In this rich resource for American actors, renowned movement teachers and directors reveal the physical skills needed for the stage and screen. Experts in a wide array of disciplines provide remarkable insight into the Alexander technique, the use of psychological gesture, period movement, the work of Rudolph Laban, postmodern choreography, and Suzuki training, to name but a few. Those who want to pursue serious training will be able to consult the appendix for listings of the best teachers and schools in the country. This inspiring collection is a must read for all actors, directors, and teachers of theater looking for stimulation and new approaches.

"This book vividly captures vital and imaginative lessons from one of the most influential and joyous traditions of contemporary actor training. Any actor or teacher, who is devoted to the transformational power of the theatre, will want to return to these pages again and again, finding in them not only the work to be done, but also the inspiration to do it." James Bundy - Dean, Yale School of Drama; Artistic Director, Yale Repertory Theatre Movement training techniques allow actors to acquire the physical body language and non-verbal skills to clearly express the ideas and emotions of their characters. The techniques contained in this book help actors to develop awareness of their own natural posture, walk and rhythm, release the physical imagination and transform into the characters they are portraying, on stage, in film or on television. Movement Training for Actors provides a practical workbook approach to the core fundamentals of movement, fusing together the work of the key practitioners: Sigurd Leeder, Kurt Jooss, Rudolf Laban, Trish Arnold, Litz Pisk, F. M. Alexander, Moshé Feldenkrais, Jerzy Growtowski, Jacques Lecoq and Belinda Quirey. Chapters include Games, Pure Movement, Historical Dance, Acrobatics and Animal Study. The book is illustrated with photographs throughout and contains a DVD featuring over an hour of movement exercises further demonstrating the techniques. Movement Training for Actors is a masterclass on movement written by experienced coach, Jackie Snow and a culmination of her many years of teaching and coaching professionals. The highly practical approach will suit actors of all abilities as well as serving as an inspirational teaching guide.

Your Body Knows provides the foundation actors need to move with ease and power. It is a practical guide to movement starting at the very beginning: knowing your body and experiencing how it works. Through the work of F.M. Alexander, Rudolf Laban, and Michael Chekhov, this book offers basic training in movement fundamentals. Its step-by-step process supports the actor's work in any acting or movement training program and as a working professional. The book focuses on three main areas of exploration: Body facts – Know your body and its design for movement. Let go of misinformed ideas about your body. Move more freely, avoid injury, and develop a strong body-mind connection. Movement facts – What is movement? Discover the movement fundamentals that can serve your art. Explore new ways of moving. Creative Inspiration – Connect your body, mind, and imagination to liberate authentic and expressive character movement. Your Body Knows: A Movement Guide for Actors is an excellent resource for acting students and their teachers, promoting a strong onstage presence and awakening unlimited potential for creative expression.

Rudolf Laban is to movement what Stanislavski is to acting.

The acting process is an interlocking trinity: the person, the actor, and the character. The person has habits and idiosyncrasies cultivated over the years in response to life experiences. The actor may have developed another set of behaviors that manifest themselves during a performance. The exercises within this text will guide the user toward making the necessary choices needed to achieve the extension of self to character—whether that involves utilizing personal traits that are congruent to a character's make-up, or discarding personal habits which do not fit. Movement: From Person to Actor to Character concisely collects many common movement principles such as use of breath, alignment, relaxation, imagery, and surroundings. Illustrations are included which provide the actor with a basic knowledge of the human body and function that can serve as a foundation for advanced movement techniques. Case studies outline a variety of characterization projects from a range of well-known plays, to further illustrate some of the exercises within the text. Mitchell's text will be useful for beginning to intermediate movement courses or as a supplement to acting or directing courses, or by actors seeking to enrich their movement technique.

Offering revolutionary new training for the actor, The Actor's Secret teaches actors and performers how to incorporate the fundamentals of the Alexander Technique, Somatic Experiencing®, and Breathing Coordination in order to reduce performance anxiety and stress; improve stage presence, breathing, and vocal production; and restore well-being and healthy functioning. These three kinesthetic disciplines are designed to lead to profound change and healing through body-mind reeducation. Part I explains in detail the principles of the three techniques. A practical method for self-improvement and neuromuscular reeducation, the Alexander Technique focuses on changing inefficient habits of movement and patterns of tension that inhibit the ability to move easily. Breathing Coordination helps increase breathing capacity and awareness. A method for resolving emotional trauma, Somatic Experiencing® follows a process of tracking bodily sensations to restore vitality and health. Enhanced with over 100 instructive photos, Parts II and III present explorations and exercises that draw on elements of the three methods. Topics covered include the importance of presence and non-doing; the proper mechanics of vocalization and singing; the understanding of character and role; and the actor's journey from auditions to performance, including initial script preparation, rehearsal, monologue, and scene work. Developed by Betsy Polatin, a movement specialist and master lecturer at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, the book's exercises provide the actor with simple tools for exploring his or her acting work. Most techniques and self-help books teach a new way of "doing." The secret of this book lies in "non-doing." When the actor learns to first recognize and then suspend habitual patterns, he or she opens the door to deeper artistic choices. "I have worked with many fine Alexander Technique teachers over the years and Betsy Polatin is far and away one of the finest. Her touch, her instincts, and her knowledge are miraculous."—Andre Gregory, actor and director, My Dinner with Andre