# data[].attributes.body
In todays lesson we got into groups and did a scavenger hunt. In the scavenger hunt we were given a checklist and 5 minutes to spot as many hazards in the theatre as we could.

Some hazards that I identified were:

-Cables left unattended

-Props left unattended

-Fire exit blocked

-Liquids by the sound and lighting desk

-Chairs unorganised and messy

Dangers:

-People could get hurt (e.g trip up)

-Props unattended could get knocked over or hurt someone

-Shows can get disrupted

-Liquids by tech could possibly electrocute someone

-Audience could struggle to exit if there is an emergency

# data[].attributes.body
In todays lesson we played games to help us develop useful skills. One of the games that we played was "grandma's footsteps". In this game we worked on concentration and ability to keep focus. Another game that we played was "splat". This game helped us focus on reaction time and ability to think quick on the spot. The skills we developed were

-concentration

-quick reaction times

-spacial awareness

-eye contact

# data[].attributes.body
Konstantin Stanislavski is a seminal Russian and Soviet theatre practitioner. The Stanislavski theory is a method of acting developed by Konstantin Stanislavki that aims to create truthful and emotionally authentic performances by training actors to internalise a character's phycological life motivations and circumstances.

# data[].attributes.body
In today’s lesson we learnt about standing in a natural position called plumbline. Plumbline is a natural standing position where your hands are by your side, feet are parallel to the ground in line with your hips and shoulders. It should feel natural, your knees should not be locked and your posture should be straight. Plumbline can be used for the start of a routine or performance and it is simply a natural standing position so that you do not break character for example, crossing your legs, or slouching. We got into partners and checked each others plumbline, gave each other feedback and set targets for each other. My partner was Zahara and my target was so not lock my knees.

# data[].attributes.body
In our first lesson with Blanka we were put into small groups of 3/4 and Blanka would give us a topic and we ad 30 seconds to get into a freeze frame. For example one theme was a robbery and my group showed that by having two people with their hands in the air “surrendering” to the two people pointing two fingers at them, imitating a gun. Freeze frames helped us to practice different levels to show status, it also allows the audience to focus on body language and facial expressions.

# data[].attributes.body
The power of their Light -written by ai

There was a woman who kept a lamp burning all night.

People laughed and said that the oil was ‘too precious to waste”

But she said, the light was not for her.

It was for the travellers she’d never meet,

So, they’d know someone believed they’d make it through the dark.

And that lamp still burns.

It burns in the people’s footsteps, in classrooms, in courtrooms, in songs.

It is the fire of Black history- a flame lit by those who gave everything,

so, we could stand here, not in the shadows,

But in the power of their light.

It burns in the hands that write, in the voices that rise,

in the quiet courage of mothers who pray their children home.

It flickers in the marches, in votes cast, in the names we refuse to forget.

Every spark is a promise that the story isn’t over,

that the dream is still unfolding in our time.

And when the night feels longest,

When the air grows heavy with doubt,

Remember- there is always someone tending that lamp.

Maybe it’s you. Maybe it’s me.

Maybe it’s the echo of all who came before, whispering, keep it lit.

Because the light is not just memory- it’s direction. It shows us where to go next.

# data[].attributes.body
Given Circumstance is important because it influences how a character speaks, moves and reacts. It makes performances more realistic and provides clues for tone and emotion in every scene. It is what determines a character’s behavior in a performance.

# data[].attributes.body
In Blanka’s lesson today we were put into groups of three and rehearsed and performed a visual storytelling piece. I was in a group with Lauren and Charlotte, and we decided to do a classroom setting. To bring the story alive, we had to concentrate on small details like acknowledging imaginary teachers by simply just nodding to show that we were in a classroom environment. To show each character’s personality we focused again on small details like posture, to show if our character is interested or not, fidgeting, is our character an awkward person? A non-verbal ensemble helped us focus on the small, easy to forget details because sometimes actors rely on lines to tell the story when body language and facial expressions can be more effective.

# data[].attributes.body
A way to use the Stanislavski technique in our performance is by using the 5 W’s

-Who am I?

-Where am I?

-When is it?

-What do I want?

-Why do I want it?

In Blanka’s lesson, we learnt that before performing a character, you must always ask yourself the 5 W’s to internalise a character’s phycological life motivations and circumstances. To practice this we were given a duologue and the instruction was to create a scene our of the short dialogue by using the 5 W’s. For example, Oscar and I set our scene in a restaurant and gave his character the intention to “break up with me” and my character the intention to get him to “admit” that that is what he wanted to do. This was our “what”.

# data[].attributes.body
In Sheenagh’s lesson we were asked to write a dramatic story from the age of 10 or below using the 5 Ws. This helped us to remember the 5 W’s and to have a broader imagination. We then got into gtoups of 3 and 4 and performed two stories each from someone in our group. In my group were Zahara, Samuel, and Aaliyah and we performed Zahara and Aaliyah’s story. When performing Zahara’s story, our “when” was set when Zahara was a child therefore we had to focus on small details like having higher pitched voices, exaggerated facial expressions such as furrowed brows if our character was frustrated, to show the audience that this scene from Zahara’s story was when she was a child

# data[].attributes.body
In Despina’s lesson we did some stretches such as lunges for a warm up. We stretched our spine up, down and side to side which is good for flexibility and posture. Stretches increases blood circulation to our muscles which prepares them for movement. . It also reduces muscle tension which can prevent injury.

