My body as a Japanese Pagoda

Maintaining and controlling balance under adverse physical conditions can be tricky. There are some opinions that the feet/ankle and hips can deal with most of the demands on the body for sustaining balance during the initial wave of physical demand. Then as the task becomes more challenging for the body the upper body starts to kick in in order to support extra responsibilities to get balance back under control. This is a great article that supports that notion. I found this article great and some of the other ones it pointed to.

So based on this notion, here is my muse. What does an actor do when their upper body is already engaged in other physical needs? E.g. when both arms are welding two weapons, grappling or physical comedy. How then does the upper body support re-establishing balance? Or vice versa. 

 

For me, the answer lies in the Japanese Pagoda. Its ability to withstand earthquakes is a testament to its design. What a fantastic flexible structure. The Toji Pagoda (link embedded) in Japan is around 400 years old and has withstood many earthquakes and storms. In the clip the interviewee refers to a theory: the “snakedance”. A relationship between the pagoda and the earthquake. The “snakedance” is at the heart of the image I use to harmonise my feet, ankles, hips, and upper body during times of extreme physical stress.

 

The understanding that my feet (see previous blog about the three arches in our feet) ankles, hips and upper body work as isolated sections within a global scheme is important. Developing a strong neurological pathway through conscious development and training is the key. Much like the way the joins work in the pagoda.

 

When I feel my feet and ankles being compromised then I ensure my hips and upper body are engaged and compensating for the lack of feet and ankles being accessed and conversely for when other sections (hips or upper body) are compromised. The global scheme of my body is well connected I just need to tap into it to maximise that effective instrument trough constant training.

To be continued…

why maintain training?

Objective for Stage Combat Teacher. To train and educate stage combat to actors.

Challenge for Stage Combat Teacher. Ensure that the training will withstand the length of their career to combat the issue that no doubt there will be no regular maintenance of skills. To over come that challenge one must have a strong conceptual approach that is more than just a series of techniques. Or encourage an actor to maintain training...

To ensure that an actor can perform a violent moment; armed or unarmed and, or a slapstick / comedy routine while navigating the stage or area of performance, without any danger to other performers, crew, audience or equipment in a safe and believable manner at the height of any emotionally demanding situation or scene. The actor must be strongly disciplined and well versed in the art of stage combat. Like any profession this ideal ability could only happen if the skills in question have been taught in a diligently affective methodical way and are maintained on a regular basis over the course of the actor’s professional career.

Over the years I have born witness to some wonderful exponents of the art form of stage combat both actors and teachers, but unfortunately what I have observed for the most part in my career with respect to actors performing or training in stage combat and teachers of stage combat alike is:

• Actors without any skills
• Actors with a poor level of base knowledge
• No attention or thought given to a ‘building block of knowledge’ method or process of teaching required to effectively deliver the subject matter with any sustainability of the actor’s career
• A lack of comprehension on the teacher’s behalf of how to integrate the subject matter into and actor’s career and or process
• Geographical challenges for instructors to maintain or challenge their own skill development
• A lack of qualified in a lot of teachers (globally)High level of self-taught experts

From my observation I have ascertained this situation can be attributed to but is not limited to some points of concern:

Little or no attitude or desire from actors to maintain the skill

• A lack of time to maintain the skill
• A deficiency of funds to maintain the skill, usually because actors are out of work
• A lack of appreciation of the skills
• An under valuation of the subject matter
• A lack of universities providing the subject or next to not enough time schedules to deliver any strong syllabus

As a result of the above observations; the common denominator faced by qualified Fight Directors is unskilled actors (or next to no skills) in the work force. If actors are unversed physically with the skill of stage combat, then artistic choices as a fight director are usually compromised in order to maintain a safe working environment. What compounds this problem is when actors are unskilled and coupled with no real control of emotions in the heat of performance then extra care and concessions need to be made in a bid to protect other actors involved in the scene and more importantly the actor who has no emotional control. 

While performing stage combat in context of a scene or moment on screen or stage, despite the actor’s ability or inability to control their emotional and physical needs; and even regardless of their technique or their style of acting. A balance needs to be struck amid the relationship that exists between the emotional and physical demands in order to maintain believability and safety. So I guess I’m just saying find the time to maintain the skills required of you as an actor to be an asset in the workforce just as you might maintain your voice.

the foot bone is connected to the hip bone…

Every time I come back from The Paddy Crean International Workshop there are always loads of epiphanies running around in my subconscious that are yet to be fully realised. It usually takes months for them to eventually find their way to the surface of my conscious mind. This trip was a much the same, but one epiphany landed with me instantaneously.

 I was lucky enough to be observing a class by Anthony and Mary De Longis when Anthony made the smallest remark which rang bells for me. It was the smallest comment, and he probably acquired it from another master. But the expression finally gave me a new succinct way of explaining something I was always over explaining and over complicating to my students. “Your feet unlock your hips”

The reason this maxim was so insightful for me is that I often spend a lot of energy on student’s awareness of their ‘hip relationship” (ie where are your hips aligned and ensuring it’s a choice not an accident). But for a student to successfully navigate the concept of hip relationship they really need to be in complete awareness of what their feet are doing. Which I get; and have always ensured good footwork is happening – but the word ‘unlock’ in this principle is the key.

The muscles that support the tibia, fibula and feet bones allow the foot to either flex, extend the foot, flex or extend the toes and or support the structure of the foot. This complex system allows for the feet to move, rotate, supinate, pronate etc and thus provide the upper part of the legs and importantly the hips to have a greater range of movement and greater control and diversity in alignment.

For me the foot or should I say when all aspects of foot control and manipulation are used. Meaning the three points of contact: ball, heel and toes are used cohesively and independently of each other they support my hips and thus in turn my centre of gravity. By breaking the foot down into these six points of contact (i.e. three on each foot) it equips me with the dexterity and control I need for awareness of placement of my base, braking ability, potential for acceleration and stability. The feet really do have to potential to unlock our hips on so many levels.