[nabs-l] Taking dance and acting to learn natural movement and expressions

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

I danced for many years including ballet, including pointe. It's very
true that ballet dancers learn to position, and move, their bodies in
inorganic ways. The motion, when done well, is very graceful and fluid,
but the process to harness the technique can take years and actually can
do quite a number on your body.

Though other dance forms like jazz or tap are not quite as unforgiving
as ballet, they still require a lot of discipline to do, especially to
master.

However, if wanting to learn how to move more naturally, dance certainly
can help. Many professional athletes take dance, including ballet, in
order to move better on the field or pitch or rink or whatever the case
may be.

I also have a background in theatre and minored in it when at university
back in 2000. Acting, at least stage acting, pays a lot of attention to
body movement and facial expressions. Voice is also extremely important.
Taking an acting class can assist with more natural body movements, but
be aware that in an acting class, you'll be expected to perform in front
of your peers, being judged. If you can't handle constructive criticism,
or are extremely introverted, an acting class may not be the best
option. Even in a more informal acting class, you will have to perform
monologues and duets and group scenes.

Another way to learn a more natural body movement is to take modeling
classes. Now, these can cost, but so can dance and acting classes- it's
something to invesigate before signing up. Modeling classes will teach
you specifically how to walk and how to use your face to relay things.
Models on the runway often use an unnatural gate, but in modeling class
itself, you learn how to carry yourself meaning you learn how to move in
a graceful, fluid manner.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message: 15
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:54:04 -0500
From: "Andi" <adrianne.dempsey at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
	<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Blindness versus other minority groups
Message-ID: <8B13EFD0D07949A289DAED7F5752C78F at OwnerPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Actually you make a good point about acting and dance classes.  Both are

good ways to improve nonverbal skills.  Dance classes will help loosen
stiff 
postures and movements and acting classes will help with the facial 
expressions.  When I started dance classes I felt even more stiff at
first 
because I was thinking to hard about the movements and that is true for 
sighted people as well.  However as the classes went on I found myself
not 
only more fluid on stage and on the dance floor, but more natural
looking in 
everyday movements.  Acting is usually exadurated expressions because of
the 
distence between the stage and the audionce, but if a person has atrophy

they will have to try exadurated expressions at first anyway because the

face muscles will not move as easily.  The muscles will need more forse
so 
what seems exadurated to an atrophyed face will not really be.
Eventually 
as people practis the expressions will be more natural and easier.  Not
only 
facial expressions but hand placement body stance and a lot of other
little 
details.  I hyly recommend both dance and acting classes for anyone who 
wishes to look more natural.  Most people but not all who are blind from

birth have somewhat stiff and unnatural looking movements and do not
realize 
it because it is what they have allways done and so it feels natural to 
them.  I use to be like this and no one ever said anything to me about
it 
because it was not tarrible, but after I took dance I realized how much
more 
natural I walk and move now compared to then.  My sister told me the
same 
thing, but I could actually feel the difference.  I do not recommend
ballet 
for this, don't get me wrong it is a beautiful art form and if you are
in to 
that it is wonderful, but it is stiff on perpous and they train for
years to 
make their bodies do all sorts of unnatural things.  It is not for
someone 
who is just wanting to have more natural movements.  I recommend latten 
ballroom or hip hop or even modern, Especially lattin ballroom.  Acting 
classes I am not as experienced with but It would defanatly be  helpful.
If 
not a dance class a zoomba class would be good.  Yoga and any marcial
art is 
also really helpful in this.  If you do not want to join a class contact
a 
nonverbal comunication instructor and have that person give you facial 
exercizes, but they are not easy to find.  It is truly possible to
override 
atraphy no matter how long a person has ben out of practis but it is not

instant and it takes a lot of work on that persons part.  As for the
smiling 
at private jokes, sighted people do it to but there is a eye movement 
asociated with it that tells others it is a private thought, and the
smile 
is usually breef.  However as long as you are not loling your head it is

probebly not that big of a deal.