Some Learning (Movement Direction)

Notes from a conversation with an apprentice movement director…

Blocking
Everything is the same practice applied with a different focus.  For EJ, scene blocking is a conversation, an unfolding. It’s about watching the performers instincts, understanding what their bodies want to do when they know/ understand the script and character.  And then, filtering what is them and what is the character, before retaining, clarifying and amplifying the characters choices.

Using Space
Creating an overall mind map of the space - like a heat map of space. Aim is not to use as much of the space as possible but to carve the space so the world makes sense. Making distinct moments distinct; Proximity of bodies; Repeats of pattern/ spacing offering new information; Balancing, rebalancing, eliminating distractions.

Who did the story belong to in the room we were working in? 
And, how was that managed in the room in a way that could influence the work ongoing?

Was there consent in terms of scenes with anger/ violence, and repeating this anger and violence. 

What is the role of intuition?
Intuition felt present in the space so things weren’t pushed beyond the comfort/ boundaries of the performers. You could see when the resisted and it was voiced. Approaches to this - dicussed intimacy coordintaion pillars

How do you offer space when the actors don’t feel they need it?
Intuition is great, but consent and support needs structure (even if it’s gentle).

Tools of safeguarding present in the space:
1. Verbal invitation to say no in every session.
2. Asking what people need (even if it feels counterintuitive to their own process).
3. Checking in with bodies as a measure of (dis)comfort.
4. Making space to check physical limits prior to working (so no shame later/ adaptations can be made in advance).

Questions to consider:

• How does movement direction contribute to documentary as a form? 
  What was learned from this process that could be utilised in other ways?

• What if the off putting things about theatre is the amount of time spent in a dark room?!
  Perhaps there’s a way of exploring other theatre forms and spaces.  It doesn’t all exist in a dark room and it also doesn’t have to. 

• How do we recognise that an apprencticeship isn’t comprehensive training but potential learning in a specific context?

• How does feeling you could work in theatre as a movement director relate to the depth of experience you have just had?

• If the focus of conversation is more about hierarchy/ the structure of the industry than the practice, what does this tell us?  What does thinking in this way mean in terms of  satisfaction as an artist? Collaborator? Learner?

• If there is an ongoing tension between career and artistic satisfaction, then were money and social capital were not currencies, what is making art for you?

• Every exchange changes us.  How do make space to see these exchanges and learn from them whilst remaining active in the world?

• Working with stylistically different actors, how do you balance their different styles?

• How do you go about your research?
  Script combing distinct movement worlds and moments.
  Then documentary, people watching, asking people who know, bringing them in if possible!
  Striking balance of audiences (mis)understandings and reality.

• How is critical thought different from unhelpful critique?

• Is there a way that things should be done? 

• What is your relationship to status?  How does this help/hinder your work and learning?

• How can movement director prep be shared with an apprentice so that they can be hands on?  How is space/ time found for a movement director to prepare in rooms that are responsive and consatrined by practicalitie. Daily morning meetings may have been helpful to keep on top of what was happening, share thinking as it unfolded.  Where could these be? How is this possible without exhausting ourselves?

• What would you need to ask of yourself to just get stuck in more? What does hands on learning look like?  Whose hands?!

• How does asking young someone to reflect on the process they are involved in impact the experience.  What if there are situations where ‘there is clearly a right answer’?  Does this exchange impact the experience?

• Space given to analysing the notion of apprenticeship, hierarchy and status.  How else would you have liked this to be done?  Who gets to have opinions on this? How, as an artist, do you create the spaces that you need to be in? 

• How could you ever know if it’s the right role for you, if you don’t try these roles?  Where are you ‘taking an opportunity from someone else’ and where is it important that you also get to learn and have the option to change your mind?

• Where is the tension between status and the work, and where is it getting in the way of the craft/ art/ practice?