Biomechanics * Exercises *
Meyerhold: Click to View or Add Text.
stagematrix.com
"Meyerhold constructed a set of 16 etudes as the basis of biomechanics. These etudes were chosen from an eclectic range of sources, including the circus, Chinese and Japanese theatre, and sport, and they formed the basis of his extended movement vocabulary. The etudes were sequences of precise muscular movements intended to evoke particular emotions in the performer. This process attempted to systematize the kinesthetic relationship between outer movement and inner feeling, to enable actors to experience this relationship, and to train them to control it" (Britannica).
Do you see Matisse's "Blue Nude" on this page? Did you read the pages "Your Body is Your Prop"? Take another look at Picasso and cubism. For each role you should have different body (your body) breakdown. See the WWWilde files and how we worked on physicalization of the roles. Lady Bracknell, Ms. Prism....
Summary
Yoga = BM + Method
Introduced through warmups in BioMethod new: no descriptions yet *
* Introducing yoga warmups in segments in each chapter? (bottom)
The Viewpoints Book : A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition by Anne Bogart -- The Viewpoints is a technique of improvisation that grew out of the postmodern dance world. It was first articulated by choreographer Mary Overlie, who broke down the two dominant issues performers deal with-space and time-into six categories. Since that time, directors Anne Bogart and Tina Landau have expanded her notions and adapted them for actors to function together spontaneously and intuitively and to generate bold, theatrical work.
The Viewpoints are a set of names given to certain principles of movement through time and space-they constitute a language for talking about what happens on stage. Coupling this with Composition, which is the practice of selecting and arranging the separate components of theatrical language into a cohesive work of art, provides theatre artists with an important new tool for creating and understanding their art form.
Primarily intended for the many theatre artists who, in the last several years, have become intrigued with Viewpoints yet have had no single source to refer to in their investigations. It can also be used by anyone with a general interest in collaboration and the creative process, whether in art, business or daily life.
Anne Bogart is Artistic Director of the SITI Company, which she founded with Japanese director Tadashi Suzuki in 1992. She is the recipient of two OBIE Awards and a Bessie Award, and is an associate professor at Columbia University. Her recent works include Alice's Adventures; Bobrauschenbergamerica; Small Lives, Big Dreams; Marathon Dancing; and The Baltimore Waltz.
Tina Landau, noted director and playwright, whose original work includes Space (Time magazine 10 Best), Dream True (with composer Ricky Ian Gordon) and Floyd Collins (with composer Adam Guettel), which received the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, an OBIE Award and seven Drama Desk nominations. She has been an ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 1997.
"Theatre is not a mirror but a magnifying glass." Mayakovsky
Exercises
... mini-chekhov and BM
master-classes together with directing class [ class project and finals ]
2009 updates : calendar
Acting is reacting -- and most of the bioMX exercises are to develop it. To teach your body and mind to react. To a thought, a subject, together with the public....
The famous "arrow"...
Throwing a stone.
Etudes: I do a handshake in class. Aim, Action, Reaction, Stop.
How you do this cycle will define your character. Try dirrefent 1-2-3, different aim -- who is the lead? You, your partner?
The DOOR exercises. Break your "entrance" into a cycle (ABC), do the same with your "exit" (both ACTIONS are extremely important for establishing your character and developing it).
Physical objective and obstacle!
PS
Maybe I am wrong (I was wrong many times), but I use some primitive techniques. For example, to break the habbitual level of speaking and turn to the stage voice, I send one actor back stage and the partner to the end of the house to go with the lines. They have to speak up to hear each other (then I say -- "This is your homework!")
For articulation I ask them to have pencils between their teeth (Homework, too). When after a few days they take the pencils out, they sound much better.
If they can't do the small steps, we tie their knees together for several rehearsals. I use the working prop from the very start, even if they are still not off the books (they memorize texts faster in order to get rid of the papes and handle the prop).
I force them to be very physical (bold choices), because we always can tune it down later. "Not big enough! Bigger!"
If I can't get the tempo-rythm in the monologue, I ask to do it while doing the pushups or running around. Looks stupid, but when they got it, we cut the motion, replacing it with the one required by the mise-en-scene. You see, actors need to experience the knowledge. I guess this is a mixture of Stanislavsky and Meyerhold. Read the pages from Bulgakov's "Theatrical Novel" ("Black Snow" in English translation). Funny and about Stanislavsky.
[ I lost the translation of a few pages I made. ]
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Is this "Biomechanics" too? It's mechanical, it's biological. It's simple.
Homework
LA notes [ not posted ].
NB
Yoga Means Union
Although many people think this term refers to union between body and mind or body, mind and spirit, the traditional acceptance is union between the Jivatman and Paramatman that is between one's individual consciousness and the Universal Consciousness.
Therefore Yoga refers to a certain state of consciousness as well as to methods that help one reach that goal or state of union with the divine.
The 5 Points of Yoga
There are hundreds or more of such techniques and therefore as many different Yogas. In order to simplify and clarify the topic, Swami Vishnu-devananda summarized the vast science of Yoga into 5 principles of Yoga which are easy to understand and to include in one's daily life.
These five points are: Proper Exercise; Proper Breathing; Proper Relaxation; Proper Diet; and Positive Thinking & Meditation.
The Four Paths of Yoga
The various Yogic practices have been traditionally classified into the four Margas (paths). These four paths are:
Jnana Yoga or Jnana Marga which is the Yoga of wisdom and develops the Intellect or will
Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of devotion, opens the heart
Karma Yoga, the path of action of selfless service.
Raja Yoga, the royal or psychological which involves the mind. A branch of Raja Yoga which is Hatha Yoga which prepares the Yogi for the higher stages of Raja Yoga.
Sivananda Yoga, the Yoga of Synthesis
Swami Sivananda recognised that every Yogi, or human being for that matter, possesses and identifies with each of these elements: Intellect, heart, body and mind. He therefore advocated everyone to practice certain techniques from each path. This came to be known as the Yoga of Synthesis. He also taught that in accordance with individual temperament and taste one can emphasize the practice of certain Yogas over others.
Eagle * Camel * Child * Dance * (from 
