Directing Courses For Exploration With The Body And Voice

always been known for the risky and powerful movements which are often why dancers retire from the company. The dancer’s movements were often very intense and emotive, such as the “throws” across the stage in which the dancers would, almost violently, launch themselves across the stage in different forms (leaps, falls and flips to name a few). Another section where the movements were emotive is where the dancers were thrusting their hips in different positions to perhaps show sexuality in “self”.

I’ve adored theatre for as long as I can remember. From writing plays throughout elementary school, to being involved in Drama Club in middle school, to performing in community theatre in high school, and to visiting the theatre as often as I could from the very beginning, theatre has always been a part of my life. Every aspect of it engages me: the directors working to bring their vision of the show’s scenes, choreography, or music to life, the actors transforming into different characters through their expression of dialogue, song, or dance, the costumers and set-builders transporting the audience into the setting and time period with their artistry, the backstage tech and crew working quickly and precisely to keep the show flowing to curtain call, and the orchestra bringing the show to life through music. There is nothing like the experience of live theatre, both as a member of the audience and as a member of the cast and crew.

Above all, I wouldn’t be where I am today without theatre. Without the chance to perform throughout my life, I would be disconnected from the wide array of communities and histories that’s been imbedded in my daily routine. Unfortunately, it’s speculated that the theatre is a dying art form, because of the expanding popularities of movies (“Is”), but I think that it’ll remain a well renowned part of expressing imagination and interpreting history as years pass; it only takes cooperation with school faculty and young students that go above and beyond to change their

As the music began, I started to move; the pounding of my feet blending in with the melodious sounds of the flute, the ghungaroo(bells) around my ankles, the mridangham (drums), and the blood rushing into my own heart. With the music and my first movements, the fear of being on stage washes away and I am focused on my movements and my expressions—using them to tell a story about my culture, my heritage, and me.

“…Then you realise that theatre is a more personal experience.” (Stephen Atkins, Dante’s Inferno Director) After viewing Zen Zen Zo’s physical theatre reincarnation of the

acques LeCoq, a French practitioner and Augusto Boal, a Brazilian practitioner both aim to take their actors and the audience on a journey of discovery. Both Practitioners believed in ‘Freeing’ the body and making it ‘De-mechanicalized’ to enable full interpretation. LeCoq and Boal both use emotion, imagination, extensive body movement, playfulness and political matters to create their methods of theatrical practice.

Being a writer and director are challenging positions. A writer and director must be in-tune with their audience in order to capture

The use of Narrative in film and other forms of media is commonplace; it has become such that the media viewer has not only come to expect it but rely on it somewhat. There are two elements in narrative film today that combine in the engaging of the audience; 'story' and 'production' elements. One example in the Australian film industry of the use of production and story elements in such a way as to engage the audiences' attention is the film 'Two Hands'.

Its arrangement demands the significance of testing our previously established inclinations of what move can, and ought to address. “DV8 Physical Theatre's work is about taking risks, aesthetically and physically, about breaking down the barriers between dance, theatre and personal politics and, above all, communicating ideas and feelings clearly and unpretentiously”( Artsadmin. 2016. DV8 Physical Theatre | Artsadmin. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.artsadmin.co.uk/artists/dv8-physical-theatre. [Accessed 21 May 2016].)

This paper will explore a range of perspectives on the relationship between the live event and the document within performance practice, specifically focus on in relation to body, time and space. Performance art is commonly known as a performance presented to a viewer within a fine art context. Through performance artists emphasize the body’s role in artistic production. Historically, performance archive has been characterized as an unfaithful representation of the momentary art experience. Yet, in contemporary art the relationship between live performance practices and documentation has progressed towards reconciliation. Whether, the performance is scripted or unscripted, the performer’s body is present or absent. Performance art can happen in any type of venue and for any length of time. Documentation of performance practice documents the actions of an individual or a group at a particular place and in a particular time.

The essay investigates how a director should communicate and work with actors during rehearsal and on set to produce engaging performances. The essay investigates different acting styles, the rehearsal process, directing on set and communication between actors and director. The essay assumes the actor has formal training and basic experience. The essay then proves effective communication achievable through the “actor’s vocabulary” is key not to over-direct and building trust with the actor.

We are made of stories. They define us and make us who we are. We are constantly being molded by the stories we create ourselves and the ones thrown in our direction. As children, we watched movies and read books about princesses, knights, talking bears, and even giant red dogs. We were told stories from our parents about lessons they learned as children with hopes we would not make the same mistakes. There are some stories that can not adequately be shared through words or pictures. There is a purity and truth to a story when it is told through dance, movement of the human body. The human body is “the instrument through which the dance speaks[; it] is also the instrument through which life is lived. It is the instrument by which all the primaries

Method acting is often misinterpreted as an acting exercise where the actor “becomes” the character, and keeps the persona of that character until they have completed their work. This misguided thinking has been promoted by pop culture and even sometimes by actors themselves. The Lee Strasberg Film & Theatre Institute defines the Method as when “actors use their imagination, sense and emotion to conceive characters with unique and original behavior, creating performances grounded in the human truth of the moment.” This definition focuses more on the relationship between the actor and their character, rather than both being one and the same. Method acting is not a new idea. It is thought to have been considered an acting exercise for

Like many, I initially thought I was going to be taking a typical theater class this semester, so when I discovered the class was actually centered around devising, I was worried. I had no previous experience devising, and frankly, I didn’t even know what devising ment. Nonetheless, by being submerged in devising all semester, I learned the processes necessary to write, design, and create a piece in a group setting. Through these processes, I developed some positive skills like giving and taking criticisms, methods of brainstorming, and open-mindedness.

Born in Austro-Hungary in 1879, Rudolf Laban developed a theory that provided a means to exploring and expanding one’s movement vocabulary. Although frequently used in choreographic processes, this toolset helps one explore different aspects of dance improvisation. Worldwide, his theory of analyzing movement has helped dancers grow more creative in their improvisation. When improvising, dancers often use varying levels of structure to control the direction of improvisation, and this particular structure based in Europe is used in almost every setting of dance in academia.