Viewpoints/Hess-2012

ViewpointsTraining:CreativityinTimeandSpace
ThissixhourcoursewillintroducethecoreprinciplesofViewpointsTraining,thegroundbreakingphysicalactortraining
createdbyAnneBogartandtheSITICo.sonecessaryforyoungartistslearningtocreateinourvisualculture.Youwill
loveexperiencingthisempoweringapproachtoactortraining.WewillusetheprinciplesofViewpoints,whichwillbe
experiencedbyallingroupexercises,tocreateimprovisations,travelingthroughprocesstoartisticproductina
meaningfulway.

ProfessorRichardE.HesshasbeentheChairoftheDepartmentofDramaattheUniversityofCincinnatiCollege
ConservatoryofMusic(CCM)since1994andisalifelongstudentofmovementbasedactortraininganddirecting.

PleasecomedressedandreadytomoveforclassinbarefeetandshortsandTshirtsorfootlessleggingsorsweatpants
andTshirts.(Nojeans,jewelry,hoodies,orloosehairplease.)

ViewpointsTraining
TheViewpointsisatechniqueofimprovisationwhichgrewoutofthepostmoderndanceworld.Itwasfirstarticulated
bychoreographerMaryOverliewhobrokedownthetwodominantissuesperformersdealwithtimeandspaceinto
sixcategories.ShecalledherapproachTheSixViewpoints.Sincethattime,AnneBogartandtheSITICompanyhave
expandedhernotionsandadaptedthemforactors.TheNineViewpointsallowsagroupofactorstofunctiontogether
spontaneouslyandintuitivelyandtogeneratebold,theatricalworkquickly.Itdevelopsflexibility,articulation,and
strengthinmovementandspeaking,andmakesensembleplayingareality.
TheNineViewpoints
Time
Tempohowfastorslowsomethingoccurs
Durationhowlongorshortsomethinglasts
KinestheticResponseaninstinctivemovementoccurringimmediatelybecauseofanoutsidetriggerthathappensinthe
absenceoftime
Repetitionrepeatinganythingintimeinthefieldaroundyou
Space
Shape lines, curves, a combination of lines and
curves,eitheralone,withothers,orwitharchitecture
SpatialRelationshiphowcloseorfaranactorisfrom
othersorthearchitecture
Architectureeverything around you that defines the
spacefromfloortoceilingandsidetoside
Topography or Floor Pattern real or imagined or
createdpatternsthatdictatemovementpossibilities
Gestureamovementwithbeginning,middleandend,
eitherrealisticanddailyorexpressionistic

WestudyViewpointstrainingtolearnhowtocreatein
timeandspace,howtobebuilders.
each student will have the opportunity to work
alone and in groups before the class and teacher for
feedback
wewillunlockasenseofwonderanddiscoveryby
experiencingtheuseofyourwhole,true,honest,simpleselfinawiderangeoftrainingandperformancesituations

Viewpoints/Hess-2012
Exercises

PresentOpenGrounded
4partgesturegiveyourheart
Salutestothesunsimultaneous(time)unison(space)actionversustechnicalcorrectness
Veryslow/Slow/Medium/Fast/VeryFast
TempoRunsVeryslow/Slow/Medium/Fast/VeryFastinplace
AnyoneMayLeadRunstothecenter/collapse/returnsharedimpulses
JumpStopReverseKinestheticresponse
LanesWalk/Run/Findtheair/Findtheground/Stop
Flow
5Flowobjectives.

1)Gothroughthespacebetweenpeople
2)Following
3)Changetempo
4)Changedirection
5)Start/Stop
Gothroughspaces(explorenegativespace)
Workoffpeople(respondtopositivespace
Repetition(follow)
Architecture
A/B20moves
CircleClumpStraightLine
OpenSession

Makeyourworkexpensive

Compositionassignment

Theopenassignment:

Takecareofeverythingtheaudiencesees.Asagroupyouwillbestagingafluidpiecewhereyoumustsolve
transitionsavista.

Createa45minutetheatricalcomposition.

Youmustusethefollowingplotline:

AmeetsB
Somethinghappens
AlosesB
AgetsBback

Viewpoints/Hess-2012
Yourjobistoletyourimaginationsrunwildasyoustagetheabovewithnoboundariesofrightandwrong.

CompositionIngredients:
Asurpriseentrance
20consecutivesecondsof: slowmotionviolence

groupdancing

filledsilence
Someonesingsasong
Abrokenexpectation
Weshouldsomethinginpublicwedontnormallyseeinpublic
Revelationofcharacter
Revelationofspace
Revelationofprop

Thecollaborationbegins.

LessonPlanExample:
SPRINGAWAKENINGcompositionassignment:
Takecareofeverythingtheaudiencesees.Thistimeyouwillbestagingafluidpiecewhereyoumustsolve
transitionsavista.

Createa57minutetheatricalcomposition,tobepresentedonlocationwithin10minutesfromRoom3650.
Youmayuseatourguide,ornarrator,orconventiontomoveusfromplacetoplace.Youmustusethe
followingplotline:

Acouplemeets
Aunioniscreated
Aconflictarises
Thereisabrawl
Someone(many)is(are)killed
Peaceisrestored
Yourjobistoletyourimaginationsrunwildasyoustagetheabovewithnoboundariesofrightandwrong.

CompositionIngredients:
MemorizedtextfromgivenNewYorkTimesLivesarticles,usedinanyorder,spokenasyouwish,by
anyone.Pleaseuselotsoftext.
Asurpriseentrance
20consecutivesecondsof: silence

slowmotionviolence

sexualtension

passionatekissing

LiveMusic:onesoloballadfromthemusicaltheatrerepertoire,andonegroupnumber
Abrokenexpectation
Weshouldsomethinginpublicwedontnormallyseeinpublic
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Viewpoints/Hess-2012

Weshouldseeadreamshattered
Someonetellsajoke(theonlynonNewYorkTimestextallowed)
Achoreographedgroupdance
Love
Bonus:clothesaretorn
Water

Useprudenceinchoosingalocation.Publicawarenessisaresponsibility.Safetyandcleanlinessareimportant
tome.

Thecollaborationbegins...Richard

AnotherLessonPlanExample:
PICNICcompositionassignment
Takecareofeverythingtheaudiencesees.Takecareoftheaudience.
Yourjobisnottostageourplay.Yourjobistoletyourimaginationsrunwildasyoustagetheplotbelowwith
noboundariesofrightandwrongasinfluencedbyourplay.

Plot
AmeetsB
Somethinghappens
AlosesB
AgetsBback

Createa57minutetheatricalcompositiontobeseenin3705CC.

TextfromPICNIC,fromanywhereintheplay,fromanyscene,usedinanyorder,spokenasyouwish,by
anyone,regardlessofactualcasting.Pleaseuselotsoftext.

RevelationofCharacter
RevelationofSpace
RevelationofProp
SurpriseEntrance
15secondsofsilentyearning
15secondsofsexualtension
15secondsofsexualfrustration

Musicoftheperiod,atleast2songs,couldberecordedorlive.1953andbackwards.
Favorthefemaleperspective:Menareobjectsofdesireforwomen
Someonesharesasecret
Haltakesoffhisshirt
Bomberridesabicycle
Milliedrinkstoomuch
Madge/Hal/Rosemarydanceseductively

Thecollaborationbegins...Richard
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