughs while your stomach turns). • The Emotional Tree (Leslie Greenberg): affect → category → granular feelings (Parrott). • Authenticity, privilege, and power dynamics: why “I’m just being honest” isn’t a free pass. • Leadership applications: choosing which emotions to serve in meetings and difficult conversations. Practical Takeaways: • Before a tough conversation, name the 2–3 emotions you intend to convey (and at what “volume”). • When reading others, describe observable cues first (eyes, brows, mouth, breath), then guess the mix. • Practice ratio drills (90/10, 70/30, 50/50…) to expand expressive range and precision. • Use “masking” strategically (not dishonestly) to regulate and match context without dumping. • Increase granularity: move from “I’m scared” to “I’m apprehensive” or “I’m in distress.” • In leadership, curate blends that acknowledge both positives and challenges to maintain trust. Try-It-Now Exercises (from the episode): • The Taster: Watch a neutral face shift; list the physical cues you notice, then name the likely mix. • Tenderness/Anger Flight: Hold a genuine eye-smile, then add small anger cues at 10%, 30%, 70%, 90%. • Lightning Round: Disgust + Joy mixes. Recreate “gross but hilarious”—note your inner vs. outer mismatch. Resources & Links: 🔔 Subscribe for more great content – https://www.youtube.com/@TheEdgeoftheStage 🎓 EmoVerity (Making Faces - Facial Expressions course) 💡CMY color mixing - a closer look https://youtube.com/shorts/OPL6pTX0Jss?si=lliMTPz5yP1tOBXQ 🎨 Pink + Turk Gold Color Blending Shades https://youtu.be/9gQ_WltYmys?si=ihSIGnksmOHGMmYA 🔎 Ekman & Friesen’s “Hexagon Task” (emotion morphs) – ohttps://www.researchgate.net/figure/Facial-expression-continua-used-in-the-Emotion-Hexagon-task-Running-from-left-to-right_fig1_24418236 🌳 Leslie Greenberg – Emotion-Focused Therapy (Affect → Emotion Category → Granular Feelings) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynHioCxAMEI 🌿 Parrott’s Emotion Classification (for building vocabulary/granularity) https://behavioralsignals.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Parrott_Model_emotion_classification.png 📰The Problem With Your Authentic Self by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic Ph.D. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mr-personality/202509/the-problem-with-your-authentic-self/amp 📘 Emotion Thesaurus https://shopwritershelpingwriters.net/products/emotion-thesaurus-ebook 🎴 Show Don’t Tell Cards https://writebadideas.com/products/show-dont-tell-cards-the-writers-guide-to-emotions /episode/index/show/bd50646c-be22-4c1d-90fd-8ec76db69f40/id/39010265

Masked I Advanced: The Price & Power of Facial Expressions 08/24/2025

Masked I Advanced: The Price & Power of Facial Expressions Hosts: Matthew Ellenwood (EmoVerity, Ellenwood Studios) Berit Elizabeth (Emotive Agility Training) Summary: In this episode, Matthew and Berit explore the price and power of facial expressions in both performance and everyday life. They discuss how nonverbal communication—especially facial expressions—can be used intentionally to connect with others, regulate emotions, and navigate complex social situations. Key Topics: • The three components of emotion: subjective experience, physiological response, and expressive response. • Emotional granularity: understanding and naming nuanced emotions. • The importance of emotional intelligence and regulation in both performance and professional contexts. • The concept of “masking” as a communication tool—not as inauthenticity, but as a strategic choice for effective interaction. • The three expression archetypes: Externalizer, Internalizer, and Equalizer/Generalizer. • How to “read the room” and align your expression with context and intent. • Recent neuroscience research on how our brains register others’ emotions, even subconsciously. • Practical exercises for warming up and training facial expressions, including “Making Faces” and exploring facial morphologies (broad/wide, tall/long, bunched/constricted). • The Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and its use in performance and motion capture. • The Rasaboxes technique and the concept of “emotional athleticism.” • The importance of autonomy and co-regulation in emotional communication. Practical Takeaways: • Practice facial warmups and morphologies to increase expressive range. • Use emotional “masking” intentionally to support your goals and the needs of the room. • Develop self-awareness of your own expressive style (externalizer, internalizer, equalizer). • Remember: emotional intelligence is a skill that can be trained, not just understood. Resources & Links: 🔔 Subscribe on You Tube for video version & more great content 💻 “Making Faces” self-study course by Matthew Ellenwood 📗 : The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. 📕 🔬 🎭 by Richard Schechner 🔎 💗 Next Episode Preview: Join us next time for a discussion on the “mixology” of emotions—how emotional “cocktails” and “mocktails” show up on stage and in everyday life. /episode/index/show/bd50646c-be22-4c1d-90fd-8ec76db69f40/id/37938735

Navigating Boundaries with Performer Techniques: The Zero State - Part Two 06/23/2025

