video page ? Another page which belongs to Biomechanics directory! ACT Related pages: IMPROV, Performance 12Night Forum: Physical Comedy & Biomechanics. Read archives and subscribe yourself! I do not teach movement, but I teach actors to use space-time... I should I say -- CREATE IT! Movement is the changes in this YOUR chronotope, which you build out of the empty space. You establish it (the rules) and then play by the rules you introduced to the public. What do I mean? Read about Acting Areas -- the stage zones you, actor, assigned for different emotions of your character. Your motion between them is the DRAMATIC NARRATIVE in movement. Use the geomentry in your floor plans: line, triangle, circle. The basic movement design for your character, scene, monologue. Make it simple, easy to read -- and stick with it! Everything on stage must be CHOREOGRAPHED! Your movement is DANCE. If you don't know what you mean by changing your place, don't move at all! That is why so many scenes and monologues are so static... Task: Characterization & Physicalization Dionysus -- Biomechanics Method -- Apollo I hope that you read the webpages and your textbook: "Actors on Acting" -- consider "Movement for Actors" course. We will do more physical theatre in THR221 Intermediate Acting (emphasis on Biomechanics). stage movement list (amazon) * Summary acting2 and acting3 pages Questions act.vtheatre.net/doc Notes captions for graphic files on this page! ...

Move=ment

Act Gateway Page with some intro to Biomechanics

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If you haven't read the page on Biomechanics, you don't see what I see -- the actor1 and actor2. The Actor-Creator and Actor-Medium.

The photo is from my Russian collection (Interstudio, St. Petersburg, 1992)

I don't like the idea of "classes in movement" -- what is not movement on stage? Perhaps this is the reason why I use the Biomechanics in all levels of acting training. And, yes, I like the "mechanical" aspect of it, especially, when we go through comedy as genre. I like the rule of repetition (e.i. each gesture introduced by actors has to be used at least three times). I impose on them the levels requirement (low - medium - high). like the simplicity of the OUTSIDE approach.

I don't want to start a new page on Improvisation and I will post the basic rules of Improv on this Move Page.

Character Development

To try different physical designs for your character. The WALK, for example. To HAVE a character is a first goal and rule of Improvisation. Go for a two or even one-dimensional stock character. Drunk, blind, pregnant, total idiot and etc. You can learn a lot about comedy, if you stick to one and only feature.

Two. You have to have some situation. The more extreme, the better. Fire, dying, stuck in elevator, bathroom is very popular.

Unless you're trained to think fast and have a good partner, you'll get stuck in the middle. Before you go into improvisation scene, you have to understand that the end has to be an opposite to your beginning and there is a "twist"! The same law of composition: "1 - 2 - 3"! You don't have to know it in advance, you must know that it is there. The contrast is everything in comedy. Tall and short, fat and skinny, fast and slow. Everything that can enhance the open conflict is good, throw it in!

If you feel weak in certain areas, identify them and keep working separately on each.

I use Entrance & Exit exercises to define the roles assigned in class. The door is your tool. How do you open it? How do you step in? Establish the stages of this process.

Every book on acting could give lists of suggested situations. I ask students to bring in class no less than five (5) of their own. Then we pick the best. Now you know the criteria for selection.

First assignment for Monologue 1 is Character "History" development. In class we improvise different situations, when you try to stay "in-character" and find how YOUR CHARACTER would react (outside of a situation of the monologue).

Summary

Homework

Bring 3-5 situations to try in our next class on improvization.

"Theatrical Novel" Bulgakov about Stanislavsky -- I.V. Part Three

In place of Patrikeev came a really big group. I went out to have a smoke, and I when I came back... [Part Four]

How does actor establish the SITUATION?

Examples.

NB

The rest should be develop on Performance Page.

Next: Biomechanics Intro

WARMUPS

ISOLATION EXERCISES | BODY | VOICE | MEMORY | SCRIPT | DIRECTION | CAST | RESEARCH | PROPS | COSTUME | SET | MAKE UP | DESIGN | LIGHTING | SOUND | AUDIENCE

etctheatre@poetic.com Gary Mcleod The Ensemble Theatre Company (etctheatre)

ISOLATION EXERCISES

PERFECT POSTURE

Using your body as a tool for building a character is about the essence and mechanics of movement.

