in praise of warmer days

They say it will be in the fifties tomorrow!

Hallelujah!

E3H: Read Oedipus the King. Boards are open. Portrait projects are now due on 2/17.

E2H: Read Act One for Monday, Act Two for later in the week (Thursday?). Boards are of course open.

Drama: This is the starting point for your discovery of self.

Examine your body carefully in all of its aspects. Observe yourself and record the results.

1. Standing still: Where do you place your weight? Where are you centered? Do you lean? Do you slouch?
   
2. Sitting: How erect are you when you are seated? Do you sink into the chair or floor? Do you lean? In what direction? Do you cross legs? Arms? Do you sit on some part of yourself? How much space do you take up? What curves do you have in legs, arms, spine, the tilt of your head?
3. Facial Expression: Do you have a "typical look"? Any runners-up? Do you make eye contact with others frequently? Intensely? How long before looking away? Do you squint, narrow eyes, do anything else with eyes? Do eyebrows move? Do you wriggle your nose? Purse your lips? Suck in your cheeks? How often do you smile? Does your smile happen suddenly or slowly? Are you easy to read or poker faced?
4. Tempo and Rhythm: Do you move quickly, slowly, or in between? Is there a constant tempo? Do you land with full weight or glide along the ground? Are your steps heavy or light? Do you stress each move with any part of your body when you walk? Is there a relationship between your speed and your rhythm? Are you fast and erratic? Slow and steady?
5. Motion: When walking, sitting or leaning, what contacts the surface below you? Is the contact flat and solid, or gradual and curved? When you are about to move, do you prepare to move (shift weight, adjust clothing, etc.) or just take off? When you stop, is there some similar adjustment period? Or do you just land and stop? When you sit, do you support yourself as you come down, as with your hands? Are your movements fluid or jerky? How obvious is your shift of gears when you change speeds or directions? Are your moves straight and assertive? Or are they weak and indirect? Do you ease into furniture sideways, curve across a room, sidle up to people?
6. Gestures: Are your arm gestures expansive and wide or tight and economical? Do you gesture frequently? Can you sit on your hands without going crazy? Do you have any predictable, repetitive moves? Are any of them unique to you? Do you have any props you always seem to be playing with (rings, necklaces, pens, etc)? Do you literally demonstrate your feelings or experiences physically in such a way that someone who doesn't even speak English could figure out what you are saying by watching your gestures? Are your shoulders a part of your gesturing? Do you lean in to make points?
   

There is a lot more to come. This will do for this weekend. :-)

And now for something totally random and wonderful:



--kt