why is proprioception important in movement training for actors...

What is proprioception? Thank heavens for Wikipedia! It provides a great definition!

Proprioception is the sense of self-movement and body position. It is sometimes described as the "sixth sense". Proprioception is mediated by mechanically-sensitive proprioceptor neurons distributed throughout an animal's body. Most vertebrates possess three basic types of proprioceptors: muscle spindles, which are embedded in skeletal muscle fibers, Golgi tendon organs, which lie at the interface of muscles and tendons, and joint receptors, which are low-threshold mechanoreceptors embedded in joint capsules. Many invertebrates, such as insects, also possess three basic proprioceptor types with analogous functional properties: chordotonal neurons, campaniform sensilla, and hair plates.

The central nervous system integrates information from proprioception and other sensory systems, such as vision and the vestibular system, to create an overall representation of body position, movement, and acceleration.

The sense of proprioception is ubiquitous across mobile animals and is essential for the motor coordination of the body.

Proprioception is from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own", "individual", and capio, capere, to take or grasp. Thus, to grasp one's own position in space, including the position of the limbs in relation to each other and the body as a whole.

The word kinesthesia or kinæsthesia (kinesthetic sense) refers to movement sense but has been used inconsistently to refer either to proprioception alone or to the brain's integration of proprioceptive and vestibular inputs. Kinesthesia is a modern medical term composed of elements from Greek; kinein "to set in motion; to move" (from PIE root *keie- "to set in motion") + aisthesis "perception, feeling" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive") + Greek abstract noun ending -ia (corresponds to English -hood e.g. motherhood). (care of Wikipedia)

So why is this important for movement in actors? For me knowing where my partner is, where my props / weapons are and of course I am in space is the basic answer. However, if I dig around a little deeper into my curiosity and ask why! That is to say why is it extremely important in my studies and practice to hone this skill. My curiosity leads me to focus on the words force and touch.What I’m referring to here is my grip, my energy exerted, my ability at the very moment of contact with a fellow actor, audience member or prop know what I am dealing with on a neurological, muscular and skeletal level. Why I hear you ask! It strikes me that a large part of successful proprioception is about knowing where your joints are in space and thus know how to make the next move.

Let’s take a piece of fight choreography for example. So, choreographically I am to grab another actor and stage a certain amount of perceived resistance in that choreography (ie a ‘struggle’) and then push them across the space. The moment I grab another actor I am making so many decisions based on that sense of touch. I am using my nervous system, to analyse where my partner is at in space but also many other questions. Are they balanced? Where is their weight loaded? Are they giving up their centre? Are they working too hard? Have they got too much energy? Are they too ‘floppy’? I would even go so far as to say I could even read how they are going emotionally. Once I weigh up all these questions and more – I can start to then move to my muscular and skeletal systems to work out how best to move through the choreography. So, based on how my joints are calibrated will inform how I begin to move into the choreography and with how much force. The synchronised and effective use of hinge and socket joints will be the key to smooth movement.

to be continued...

proprioception in motion...