This process prepares you for contact improvisation as you begin to stop relying on your brain and start using instincts, and letting impulse control your movements, not your brain. You spontaneously devise interesting and unique ways to move about the space, these can be used as material in physical theatre performances. It allows you to explore your body and find interesting and bizarre points to move from, as I started to move from my shoulder blades, which left me slightly confused in the beginning but this then led to me finding a new way to move.
I enjoyed it because your become immersed within your own bubble of consciousness and start to focus purely on movement, making the exercise almost therapeutic. Its a good warm up and makes your body naturally fluid and soft.
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Describe the process of conducting the Ball of Energy exercise.
The ball of energy exercise requires you to imagine that there is an energy ball moving around the inside of your body. This ball guides you around the space, pulling you along. It can move to any part of the body or any direction, the pace is supposed to vary, speeding up and slowing down spontaneously. You can explore levels also, using the floor whilst being pulled by the ball of energy.
Over a period of time, once I gotten used to the exercise, I was able to find a balance between being aware and acting impulsively. When you focus purely on imagining the ball of energy it almost becomes a reality and you can rely on your instincts to guide you and not have to think about the action. You begin to forget its an exercise. Through improvising this you also find really interesting ways to move in a space, things I would have not have thought of if I had planned the activity. The process is very good for creating material for solo pieces.
Over a period of time, once I gotten used to the exercise, I was able to find a balance between being aware and acting impulsively. When you focus purely on imagining the ball of energy it almost becomes a reality and you can rely on your instincts to guide you and not have to think about the action. You begin to forget its an exercise. Through improvising this you also find really interesting ways to move in a space, things I would have not have thought of if I had planned the activity. The process is very good for creating material for solo pieces.
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
What qualities do you need to be successful at Contact Impro?
To be successful at contact impro you need to be focused and immersed. You need to ignore your mental awareness and criticisms and allow yourself to be completely in the moment. When you do that you will be able to make your body soft and your movements fluid. When find yourself in the present and letting your instincts take control you will be able move with your partner with originality and spontaneity. You will need to be fluid with your movements and transitions, done be rigid. Need to be open with your partner and relaxed with your partner. Honestly responding to their movements, dynamics and tempo. A connection between you as partners that incorporates trust and playfulness.
You need to be aware of your partner and able to respond to them, you must be fully focused to do this as if you aren't you wont be able to pick up and absorb their energy into your own movements.
You need to be aware of your partner and able to respond to them, you must be fully focused to do this as if you aren't you wont be able to pick up and absorb their energy into your own movements.
Who invented it and why?
The form was created in 1972 by Steve Paxton. Steve developed Contact Improv through explorations with his students and colleagues at the time. It was invented because Paxton wanted to create it
What is Contact Improvisation?
Dance improvisation form is based on energy and weight exchange. Physical contact is the starting point for exploration of movement, it is all improvised and nothing is planned. The form is very much in the moment and almost sub conscious. The performers must ignore their mental commentary and focus purely on the instictual movements that occur. Both partners respond to eachother and transfer eachothers energy into their movements. Its used as a proffesional dance form, most commonly used to find material for choreographies. It can also be used as a social art form, strengthening relationships. There is no winner or loser its a mutual relationship between two people in which they create an improvised form of expression. Steve developed Contact Improv through explorations with his students and colleagues at the time.
Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Research the theatre company DV8 Make comments and evaluate their performance work, subject material and rehearsal methods. (Minimum 600 words).
DV8 theatre was created in 1986 and has since been led by Lloyd Newson. The company has produced 19 highly acclaimed dance pieces, which have toured internationally, and four award-winning films for television.
