Week 1 Technical Notes

Movement with Claudia

Day 1

Qualities of Movement

1. Monkey – bends from pelvis
2. English Gentlemen – torso upright and connected to imaginary string at top of head pulling upwards
3. Naughty – leads with pelvis

While moving around the space, use all three qualities to explore different levels: high, mid and low

Find ways to use each quality to get down to the floor and back up

Explore spirals with level change with each quality

Use both sides of body to initiate movement

Combine all three qualities and play with each other while moving around the space

Flexion and Extension

1. Bring forehead and knee together by rounding (extending) spine and bending leg (lift heel)
2. Bring sternum and knee together by flexing spine and bending leg (lift heel)

While moving, stop with one leg forward and use either flexion or extension to bring knee to either part (forehead or sternum)

Don’t go too far down, just feel what its like to have these parts attract one another, then move on

Try on both legs

Handstand Prep

Explore different ways to prepare for a handstand by finding different ways to bring hands to the ground: straight on, from one side or the other (one hand down followed by the other), bent arms, straight arms, one in front of other, etc.

Note: not all of these methods are actually useful for preparing for a handstand, but today was simply exploring the motions involved with the prep to discover the best way

Rolls

Tail Roll

1. Place hands on floor while one leg forward and one leg back
2. Pull back knee forward and sit on that leg’s cheek
3. Roll over tailbone while keeping torso off ground

Back Roll

1. Place hands on floor while one leg forward and one leg back
2. Pull back knee forward and pull the corresponding elbow down
3. Place tail and shoulder on ground
4. Roll over entire back

Add variations to each roll: hesitations, suspensions, reversals

When bringing leg forward, send it away from body or thread through opposite side

Shoulder Roll

1. On backs, take both legs and hang them over the head
2. Touch one foot to the floor behind head
3. Bring same knee to floor
4. Shift weight to this leg and roll over the shoulder

Use reversal and slow motion for this roll as well to find the simplest path

Explore initiating the movement with both sides of body for all rolls

Explore space using all three qualities of movement while incorporating the rolls, flexion and extension and handstand preps learned during the class

Feldenkrais: Pelvic Clock

Lay on floor, feet stretched out and arms to the side, as relaxed as possible.  Perform a mental check up of the body, checking for areas of tension, trying to release even further into the ground where possible.  Feel the weight of the body at each point of contact with the ground.  Check in with the breath.

1. Start from a neutral pelvis, not tilted up or down or to either side
2. Tilt pelvis up toward ribcage—this is 12 o’clock
3. Roll pelvis down toward the feet—this is 6 o’clock
4. Tilt to the left from center—this is 3 o’clock
5. Tilt to the right from center—this is 9 o’clock

Go around the clock, rolling from one point to the next (starting up at 12 and then to 3, 6 and 9 back to 12)

Reverse the rotation

Find the hours of the clock from a position where the knees are bent and feet flat on the floor (feet standing) and then find the full rotation from here as well

Do the same but with pelvis raised off the ground and feet standing

Repeat with entire lower back off the ground and feet standing (suspended between feet and shoulders—supporting weight in the legs)

Flip over and explore the clock while on all fours (going through cat/ cow positions)

Let the rest of the body react naturally to these motions in all positions and even support the motion itself (e.g. using the muscles of the legs to shift into the hours of the clock)

Also restrict the body’s natural motion (e.g. not letting the head roll as the pelvis shifts) and then allow the natural motion to resume

Note: A big part of Feldenkrais is to experience what the body’s natural motion feels like, to restrict that natural motion and feel that as well and then to take away the restriction again

Brushing

1. Use both hands to brush the body and wake up every part.
2. Start brushing past the body into the air or the ground
3. With partners, brush each other’s body (one at a time) while moving
4. Start ‘counter brushing’ where the brusher would be still and let the mover brush themselves on the brusher’s hands

