Playing Mantis is a partnership between Petro Janse van Vuuren and Burgert Kirsten.
Petro has tested the methods of applied improvisation up to PhD level (PhD in Drama Studies - Applied Theatre) and Burgert has studied their effects in team development in his Master’s thesis (MCom Industrial Psychology).
We are passionate about play - Play as a tool for experiential learning and development of innovation and relationship.
We are passionate about connection - Connecting people with themselves, others, their creativity and their passion.
We are passionate about transformation - Transformation of individuals and groups to play a meaningful role in a changing world.
We use methods from the disciplines of psychology, coaching, improvisational theatre and story.
Although we use exercises originally developed for improvisational theatre, the focus is not on performance but on developing skills for leadership, teamwork, innovation and dealing with uncertain and changing environments. Our workshops provide immediate benefit and applicability. We guarantee a marked change in your team's morale, interaction and working environment.
Furthermore, our methods are supported by a growing body of scientific studies in the areas of Neuroscience and Industrial Psychology. The latest research results in Neuropsychology show that improvisation can be seen as a distinct type of dynamic learning, which promotes creative problem solving and innovation through processes that correspond with the operating principles of our brains.
Our applied improvisation and story workshops comprise of unique and alternative techniques which are especially powerful for team processes that focus on change and experiential learning. Our methods are on the cutting edge in the fields of personal and organisational development and have brought about a revolution amongst HR professionals in countries like Canada, the USA and northern Europe.
Playing Mantis is currently the only company on the African continent to offer workshops and events facilitated by trained experts commanding skills from the two worlds that characterise our tailor-made courses: Applied Improvisation and Industrial Psychology. We belong to international networks and associations in order to constantly improve our expertise, based on the latest developments in research and improvisational coaching as well as exchanges with other practitioners.
Our practical experience includes facilitating team and leadership processes across South Africa and with many satisfied clients including SAB Miller, British American Tobacco, Hollard Insurance, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostic and more. Our background allows us to deliver a highly specialized and well crafted process.
Contact us for a free demonstration of our method at your organization.
Applied story practitioner
Petro is an experiential learning facilitator and has extensive knowledge in the area of ethics and values. She has been intrigued by the power of stories throughout her life. This culminated in her doctoral thesis in which she developed a unique interactive story telling process to help people compare and evaluate personal and organisational values. Read more...
Industrial psychologist and improvisation specialist
In essence Burgert is a connector. He is passionate about connecting people with people, people with themselves, problems with solutions, ideas with people and concepts with experiences and experiences with growth. He is a registered industrial psychologist and improvisation expert. Read more...
Burgert and Petro work as a team or individually. Playing Mantis also draws from a range of trusted people's skills and abilities to customise programmes that meet the needs of our clients. This includes creative people in business, education, theatre and design.
Psychologist and lifestyle sculptor
Manuela holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Mannheim in Germany (Dipl.Psych., German equivalent to an M.Sc.), specialising in Neuropsychology.
Early on she recognised that the classical approach of Psychology strongly focuses on weaknesses and mechanisms of disorder in the human psyche, but to a large degree, neglects its strengths and the potential of the mind to create happiness and well-being. She is passionate about unlocking the power of thought to sculpt peoples' lives in harmony with their highest ideals, the only way to a fulfilling life in all aspects. Read more...
Charl-Rudolph Campher is currently studying Industrial Psychology, final year, through Unisa. He has been living in Stellenbosch for the last 15 years and as he grew older, he started thinking about alternative ways of improving peoples lives by doing something similar to what Playing Mantis is offering. The reason why he jumped on board was that the way they apply drama and improvisation to our everyday struggle to be in the present and not to worry about the past or the future fascinated him. Charl has been having this dream of becoming part of something that changes people's perspective on life....for the good. Read more...
The way the San people of South Africa portray the praying mantis became our inspiration for many reasons.
Although he is a small and seemingly insignificant creature, far less powerful and imposing than an eland or an elephant, he has his own special magic.
Mantis can bring dead people back to life, and he does so over and over again in the many stories told about him. Similarly we aim to give new life to stale and lifeless structures. We help those who have inherited these dry bones to flesh them out and breathe life into them making them dance again.
Often in his stories when disaster is about to descend, and it seems as if life itself must fail, Mantis has a dream which tells him what to do. Disaster is averted and life goes on. We too like to draw on the creativity of the right brain and our creative instincts to come up with solutions for our client's challenges. Even more importantly, we hope to inspire similar processes in your own mind so that you can generate your own innovative solutions.
To save himself in moments of great danger Mantis often gets wings and flies away - usually to the water, an ancient symbol of life. Here he can renew himself and make a brave new beginning. Likewise we hope to grow our own wings and help you do the same so we can all find places of solace and piece wihin ourselves. Here we can let our hair down, have fun and get frresh inspiration for new beginnings.
But Mantis is full of mischief, often gets into trouble while playing tricks, but without malice. We too like to keep our work playful and experimental not always knowing what will happen.
Like Mantis we are forever trying different ways of behaving and learning from our mistakes. We have agreed never to take ourselves too seriously and miss out on things that are less serious, but very important, even life sustaining. Most of all we are learning to know ourselves and find more ways to live our passion. We hope to motivate you to adopt the same mindset.