Teaching

Study Abroad: Mexico

First group picture upon arrival in Puerto Vallarta.

Second group picture. ONWARD for the two hour road trip to Barre de Navidad. December 2013.

An experiment beginning with breath awareness and a quote from Grapes of Wrath: "Maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's a part of."

Students met with Professor Gabriel for morning and evening Sensory Awareness sessions during the ten day international experience. Pat Baxter (in pink) facilitated two sessions. December 2013.

Jesse Herndon (center) reflects with the group on his relationship to their new discoveries about trusting what authentically happens in his singing and acting performance processes.

Students lived in the barrio and walking daily into town met local children.

Students grew to appreciate the value of experiencing being part of the sunset.

Experiencing the sun setting, Denise with students Liam Yates (left) and Tyler Carlson (right).

Two local community artists demonstrate their talents.

THR 320/395: Sensory Awareness in Action: Faculty Led Study Abroad program in Barra Navidad, Mexico This course is linked to THR 320: The Actor's Space and is open to other UNCG students and alumni. The program is designed to enhance students’ intercultural competence and awareness, allowing students to recognize and take advantage of opportunities for cross-cultural learning and engagement.

For more information, see the course description here: studyabroad.uncg.edu

Interdisciplinary Course with Nursing Department

THR 395: Special Problems - Theatre and Nursing Collaboration. A Theatre collaborative course with NUR 310 (Nursing Care of Individuals with Psychosocial Problems).

(Source: UNCG Photography)

Sensory Awareness

A Sensory Awareness group of UNCG performance students as well as students from other disciplines meet weekly at local coffee shop, The People's Perk.

Sensory awareness workshop with Lee Lesser from the Sensory Awareness Leaders Guild and co-founder of Honoring the Path of the Warrior which reaches out to share Sensory Awareness, mindfulness practice and meditation with Veterans.

To learn more about Sensory Awareness, visit the foundation's website: www.sensoryawareness.org

“My philosophy of teaching is rooted in many traditional and contemporary theories of acting, movement, and voice. Two key methodologies I incorporate in my approach include Mindfulness meditation and Selver Awareness as they relate to the craft of performance. I believe as an educator that for an actor to be accomplished in the profession with a strong degree of mastery, a specific progression of principles must be practiced. The principles I teach encourage students to embrace the task of becoming believable in a myriad of roles found in dramatic literature.”

Grogan Residential College Fellow

Grogan Students receive instruction from their Faculty Fellow, Denise.

Theatre in Action Learning Community students and instructor, Denise Gabriel, discussing the script Kindertransport with Stephanie, Education Coordinator of Church World Service Greensboro, a refuge resettlement program.

Denise and Grogan student Andrew Russell.

Rehearsals of Kindertransport for the UNCG Spring 2014 Carolyn and Norwood Thomas Undergraduate Research and Creativity Expo at the Elliot University Center at UNCG. Pictured from left to right: Carol Lian, Rachel Isaac, Andrew Russel and Alexis Brown.

Denise and Grogan students (from left to right Carol Lian, Rachel Isaac and Andrew Russell.

Grogan College is a supportive, residential community of students and faculty with common interests who engage in courses and extracurricular activities designed to enhance the first-year student’s personal and academic success. Each community within the College focuses on a specific theme; some are designed for students who have already selected a major or career while others are design for all students who wish to develop transferable professional competencies that are highly valued regardless of intended major or career. The students in each community take several courses together, one or more of which is taught by the Faculty Fellow. Groganites benefit from mentoring and support provided by the Faculty Fellow and the Residential Peer Academic Mentor (PAL), an upperclassman who lives on the same floor as the community.

http://grogan.uncg.edu

Mindfulness

Through meditation practice, performance students develop awareness to meet universal stillness and core-distal support and connectivity.

Through meditation practice, performance students develop awareness to meet universal stillness.

Denise Gabriel and the Gate City Zen Group with invited guest Josho Pat Phalen from the Chapel Hill Zen Center, 2013.

Metropolitan Manchester University

Jackie Snow, Lecturer in Acting, invited Denise to teach master class during her study abroad visitation in March 2014.

Denise teaches master class "Opening the Sensory Pathways: for difficult conversations through physical awareness."

University of Wales Trinity St. David

Denise with Charlene Heir (right), a student at Trinity who studied abroad one semester at UNCG, and Solveig Frykman-Llyod (left), Dance Tutor in Trinity's School of Performance.

Advising

Denise hosts a Welcome Dinner for exchange students from Trinity Saint David's in Wales. Denise advises these students who will spend the fall semester studying in the UNCG Department of Theatre.