Technical Classes

Students will learn basic vocal pedagogy and health, and develop a foundation in techniques for theatrical speech and diction based for exemple on the work of Kristin Linklater, Cecily Berry, and Patsy Rodenburg. The emphasis will be on practical application of theory.  Through a broad range of exercises, students will explore the complex links between breath, thought, emotion, voice, imagination, and language, while increasing their ability to utilize safely and effectively an expressive, powerful, and fully embodied voice either on stage or in daily life.  These techniques will be applied to individual classical and contemporary speeches, analyzed and prepared for performance.  Students are also introduced to dialect exploration and vocal styles, applied to various scenes and monologues.  An actor’s toolkit must contain an abundance of options to convincingly portray truth while inhabiting the ‘other’.

“To free the voice is to free the person.”

Kristin Linklater

This class will explore physical character building and play through observation of how the surrounding world informs human experience. Students will increase body awareness through examining the conscious and unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation. Concepts to be covered will include isolation, rhythm, tempo, fixed point, movements in nature, suspension and release, push/pull, partnering, ensemble development, and PLAY. Alongside this technical study will be physical explorations based on the four classical elements, animals, materials, colors, artwork, music, and words. Scenes will be both improvised and assigned to investigate physical character building, gesture, and to examine the relationship of physical storytelling and text. These will range from small to large ensemble and chorus work. A class presentation will be created and performed. 

This class is an in-depth study of improvisation for theatre and film. The structure emphasizes character development through exercises, games, and scene work, while introducing advanced improv theory and technique. Students will be introduced to the basic concepts of improvisation :  active listening, positive assumption, specificity, ensemble work, and strong emotional choices.  Exercises will be based on the result of Cours Florent’s research and inspired by the work of a variety of other international improvisation teachers: Viola Spolin, Del Close, Keith Johnstone, and Paul Sills, as well as that of Social Theatre innovator Augusto Boal and the teachings of Stanislavski.  Improvisation, largely regarded as a vehicle for comedy, is also one of the most direct and reliable ways to connect to any role, dramatic or comic. It provides experience in movement, voice, character study, spontaneity, presence, scene set-up, collaboration, and conflict resolution.  Both short and long form improvisations will be explored.

This course focuses on basic storytelling and introduces students to a range of writing situations :  short fiction films, short animations, short stage plays, original formats for TV series and Alternative Media. Also to prepare the ground for developing feature film subjects, different forms are explored :  realism, non-naturalism, non-linear narrative and fiction derived from fact.

Clowning requires us to embrace, through openness and humor, our unique ridiculousness. Accepting the less than perfect brings our humanity to the forefront, transforms restrictive habits into freer expression, and allows us to be fully present. We experience vulnerability and resilience in playful balance. We are “experts” and “know nothing” simultaneously. Clown essentials (such as isolating actions, interrupting your own pattern, singularity of focus, and building complicité with the publique) are foundational and reveal new possibilities about ourselves as artists and collaborators. Each class begins with a physical warm-up and/or a series of movement games. This is followed by a progression of solo and group projects designed to identify and explore, in clown language, dilemmas. Clowns solve dilemmas, big and small, humorous and poignant in non-traditional ways.

Emphasizing subversion, paradox, and humor in chaos, the class fosters genuine connection through comedic vulnerability. 

Far from being just a passing trend, stand-up offers new possibilities in acting and stage performance. Students focus on understanding each step of the process of creating a sketch - from writing to staging - and, over the weeks, experiment with different styles, tones and approaches, gradually discovering the formula that suits them best and allows them to express their intentions and unique voice most effectively.  Topics covered include :  Generating material, developing live performance skills, creating a stage persona, exploring joke structure.  By developing a personal routine and performing in front of an audience, students refine their act and timing while expanding their range of comedic expression. In the context of acting, integrating stand-up and understanding comedic mechanisms help participants develop a better command of their artistic voice, refine their interpretations and gain authenticity.