Movement, MT and Acting

fishbowlfreshman
Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:41:56 +0000

It’s not all about being graceful. The intent is to free oneself so as to move in such a way as to truthfully embody the character in a given set of circumstances. Obviously, you need to be able to move gracefully when it’s called for, but that aint all characters all the time. I have also heard what ckp was saying about dancers and their alignment and have seen the little “tick, tock” in the heads of some with dance backgrounds like Theatermom mentioned. I have also seen that dancers along with those with gymnastics and martial arts backgrounds tend to have an easier time with movement once they get past that than those who’ve never done anything requiring a lot of body awareness.

I think that, yes, having some movement training - like any training - will stand one in good stead at audition time. If you can’t get it where you live, however, there are things you can do to prepare yourself for it besides dance. Yoga and Tai Chi should be high on your “to do list” if you can afford the time. As for those who’ve already been admitted and are going to a conservatory in the fall, here’s a word of advice … Spend the summer working yourself into absolutely the best shape you’ve ever been in. You’ll thank yourself later. Depending on the approach used, this stuff can seriously kick your butt. There’s no sweat like Suzuki sweat …