The movement workshop

For my movement workshop I have picked 7 levels of Tension by Jacques Lecoq to explore different levels and how it might change a context of the scene. I decided to pick this topic for my workshop, because in the start of the term during the research of devising and physical theatre I have read and watched about different practitioners. It made me fascinatedand wondered how I can use it in our perfomance. And when I came to the college I asked Sonia the same questions. She offered me to take this topic for research and build the workshop around it. During the workshop I have realised how tension is important and how I can use it when I am building my character or directing the scene.

Plan of the workshop:

1. Warming up:

a. Laying on the floor, completely relax, no movements, no thoughts, breathing full diaphragm

b. Start moving a little bit, stretching your body, gently, slow, still laying

c. Slowly transform to a sitting position keep stretching every muscle

d. Slowly standing up, keep stretching, absolutely free in movements

e. Neutral walk for a minute, add eye contact, try to find eye contact, try to be curious about everything around you

f. React on another people movement, if someone walk to you, walk to him or maybe from him keeping eye contact (it might be fight scene in your imagination or 2 lowers, or maybe 3 friends), try to be part of others game

g. Now, every time you have eye contact with someone you need to add HEY, then after HEY+clap+jump

h. The last bit – stand in silence and all people need to throw ball at the same time, not looking at each other complete silence

7 Levels of tension – theory (print a picture with describing each level).

This is the building and release of tension in drama. Tension is a growing sense of expectation within the drama, a feeling that the story is building up towards something exciting happening. Without tension in a scene it is hard to keep the audience engaged with what is happening so the work may be flat and dull. Give an example (Tension 1 And Ronaldo running towards the goal, passing ball to player number 11, passing back to Ronaldo and .. Goal, then tension 7). Look together at every tension and discuss what it might be in our day to day life, which gesture you might use on every level

Exercise part:

1. separate on 2 groups, one group watch football match where different character show different level of tension (add some words or sentences), another group wedding ceremony (add some words or sentences)

2. During the performance ask actors change their level of tension and look how the context of the scene is changing

Both videos show the warming up part and exercises from my workshop

I had a great feedback after my workshop by classmates and the leader of the course. I would say I need to improve theoretical part of 7 levels of tension, but for this I need to study drama a little bit more. Anyway, it was great experience to see how we can use this technique in the performance or for warming up. It is a great technique to explore the character, situation or go from tragic scene to extremely funny. Also, I would like to thank my classmates who have been very enthusiastic during my workshop. Because of them I felt as a part of the team.

This video shows the feedback given to me by my classmate

This is the feedback by my course leader Sonia Friend

Movement workshop 15.11.19:

Clearly a very well planned workshop, which you had consulted with me before hand to look at (its a good idea to consult with others when you are starting out) . You had thought carefully about how tensions can help the actor to portray character (it was good that you asked questions about how much they knew already and what you might need levels of tension for as an actor). You were confident when leading the exercises and very enthusiastic and energetic and you demonstrated activities too, which is helpful (you were encouraging to the group too, which is a good skill to have if you lead any workshops in the future, which is very common for actors working in small touring companies). Don't be afraid of letting the focus exercises run as long as they need to (the stopping as a group and the jumping as a group) as it adds a real depth to what is happening and can increase concentration. I know that you were concerned about how much of the background theory that you would had to give them for this workshop, but its okay to allow for their previous knowledge of the subject as this workshop is about the movement activity and skills improvement (so you can show your research in your log). Remember to follow your own exercises in your own time, and record your progress/ improvement in your log.