DRAW A LINE FROM THE BASE OF THE NECK (TOP OF THE SPINE) TO THE SMALL OF YOUR BACK.

CROSS THAT LINE AT RIGHT ANGLES JUST DOWN FROM THE TOP.

THE INSIDE EDGES OF YOUR SHOULDER BLADES DETERMINES THE LENGTH OF THIS DISSECTING LINE.

THIS HAS TO BE ALIGNED ON THE SAME PLANE AT ALL TIMES.

THE HITCHIKER'S GUIDE TO PAINLESS MOVEMENT

To start notice where your weight is.
Try changing it around.
Give yourself lots of room to move around in.
You will also need to lie down at one point.
Please refer to the posture explanation above.
Don't push the extension aspect of the exercises...the extension will come as you get stronger.
Once the flow of the exercises is realized music can be introduced.
Concentration and focus are are as important here as anywhere.
They should be done everyday.

Drop your head to the front and return it.
Drop your head to the right and return it.
Drop your head to the back and return it.
Drop your head to the left and return it.
(8 beats total)
Repeat a total of 8 times.
Roll the heada in a circle one way 4 times.
Roll the head in a circle the other way 4 times.

Scrunch your face up and release 4 times (8 beats)

Lift your shoulders to touch your ears and release.
Push your shoulders down to the ground and release.
Push your shoulders forward and release.
Push your shoulders backward and release.
(8 beats total)
Repeat a total of 8 times.
Roll the shoulders in a circle forward 4 times.
Roll the shoulders in a circle backward 4 times.

Wiggle your fingers for 8 beats.
Wiggle your wrists in circles back and forth for 8 beats.

Throw your arms in the air above you 8 times.
Throw them out in front of you 8 times.
Throw them down to the earth 8 times.
Throw them out to the sides 8 times.
Throw them back behind you 8 times.

Move your arms in a circle to the front 8 times.
Move your arms in a circle to the back 8 times.

Bend over and reach to the front keeping your back straight.
Reach further 8 times.
Reach and bend over to your right keeping your back straight.
Reach further 8 times.
Reach and bend over to your back right keeping your back straight.
Reach further 8 times.
Reach and bend over to your left keeping your back straight.
Reach further 8 times.
Reach and bend to your back left keeping your back straight.
Reach further 8 times.

Push pelvis forward. (1 beat)
Push pelvis to the left. (1 beat)
Push pelvis to the back. (1 beat)
Push pelvis to the right. (1 beat)
Repeat four times total.
Roll the hips one way for 4 beats and the other for 4 beats.

Balancing on your left foot roll your right ankle in circles, back and forth for 8 beats.
Throw your right leg out in front of you 8 times.
Throw your right leg to the side 8 times.
Throw our right leg to the back 8 times.
Let it fly away on its own for 8 beats.

Repeat the above with the left leg balancing on your right.

Sit straight down on the floor without bending your back...concentrate!
Put your legs out if front of you.
Keeping your back straight point your toes and reach for them 8 times.
Keeping your back straight push your toes towards you and reach for them 8 times.
Open your legs. (start out as far open as you can...this too will improve as well as the aches in your calves for the first week of doing these...sorry, honesty is the best policy)
Keeping your back straight reach for the left toe 8 times with your toe pointed.
Keeping your back straight reach to the right toe 8 times with your toes pointed.
Keeping your back straight reach to the middle 8 times with toes pointed.

Repeat for each leg and the middle with the toes reaching toward the body 8 times each.

Lie on your back.
Breathe in deeply.
Allow the exhale to pull you up into a sitting position keeping your legs on the floor and your back straight for 8 beats.
Breathe in again.
Allow the exhale to set ou back down in a lying position for 8 beats.
Do each comple sit up 8 times.

Do as many situps keeping your body compleely straight as your arms can handle. (This too will increase in numbr and decrease in pain as you progress).

Shake yourself out.

You will never need any other physical warm up.
Once practiced this can be done in about 1/2 hour.

The exercises are fairly simple in their scope and not fussed up with any false sense of precision.

If you have an interest in the mechanics of dance or choreography doing them to music can have its developmental advantages.
Feel free to fill in the beats with style.
The result is quite a satisfying little dance.

DOING THESE IN CHARACTER IS THE TRICK!

[ must do it before rehearsals! ]