| REFLECTION 2 |
Elements of Physical Performance
BY KAREN BELL & ROBIN EURICH
The pleasure of attending and presenting at the recent ACE Edcon in San Francisco was immense for us at The Circus Arts Conservatory in Sarasota , Florida . We , Karen Bell and Robin Eurich , are in charge of the Education and Outreach Program and are also coaches for clowns , characters and ringmasters for Sailors Circus Academy . For 67 years , our after school program has been instructing students in the circus arts with some of the best coaches in the country . The chance to meet other coaches with the same passion for youth circus and feel the momentum and energy of the new circus was riveting .
The workshop we facilitated Elements of Physical Performance : From Clowns to Aerialists was designed to add an important element to any kind of performance . The presentation of skill is every bit as important as the skill itself . This separates circus from sports and can ’ t be stressed enough . A great example of this would be the vault in gymnastics . The contestants walk out as themselves , get ready and toss a brief style to the judges before their approaching run . The style is their start whereas in the circus , as in theater , your start is your entrance . No matter what the venue one is performing in , you are performing from the moment the audience can see you until the moment they can ’ t .
We see often a huge amount of time spent learning the skill and act and not enough time spent on the actual presentation . Dolly Jacobs , co-founder of the CAC and world renowned aerialist , spends hours with her students teaching them how to walk into the ring , how to grasp the equipment , the exact placement of hands and pointed toes and how to take a compliment or bow . This is important , because a performer should show effortlessness and grace rather than conveying a struggle .
There are three main principals in the process of becoming a performer : curiosity , exploration and effective communication . Curiosity is the desire to learn a new skill . Exploration is taking that newfound knowledge and making it your own and , finally , effectively communicating it to the audience in a performance .
Here we will focus on four elements of effective communication : communicating with the audience , clarity of movement , character and personality , and using your prop or equipment as your partner .
COMMUNICATING WITH THE AUDIENCE As a performer you are in your own world but still have to connect with the audience because they make up their mind about an act in the first 10 seconds . They want to like you , so let them . You can make multiple mistakes if they like you ! With very simple gestures you can invite your audience to be included in the performance . This begins and ends with entrances and exits . First , don ’ t walk in like a truck driver or look like you are apologizing before the act has even begun . Instead , take the stage , look at the audience . By making them feel as if you see each and every one of them , you are giving them a personal moment with the performer . Take the time for your audience to appreciate you . Hold for applause and as the applause starts to fade , break to the next moment .
CLARITY OF MOVEMENT Motion means nothing without stillness . Use definite , finished gestures when owning the stage . Unnecessary movement is distracting to the audience and takes the power out of your performance . If , however , you are playing a weak character , movement should take longer but still come to a definite stop . Clear movement will show the audience what you intend . You have to learn how long it will take the audience to understand what you are trying to convey . It is usually longer than you think ! ( See exercise # 1 )
CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY Show character in everything you do . You may be asked to perform a defined character or you might be yourself . Either way , you must entice the audience , make them want to be you on the stage and show them the joy of movement . Tell a story instead of just doing a number of tricks . This will make your act longer but more memorable . Traveling and movement will tell the audience a lot about your character . Where you come from and where are you going are a good place to start ( see exercise # 2 ).
USING YOUR PROP / EQUIPMENT AS YOUR PARTNER Don ' t get so caught up in the technique that you forget about performance . Your prop is your partner ! Show the audience your
14