Podcast Host Dant’e Cottingham speaks with British Actor Alex Dower
About Alex
Alex is a long-standing senior tutor at a leading drama school in London (Kogan Academy of Dramatic Arts) and has taught at the National Theatre & Old Vic and universities & academies worldwide as well as in prisons, mental health rehabilitation centres, refugee camps, and with people with sensory disabilities, physical disabilities, learning difficulties & special needs.
“This was the best afternoon of the entire year”; “Finally, I understand what acting is”; “This was a mind-explosion!”.
Alex Dower is known for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), Shark Rampage (2014), and also for his ground-breaking teaching & directing work with prisoners and people with mental health issues in the UK & Russia. Theatre acting: Royal National Theatre, RSC, and West End; TV: Silent Witness (2000), and Radio.
Alex won ‘Best Director of the Year’ award in 2003 (Fringe Report) and has won awards at International Festivals for his short films with people with chronic mental health issues. In Russia he is acclaimed as having kick-started a movement for the use of theatre in rehabilitation in prisons and for his work with disabled children.
Alex was born in Devon, UK. His father is Professor Michael Dower CBE and his mother is Nan Dower. He is married with 2 children.
About Creating Freedom
What we do:
We run bespoke programs for organisations who want to provide their teams with extraordinary creative training opportunities and personal & professional development. Our ground-breaking methodology has people flourish in a creative setting and experience true teamwork, while also giving them deep insights into their lives and openings for change.
“This week was like a mind explosion, you have changed our lives”Participant in short theatre project
Our unique methodology, using The Science of Acting as its basis, teaches adults and young people how to act by understanding the use of imagination and the thinking of other characters. In the process, they learn to understand their own thinking processes. Understanding one’s own thinking and the thinking of others gives tools for comprehension and effective communication. These tools are applicable in real-life situations, including social and family relations, job readiness, relationships with care professionals, independent living and resolving issues in all personal relationships.
“You have achieved more with our men in 2 weeks than our team of 5 psychiatrists have achieved in 5 years.”Alexander Romanov, Governor of Prison Colony 29, Perm, Russia
“He came home every day with shining eyes, he has opened up completely this week. He is a different boy!”Father, talking about his son after the performance in Perm
Training in Applied Theatre
We train students, teachers, specialists, therapists, directors and actors how to lead creative work and deliver powerful projects with any population. This can be either as independant training or in conjunction with a ‘social’ project where the trainees gradually take responsibility for different aspects of the project. We also mentor people and wherever possible give them further experience and even employment in our own projects.
“Thank you for everything you do, you have changed my life”
Actress, participant in training program & theatre project
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