Enter the strange, simple, and magnetic world of Larval Masks also known as Basel Masks. Rooted from a winter carnival in Switzerland and reimagined by Jacques Lecoq, these oversized, beginnings of life masks are a gateway to embodiment, archetype, comedy, non-verbal storytelling and dream space. This is physical poetry, where breath, stillness, and silhouette speak louder than words.

Larval work sharpens the performer’s ability to explore presence; by stripping back, listening with the body, and building story from tension, space, and rhythm with the unknown.

Ideal for all types of artists, performers, educators, writers, and anyone curious about the full-body language beneath text. The full-faced mask is a revelation and invitation to encounter the architecture of play and possibility.

ABOUT THE TEACHER

Elaine Weryshko is a theatre artist, puppeteer, and co-artistic director of the Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry (CAMP). With a background rooted in Lecoq-based training, Elaine specializes in physical theatre, mask, chorus and puppetry, focusing on non-verbal performance, poetic image-making, and ensemble devising. Her work is known for its visceral physicality, imaginative use of objects, and philosophical exploration of presence, ritual, and absurdity.

Elaine has taught workshops across Canada, working with professional artists, educators, and students of all ages to awaken creative expression through the body and breath. She is particularly passionate about Larval Mask as a foundational tool for performers to discover character, impulse and play.

Originally from Calgary and now half based in the Slocan Valley of BC, Elaine continues to create and tour original work while fostering community-based and professional puppetry initiatives throughout Western Canada.