Fiona Griffiths
M.A. (with Distinction) Training and Coaching Actors, Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, UK 2008; M.F.A. Studio (Open Media), Concordia University, 1987; B.F.A. Modern Dance and Choreography, Concordia University, 1984; Diploma in Open Heart Surgery and Intensive Care, National Heart Hospital, London England, 1974; Diploma in Burns and Plastic Surgery, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, England, 1972; Registered Nurse, Victoria General Hospital, Halifax NS, 1971
Fiona Griffiths is a teacher, coach, mover, actor, clown, choreographer/devisor, nurse, and body worker. With a B.F.A. in modern dance and choreography and an M.F.A. in multi-media performing arts and creative process, she has also studied many movement and acting techniques from Feldenkrais, Alexander, and Kinetic Awareness to clown, bouffon, Theatre of the Oppressed, and Suzuki and Grotowski work. She has performed extensively in dance, theatre, clown, and video and toured her highly acclaimed dance/theatre shows nationally and internationally. She studied and taught with Richard Pochinko and Linda Putnam for many years. She was founder and director of Atelier Pochinko at the Theatre Resource Centre for ten years, and became the Artistic Director from 1990-92. She teaches and coaches actors, dancers, and clowns in movement, acting, and source work. Griffiths has taught in many university theatre departments including York and Yale Universities graduate drama programs, and she has choreographed and coached for many professional theatre and dance companies. In 2007/8, during a sabbatical year at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England, she completed an M.A. in training and coaching actors. Her thesis, Wired to Act, explored the psycho-neurobiology of training performers. While in London, she performed with Theatre Para-Active and Zecora Ura in the international hit Hotel Medea, which played the Shunt Vaults in London and opened the Salisbury International Arts Festival. Recent performing experience includes 24 hours of Butoh...or not, The Intersection Project, Red Nose District, and Nuit Blanche (2007 and 2011). As well as running independent workshops and coaching performers, Griffiths also teaches at the Clown Farm, Equity Showcase, Hart House (University of Toronto), and The School of Toronto Dance Theatre.