End class by all clapping three times in unison

Day 2

Stretching

1. Legs straight, one foot in front of the other, hips parallel, feet flat on floor
2. Lunge with one leg and sweep floor with hands to over the head
3. Lock fingers
4. Move head in and out of the arch created by the arms
5. Place hands on floor and send the bent leg behind to meet the other
6. Pull pelvis toward ceiling to form an upside down V shape (Downward Dog)
7. Keep heels as close to the floor as possible and straighten back between hands and pelvis
8. Push forward into starting position for a push up (Plank)
9. Let heels feel like they are being pulled to the ground and the head like it is being pulled forward toward the opposite wall, lengthening the spine

Feldenkrais Exercise

1. One at a time, start from a seated position with arms behind tail, supporting body’s weight, feet together in front with knees bent
2. Go through the pelvic clock exercise from the previous day in this position
3. Find the other hours of the clock and then the inbetween times (e.g. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 1:30, 2:30, etc., etc. and reverse)
4. Find which are the easiest to execute and which give difficulty
5. Partner up and, one at a time, repeat pelvic clock exercise (mainly between 12 and 6 now)
6. Observing partner places their hands on the body of the one performing the motions
7. Partner, place hands in corresponding locations on front and back of body (Upper Chest/ Upper Back, Sternum/ Mid Spine, Belly/ Lower Back)
8. Stay in each location for three rounds of partners breath
9. After each section, choose locations that would be most helpful to the partner and stay for another three rounds of breath (hands don’t have to correspond to each section of body now, e.g. upper chest and lower back or belly and upper back)
10. Once completed, let partner take a short walk around and both give feedback on what was observed during the exercise

Brushing (Contact)

1. Same exercise as previous class except both partners take a more active roll in the brushing and start using more parts of the body to perform the brushing
2. Again but without using hands
3. Start working with different levels and having moments of stillness and offering and receiving with partners

End class with three unison claps

Day 3

Stretching

Repeat previous classes routine

Standing in Place

1. Rotate hips as if going through the pelvic clock
2. Repeat but with hands on hips
3. Cross one leg then the other repeating exercise in both positions to feel the restriction
4. Repeat exercise with legs uncrossed again to feel the motion without the restriction

Balance Pictures

1. While walking around space, picture a position that requires balance
2. Execute preconceived position of balance to the best of ability
3. Repeat, changing picture each time

Partner Exercises (Contact)

1. One partner moves across room, leading with pelvis, while other partner holds on to the other at the hips
2. Partner leads the other from the hips
3. Both partners connect at hips and jointly move across room
4. Repeat last exercise but one partner must keep eyes closed, the other guiding from the hips
5. Repeat, but swap which partner is ‘blind’
6. Back to both partners open eyed
7. Add sliding and experimenting with taking weight of partner, leading to lifts in a sort of dance
8. Repeat previous exercise but without moving across room—Partner contact dancing

Handstand Prep

1. Hold imaginary bowling ball and use it to move forward in a ‘bowling motion’
2. Try both sides and swap which leg is forward with both arms
3. Keep the arms low and forward
4. After practicing this motion, imagine doing the same but with two balls at once
5. Gradually change position of hands to start taking weight of body as if to start a hand stand, eventually letting the feet leave the floor
6. In partners, one goes through handstand motion while keeping eye contact with partner through entire motion
7. Partner not going through handstand motion must adjust body to allow eye contact to be continuous (getting behind the other partner as the take weight on to hands and the head must stay facing forward corresponding with the body)

Cool Down

Sit back to back with partner on floor for a moment allowing breath to start coordinating

Lay on back alone reviewing exercises learned in class

Clear mind for half a minute concentrating on nothing

Three claps in unison

Voice with Kevin

Day 1

Sacro- Lumbar Rolls

1. Lay on back with toes against wall, heels on floor, knees bent
2. Roll pelvis toward wall on slow inhale, letting backs arch
3. Push with toes on exhale and roll pelvis up toward rib cage, letting head roll back
4. Add a soft sigh to the exhale

Loosening the Jaw

1. Suspend upper jaw and head not allowing it to move
2. Take one hand and hold lower jaw, moving it up and down, making sure not to use jaw muscles to execute motion, just giving the weight to the hands and using them to move the jaw
3. Use hand to suspend lower jaw and tilt head back

Add sighs during both motions to find what the unobstructed sound should sound like

This exercise is to find the physicality that should naturally occur during the sacro-lumbar rolls.

