SITI Day 1
SITI day one is over. I'm tired, sore, and energized all at once. I will sleep very well tonight.
Not much to report today, we began last night with an introduction of the company and the 60 participants from all over the world. Just a meet and greet.
This morning was some more introductions and safety lessons, followed by some composition games.
Then three hours of Suzuki!!!
I'm going to be purposefully vague when talking about the work we do in Suzuki and Viewpoints. It would do absolutely no good to write about and explain something that I don't understand and you can only glimpse physically in the moment. I'm sorry. Just know that I will keep everyone informed on Composition, Collaboration, and writing. I'll write a little about my progress in Suzuki and any new discoveries or surprises with viewpoints. I know I'll have them.
Activity vs. Action-
Activity is movement without purpose. Exercise. Action is movement with purpose, with focus. Suzuki is training, not activity. Action, not an exercise. It took me until today to tie in Grotowski's use of Action to Suzuki and the Viewpoints. Grotowski's most famous warm-up tool "the Cat" ( which the company doesn't even use anymore) is an action, every movement has a purpose, a goal, a story. The name of the show they have been working on for almost twenty years is Action! In Suzuki today, hearing that, I had an epiphany. While battling my shaky legs, the sweat pouring down my back, and trying to transfer my weight seamlessly I noticed that when I invented a story or purpose for the movement I thought less about the pain, or I should really say discomfort, and more about the Action! The Grotowski work was so imbued with a focus, intensity, and truth because every movement had a purpose or story. I had forgotten that. Until today. We are so concerned with trying to be perfect, to maintain the form, or just get the form right that we are missing out on the reason for the Action in the first place. Perfection is the end-goal, don't skip the journey to get there. You may never get there. Don't do a near perfect thing so that you can pass for perfection. Don't half ass Suzuki so it looks right, accept the discomfort and invest in the action so that you can move toward perfection.
How many times have we seen an actor drop out of a part without stopping acting or giving up the character. We just know right? You can sense it, feel it, taste it that it's false. That they are going through the motions.
How many times have you? Or I? Why shortchange ourselves?
Jessica Tandy recalled a story about working on Broadway and doing 8 shows a week. Someone asked her "How can you feel those great emotions every night?", and she replied very humbly "I can't feel those things every night. If I'm lucky I feel it three or four times a week.". "But what about all the other nights?" the person asked. "That is when I really on my technique," she replied "I'm always seeking perfection, but when I can't get there I have my technique to move me forward."
Take care of each other. Hear hoping for a better tomorrow.
Not much to report today, we began last night with an introduction of the company and the 60 participants from all over the world. Just a meet and greet.
This morning was some more introductions and safety lessons, followed by some composition games.
Then three hours of Suzuki!!!
I'm going to be purposefully vague when talking about the work we do in Suzuki and Viewpoints. It would do absolutely no good to write about and explain something that I don't understand and you can only glimpse physically in the moment. I'm sorry. Just know that I will keep everyone informed on Composition, Collaboration, and writing. I'll write a little about my progress in Suzuki and any new discoveries or surprises with viewpoints. I know I'll have them.
Activity vs. Action-
Activity is movement without purpose. Exercise. Action is movement with purpose, with focus. Suzuki is training, not activity. Action, not an exercise. It took me until today to tie in Grotowski's use of Action to Suzuki and the Viewpoints. Grotowski's most famous warm-up tool "the Cat" ( which the company doesn't even use anymore) is an action, every movement has a purpose, a goal, a story. The name of the show they have been working on for almost twenty years is Action! In Suzuki today, hearing that, I had an epiphany. While battling my shaky legs, the sweat pouring down my back, and trying to transfer my weight seamlessly I noticed that when I invented a story or purpose for the movement I thought less about the pain, or I should really say discomfort, and more about the Action! The Grotowski work was so imbued with a focus, intensity, and truth because every movement had a purpose or story. I had forgotten that. Until today. We are so concerned with trying to be perfect, to maintain the form, or just get the form right that we are missing out on the reason for the Action in the first place. Perfection is the end-goal, don't skip the journey to get there. You may never get there. Don't do a near perfect thing so that you can pass for perfection. Don't half ass Suzuki so it looks right, accept the discomfort and invest in the action so that you can move toward perfection.
How many times have we seen an actor drop out of a part without stopping acting or giving up the character. We just know right? You can sense it, feel it, taste it that it's false. That they are going through the motions.
How many times have you? Or I? Why shortchange ourselves?
Jessica Tandy recalled a story about working on Broadway and doing 8 shows a week. Someone asked her "How can you feel those great emotions every night?", and she replied very humbly "I can't feel those things every night. If I'm lucky I feel it three or four times a week.". "But what about all the other nights?" the person asked. "That is when I really on my technique," she replied "I'm always seeking perfection, but when I can't get there I have my technique to move me forward."
Take care of each other. Hear hoping for a better tomorrow.
posted by The Necessary Theatre at 6:43 AM
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