This first semester of Movement concentrates primarily on developing the students' awareness of physical messages, how much their movement can add or distract in a scene. First, we look at what they bring to the situation, their personal physical habits and we begin the corrective work to rid them of these unconscious tics and introduce them to balanced alignment. Through a series of non-verbal improvisations, they begin to see that the body can reflect a complex inner life, subtle changes in environment, shifts in status and relationship, history and hidden agendas. By stripping away the verbal, they begin to make physical choices that aid the character and scene. The other components of the first semester address spatial relationships, movement on a stage, rhythm and spontaneity.
