When work is a "Holiday"

Alumna Pascale Josephson ('00) was providing massage therapy at a West Village health club for Wayne Wang on a regular basis when Wang asked if she would be available to go with him on location while he directed Last Holiday (Mr. Wang graciously gave permission for use of his name in this article.) The movie, a Paramount Pictures production, would star Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Gerard Depardieu and Timothy Hutton.

Pascale recalled of her experience, "When Wayne sent me a letter with a contract, at first I wasn't sure if I could go. He wanted me to be on location in New Orleans for six weeks, and I have a toddler at home. But it was such an exciting offer, and so lucrative, that I talked it over with my husband and we found a way to manage my absence."

She was in New Orleans from early November until mid-December, 2004. She worked every day, but had long stretches of time to herself. "I'd meet Wayne every morning at 5 or 5:30 am. We'd work together in his hotel gym for about an hour, doing some strength training, yoga, and Thai massage, which involves a lot of stretching. Then Wayne would go to the set. Sometimes I'd meet him there during the day and do some chair massage. At the end of the day, we'd meet again for stretching. Hour-long massage sessions weren't the focus, though I did a few on weekends."

The benefits of frequent massage

From a professional point of view, working every day on the same person gave Pascale a unique chance to evaluate her work. "Because of the frequency of my sessions with Wayne, I got to see how massage can benefit someone who was dealing with a demanding and inherently stressful situation," she said. "In addition to the challenges of the work, the temperature in New Orleans fluctuated quite a bit and the air was damp. The crew had long hours, working from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Though a lot of them got sick, Wayne didn't. I felt the work helped him release the tensions that can accumulate during such physically demanding days, and that it had a positive effect on his immune system." (See article on how massage therapy benefits stress and research on massage and immune function.)

Pascale had time to watch the cast and crew at work, which left her decidedly appreciating her own role. "I once watched them re-do a scene 30 times," she said. "I saw how much patience and focus the actors and crew need in order to sustain a certain level of energy and professionalism." 

Her "Holiday" in New Orleans is one she'll never forget, and another reason she's happy she decided to become an L.M.T. "I feel all of the things I studied over the years brought me to the point where I was ready, capable and confident enough to take advantage of such a wonderful opportunity. I had been working as a personal trainer when I went to study massage at the Swedish Institute. That program, plus continuing education classes in Thai massage and chair massage, have been invaluable to my personal growth and to my professional success."

Pascale recently opened a new office at Columbus Circle, shared with a nutritionist and chiropractor, where she offers massage therapy and facial rejuvenation. She can be reached there at 212.245.3157. She also continues her education, and attends Bank Street College where she studies for a master's degree in education.

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