Booker T. Washington HSPVA - Theatre Department

Beginning Mime and Movement

jfarris@dallasisd.org

Course Description

Beginning Mime and Movement is a required course for all new students. This course teaches the elements and techniques of Mime and the Laban Eight Efforts. It is designed to help the students learn to communicate with their bodies and to develop agility and promote dexterity. Further, it aids students in the connection of the performer’s subtext and emotion to movement. Students will also learn the vocabulary associate with mime and movement.

Course Requirements

Movement appropriate clothing: leotard and tights (or leggings), sweat pants and T-Shirt, modest shorts and T-Shirt, or Gi Pants  are acceptable.

Movement appropriate shoes: Jazz shoes, ballet shoes, thin soled tennis shoes, socks with rubber grip bottoms, or barefoot.

It is necessary for all students to turn work in on time and to correct notes given on initial performances.

Appropriate audience decorum is a major component in the theatre classes.

Evaluation

Classwork/homework                                                                   40%

Tests                                                                                                   25%

Projects/Products                                                                          20%

6 weeks test                                                                                    15%

Course Schedule/Syllabus

This is a semester class. The first 9 weeks we will study illusionary mime and the second nine weeks we will study Rudolph LaBan’s Eight Efforts (movement).

MIME:

Mime Terminology

Illusionary Techniques

Storyline Mime, Absurd Mime, Character Mime, 4 Age mime, Universal mime, Non-human mime, Final exam

MOVEMENT

Movement terminology

Movement study performances (2 of each)/choreography of the following LaBan Efforts:

1)     Punch 2) Dab 3) Float 4) Flick 5) Wring 6) Slash 7) Press 8) Glide