How to connect : a journey to form pedagogical principles for sustainable, flexible actor training

Abstract

In this thesis, the author searches pedagogical principles for actor training fueled by two questions: 1. How can the content of the training be made relevant to acting in theatre so that it is not just a physical workout? 2. How can the training be made flexible and sustainable so that it becomes something that not only caters to the individual needs of actors but also provides a structure for continuation? The thesis consists of four major components: the author's personal history of actor training in theatre, the content of actor training, the pedagogical principles for sustainable, flexible actor training, and the case studies for the implementation of the principles. By reflecting on various influences in her life as an actor and pedagogue, the author illuminates the path of forming her point of view for acting and actor training in theatre. Presence in actor training is redefined as the ability to connect with the other and regarded as the element that should be cultivated throughout the actor's life. The author also presents reference points in physical training for actors to make the content of training relevant to acting. The pedagogical principles for sustainable, flexible actor training deal with the concept of practice, the language used in training, the teacher-student relationship, the flexible training content, and the identity of the teacher. The implementation of the principles is evaluated in the case studies. The studies are about two pedagogical projects: a long-term physical training, for which the author has been the leader, and the Imagination of Violence course where the author participated as the second pedagogue. For the first project, the author conducted an interview and collective reflection with a long-time participant in the training to gauge the impact of the long-term process. For the second one, the feedback from the main pedagogue and the interview with the students of the course are presented and assessed to show how the author's pedagogical presence affected others in the course. There are also excerpts from the interview with the author's former acting teacher Amy Herzberg as a concluding phase of the thesis. They give moral support and pedagogical underpinnings for the next step of the author's artistic growth as an actor and pedagogue.