I have been lucky enough to work, train, consult, mentor and collaborate with a wide range of organisations, nationally and internationally: professional theatre and dance companies; health care clowning organisations; individual artists; small organisations; large umbrella bodies; universities; community groups; NHS; students; etc. I am proud to share some feedback and comments I have received.
“I have known and worked with Magdalena for almost 20 years and during that time I have often been mesmerised by the ease with which she enables great things to happen with people who often would struggle to see themselves as being creative. The trust she generates through her embedded and embodied ways of being and doing surfaces courageous connections for amazingly creative outcomes and impacts.”
“Magdalena’s work with Smile Theatre has been nothing short of transformative. Her detailed evaluation of our programs provided us with fresh perspectives and a clear path for improvement. Beyond her expertise, Magdalena brought a spirit of collaboration and encouragement that energized our entire team. Her mentorship of myself and her workshops with artists and community members have elevated our understanding and practice of creating work for people living with dementia. She has left an indelible mark on our organization, and we are deeply grateful for her leadership and vision.”
“As head of the artistic staff development department of Red Noses Austria, I am delighted to have been able to draw on Magdalena’s experience and expertise for many years. Magdalena’s well-founded knowledge in theory and practice, her pedagogical skills, her warm and uncomplicated nature allow her to create a workshop atmosphere that is relaxed while remaining focused. Her experience is so broad that she effortlessly manages to devote herself to the group as well as the needs of each individual in it. Nothing escapes her gaze, and she finds points of contact to build on in everyone. I can do nothing but warmly recommend working with Magdalena!”
“Magdalena Schamberger led the Piros Orr team in a very special and wonderful 4 day workshop focused on melodrama. We explored the thin line the clown balances between authentic, human emotions and the comical perspective. For us it was a miracle.
Magdalena used her amazing knowledge and experience to lead our team sensitively on this journey. Combining her technical knowledge with sensitivity and intuition, she creates a safe space for people to bravely explore. Her method focuses on the team and on the individuals at the same time. I have never encountered this kind of artistic support before.
Working with her is fabulous, inspiring, exciting, deep diving and fun in every moment; the best adventure ever.”
“Magdalena’s profound sensitivity, analytical perspective and well-honed expertise position her as a unique, inspiring go-to resource for any artist interested in understanding effective, compassionate processes and methods for working with people with dementia and memory loss. If there’s ever a chance to work with her, take it.”
“As part of an EU project entitled ClowNexus “clowning connects us” (2020-2023) with healthcare clown organizations from 6 different countries, we were able to invite Magdalena as a speaker for a joint laboratory week in Austria.
She inspired the local press, the participating clowns and the organizers in equal measures. In a tailor-made workshop, the expertise of the participants merged with the specialist knowledge of the speaker. Her many years of experience as a clown, director and expert in creative work with people with dementia make every workshop a safe place to learn and expand the individual’s clowning horizons with pleasure, joy and expert guidance. “
“Magdalena brought a wealth of knowledge and an infectious enthusiasm to her workshops with our artists and community members. She encouraged us to think deeply about the unique needs of audiences, providing us with tools and strategies that have enriched our creative process. Her ability to balance constructive critique with heartfelt encouragement created a safe space for learning and growth. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication and inspired to continue exploring new possibilities for inclusive storytelling and creating.
“Magdalena gave us a thoughtful and compassionate insight into what it’s like to experience some of the symptoms of ageing through use of exercises, tasks and specially designed equipment. This was backed up with scientific research and factual information at a level that felt perfectly pitched for artists who are focused on delivering high quality performance for older people.
Magdalena also (and invaluably) offered a suggested framework and approach from which all of the delegates were able to take thoughts and ideas and use these to build a structure to their own practice.
The workshop was paced beautifully and Magdalena was particularly sensitive to the needs of the participants…upping the energy when it was needed, offering breaks when people flagged and injecting humour at appropriate times and places. She made everyone feel welcome on arrival, comfortable throughout, and much better informed after. A huge thank you from us here at Luca Silvestrini’s Protein.”
“As the Creative Director of the BOLD Programme, Magdalena led the way in challenging the whole team in thinking creatively about every aspect of the programme. In facilitating the co-design of the programme of face to face and online workshops, creative practices were completely embedded in the work. It was wonderful to experience practices in a virtual world that are often considered possible during in-person workshop activity. The focus on creativity elevated the potential of BOLD and created a natural legacy of creative practices that have become normalised in how we engage with persons living with a dementia.”
Images with thanks to the ClowNexus project and Katarína Varga Bezáková / ČERVENÝ NOS Clowndoctors.