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Saturday, 20 February 2010

MARTIAL ARTS AS A FORM OF ACTOR TRAINING

Can martial arts be considered a form of actor training?

After studying this subject for a while I found something interesting.  When performing a piece of a kata or certain forms of martial arts, I found that this can be a prepatory technique for performance.

 HOW???

Well it is a performance in itself.   You can practice the techniques on your own but when others or a teacher are present the performance side of things kick in.

Now this can be done prior to a performance to make the actor focus in and center themselves by getting into the right mental and physical mindset
.
1. Physical-the body remembers the moves through thought yes but also due to muscle memory and so the muscles perform the movements preparing and warming the body for the work to come.

2. Mentally-the mind focuses in on the task at hand and begins to go through the processes that are required to activate a different mental state of concentration.

So can we say that this can be used as a preparatory technique?

Yes I think - we can also say that it is in fact a performance in itself.

By simulating a performance through the repeated martial arts movements the body begins to make the performance element of martial arts automatic.   This can then be put into practice in performance on the stage by using the martial art principals we can create a state of reaction in the body.

The human body is a marvelous machine which can adapt to many different stimuli and by doing this is then prepared for the work ahead.


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