The Emotional Cartwheel

So, once again, Movement proves to be the more interesting and challenging class. We had an assignment to watch our partner walk around the room, then begin to follow them, then continue walking like them while they watched. It was rather difficult, and very interesting. I suppose it really sums up what Movement class is, at its core, all about: We can communicate so much with the way we move and hold our body, so much so that it is an actual part of our identity. Naturally this would also be true when we're on stage playing a character. It's definitely worth pondering as an actor.

The same day we received the written form of our 'Movement Evaluations'- the second day of class, someone came in and filmed us moving around the room (sitting in chair, looking out the window, etc.), and that film is available to be watched in the library. We were given the written evaluations done by our teacher while he watched us. While I suppose it isn't really the biggest thing in the world, mine was a bit of a wake up call. Body Type: Brawny. Problems: Head Thrust, Disconnected Arms and Legs. And Below Average ratings in the actual Movement/Dance categories. I want to change this. I am NOT below average. I wanted some incentive to really work, and here it is.

Other than that, I finally stood up to do my activity in Acting. We had been assigned to pick an 'activity' that was physically challenging for us. We find a simple reason for doing- based in some sort of emotional truth- and then we try and complete it in front of the class. Meanwhile, our partner is standing beside us, commenting on everything we do and we have to repeat it back to them. I decided to (attempt) to do a cartwheel. There are many reasons I want to do a cartwheel. My family can all do it, Amy has tried to teach me for years, I feel like a cartwheel is something everyone but me can do, etc. But when it came to finding an emotional truth to work from, there was really only one: I thought of you. You're probably not reading this, and now is the time when everyone gets all hot and bothered because I'm being mysterious. However I feel it worth mentioning for the sake of the truthfulness of the blog and the openness about the way acting school works. I focused on the thing that brings up the most feelings within me, still, and I worked from it. I worked on that task for you. And boy did it bring that cartwheel right to home.

You see, that's what acting is all about. Finding that emotional truth, whether it be yours or your character's, allowing yourself to go the places where normally you wouldn't go, exploring them, leaving them all out on the stage (or screen!)- and then letting them go. For awhile I didn't really see the point of this exercise in Acting; why would you put someone in an uncomfortable situation, add in another person to put them on edge, and essentially try and create emotional moments out of nothing. Well, perhaps it is this: If we have never been willing to let ourselves go to emotional, personal places in our everyday lives, then we have to find a way to ease ourselves into allowing those moments to happen. Does that make sense? We've got to find a way to start losing our fear of letting our truths be displayed while doing 'the work'. So by doing these seemingly simple exercises, and allowing them to become bigger, more dynamic, volatile things, we take one step closer to becoming that elusive, respectable thing: The Honest Actor.