The only way i can begin my first attempt at the next two years of profuse blogging, is describing my personal feelings when entering a room full of faces that i am about to spend alot of time with! A time that will not only portray my personality, but also a whole array of characteristics, strengths and weaknesses that i may or may not of known existed!
On entering the room (late, may i add!) i recall feeling refreshed and put at ease by the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere that filled the room. It felt warming, like i had walked into this room filled with these people a hundred times before. There was also a strong feeling that this is where i'm suppose to be.... this is where i belong. There was no intense feeling of pressure, the usual self doubt question 'Am i good enough?' did not cross my mind. As a mature student entering back into education after many years, i was surprised this feeling never poisoned my mind like it usually would when delving into the unknown!
Moving on from my deep and meaningful blog introduction!
After meeting our tutors, Paul and Ellie then discussed our course in more detail. This clarified my initial decision of why i was here, and gave me the cherry on the cake confidence that i had made the right choice. Paul spoke about the course being a more practical approach to performance rather than being dominated by theory. Being a more practical/hands on type gal, this was music to my ears! Im not saying im incapable of written work or theory, only that my personal learning style is most effective when discussing and doing tasks, rather than staring at endless projector screens, sitting quietly, writing notes and giving the occasional nod! Zzzzzz......Sorry, did i nod off!?
Point being, i like to be creative as often as possible, hearing ideas from others and working together to create something inspiring. This opens my mind to thoughts and experiances it has never explored before.
Suddenly, we was asked to all stand in a circle. This is when the dred of nervousness hit me like a double decker bus! Shit, i knew now was the moment i was expected to interact with these strangers! (I make them sound like a bunch of tall, odd looking creatures with pockets full of child catcher style sweets dont I?!) All of a sudden my self doubt popped up and my confidence pissed off for a stroll! Did my fellow students notice? I doubt it - the look of dred and nervousness flooded their faces too! So i gathered i was not alone in this feeling! Is there such a thing as a 'Shy Actor?' In these initial moments, this seemed to ring true.
We began with a name association game with Ellie. This got us all relaxed and helped us remember the names of everyone on the course. You may now address me as 'Loving Lori'! At once the group seemed to strip back the anxiety that once filled our circle. Immediately i felt at ease and enjoyed every moment of time getting to know my child catcher strangers.
Paul then introduced an excercise called 'Tick Tock', one which explores the skill of learning to focas on the 'here and now'. The group sat in a circle while two balls called 'Tick' and 'Tock' were passed around clockwise and anti-clockwise. The objective was for you as an individual to focas on what you are suppose to do and not be distracted by the other goings on in the circle. Personally i imagined 'becoming the moment' adapting my thoughts to what i had to do and blocking out any distractions around me. I achieved this by inventing my own 'Moment Bubble' I could still hear my fellow students voices that are part of my moment, but completely shut off my mind to any other noise or distractions outside my bubble! phew!
I feel this exercise gave me a real understanding of how to concentrate on the task at hand. Being involved in performances in the future will im sure present many distractions on stage. 'Tick Tock' is an effective way of practising the art of mind focas.
What a fantastic first day! I left feeling enthusiastic, excited, motivated and inspired.....
This was the first day of the rest of my life.
No comments:
Post a Comment