Today we’d like to introduce you to Jo Kelly.
Hi Jo, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It all started in Bruxelles, Belgium where I got an MBA in Business Management from ICHEC University and specialized in human resources with a focus on systemics which is a special discipline in psychology. After five years of studying, I started working in the corporate world, where I felt uncomfortable and felt that it wasn’t my calling.
So I decided to start from scratch and move to Paris to study acting. At some point, I noticed that whenever myself or my fellow actors had to act, we were so panicked – even though we were incredibly passionate about acting. We had stage fright, we were contracted, and we simply didn’t feel free. I became very curious about that and started researching why it was happening. How can people be so passionate about acting and so hard-working but so miserable when they do act?
As I was researching that, the bridge with my studies happened because I was able to connect the dots and realize what the missing piece in the actors’ instrument was; their instinct. The instinct is wired by our systems in our childhood – we have been conditioned to act, think, and behave a certain way at home and at school. We were learning how to think and feel, so we aren’t doing that in our own authentic way anymore.
When it comes to performance arts, if there is no unique instinct and freedom of the individual, there is no truth in the actors themselves. And that’s why it feels so painful when actors feel contracted and panicked.
I was still acting when I discovered that, and I was so enthusiastic about it. I saw the incredible results in my acting and everything people were saying about it. I started winning awards, and I shared my new tools with friends who also got great results. So I realized that it was my purpose in life to help people get back to what they were truly meant to be, feel, and behave, rather than teach them. I stopped acting myself because it was more important for me to help people feel liberated.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been smooth because, when I studied acting, I never felt incredible while doing it. I was a good actress but I wasn’t great, which didn’t make sense to me because I had all the love and passion for it, and I worked very hard. The struggle was to realize that no amount of hard work would equal freedom and impact on an audience. When I realized that, I decided to do the opposite; to undo all the hard work that I had done in the past in order to get to my true instinct.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I do the opposite of what any acting school would do. An acting teacher will teach you how to act, whereas I’m standing on the opposite side saying that acting is not something you learn, it’s something you’ve done since you were a child, playing with your dolls, your trucks, etc. You were already acting! You made characters in your head and acted. And most importantly, you really enjoyed the experience.
Then you grow up and get conditioned, and you stop enjoying the experience and start worrying about whether you’re doing it right.
If kids are great actors and they don’t need to go to acting school, adults don’t need to either. They need to undo everything from their upbringing that has prevented them from being as free as they were when they were children. It’s about unlearning.
And I’m very proud of that because it means that the gift is in the hands of the artist. It’s not in my hands. I’m just reminding people of who they really are. So in a way, I’m like a midwife for actors, I’m not a coach.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy is pure, truthful human behavior that is freely expressed. I’m happiest when I’m dancing with my friends – not dancing to look good but just being in the moment and moving in a way that feels natural, no matter what it looks like. It means connecting with the people I love on the deepest, giggly level. Giggling with my best friend is one of my favorite things to do; just laughing so hard that we cry.
I’m all about the depth, the truth, and the absurdity of all of it. I’m in love with human beings, so the more I see them truthfully, the happier I am and the more I connect with them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tobeornottoact.com
- Instagram: tobeornottoact_jokelly
