Nuts and Bolts

Start of week three.

I wouldn't say I'm getting into a groove.  But I would say I'm surviving without the constant fear of collapse.

Back up a bit.  After talking to my brother this weekend, I realized that although I gave an outline of the first day, I have not really painted a clear picture of what my schedule looks like.

Here's the basics:

Monday - Thursday:

9-11     MOVEMENT

11-1     VOICE

1-2       LUNCH

2-6       ACTING

Friday

10-1     SEMINAR

2-6       ACTING


Our first four weeks (as I previously mentioned) is an intensive on Greek Theatre.  As such, our classes are geared to help support the course work...but are also of a much more intense nature than they will be throughout the main thrust of the program.  While we are pushing 40 hours/week of teacher-interactive time for this intensive, we will be switching to a schedule of roughly 16-20 hours of class time a week, with more independent study time for rehearsing and for research and writing of the dissertation.

But for now...a bit more specifics.

MOVEMENT
Our movement class is specifically focused on building lower body and core strength.  First is a pretty set routine of spinal rolls, pliés, planks, bridges, etc... and movement across the floor using specific body parts (lie on your back and cross the floor only using your shoulders) (cross the space in any way without bending your knees).  We have also been building a physical vocabulary of the Laban Efforts.  In short, the body moves in three general ways: time, weight and space.  Time = Sustained or Sudden.  Weight = Heavy or Light.  Space = Direct or Indirect.  Where each of these intersect, you will discover a different pattern of movement.

For instance:
WRING:  Sustained, Indirect, Heavy
PUNCH:  Sudden, Direct, Heavy
PRESS:  Sustained, Direct, Heavy
DAB:  Sudden, Direct, Light

Each of these efforts can be used in a very physical bodily expression or in a pedestrian sort of gesture.  This entire system of movement will be further explored in the psychology of movement and character when we delve further into acting classes later in the year.  Right now, we are simply getting a basic physical understanding of each of the movements.

VOICE
The voice class is a stark contrast in approach.  Instead of pushing your body to its limit, where shaking and trembling and pushing through "good" pain is encouraged....our voice teacher reminds us daily to relax, to embrace, to be kind to our instrument.  He uses words like 'coax' and 'allow'...as any kind of push or physical strain can cause serious damage to the vocal instrument.  He gives us anatomical lessons on what parts of our body we are engaging.  He gives us visualization and imaginative exercises to 'allow' the best use of our bodies for breath and vocal work.  Much of the work is not only gentle but slow.  We are making progress...but as our instructor reminded us last week - the goal is to retrain the body to the most efficient and proper use.  That doesn't usually happen overnight.  Our habits of speaking have come from years and years and years of doing it.  So, we are working on basics of allowing the breath to fall in...only being in control of the breath/voice on the out-breath.  We are working on recognizing and beginning vocalization at the precise moment when the in-breath becomes out-breath (too early or forceful of an attack causes problems, as does too late or hesitant).  We are learning how to relax our jaws and tongues as a new habit, new 'normal'...so we don't have distortion in tone and articulation.  We are training our sound to be forward-moving, so that it is bright and full of life and doesn't stay trapped in the throats.

ACTING
We have a few afternoon acting seminars leaders.  One (my favorite) is Mask Class.  During the Greek Theatre intensive, we are working with Neutral Mask - based in the Jacques Lecoq method.

If you remember the 8 stages of tension I mentioned in a previous post, neutral is level 4.  It is the most aware and open to space.  This being said, the exploration of neutral mask is very much about simplicity.  It is not about creating a story or commenting on a situation.  If anything, it is encouraged to let go of our hang-ups about being boring.  Because, honestly, if you watch someone genuinely live in the moment and react honestly with their environment in a mask...it couldn't be more fascinating.

After the Greek intensive, we will continue to work with this mask instructor with commedia masks.

We also have two instructors who are working with us on acting as it relates to the Greek chorus.  We are exploring from both a musical and movement based angle as well as from a textual analysis angle.

SEMINARS

Each week we have had a guest lecturer come to speak to us specifically in their area of speciality.  The first, Professor Edith Hall is one of the most famous Greek scholars in England.  Whenever there is a radio show or commentary on the Greeks, you will hear the voice of Edith Hall.  She made the Greeks seem very current and accessible...and pointed out that since there is no living Ancient Greek language, it must always be translated.  Unlike Shakespeare or Chekhov, we are dealing with a script that cannot be preserved in its native tongue.  So, we must decide how we translate it.  What we keep.  What we interpret.  How we try to make it applicable to a modern audience.  How we deal with what is alien and culturally specific.

The second guest lecturer was Dr. Stephe Harrop who led a very hands-on Gesture workshop (yes, yes, pun intended).  She has studied in depth on the movement and gesture that has been recorded in the massive amounts of Greek artwork.  And again, we must at some point guess how that gesture would have been used (or if it was just artist interpretation on the vase, and not literal recording of how the play was actually performed).  We learned a piece of text (much as our Ancient Greek counterparts would have - by call/answer rather than written word) and explored how those words (in that particular translation) moved the body through breath and context.  Fascinating.

So, I hope that gives you a bit of a clearer picture of what it is that I'm doing over here.  At least for now.  In between meltdowns and sleeping, I am in a whirlwind of classes that are teaching me more than the sum of their parts.  I am learning about how I interact with my classmates, how I learn, how to ask for what I need, how to accept when I am not going to get it, how to comfort myself, how to unwind, how to rally, how to grow.

After my terrible, awful, no good, very bad day last week...I found myself the next morning in movement class wondering how to begin.  As we are standing with our eyes closed, getting prepared for the lesson, our instructor says, "Give yourself a note. Something you want to work on today.  Make it stick."  (She probably meant something to the effect of, 'I will keep my knees over my toes' or 'I will be mindful of when tension creeps into my hands while I'm doing some other movement' or 'I will keep my pelvis tucked under instead of arching my back' - all of which I could absolutely work on, by the way.)

And this was my note.  "Be generous."

Be generous with what you can give.  When you get to the end, see if there is any more.  Keeping it for yourself doesn't benefit anyone.
Also be generous with yourself.  Be kind and giving.  When you reach empty...refill.  When you need to rest, give that to yourself.

I think this may be a daily goal.