Navigating Boundaries with Performer Techniques: The Zero State - Part Two In the first episode of the Edge of the Stage Podcast, hosts Matthew Ellenwood and Berit Elizabeth dive into the concept of the Zero State, a centering technique originating from performance training that helps individuals connect with themselves and others with purpose and presence. The first episode focused on two of four physical elements of Zero: Eyes + Breath, and this current episode focuses on the next two elements: Face + Body. In this second episode, the hosts explore how the Zero State can be applied to hold boundaries in challenging situations, both in personal and professional contexts. The discussion includes real-life examples from acting, business, and fitness, as well as expert insights from psychology and self-defense methodologies. The episode also provides practical steps for achieving the Zero State and highlights the importance of understanding our emotional responses. Tune in to learn how performance training can be a valuable tool for improving everyday interactions. Follow Us on Instagram @emotiveagility @ellenwoodstudios LINKS & Show Notes 📄 🧘‍♀️ 🛡️ Verbal Self Defense - 🚫🗣️ 💬 🌡️ 👶🪞 🪨Grey Rocking Attractor States A Dynamical Systems Theory Perspective on the Music Teacher's Bodily Engagement in Teaching and Learning 🌀 Timestamps Welcome to the Edge of the Stage Podcast Understanding the Zero State Applying Zero in Difficult Situations Boundaries in Performance and Life Non-Verbal Boundary Setting Zero State in Performance Context Emotional Regulation and Zero The Still Face Experiment Understanding Zero Face in Adults vs. Babies The Power of Grey Rocking Verbal Self-Defense Techniques Personal Experiences with Grey Rocking Radical Candor and Zero State Practicing the Zero State Zero State Skill Drill Applying Zero State in Real-Life Scenarios The Transformative Power of Zero State Conclusion and Call to Action /episode/index/show/bd50646c-be22-4c1d-90fd-8ec76db69f40/id/37106720

Getting to Zero: Embodying the Pause - Part 1 05/04/2025

Getting to Zero: Embodying the Pause - Part 1 Getting to Zero: Embodying the Pause (Ep. 1) Welcome to the first episode of 'The Edge of the Stage podcast: Life Lessons from Performance Training.' Hosts Berit Elizabeth and Matthew Ellenwood introduce the concept of 'Zero,' a state of focused readiness critical for both performers and professionals. Learn practical techniques for achieving Zero, hear the science behind it, and explore the emotional intelligence framework that makes it possible. Matthew demonstrates how to access this state quickly through breath and eye exercises, while Berit links it to professional and personal settings. This episode also delves into the significance of Zero in performance training and its distinction from the term 'neutral.' Join us to unlock the art of the full body pause and navigate intense emotions with composure and confidence. 🔔 Subscribe for more great content - https://www.youtube.com/@TheEdgeoftheStage Follow us on Instagram: Matthew Ellenwood - Ellenwood Studios: @ellenwood_studios Berit Elizabeth - Emotive Agility: @emotiveagility LINKS and Show Notes 📁 Establishing a Baseline handout - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rOwLz4bLsxyeahOoFKtMn-QReKfZbbvQ/view?usp=drive_link 0️⃣ Challenging Actor's Neutrality - https://www.onstageblog.com/industry/2021/4/26/challenging-actors-neutrality 🎭 Normalizing Non-Neutral: Towards an Inclusive Acting Pedagogy - https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/9989ba04-2e11-4922-9996-88618b9197b7/content ❤️ Resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia is related to emotion reactivity to social-evaluative stress https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032722011065 🫁 Breath of Life: The Respiratory Vagal Stimulation Model of Contemplative Activity - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00397/full 👁️‍🗨️ Vision and Breathing May Be the Secrets to Surviving 2020 - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vision-and-breathing-may-be-the-secrets-to-surviving-2020/ 👁️ Study reveals how breathing regulates pupil size and vision - https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250221/Study-reveals-how-breathing-regulates-pupil-size-and-vision.aspx 🟪 Schechner's Rasaboxes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFPupoTR91o Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Concept of Zero 02:08 Defining Zero in Artistic and Professional Contexts 06:19 The Importance of Training for Zero 07:28 Understanding Zero vs. Neutral 10:17 Assessing Your State Before Reaching Zero 12:59 Practical Applications and Challenges of Zero 19:02 Real-Life Scenarios and the Need for Zero 21:38 Baseline State Exercise 21:57 Assessing Your Environment and Social Context 22:42 Body Awareness and Energy Levels 23:25 Mental Focus and Curiosity 24:08 Summarizing the Baseline 25:10 Introduction to Zero State Components 25:22 Breathing Techniques for Zero State 27:41 Eye Techniques for Zero State 30:50 Scientific Insights on Emotional Regulation 38:00 Rasaboxes and Shanta: Performance Techniques 43:32 Conclusion and Next Steps /episode/index/show/bd50646c-be22-4c1d-90fd-8ec76db69f40/id/36425935

Intro Episode: Living at the Edge of the Stage 04/25/2025

Trailer: The Edge of the Stage Podcast 03/04/2025

The Edge of the Stage: Life Lessons from Performance Training

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