The jaw should go down while tilting toward the wall and the head should tilt back during the roll up

Vertical Sacro-Lumbar Roll

1. With feet flat on floor, lower back against wall and shoulders away from wall, repeat the exercise that was first explore on the floor
2. Add image of pelvic clock
3. Go from center to each hour of the clock
4. Inhale toward hour and exhale back to center
5. Add sound, playing with pitch and holding notes

Day 2

“Good acting lies somewhere on the spectrum between imagination and technique.”

                                    --inspired by Kevin Crawford (all rights reserved)

Sound Circle

1. Step in a 4/4 rhythm
2. One person starts making random sounds in rhythm
3. Rest of circle repeats
4. After three or four time on one person, advance to the next in the circle
5. Repeat circle but use each person’s name as the repeated sound (in an extended and creative way, staying in the rhythm)
6. Build each name on top of the last so the last person is doing everyone else’s name before they add their own
7. Also mimic sound quality and any motions that the previous person does
8. Try in double time (2/4)

Time Signature Face Off

1. In two groups, one stepping in a 4/4 rhythm and the other at ¾, each group travels from opposite side of room, making random consonants and vowel sounds on the down beat
2. Repeat, using peoples names in place of the random consonants and vowels

While each group faces center of room, not traveling, play with members of each side swapping, attempting to keep the ‘raft balanced’

Nursery Rhyme Face Off

Each rhythm group selects a nursery rhyme (Itsy-Bitsy Spider in 4/4 and Baby Bumblebee in 3/4) and repeats previous across the room exercise

Drop down to two people per group

Play with sound quality of voice (from very good singing to grotesque sounds, and back again, staccato, legato, piano, forte, pausing one group at a time, etc.)

Repeat but going back to random consonants and vowels changing pitch and sustaining notes

Kevin directed each two on two ‘battle’

Day 3

Partner Exercise

1. One partner starts lying on their back, feet standing, knees bent
2. On three out breaths the partner on the ground would release the chest, belly and pelvis toward the ground
3. The other partner places hands on each section that their partner is releasing as they breathe out and release
4. Repeat exercise without partner’s assistance

Trio Exercise

1. Same positions as previous exercise, but the third hold the pelvis of the partner on the floor from between the legs
2. The partner between the legs takes the weight of the pelvis
3. On four of five out breaths, the partner on the floor lets his spine descend to the floor in sections like in the previous exercise, but lets the partner between the legs take the pelvis weight and uses the last couple of breaths to let the pelvis be lowered to the floor.
4. Repeat the whole exercise without either partner’s assistance

Partner Leg Work

1. One partner lies flat on the floor
2. The other partner, standing, takes the legs of the partner on floor and, from a vertical position slowly rotates the legs in the hip sockets to loosen up the joints
3. Standing partner lifts the pelvis of the floor partner slightly off the ground and swings the pelvis lightly from side to side
4. Floor partner breathes and makes sound on the exhale, letting the sound be affected by the motion
5. Standing partner bounces on heels while holding the legs of the floor partner
6. Standing partner replaces the pelvis on the floor and on the partner’s out breaths, slowly lets the legs descend to the floor, only moving on the out breaths
7. Once almost to the floor, standing partner shakes the legs of the floor partner sending ripples through the body
8. Placing the feet on the floor, standing partner pushes repeatedly and quickly on the toes and flexed foot of the floor partner
9. Floor partner, always let the motion affect the sound made one the exhale

Solo Sound Drilling

1. From laying on the floor, pull legs into the air and push heels toward the ceiling
2. Quickly and repeatedly drill heels into the air while making sound
3. From standing, bounce in feet while phonating, focusing on drilling the sound into the ground
4. Gradually progress to lifting heels off ground, still with downward focus
5. Jump off ground, still with downward focus
6. Leap into air and throw arms up, now focusing on sending the sound up and out
7. Reverse direction until motion is back to simple bouncing in the feet

