Friday, October 24

D-Train and I ended up having a successful spying excursion at a Starbucks. There were about 5 couples around when we got there, but we picked the same one. And before we left, Two-Shots-Up and Iceman arrived at the same place for the same assignment.


CAPOEIRA WORKSHOP
I sat out for all of Capoeira in order to baby my injuries. But I watched, and I think I still learned.

The Mestre (big cheese) came and gave instruction, and then later we had a Roda with the 2nd-Years. The Mestre has three rules when playing:

1. Don't get hit.
2. Don't cross kicks.
3. Don't stop moving.

He says that when Capoeira is played (danced? fought?) correctly, it should look like a kitchen mixer, where the blades are folding in towards each other but never actually touch.

He said that a kick is always a consequence of a dodge, and that Capoeira has to be played defensively more than offensively. He also reminded of the importance of speed (he even broke out the science class principle of Force = Mass x Acceleration) with kicks. And he emphasized the importance of not being afraid, but just reacting on impulse (ah... I see how this fits into acting training...).


MOVEMENT
I actually participated a bit, albeit very carefully. For one Viewpoints exercise that's normally done on your feet, Wifey and I did it in chairs (she has a knee injury right now, so we're a good pairing). I realized that I've been confusing Kinesthetic Response with Spacial Relationship, as I often feel the need to fill in dead space. As a result of being confined to the chair, I learned the difference. So something positive came out of my injuries after all.


ACTING TUTORIAL
I'm not sure that I should call it a tutorial... I requested a meeting with my Acting Professor to check in on my progress. I've had some really great work in class, but my progress feels like a rollercoaster, and I know that some days are steps back.

He said a lot of things that were hard to hear, but I'm sure that I needed to hear them. He said that I need to work more on my own outside of class. He thinks that my head is in my classwork, but he's not sure if my heart truly is. He also said that the best way that I can contribute to making our class into an ensemble is to work as hard as I can and set a good example.

I thought I was working hard. I thought my heart was in it. I felt blindsided and confused. But I know that I want to learn this, so if that's what I need to do, then that's what I need to do.


ACTING CLASS
We had an exercise that required us to work as an ensemble. It didn't go well.

Our professor gave us a stern talking-to. I felt embarrassed and upset. I started crying. I wasn't the only one.

We took a break, came back, and did our last ever batch of the "Shakespeare on Vacation" silent etudes. I did one with O.D. where I was in "I Am" for most of it.



HOMEWORK
Over the weekend, I'm meeting with a group and Director A. for a Viewpoints assignment for Movement. I'm also going to be working on my Wild Duck paper. And I have to read a bit of Chekov.

And it's also my birthday weekend, and there's a Halloween party... Life is complicated. :)