# data[].attributes.body
Today we did something different, we played dodgeball. After we played dodgeball the class got into two groups and Sarah told us to imagine there’s an invisible ball and throw it to someone in the circle by doing a sports move such as, golf, basketball, football etc. After that activity we got into pairs and Sarah showed us a demonstration of a routine from one side of the room to the other moving via sports, for example, throwing a basketball into the hoop, swinging a cricket ball etc. With our partners we started to create a routine, Zahara and I started by swinging a golf club and turning 180 degrees, then we dribbled a basketball into slow motion and shot it, into a bowl, then side to side steps (football warm up) and then kicking an invisible football. Thisnactivity helped us to think of dance moves outside the box and expanded our imagination.

# data[].attributes.body
Today after a quick warm up Sarah taught us a routine which consisted of different sport gestures such as catching a basketball. We learnt how to make movements flow into one another smoothly and worked on performing in sync and as one. After this we got into small groups of 5/6 and created our own piece using different sports animations. We built on our communication and ability to listen to each other and work with everyone’s ideas as we were in a big group. Sarah gave my group feedback to end off stage so we decided to “swimming” on and off stage instead of walking so that we were incorporating adaptive movement throughout the whole piece.

# data[].attributes.body
In today’s lesson we put the duets and the group piece together. We had to work as a class and be patient and focused. When we rehearsed, one by one we came on stage and then Demiah started off the routine Sarah taught us during week 2 of duets, and then after this we performed our group pieces (the swimming action onto stage worked well because it gave us time to get into position for the rest of the routine) and then we ended it with our duets from one side of the room to the other. Rehearsing the duets with Sarah when she called our numbers built our muscle memory for a clean performance for our assessment. Rehearsals also improved our social awareness and sharpened rhythm and timing.

# data[].attributes.body
In Despina’s lesson today we got into groups of three and were told to make a routine that has 3 counts of 8, using “over through and under “. Over, through and under uses different levels and formations. Our routine started with us crossing arms, spinning 180 degrees, lifting our arms over our head and Aaliyah going through the gap into the middle and me going under their arms. We repeated that 3 times but swapping roles every time, so we all took a turn going over, through and under. Thus helped us expand our creativity and made it easier to find our next move by simply following “over, under and through”.

# data[].attributes.body
In Shan’s lesson we got into pairs and labelled ourselves “a” and. “b”. The aim was for “a” to lead with slow, deliberate movements While the other mirrors them and then switch roles after a few minutes. This enhanced physical awareness and connection with my partner (Charlotte) and I, essential for ensemble work.

# data[].attributes.body
Today we were put into groups of 3/4 and were instructed to create a 2 minute long routine with movement, theme and song of our choice. In my group were, Oduro, Cayden and Kyana. Before we picked a team we decided to start choreographing first, and see what song and theme would go along with it. We started off by having Oduro and Kyana in front and Cayden and I behind but slightly diagonal to them so that the audience could see us. We slid twice opposite ways once to the left/right, then Cayden and I slide forwards while they slid backwards, so we swapped positions. Since we were doing pair movement ina group we decided we could choreograph someone being controlled. The theme that we found fitting was Halloween because of the time of year and the unnaturalness of being controlled physically like a puppet. Findind a theme that everyone agreed with, like Halloween, was good because it expanded on our teamwork. We built trust by including everyone’s ideas and constructive criticism to be helpful.

# data[].attributes.body
In today’s lesson we worked on cannon and unison movement and different levels. One unison movement we added to the piece today was the moonwalk. We included this because, it fitted the theme of our song “Thriller” and it was a simple yet effective way for us all to move in sync. Right after we included a cannon movement where we all ran onto stage one by one and froze one by one. This was also fitting to our song as the lyric said “You start to freeze”. Matching some of the movement to the song lyrics revealed our theme to the audience. To make sure we included different levels we got into a line and stood in height accenting order where I kneeled on the floor, Kyana kneeled on the floor however stretched her legs so that was was taller than me, Cayden crouched, only bending her knees slightly and Oduro stood straight at the back. This created a cool illusion and we wanted the different levels to make the audience engaged in our performance.

# data[].attributes.body
In this rehearsal, we went over our routine as many times as possible, polishing any parts that we didn’t feel were our best. This built on our teamwork because when we are all focusing, it’s less likely to fall off track and we found that distractions can easily be spread among the group if one person isn’t focusing which is why we all did our bit and put in 100% effort so that we maintained focus.

# data[].attributes.body
In Blanka and Shenagh’s lesson we chose partners (I am in a trio with Aaliyah and Zahara) and we were given a script with no characters, just lines. It was up to us to make a scene using the 5 w’s and everything about given circumstances that was had learnt. We used the 5 W’s for each character for example, my character is:

Who? A child (5 years olds)

Where? A classroom

When? 2025 (now)

What? I want to know Aaliyah’s secret

Why? Because as a child I’m naturally nosy/curious

How? By doing childish things such as pinky promises, tugging Aaliyah etc.

