Max is an artist, performer and teacher from Wasserburg am Inn (Germany). He dedicated himself to improv theatre following extended experience in classical theatre, performing both with his own group as well as with different ensembles. In addition, Max has trained as a clown, learnt mask play and construction in Canada and has worked with teachers from all over the world. 

For the last few years he has been devoting himself mainly to performance and teaching. He is also active, including in India, with Clowns Without Borders.

Max’s focus is on the individual performer. He is aware, from experience, of how important it is to find one’s own style. As an artist, he feels it is crucial not to be pressed or place oneself into a prefabricated scheme and that one has to find one’s own way.

Max believes that it is important to not segregate art forms; that experiences in diverse disciplines, even seemingly unrelated ones, make up the complete artist. For him, while everyone is unique in their own way, there is no such thing as the clown, the performer or the dancer. Training as a clown, in bodywork or dance has an impact on the artist  and thus on every performance.

As a teacher, Max emphasizes on basic skills, while also supporting each learner individually in their development. This approach, he believes, helps everyone find  pleasure in their work and inner peace. 

Max set up – atelier i42 – his own artist studio with workshop space – in the beginning of 2021.

Preeti started her career working with hotels after her graduation in Hotel Management from WGSHA Manipal. Being intrigued by the people management aspect of business she soon moved to further studies and did her M.A. in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from TISS. She then worked in different aspects of HR Operations in the Pharmaceutical and the Oil and Gas sector in India and SouthEast Asia for over 15 years.

Preeti has trained in Bharatnatyam in her early years and pursued theatre with Ekjute Group, while working a day job in Mumbai. This new experience as an actor, inspired her to explore the role that theatre and other expressive art forms could play towards personal and group transformation. In 2015 she moved on from her corporate role to delve further into this realm. 

Preeti has explored different forms of expression to deepen her learning as an artist and a facilitator. Playback theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, Psycho-physical theatre, Movement therapy, Eurythmy, Human Process Work and Professional Co-Active Coaching are key areas she spent time learning and integrating in her work. She believes that exploratory media, such as theatre, art and movement, help to make the process of diagnosis, explorations and creative resolutions holistic.

In 2016, Preeti created a playback theatre ensemble, Mumbai Playbackers with her workshop participants. They have performed in art festivals & public places, with corporates & NGOs, at homes & educational institutions, and, over the past year, have been creating online experiences. 

In 2019, Preeti founded empurple as an umbrella organization offering interactive performances, group facilitation and individual coaching. She is now in her final year of training in Eurythmy, a unique movement form that makes speech and music visible while working on self development. 

Preeti, through her work, now aspires to facilitate access to spontaneous energy and resonant listening spaces through art. Her endeavour is for people to integrate art into business and everyday life to provide the much needed nourishment and sensitivity towards self and others. She is also seeding intentions for an interdisciplinary project to manifest space for exchange of personal stories to work with healing the wounds of history – personal and collective. This “third career” phase, while still nascent, has been the most exciting, unnerving and satisfying and Preeti looks forward to the journey ahead.