Invisible Chains: Breaking Continuity in gender stereotypes and “micromachismos”[1].
This workshop will create a safe, respectful, and dynamic space where participants can explore and question the socio-cultural norms that impose gender roles and lead to asymmetrical relationships. Through theatrical tools, a dialogue will be opened about the deep consequences of gender stereotypes on a personal level, and how these patterns affect our interpersonal and community relationships.
The process of dismantling stereotypes will enable participants to recognise the everyday impact of “micromachismos” — those subtle attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate gender inequality — and how, regardless of our gender identity, we may unconsciously reproduce them. By making these patterns visible, the workshop aims not only to break these invisible chains but also to promote more equitable relationships and healthier living environments.
Through applied theatre, the workshop will foster a process of active transformation, where raising awareness of gender stereotypes will pave the way towards mutual respect, empowerment, and the building of more inclusive and just communities.
Creative Methodologies: We will use methodologies and tools from applied theatre, such as Theatre of the Oppressed, participatory theatre, improvisation, and collective scene creation to dramatize everyday situations that reflect gender stereotypes and the concept of “micromachismos”. In addition to experiencing these dynamics, participants will learn how to guide others in using these techniques, fostering the creation of spaces that promote mutual respect and equity in the communities where they work.
Workshop Objetives:
- Awareness and Reflection:
Participants will identify the gender norms that affect their interpersonal relationships and understand how micromachismos create imbalances in daily interactions. They will also acquire strategies to facilitate this reflection in others. - Active Dismantling:
Through dramatic techniques, participants will explore how to dismantle gender stereotypes and foster new narratives. They will be trained to apply this process in educational or community settings, promoting equality. - Empowerment and Action:
The workshop aims not only to raise awareness but also to provide participants with concrete tools they can implement in their own contexts to transform their surroundings and promote inclusion and equitable coexistence. - Promotion of Non-Violence:
By exploring gender stereotypes and micromachismos, the workshop will promote relationships free from violence. Mutual respect and the building of non-violent communities will be encouraged, with dialogue and empathy as key elements for conflict resolution.
Expected Outcomes:
- Application Ability: Participants will not only recognize and question gender stereotypes but will also know how to guide others through this process in various contexts.
- Promotion of Fair Relationships: Participants will be better equipped to facilitate the creation of more equitable and balanced relationships in their educational or work communities.
- Creation of Dialogue Spaces: Participants will learn how to create and lead spaces for dialogue focused on dismantling gender-related power structures.
Workshop Structure: The workshop will consist of two sessions, each lasting three hours. The first session will focus on the analysis and reflection of gender stereotypes. The second session will be dedicated to creating solutions through improvisation and dramatization of everyday situations, with a focus on how participants can replicate these activities in their own environments.
Requirements: A large room that allows for movement, speakers, paper and pens for participants, and a projector with laptop connectivity.
The Cycle of Resilience: Exploring Nature and Empowerment through Creative Drama.
This workshop aims to explore the relationship between the cycles of nature and the process of resilience in women’s lives, using theatrical tools as a transformative vehicle. Through the metaphor of natural cycles, participants will be able to draw parallels with their own personal processes, allowing them to understand resilience as a cyclical journey that evolves and renews itself.
Methodology: The creative approach of the workshop is based on applied theatre methodologies, incorporating tools from Theatre of the Oppressed, improvisation, and scene creation. These dynamics will allow the dramatization of real-life situations that represent cycles of resilience and strength, creating a safe space for reflection and collective dialogue. In this way, the workshop will promote a process of self-care, empowerment, and mental well-being, which will impact participants’ ability to build healthy and balanced relationships with their environment.
Structure: The workshop can be adapted according to the needs of the conference, but it is recommended to run over either two sessions of three hours each or three sessions of two hours each. It is offered in English or Spanish and is aimed at women aged 18 and over.
Workshop Objetives:
- Recognition and Reflection on Personal Cycles:
Participants will identify and understand their own cycles of resilience through the connection with natural cycles, fostering reflection on how these cycles impact their emotional and mental well-being. - Promotion of Personal Well-being and Self-care:
The workshop will provide tools for participants to learn how to care for their personal and emotional well-being, using applied theatre as a way to manage their emotions and face challenges with greater resilience. - Empowerment through Theatre:
Through improvisation and collective creation, participants will discover ways to empower themselves in their personal lives, making conscious decisions that strengthen their sense of autonomy and well-being. - Development of Healthy and Balanced Relationships:
By dramatizing everyday situations and analyzing cycles of resilience, participants will learn to build and maintain healthier relationships based on respect, empathy, and emotional understanding.
Expected Outcomes:
- Greater Awareness of the Resilience Process:
Participants will develop a deeper understanding of how resilience is a cyclical process in their lives and how they can use this knowledge to better navigate challenges and difficult moments. - Ability to Implement Self-care Practices:
By the end of the workshop, participants will have acquired concrete tools to apply self-care in their daily lives, contributing to their emotional and mental well-being in a sustainable way. - Personal Empowerment and Conscious Decision-Making:
It is expected that participants will leave the workshop with a renewed sense of empowerment, capable of making decisions that enhance their personal and emotional well-being. - Ability to Facilitate Well-being in Others:
In addition to working on their own well-being, participants will have learned how to apply these tools in their communities, fostering spaces for reflection and collective resilience.
Requirements: A large room that allows for the participants’ free movement, a speaker, paper and pens for participants, and a projector with laptop connectivity.
Facilitator: Cristina Gómez Penna,
Chilean director and theatre producer with extensive experience in gender and social justice issues. Founder and artistic director of Creces Teatro, a theatre company where I have managed, produced, and directed plays for young audiences that address gender-based violence and critical social issues.
I am currently based in Exeter, England, where I lead a workshop for migrant women. I will also begin a PhD in Performance Practice, researching “Exploring the Impact of Applied Theatre on the Emotional, Social, and Mental Well-being of Migrant Women in the Southwest of the United Kingdom: A Practitioner Researcher Approach.”
I am committed to using the arts as a tool for education and empowerment, particularly within marginalized communities, by creating performances, workshops, and courses that engage and support these groups.
[1] According to the psychologist Luis Bonino, micromachismos are subtle acts of violence that take place in daily life and are for the most part unperceived.