Untitled

Nikita El-khalifi performing Arts course work :-)

[nikitael-khalifipa]

The actions in this need to be more in time and more precise we should be more spread out across the stage because as the routine moves on, we end up clumped together giving us not much room to dance without being very close together. Everyones moves need to be more bolder as the work lacked enthusiasm and any real peformance quality.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

Acting

January stanislavski system, technique.

Stanislavski system is techniques used by method actors, to improve their acting performance.

In the first two weeks of working on the 'Look back in anger' script, we worked through several techniques and learned how to use them to adapt our performance.

CIRCLES OF ATTENTION.

The first techinque we used to get into our comfort zone was circle of attention. The group stood in a circle and were to close our eyes, and position ourselves as the character, noticing our posture and distancing ourselves from the rest of our group psychologically, and got into the zone of the character by imagining our surroundings as the characters were. We then walked around the theatre whilst working on the sound and tone of our character's voice, how the character would walk in certain enviroments and decided on any character traits or quirks that we could include in our performance as the character.

MAGIC IF.

When being taught the 'Magic if' technique, we were paired into the characters of either Alison or Jimmy and put into the dilemma of us arguing, over at first 'the chicken or the egg' and then arguing over where to go on holiday. The point of magic if, is to think about how we would act, as the character, if we were in their situation.

EMOTION MEMORY

Emotion memory is thinking about a time when you have the felt the emotion that is being portrayed in the scripted part you are performing. Thinking about the memory, how you felt, how you reacted and how it affected you. This exercise/technique is able to put the actor in the place of the character, emotion wise. This is one of the best ways to get the actor to mentally feel the emotion rather than imagine the emotion of the character, which will develop a better performance. To try out this technique, we were paired up and told to think of time we felt any strong emotion and talk about what happened and how we felt about it, to our partner, in order to get on track of expressing that emotion again.

SENSATION MEMORY

Sensation memory is using the human sesnse to physically feel as if you were in the position of the character. To get to grips of this exercise, we were told to imagine we were walking around a park, and asked to think about what we could smell, what we could hear, what we could see, what we could taste and how we would react to these senses, and we used the imagination of the senses to physically imagine our surroundings and what they would be like.

GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES

Given circumstances is the information about the play, whether it be the aftermath of the play or events that had led up to the play, information about the characters, the relationships between each of the characters and the setting and how the characters feel about the setting. We were given brief background information about the characters that were in the play, this gave us a small understanding of the situation going on from the start of the play, and how the characters would be acting around each other and as themselves. For example, before reading the play we were told that Alison was married to Jimmy, and he wasn't very nice to her and always verbally beating her down. This made us know that she would have a low self esteem, be vunerable and not very confident with herself, and it told us that Jimmy was the man of the house, intimidating, and he would speak louder and more overpowering than everyone else.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

Physical theatre

Judson dance theatre.

The Judson Dance theatre are a group of informal dancers who performed in Manhattan between 1962 - 1964. They were all trained dancers. The Judson Dance Theatre group were founded by Lucinda Childs Yvonne Rainers, Steve Paxton, David Gordan and Trisha Brown.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

Physical theatre

In the physical theatre lesson on 24/01/12 we watched part of a physical theatre performance called Justitia by Jasmin Vardimon and learned what the main devices for dance are.

Canon- When the dancers do a movement one at a time, usually taking turns to do the same movement.

Contrast- A movement to be completely different or in an opposite form to show the variation to another.

Highlights- A part of a dance the really stands out.

Climax- A build up of intense actions and movements. 

Transition- Automatically switching from one dance to another.

Motif Development and Variation- Developing a routine and using a variety and movements.

In the next lesson of the day we had to choreograph a dance with five counts of eights steps that had to include six dance actions of locomotor, elevation, turning, gesture, stillness, and falling. We found the task difficult as none of us were experienced with dancing and we found it hard to think of movements, and we were not able to include all the dance actions in our routine.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

Theatre for children Presentation.

To begin with, my presentation slideshow was very short and discreet, as I was absent when the task was set and I was unsure of what to do in a whole for the presentation. After some feedback on the eIlp I was able to make some changes to my presentation in order to include more of what was expected to be in it when the task was set. Still after adding to my presentation I think that it could still include more details to it including more about the specific requirements for a typical theatre for children performance.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

Two little boys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SvCjm83RhIc

From watching this video it is easy to notice that this piece could be potentially good. 