Go Away/ Come Here Now

On descending thirds, use the phrases ‘Go A-Way’ and ‘Come Here Now.’  Focus on a low physical point at the start (the highest note) and change focus with each note, so ‘A’ and ‘Here’ are at mid level focus and the lowest note has a high physical focus.  Keep pelvis engaged (knees bent) and maintain micro movements in the clavicle, top of spine/ base of skull area to keeps areas engaged and unblocked

Acting with Michele

Day 1

Neutrality

1. Feet flat on floor, weight evenly distributed between toes and heels, parallel to one another and directly under hips
2. Knees unlocked
3. Pelvis engaged, not flexed back or pushed forward, but in between
4. Spine straight
5. Shoulders back, chest lifted
6. Arms at side, hands relaxes and slightly facing inward
7. Chin not jutting forward but slightly tucked back
8. Lift from the top of head like an imaginary string pulling upward from the crown of the skull

Day 2

Good Luck

Neutral

Jumping

Jumping and turning (90° then 180°)

Descending to all fours

Descending and lifting legs off ground (handstand prep)

Descending, lifting and rotating hips, shifting from one side to the other (cartwheel prep)

Exploring personal spheres of attention

Dark side of the Moon

Moving around room in spheres

Playing pinball around room in spheres

Across the floor pelvis rolls (skydiver/ huggy bear)

Forward rolls across floor (ear to floor)

Porter/ Angel

• Lifting/ Jumping left, right and straight up
• Side carry
• Back sit
• Fireman Carry
• From behind lift (huggy bear jump)

Lopez

Partner push from pelvis

Sit/ stand without hands

Stretches: Hangs, Lunges, Inverted Y, Goku

Isolations

• Head: side to side (face left and right), up and down, the star (cross) side to side (ear to shoulder), circle parallel to ground
• Shoulders: side to side, rotation
• Arms: elbows out, forearms like hands of a clock
• Chest: forward and back, circle parallel to ground
• Pelvis: every direction of the pelvic clock
• Legs: in and out around the hip joint
• Knees:  90° angle out from body and swivel
• Hands: palm up, each finger (except thumb) pulled back individually, all four at once

One Leg Stand: on one foot with other foot behind knee, one hand behind back pointing one finger and other hand with pointed finger under nose and over mouth (shhhh)

Arm Swings: across chest, one arm over then the other and clap to one side then back across

Hand Swings: pushing ball underwater

Body Swing: Chest in (Extended spine) C-Curve, Chest out (Flexed spine) S-Curve

Standing with feet together, hands joined in front on pelvis

Physical Relationships

Only facing forward and only moving in straight lines

1. Two actors in space
2. Three actors in space
3. Five actors in space

Facing any direction but still only moving in straight line

1. Two actors
2. Three Actors

Always pay attention to the diagonals and the crosses (X and +, added together is the Union Jack)

Day 3

Review from previous class

Moving sphere of attention through space

Pinball

Attentions of Movement

1. Rhythm (time)
2. Tone (tension)
3. Volume (physical presence: internal and external)

Move around room concentrating on each attention individually and find the degrees from 1 to 10 of each attention (1 being the least possible, 5 being neutral or natural and 10 being the highest possible)

Combine all three attentions in one movement exercise

Change at least one variable (preferably two) each time there is a direction change, still playing with different degrees of each attention

Still travel in only straight lines

Statues

Choose two poses and play with the different attentions and degrees while traveling from A pose to B pose and back and forth

Partner up, teach each other poses and repeat exercise with the new statues

Stick Toss Circle

Three actors in the middle of a circle made of the rest of the class toss sticks to the outside ring and catch them as they are tossed back and forth.

Repeat and add a song that the entire group sings

Physical Relations Con’t

Attention facing audience

Use attentions (rhythm, tone and volume) to affect action

Attention facing whichever way actors choose

Actors could use curves as well as straight lines to move

Use level change

Actors don’t have to move where attention is focused (diagonals, side steps, backwards, etc.)

Incorporate sound into exercise

Only use the other actor’s names

Use the attentions to affect the sound (time, tension, presence)