When it comes to trying new things, what came naturally when we were kids can be challenging when we’re grown up. Some folks are afraid of looking foolish or embarrassed that they will make too many mistakes. Some people are shy or feel weird doing stuff they’re not accustomed to. Some think they don’t have the time to engage in new pursuits. 

Cathy Salit can help you do things you want to try but haven’t. Or try things you may never have thought you could attempt. In this workshop she’ll introduce you to “The Becoming Principle,” her revolutionary approach to personal development that blends theater, improvisation, and performative psychology to create a joyful way to grow. Join her and people from all walks of life for an experience that will give you a new way of looking at your life and work, generate new relationship skills and boost your confidence.

Cathy Salit is an author, performer, executive coach, and social entrepreneur. She is co-founder and CEO of the award-winning leadership consulting firm Performance of a Lifetime . Her work and thought leadership have been featured in the Harvard Business Review , Forbes , Fast Company , Costco Connection , The Wall Street Journal , CEO World Magazine , in her column for Inc.com , and on a whole lot of underground and mainstream podcasts, radio and videos worldwide. She is the author of Performance Breakthrough: A Radical Approach to Success at Work (Hachette 2016), in which she presents POAL’s revolutionary approach to learning, growing and change. Praise for Performance Breakthrough has come from top influencers like Susan Cain, Sheila Heen, Stephen Nachmanovitch, and Dan Pink, who writes, “This remarkable book will electrify your work and enliven your soul.” Cathy is an artistic associate at the Castillo Theatre, a jazz and R&B singer and has been performing musical improv comedy since before it was a thing. And she really likes to kickbox. A lot.

Breakout Session Leaders:

Javier Dzul is the Artistic Director of Dzul Dance. He grew up in the jungles of southern Mexico performing Mayan ritual dance until the age of 16. Javier has performed with the Martha Graham Dance Company, Pearl Lang Dance Theater, Battery Dance Company, Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, American Indian Dance Theater. In 2003 he founded Dzul Dance-- fusing dance with aerial arts and contortion as a means to communicate indigenous pre-Hispanic, Mexican and Latino culture, creating bridges between contemporary art and historical heritage.

Douglas Balder   is an architect who has planned, designed, and built award winning museums, museum exhibitions, housing, and cultural centers. For the past 35 years, he has helped to build the All Stars Project, a socially innovative afterschool development program with a unique partnership between poor young people and affluent professional adults, where he serves on the board. He has co-led the East Side Institute's Developmental Philosophy Group with Chris Helm since May 2011.

Christine Helm   is an educator whose career spans teaching science and math in Sierra Leone (Peace Corps) to her current work at the Fashion Institute of Technology developing programs for emerging fashion designers struggling to build successful and sustainable businesses. She is on the faculty of the East Side Institute where she leads philosophy/methodology seminars for an international assortment of students studying the social therapeutic approach. She has co-led the Institute's Developmental Philosophy Group with Doug Balder since May 2011.

Simon Levenson began his artistic career shortly after graduating Sarah Lawrence College in 1994, when he became the youngest artist to be represented by Wally Findlay Gallery in its then 126 year history. He has gone on to show at several prestigious galleries, including Elaine Benson Gallery and Grenning Gallery. His oil paintings, watercolors and drawings are currently represented by Cavalier Galleries Inc.

Kaila Mullady , legendary beatboxer, 2015 & 2018 World Beatbox Champion. She is a member of North Coast ensemble and currently in  Freestyle Love Supreme  on Broadway. 

Gary Schwartz is an actor, director & master improvisational acting teacher. Gary’s twenty-year association with world-renowned theater educator and author, Viola Spolin, provides the foundation for his work. He is the only master teacher to have ever earned an endorsement from both Viola Spolin and her son, the legendary original director of Second City, Paul Sills. 

Douglas Widick , founding member of North Coast , named one of the “Top Ten Best Comedy Shows” by Time Out New York, combining comedy, hip-hop and theater. He is currently a cast member of  Toxic Masculinity: The Musical