Discover presence and its embodiment as an essential tool for authentic expression, and learn how to bring this fully into your own performance.
I do not believe there is one acting technique that works for everyone. Every actor is a unique ecosystem. My role is not to fit actors into a predefined method, but to help them understand how they are uniquely built, how they function, and to discover and fully realise their own authentic way into performance and expression. The result is not a borrowed method, but an acting technique that emerges from their own nature — entirely their own way of working.
An immersive two-day workshop led by Yorgos Karamalegos, founder of Physical Lab, dedicated to cultivating presence and authenticity in performance.
The workshop explores the mechanics of presence as a practical and embodied route into truthful performance.
Through guided reflection, embodied training and scene work, participants will develop a deeper awareness of their own way into acting—a foundational element of Yorgos’ work. They will cultivate greater presence, responsiveness and authenticity, while developing an acting technique that emerges from their own nature rather than from imitation or habit.
This Lab would not have been possible without the wonderful support of Carole Malinaud, Rachel Bakouche, and the entire team at La Réplique, who played an instrumental role in bringing this collaboration between Yorgos and Tatiana to life. A heartfelt thank you also goes to Erasmus+ for their generous funding, which made this project a reality.
La Réplique is an artist collective and studio based in Marseille, France, describing itself as a “gymnasium for actors”—a space dedicated to research, transmission and professional development for performers.
It’s a space built around the idea that performance is a craft requiring ongoing practice, experimentation and collective inquiry — less a traditional school, more a living workspace where artists at all stages of their careers can develop, connect and push their work forward.
Images and studio description are © La Réplique, Vienna.
with Yorgos Karamalegos
The first day begins with an introductory conversation and guided reflection. Each actor is invited to share where they currently are in their development, what they consider to be their strengths, the challenges they are facing, and what they hope to discover or deepen through the work. This opening dialogue establishes a foundation of trust, clarity and shared intention.
The group then moves into a progressive embodied practice, exploring awareness through body, weight, movement, impulse and presence. The aim is to awaken the actor’s physical instrument as a living vessel for consciousness and authentic expression.
Participants are invited to observe and question habitual patterns in how they move, speak, think and perform, while experimenting with possibilities beyond those habits.
Through this highly practical and experiential process, actors explore what it truly means to be present. They develop a deeper relationship with the present moment and learn how to translate that presence into movement, voice, language and, ultimately, performance.
with Yorgos Karamalegos
Building on the foundations established on the first day, the second day deepens the actor’s capacity to respond from instinct rather than habit.
Each participant works on a scene selected in advance from Physical Lab’s curated scene database. The scene becomes the practical framework through which actors apply the principles of embodiment, presence and authenticity, integrating them directly into performance.
By the end of the workshop, actors will begin to understand and own their own way into acting, developing an authentic acting technique that is uniquely their own.
with Tatiana Spivakova
What part of you opened up during the first two days with Yorgos? What part of you is still holding on? How can we invite fear and shame into an honest dialogue with curiosity and humour?
On this third day, Tatiana will guide participants on an introspective journey, inviting them to feel what is already there—what has always been there—and reconnect with their true essence.
Participants will explore how to attune to and move with their breath, allowing breath to become sound, letting the voice, breath and body to merge into one.
We will revisit the Ownership exercise and take it to a deeper level of embodiment by trusting our instincts and connecting to our essence.
This third day is an invitation to trust what we feel and allow any blockages to become tools for creation.
with Tatiana Spivakova
On the final day of this journey, participants will be invited to put into practice the different tools they have developed throughout the workshop, allowing their artistry to thrive and flourish freely.
Tatiana will lead an extended physical exploration through the five Rhythms movement practice, offering a rich opportunity to integrate the different elements that resonated with each participant—grounding, embodiment, body weight, breath, voice, text, blindfolds, and more. This immersive exploration often becomes a powerful source of inspiration.
Together, we will discuss and explore how these tools can be integrated into everyday life, whether for auditions, rehearsals, performances, or personal practice.
The journey will culminate in a collective improvisation, where all participants will collaborate to create an ensemble piece inspired by everyone’s chosen scenes and the different dynamics explored throughout the four days.
We will conclude with an open group discussion, reflecting on our discoveries and the new questions that have emerged. Together, we will explore how cultivating an active state of presence is both a demanding practice that requires discipline and an inexhaustible source of personal and artistic freedom.
Founder & Artistic Director
Yorgos guides performers and professionals toward deep physical and mental awareness, emphasizing presence as a path to personal and professional freedom. His body-focused approach aims to use deconditioning as a tool to uncover authenticity.
Instructor
Tatiana is an international artist, actress, director, and writer with performances that span France, Spain, Switzerland, & more. As an associate artist of Physical Lab, she has collaborated with Yorgos for a decade, conducting Labs together and independently.
