progress report

Remarkably busy.

Quick Progress Report:

Dance: She likes me most of the time. I think half of it has to do with the significant arch in my feet, but it's fun to be noticed, anyway... "Yes, Mariska, YES! Kiss knee! Kiss knee! Stretch leg!" So entertaining, and it's good to dance.

Voice: We were all given rehearsal songs. Mine is "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar. Haven't learned it yet-need to do that before Thursday morning.

Movement: Woah. Doing lots of crazy balancing exercises, standing on my shoulder, getting some incredible endurance skills. We do a lot of jumping. It's awesome. Developing more partner work as we realize the importance of knowing another person's body and presence while on stage.

Stage Combat: Was called "Girl Terminator" last class. Have no idea what it means, but I'll take it as a compliment.

Language: Slowly, oh so slowly, getting some of it. We've finally started grammar. (A month in, but better late than never?) And things make so much more sense when you're told how to conjugate a verb into the past tense. I need the future tense to make more sense when I speak, but I suppose we'll get there eventually. I need to study like nobody's business.

Theatre History: Fun. Fun fun. With Anatoly Smeliansky, head of the School. Exactly what it sounds like-we begin Chekhov question presentations soon. There were several questions and three or four people take each topic. Mine: Cherry Orchard. Why did Chekhov call it a comedy? (An excellent question... I just have to figure out how I want to answer it.)

Stage Design/History: Need to finish rereading Three Sisters, because I'm designing a set for it.

Costume Design: Haven't gone in yet.

Acting: Way too much to explain. My synopsis:

Silence game: Partners, standing in a corner, one behind the other. The one behind has his/her hands on the other's shoulders, head down. When the one behind removes his/her hands, the one in front begins walking. The person behind can raise their head as slowly or as quickly as they like and once they have raised their head entirely, they think/say "STOP." And the partner receives that energy and stops. Or they miss it and keep walking. Or they anticipate it and stop too soon. It's about feeling each others' energy and presence. It's incredible to watch.

Duo etudes: Playing yourself (yourself + a SMALL amount of characterization) in a set of given circumstances with another person. There must be a clear event, a reaction to said event, and an ending.

We've done so many etudes by this point that our creative minds move on hyper drive. A 15-person group etude before class every day, planned the night before. And we've moved through a sequence of etudes: object etudes (2 or 3 each), animal etudes (2 each), observation etudes (2 or 3 each), personal etudes (1?), duo etudes (1), and meeting/parting etudes (1). For each, a clear event, reaction, and ending. Specific given circumstances and characters... we're starting to have etude dreams. Occasionally etude nightmares. Depends on how stressful that day was.

Energy: You handle your own personal globe of energy, walk with it, protect it, then make it a part of you. Close your eyes and move around the space. If you hit someone, react physically and vocally, then keep moving. And there are more energy games... mostly focused on sensing others around you.

Memory exercises, emphasis on eye contact exercises, reaction exercises, mirror exercises, shadow exercises, exercises where two must radiate love and everyone else must guess... et cetera. It's fun, but it's work. And now that we're moving into Chekhov...

That's all, folks. For now, anyway.

Peace, love, etc,

M