I am often asked how do you do it Denise? I say do what? Keep yourself so busy teaching, directing, writing and producing drama classes, workshops or shows? I usually answer cause I don’t know where else to put my creative ideas and enthusiasm. This is part of the answer, but alas after as many years as I have been at it, going on 26 now, it certainly has become second nature. How did I know at the age of 23 that I would be a freelance educator all these years later? It is now my passion. It doesn’t seem to want to let me go either. Just as soon as one project finishes, I am on to another one, either of my own making, or someone finds out about me and asks me to either, teach, create a workshop, direct, perform or write a play. Most of my work has been centred around children. They are our future. If I can inspire even one child to become a leader who inspires others to be confident, caring, creative and imaginative then I have done my work. The children are my inspiration, truly. To see how they light up, laugh and easily get up and try again is really worth being in the moment with them. I am younger at heart because of the many children I have been blessed to be with as a teacher, friend, drama queen and sometimes for some, a Ma.
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages. William Shakespeare
I wonder if I will still be in the world of drama when I am “seven ages”…
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About denisebertrand
Denise Bertrand has been teaching children, teenagers and adults how to develop and sustain their expressive selves through the medium of drama and creative movement for the past 25 years.
She leads with enthusiasm, intuition and she has an uncanny instinct to be in the moment and use this as her inspiration. She is a catalyst, and strongly supports the creative process of everyone she teachesno matter the age!
She established, directed and operated two schools of Drama for Youth in Canada one in Toronto Ontario and one on Salt Spring Island BC, for 12 years. These schools were called A.S.T.A.R (After School Theatre Arts and Recreation).
She moved to Singapore in 1999, and worked as a Freelance Drama Educator with many established Drama, Enrichment Centers, and Organizations including, Act 3 Drama Academy; Lorna Whiston Study Centers; Language Arts; The Canadian School; Lycee François du Singapore as well as numerous government, private and preschools all across Singapore.
In 2007 she moved to Phuket Thailand. Her market research showed her that there was no freelance drama educator on the island. She arrived and filled the gap and still does to this date, three years on.
Currently she is employed part time as a Drama Specialist with the Phuket International Academy Day School. Herein she inspires over 40 children every week to love the art of drama and creative movement.
She also has established a Drama Club at HeadStart Phuket International School wherein each term students involved present a dramatic sketch.
She has directed and presented over 60 original plays/stories that were written in co-operation with the children aged 3-16.
denise bertrand is also a professional storyteller. (please view more details under Storytelling) for the past 12 years. She has performed to children of all ages as well as to adults at business functions and or dinner theatre settings. She performs her own stories and sometimes poetry, as well as Asian folk tales, fairy tales, traditional folk tales and any other story that does not depict violence.
Her love of drama, performing, dancing has spanned the last 27 years. She still loves to perform herself from time to time and to fulfil this love, she joined The Andaman Players a local theatre group who perform 4-6 times a year in Phuket.
