QUICK INFO

Acting for Life is a theatre‑inspired training program that develops confidence, creative presence, and authentic communication through the integration of body, voice, and imagination. Led by Juliana Berezhnaya - an experienced theatre and opera director and educator - the course blends artistic practice with practical personal development, guiding participants toward greater awareness, expression, and connection.

STRUCTURE

HOW THE COURSE UNFOLDS

ACTING PRACTICE → SKILLS FOR LIFE

01
EMBODY
Sessions 1-3
From awareness →  grounded expression

ACTING PRACTICE
BODY · BREATH · VOICE

We begin with the foundations of presence: body awareness, grounding, breath and vocal support. Through physical and vocal exercises, you explore posture, space, resonance, pace and speech, learning to express yourself clearly without forcing.

IN LIFE
PRESENCE · CLARITY · CONFIDENCE
 

You gain practical ways to settle yourself before speaking, take space without unnecessary tension and communicate with greater clarity. The work makes physical and vocal habits visible, helping you feel more confident in conversations, meetings, presentations and unfamiliar situations.

02
CONNECT

Sessions 4–7

From automatic reaction → conscious response

ACTING PRACTICE

RHYTHM · ACTION · PARTNERSHIP

The work expands into rhythm, storytelling, emotional range & interaction, and a safe exploration of basic emotions. Through partner and ensemble exercises, you practise deep listening, clear action–reaction and adapting to changing impulses, while exploring acting tools that connect inner experience with outward expression.

IN LIFE

LISTENING · ADAPTABILITY · CONNECTION

You learn to read the room, respond rather than react automatically, and communicate with greater precision and empathy. These skills support collaboration, challenging conversations, public speaking and situations that require flexibility under pressure.

03
CREATE

Sessions 8–10

From technique → personal freedom

ACTING PRACTICE

IMPROVISATION · ETUDES · CAMERA
 

In the final stage, the different tools come together through theatrical improvisation, etudes and camera work. You practise making clear choices, following an objective and shaping spontaneous material into a coherent whole. The course concludes with recorded work and focused feedback.

IN LIFE

CHOICE · SPONTANEITY · IMPACT
 

You strengthen your ability to think on your feet, remain present without a script and act with intention when the outcome is uncertain. The aim is to trust your choices, respond creatively and communicate with impact.

WHO IS IT FOR?

→  individuals seeking personal growth and self-confidence

→  professionals and teams aiming to enhance communication, leadership, and collaboration

→  educators and students exploring embodied and creative learning

→ artists and performers wishing to deepen their expressive tools

OUR TEAM

Juliana Berezhnaya

Author & Curator of the Program

Lead Facilitator

Juliana Berezhnaya is an opera, film & theatre directress and educator with 15+ years of experience across Europe (Vienna · Berlin · Prague). Founder of ArT PLATFORMA Performing Art Education and Artistic Directress of theatre TEATR FORMA, she is the author and curator of multiple stage and screen projects, including Medea, Three Sisters, Ionesco plays; the operas Carmen and Don Giovanni (Musikverein, Vienna), and the film Clarimonda. She holds a degree in Opera Theatre Directing from RATI–GITIS (Moscow), where she trained under the direction of Roman Viktyuk, and a degree in Film Directing from FAMO Film Academy (Czech Republic). Juliana is known for translating professional stage methods into accessible, results-driven training for non-actors, opera singers, dancers, and actors-in-training.

Eleonora Shafran

Associate Directress

Acting Coach

Eleonora Shafran is an Associate Directress and Acting Coach of ArT PLATFORMA and a Lead Actress at TEATR FORMA. A working film and theatre actress and model, she trained at Vancouver Film School (Acting for Film & TV) and has a strong classical and Shakespearean background. Her recent stage credits include Medea (title role), Three Sisters (Olga), and productions with Prague Shakespeare Company (Twelfth Night, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Book of Will). Eleonora also works in opera as an Assistant Directress and Acting Coach for leading singers and is a core acting coach in Acting For Life, guiding students through the full course.

OUR TECHNIQUE

Acting for Life is grounded in the Russian psychological school and the Stanislavski system (actions, objectives, inner truth), combined with Michael Chekhov’s imaginative and physical technique and a movement-based, ritual-inspired approach to performance. In practice this becomes a clear, body-first method: through grounding, breath and physical action, participants open voice, imagination and emotional presence, learning to stay truthful and precise both on stage and in real life.

SCHEDULE

START: SEP 18
    

END: NOV 20

EVERY FRIDAY
17:00-19:00

AMSTERDAM
TG Spaces

Zeeburgerpad 22, 1018 AJ

Early-Bird Until:
September 8

START: SEP 23
    

END: NOV 28

EVERY WEDNESDAY
18:00-20:00

THE HAGUE
CLOUD/Danslab

 De Constant Rebecqueplein 20-B, 2518 RA

Early-Bird Until:
September 13

START: OCT 3
    

END: DEC 5

EVERY SATURDAY
12:00-14:00

ROTTERDAM
Studio TBA

TBA

Early-Bird Until:
September 23 

START: OCT 11
    

END: DEC 13

EVERY SUNDAY
14:00-16:00

AMSTERDAM

Wladimir Dance Studios

Lijnbaansgracht 166, 1016 VX

Early-Bird Until:
October 1

FAQ

Q: Do I need any background in acting?

A: Not at all. Acting for Life is open to both complete beginners and people with previous experience. Everyone works at their own level within the group.

Q: What ages can join?

A: The minimum age is 16. There’s no upper age limit, just curiosity and willingness to explore.

Q: What if I miss a class?

A: We strongly encourage you not to miss classes, as the course is carefully structured and each session builds on the previous one.

Of course, life happens. If needed, you can make up up to two classes with another AFL group within the same season. All schedules are available on our website. Simply find a group, date, and city that work for you and send us the details in advance for confirmation.

This way, you can stay on track without interrupting the rhythm of your own group.

Q: What is the group size?

A: AFL is designed for a small group of around 6-12 participants, allowing enough space for individual attention while keeping the energy and dynamics of group work.

Courses normally start with a minimum of 6 participants. If a group needs a little more time to fill, the starting date may occasionally be moved by up to one week. If this happens, we’ll always let you know in advance.

A: How do we stay in touch during the course?

Q: Each group has its own WhatsApp chat, where we share practical updates, extra materials, photos & videos from class, insights, and occasional feedback connected to the course.

The chat stays open afterwards too, so many groups continue as part of the wider AFL community.

Q: Is this therapy? 

A: No. Acting for Life is practical theatre-based training focused on body, voice, attention, imagination, communication, and presence.

Q: Can I try a session before enrolling in the full course?

A: Yes. If you’re still not sure and would like to experience the atmosphere for yourself, you can join an Acting for Life Trial Class, which takes place one week before the full course begins.

The Trial Class is a two-hour introduction to the course and our way of working. We move through different exercises and topics fairly quickly, giving you a taste of the key elements without going deeply into each one.

It’s a great way to experience AFL in practice before deciding whether to join the full course.

Q: Can I get a refund after paying for the course?

A: Once the course has started, payments are non-refundable. If you know in advance that you may miss a class, please check our make-up class policy above.

OUR STUDENTS ❤️