“[Yorgos] held the space so gently and I felt so safe and contained even though we were exploring work that could make one feel vulnerable and exposed. I felt such a shift exploring text after the very physical dancing with the masks on—it was very liberating going from that almost delirious state into the text because I was completely connected to the emotional story and not even thinking about lines. It was a very powerful experience.”
“The Lab has been a great and safe place to research, try things out, not know, fail and get out of my comfort zone. After each session, I feel empowered to keep working on my acting and on myself for the days, months and years to come.”
“Magical—a moment of sharing, exchange, and self-discovery within an extraordinary group. Tatiana guided us through those four days of exploration with her energy, kindness, and gentleness. Simply brilliant!”
“Reconnecting with my essence via Yorgos’s guidance is a tool I’m not only excited to bring into my artistry, but also into my life as a whole. It’s truly been a priceless discovery.”
“Working with Yorgos feels deeply aligned with my own approach to acting and being an artist. [He] creates a space that’s both expansive and grounded—where I feel safe to explore, take risks, and build a personal toolkit that reflects who I am. He doesn’t offer a one-size-fits-all method; instead, he encourages each of his mentees to find and refine what works uniquely for them. That level of support and freedom is truly empowering.”
“[It] became clear early on that it’s all about people, their bodies right now. Not their past experiences or future. You. Us. Now. Nothing more.”
I have found my joy in acting again. I remembered why I wanted to do it in the first place. I feel more present, warm and embodied in my own body, less self-conscious […] A weight was lifted from me through this workshop, a lot of pressure I have put onto myself and onto the craft. […] Also, I learned, that I can pour all my personal experiences into my performances, without revisiting traumatic events of the past, but rather use acting as an outlet for my emotions to come through and release. And through that reach catharsis.”
“I didn’t realise how forcefully that lock was going to burst open and how the work that we’re doing is just so important — not just for you as an actor, as an artist, but as a person!”
“Tatiana’s attention and philosophy create trust in each person so they can let go and free themselves in the work. This atmosphere is very precious and enjoyable to work in; everything becomes a pleasure!”
“What began as pleasure has now turned into tasting, and it actually feels like a muscle I can train and a practical tool for my work. The next step will be to explore how tasting could enhance my rehearsal process and, eventually, my performance, even though I can’t yet imagine how I’ll have enough capacity for it.”
“An extraordinary experience. Three days of happiness, tears, magic in the heart. Three days where I said to myself, ‘You have the right to breathe, you have the right to exist. You have the right to let yourself be. To be seen as you are. To express yourself.”
“Absolute. Radical. Transformation.”
“Working with Yorgos for 10 days in Crete, preparing for a TV part was an amazing experience! Even in moments of self-doubt and fatigue, when you face your own wall, he was always there fully present with me, both with great care and rigour! I have been working with Yorgos for about 8 years, and he always gives me strength and tools to keep going forward.”
“Yorgos has such an understanding and knowledge of how to take care of ourselves on a personal level when we’re doing this kind of work and living this kind of life.”
“Yorgos’ work is in perfect continuity with what Crete awakens in me: a deeper anchoring in the body, access to buried emotions, the courage to take risks, and the pursuit of a sincerity that can only enrich the creative process. More than an artistic approach, it is a true journey into the depths of the soul — one that seeks to serve art in its most authentic form.”
“Anyone who met me in the following days saw a more aware and determined look on my face both professionally and personally. I recommend it to everyone.”
We're returning to Tallinn for our second Lab of the year, invited by EFTA-winning actress Doris Tilk. This immersive three-day workshop is dedicated to cultivating presence and authenticity in performance — a journey toward uncovering your most authentic self and embodying a free, uninhibited artistic spirit. Through embodiment practices, we explore how the body serves as a gateway to deeper awareness, expression, and connection on stage. Working directly with text as a living partner, artists are guided by the tasting principle to stay curious, experiment, and remain open to what emerges in the moment.
A three-day explorative Lab dedicated to deconditioning, unfolding, and freeing the mind and body to feel your grounded presence. Open to performers and non-performers alike, this workshop creates space to slow down, build awareness, and listen to the impulses shaping how we move and connect. Through guided embodiment practices and grounding exercises, participants loosen habitual patterns to uncover a more spontaneous, authentic presence—whether you're an actor deepening your craft or simply curious about reconnecting with your body and instincts.
An immersive four-day workshop dedicated to cultivating presence and authenticity in performance. This work is a journey toward uncovering one’s most authentic self and embodying a free, uninhibited artistic spirit. Through embodiment practices, participants explore how the body can serve as a gateway to deeper awareness, expression, and connection on stage. We will also work directly with the text, treating it as a living partner that invites curiosity and personal discovery. Guided by the tasting principle, artists are encouraged to experiment and stay open to what emerges in the moment.