In our performance, mapping is important because it helps visualise the performance space and shows the audience where we are, our relationships with each other and helps the audience follow the action and focus on key moments. We do this by angling Aaliyah’s chair facing the audience and Zahara’s and my chair diagonal to the audience so that our backs are never to the audience. Also, when Zahara and I walk away from Aaliyah after saying “alright” we walk towards the audience instead of away so that our backs are not facing the audience. Zahara and I “reveal” Aaliyah’s secret by looking under the table after she whispers in our ears, to show that she has wet herself. We also both have different reactions even though we say mostly the same lines after finding out the secret, such as “no” and “now what?”. Zahara is more disgusted as she leans away, holds her nose etc however my character is immature and laughs, squirming in my seat to show that I am amused. We do this to show our character’s different personalities.

# data[].attributes.body
In today’s lesson we learnt that voice actors are often in audiobooks, cartoons and adverts. To be one you should be able to get into character well and have a versatile and clear voice.

How vocal actors prepare for a role

- analyse scripts carefully

- learn the context of the story and understand it

- experiment with different tones and accents

-visualise the character’s emotion

-repetition and rehearsal

We can learn a lot from voice actors because we can do the exact same things to play a role to the best of our ability. These exercises don’t just apply for voice actors, it works in theatre too and is essential to fully embody the role of a character.

# data[].attributes.body
diaphragmatic breathing (breathing in your belly not your chest)

Projection (talk to the audience not to the wall)

Articulation (pronunciation)

Clarity of speech (practicing tongue twisters)

# data[].attributes.body
In Tim’s lesson today, we learnt the 6 steps to voice production.

1. We breathe into the lungs

2. We exhale.

3. The air strikes our vocal folds cords.

4. The vocal folds vibrate creating a sound.

5. The sound wave is amplified by our resonators (a space in the body where sound vibrates)

6. The sound is shaped into words by the ‘organs of speech’.

# data[].attributes.body
Today we repeated some tongue twisters such as “red lorry yellow lorry” to enhance our articulation. Afterwards we were given a few short poems and told to pick and perform one to the class. This was helpful because we were able to get individual feedback. It was also helpful hearing everyone else’s feedback because it showed us what to do. We enhanced our pronunciation, pitch, pace and tone from this activity. We were then set homework to create a poem or find one that already exists and be ready to perform it.

# data[].attributes.body
In Shan's lesson today we walked around the room and when Shan named an emotion, we read our poems at the same time, in that emotion. For example, as we walked around the room at a natural pace, Shan said 'sad" and we read our poems in that emotion at a level 10. This challenged our vocal versatility and projection. It was also good practise to learn our poems off by heart.

# data[].attributes.body
In Sheena’s lesson today we did a small performance 1 by 1 in front of the class at different levels. There was a chair in the middle of the stage and our task was to walk up to that chair and chose what to do with it for example sit on it. When Sheena called our name she would give a level from 1-10 and we would act as a character with that level of status. When it was my turn, I was given level 3 and to show my status to everyone I walked with my head down, towards the chair, taking very small, cautious footsteps and I chose not to sit on the chair. Watching everyone’s performance helped me learn from other people

# data[].attributes.body
In Shan's lesson today we performed our poems at a level 10 one by one in front of Shan and the class. This was good practise for our stage presence and confidence as it gave us an idea of what the real performance would be like.

# data[].attributes.body
Evaluation

Today we had our assessment, and I participated in the main dance, secret drama scene, Despina’s dance piece and the poetry. My responsibilities were to learn my lines, movement and dance steps, and to be different characters.

My dance performance:

Some of my strengths in the dance piece were, remembering choreography, moving in cannon and unison, and sticking to themes. Some areas for improvement would be, not looking at the floor and keeping my eyes up towards the audience and not rushing the dance. For example, in our group dance (Sara’s dance routine) I rushed slightly when doing the swimming actions (walking on and off stage)

My drama performance

My drama performance was my best piece. My strongest attributes were learning my lines, being able to play a young character (for example being able to show it by fidgeting and overexaggerating my words) and working as a team. Something I ned to improve is remembering my cues for lines for example sometimes I spoke over Aaliyah and Zahara.

Evaluating other performances

I enjoyed watching others performances, two that stood out to me was Sara’s tutor group’s dance and Oscar’s poem. The group dance was really good because it showed off everyone’s skills, I liked when they went across the stage doing their duets at the start and the end, it was a really good way to start and end the show. I also liked how they kept eye contact with the audience as is kept us engaged and it made the performance even more engaging. Something that they can improve is facial expressions and maybe developing 2 or 3  different facial expressions through out the performance.

Target for the next project

My target for the next project will be to learn my lines early so that I can put my time into  other things such as, body language, applying Stanislavski technique, projection etc. This will help me improve in my next performance because it will only help me get into character even better. I’ll achieve this by spending some time after every lesson analysing my lines and applying different skills to it such as, tone, pitch, pace etc and taking time at home every day to learn my lines, applying directions from my teachers and my own annotations.