The movements and actions in this need to be more bolder and shown with more enthusiasm, and like the singing, it needs to be in sync and in time. The singing also needs to be much louder as having the drums played in the background, it will drown out the sound of our voices.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LqDTZw8VNMY

In this dance, I need to learn the partner work dance and become more familiar with the individual dance that we are doing, and learn the timings of the moves. After more rehearsing I have learned almost all the dance and have it remembered.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

Grims Tales Devising.

Devising with Glyn.

Through our first lessons doing improvisation and devising with Glyn on the Grimms Tale's project, we worked on making a character, by improvising what they would do in certain scenes. We did a activity where we had to decide on a character and enter into a train station and act as though our character would, and Glyn would tell us what emotion we were to feel whether we were angry or really happy and it helped us to engage into how to realistly act as our character.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

Theatre for children.

Humpty Dumpty.

The first piece to be shown was Humpty Dumpty. I thought the idea of how to produce Humpty Dumpty into a piece rather than just a read out nursey rhyme was good.

At the start the narators did well on involving the audience, as they spoke to and for the audience, and the volume off all speaking parts were good at the start.

Whilst they were fixing humpty, it involved humour but some lacked enthusiasm when running out to reveal to the audience what the problem was. Towards the end, the energy levels and volume went down amd also some of the language used seemed maybe to advanced for the target audience.

Trees.

This was a good idea to have in the show as it was not a typical act you would find in a normal childs show, but worked well as it created humour for the audience. Although the characters needed to make what they were saying more clear as they were speaking in a different accent, overall it was a good piece.

Two little boys

The singing needed to be louder and most people needed to thoroughly learn to the lyrics as a lot of the time when singing it went quiet due to people not knowing the words for that part. The entrance to the song needed to be sorted out, and the actions needed to be in sync and shown with more energy and enthusiasm.

The piece had a lot of potential as it was not just group singing as it had solo parts and two people acting out their solo parts, and the actions we did while singing as a group were very simple yet effective and fit well with the song.

Dancing dolls.

Entrance and exit needed to sorted out and needed music, the moves were good and effective and it was easy to see what they were trying to be.

Lazy mouse and Industrious mouse.

To begin with, the production seemed messy, as though everything was everywhere. The narrations were good and engaged with the audience well although the narrations did need tidying up a bit and so did the exit.

The piece is good for the children to watch as it is short and simple and contains a moral that the children can learn from.

Princess and the Witch.

Need to speak up when using direct dialogue. Learn the words for the rhyme that introduces Hansel and Gretal, clean up the exit,

Hansel & Gretal.

Starting with the trees is good as the audience are already familiar with them but their volume needs to increase and their piece maybe shortened as it seems to drag on a bit. The wizards entrance is good, holds the character as he walks on stage. When the wizard traps Hansel and Gretal it needs tidying up and they need to show more victory when they defeat the wizard.

Hansel and Gretals characters are shown well and the wizards scary character is kept discreet and suited to the audience.

You are my sunshine.

Entrance is a bit messy when the singers reach center stage. Singing needs to be louder and harmonys need to be sorted out, Actions are discreet and simple which is good for the target audience as they are easy to follow, and the song is something that most people are familiar with.

Jack and the beanstalk.

Need to dreeze when Sophie as a fairy freezes the characters, voices need to be more clear and the actors need to interact with the audience more. Volume of most the characters need to rise aswell. The piece in a whole needs to be shortened as it drags on when Jack keeps going up and down the beanstalk multiple times.

The piece is funny and is something the children will be familiar with as Jack and the beanstalk is a popular fairytale story.

[nikitael-khalifipa]

DEVISING

Before our first devising lesson we were told to bring in a second outfit, anything of our choice. On the day of the lesson I had forgotten about what we were told to do but by chance had a bright pair of red jeans in my bag which I used for the lesson. We were told to devise a piece that would be suitable for a theatre for children piece, something that would be suitable to be performed in front of young children, and we decided on jack and the beanstalk. I played the part of Jack, and the red jeans were used as when they were bright and bright colours are an important factor for theatre for children.