Improvisation

Improvisation is the act of making something up as it is performed. This term is usually used in the context of music, theater or dance.

Theater

Most aspiring actors do a lot of improvisation. It is a staple of drama and theater classes at most colleges and high schools. According to the dominant acting theories of Konstantin Stanislavski, an actor improvising a scene must be trusting his own instincts. According to Stanislavski (see method acting), an actor must use his own instincts to define a character's response to internal and external stimuli. Through improvising, an actor can learn to trust his instincts instead of using mugging and indicating to broadcast his motives. Improv is also useful in its focus on concentration. Obviously, in an environment in which anything is allowed to happen, the actors must be capable of keeping their concentration throughout, even in difficult and stressful circumstances. Concentration is a staple of acting classes and workshops; it is vital that an actor be capable of concentrating on the scene or action at hand. Actors who fail to keep up with an improvisation are said to be blocking.

Related Topics:
Konstantin Stanislavski - Method acting - Mugging - Indicating - Blocking

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~