Eugenio Barba became one of the important educators, writers and directors in the history of theatre with his acting research and studies at the Odin Theatre, which he founded in 1964. In 1966, he moved the Odin Theatre to Holstebro, a small town in Northern Denmark, and transformed it into an experimental research laboratory called the "Theatre Laboratory of the North." Here, he conducted studies based on his master Grotowski's physical action method and the techniques of Kathakali dance, a classical form of traditional Indian performing arts. At the Theatre Meeting held in Belgrade in 1976, he introduced the concept of a "Third Theatre" outside the traditions of commercial and institutional theatre and the avant-garde and experimental theatre that had emerged in opposition to it. At this meeting, theatre companies from various continents and countries across different cultures shared their working methods and experiences, and the art of theatre found its place in an environment of intercultural communication. In 1979, Barba transformed his theater laboratory into the International School of Theater Anthropology (ISTA), which organized a number of international events for actors, directors, and instructors. The international events organized by ISTA brought together artists from different nations and traditions in an environment of exchange. Barba defines theater anthropology as the study of the actor's behavior outside of everyday life while utilizing his physical and socio-cultural presence within an organized performance situation. He also tried to identify common principles by comparing the body techniques used by actors in Eastern performing arts outside their daily routines with Western forms.

These common principles, which will form the basis for all actors from diverse cultures and traditions, exist in the "pre-expressive" sphere, the actor's physical and mental preparation process. The creation of this pre-expressive sphere is linked to the concept of "abstraction from culture."