Laura Sturm Movement

After writing several short films and a full length screenplay, I felt it was best to register for acting classes. I researched various schools reading about courses, instructors, and techniques. I researched experiences and biographies of instructors, administrators, and board of directors. Eventually, I came across Laura Sturm. Almost instantly, I knew I had to meet her. I made an appointment to meet with the school’s Artistic Director. A few days later, I attended a party where one of the co-CEOs of the acting school introduced himself to me. After we spoke for a bit, he suggested I meet with Laura Sturm. He felt Laura and I would connect. Sure enough, within minutes of meeting her, I knew I needed to study with her. She felt similarly.

I struggled mightily. Laura could not get through to me. Years later, I learned she contacted mentors, teachers, and colleagues for guidance in how to best help me. All agreed that Laura had to realize there was a reason blind people did not study the Sanford Meisner Technique nor Lloyd Williamson Movement. There was not a way to accommodate the requirements to fit a blind person. Laura insisted on creating a way. Eventually, she realized that life caused me to build walls to protect myself from pain, injury, and heartbreak. To successfully connect with me, she would have to remove my wall one brick at a time. We were in this together and we would succeed together. one week, I would take one giant leap forward. The next week, I would regress. I was frustrated and angry. If she was, she never displayed it. Laura was always positive. She encouraged me placing her arm around me knowing I was emotionally fragile. She believed that one day it would fall into place and I would make my much anticipated break-through. It took much longer than I expected, but Laura did it! She broke down my walls, reached inside of me, and pulled out the artist. Artistic Director, Ted Hoerl noticed that Laura’s efforts took me from nothing and going nowhere fast to placing me on the edge of being an artist. Ted said, “Laura brought you to the edge. Now it’s up to you to believe in yourself and leap!”

I always feel so touched when Laura Sturm attends a performance of any show I do. I continue to be grateful for all her effort and belief. To this day, I live to make her proud each time I am on stage. To learn about the type of work Laura did with me, I point you to an article PerformInk published. Laura Sturm wrote the piece. This is the movement class I took with Laura.

Laura Sturm PerformInk