I like to move it, move it!

 Every week we include Movement in our Drama Classes. Why? You may ask...Did you know that there are three main parts to acting? Creative work, voice work, and movement. It is vital that you embody your character both emotionally and physically, and this is one of the reasons why movement so is important! There are other reasons, like self-awareness and spatial awareness. What is my personal space? How do I fit into and move around in the space I am performing in, be it a room or stage, or even a designated outdoor space. And very importantly, how do I share the space with my classmates?

 

During the past few weeks we have looked at rhythm and what the difference is between even and uneven rhythms. How do the even and uneven rhythms make us feel and how do we change the way we move when we change from the one to the other? We work on this step by step and eventually we apply this to character work during our Mime to Music activities. Students love this part of the lesson where they can explore creative ways to move their bodies!

When working closely with students on Parent Presentations or our Year End Productions one realizes how important it is to include movement skills as part of the drama lessons. While performing on stage, students have to know where to stand, where to move to and make sure they use different levels and their space effectively in order to make the show appealing to the audience.

Movement activities help the students to be “stage fit” as they need to be able to move, talk and sing during a performance. During the course of the year, we work on this multitasking skill, so that they can perform with gusto and energy when the time comes for their Year End Production!