DV8 usually create work about current affairs, posing question the audience, stimulating the mind. They cover very sensitive subjects, such as Islam and freedom of speech these are very complex topics and DV8 want you to think and generate your own opinions about these topics through physical theatre. These topics are also quite taboo, not being spoken about this openly by many other production companies, if any. Saying "religions, like any group of ideas are open for debate. Especially where those beliefs oppress others." They try to ease tensions that have arisen between cultures worldwide. All of these questions and complex topics challenge the audience not simply providing an entertaining performance but changing the way you perhaps see the world. I think to try and create this kind of theatre is very courageous, and I believe that this choice payed off, as it challenged the audience about something that is happening currently.
The performance, Can we talk about this, has clearly made very bold choices about how realistic it intended to be. Fusing dance and physical theatre, the choreography was extremely expressive. This constantly engaged the audience as there was never a dull moment, neither in physicality or in the mind stimulating dialogue. This almost overwhelming information provided for both the eyes and ears was complimented by the minimalistic set, as a bustling background would have been too much and completely overwhelmed the audience. As an actor to approach this play would take a thorough understanding of the topics, as well as all the physical and vocal work also.
This trend of challenging the audience and giving the audience a certain perspective they may have not experienced is a on going trend with DV8. They either do it quite obviously as they have in can we talk about this, or tell a story and let the audience gain their own interpretation.
The rehearsal process is very experimental. They explore countless different ideas and take the ones that work into the rehearsal of the actual production. In preparation for Enter Achilles the explored how they could look at experiences of men in our world and how they could reflect that into their work. They would generate a storyline during the workshops and then begin creating it in rehearsals.
DV8 is a very controversial theatre company, which is a good thing. DV8 is here to challenge how we feel, think and perceive through extremely impressive and creative physical theatre
DV8 usually create work about current affairs, posing question the audience, stimulating the mind. They cover very sensitive subjects, such as Islam and freedom of speech these are very complex topics and DV8 want you to think and generate your own opinions about these topics through physical theatre. These topics are also quite taboo, not being spoken about this openly by many other production companies, if any. Saying "religions, like any group of ideas are open for debate. Especially where those beliefs oppress others." They try to ease tensions that have arisen between cultures worldwide. All of these questions and complex topics challenge the audience not simply providing an entertaining performance but changing the way you perhaps see the world. I think to try and create this kind of theatre is very courageous, and I believe that this choice payed off, as it challenged the audience about something that is happening currently.
The performance, Can we talk about this, has clearly made very bold choices about how realistic it intended to be. Fusing dance and physical theatre, the choreography was extremely expressive. This constantly engaged the audience as there was never a dull moment, neither in physicality or in the mind stimulating dialogue. This almost overwhelming information provided for both the eyes and ears was complimented by the minimalistic set, as a bustling background would have been too much and completely overwhelmed the audience. As an actor to approach this play would take a thorough understanding of the topics, as well as all the physical and vocal work also.
This trend of challenging the audience and giving the audience a certain perspective they may have not experienced is a on going trend with DV8. They either do it quite obviously as they have in can we talk about this, or tell a story and let the audience gain their own interpretation.
The rehearsal process is very experimental. They explore countless different ideas and take the ones that work into the rehearsal of the actual production. In preparation for Enter Achilles the explored how they could look at experiences of men in our world and how they could reflect that into their work. They would generate a storyline during the workshops and then begin creating it in rehearsals.
DV8 is a very controversial theatre company, which is a good thing. DV8 is here to challenge how we feel, think and perceive through extremely impressive and creative physical theatre
How do you perform Impulse work and what is it beneficial for?
Impulse work makes you rely on your instincts as an actor. You have to trust your initial decisions and make them work. We performed impulse work by stopping whenever we had the urge, this helped us allow our instincts to take the wheel and control how we act. This will be beneficial because as actors, especially when performing naturalistic plays, we need to act as if it were the first time experiencing it, not something that has been rehearsed. Instincts can bring a performance to life, and can also help the actor immerse themselves within the character and the subconscious.
If you have a thorough understanding of the play you will be able to lose yourself within the character, Impulse work helps you get there.
If you have a thorough understanding of the play you will be able to lose yourself within the character, Impulse work helps you get there.
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