Nicole Carlson's Creative Questions

Range of Movement: Physical range of movement is how far you are able to actually move your body parts.  Emotional range of movement to me would be how far your emotions will allow you to move your body parts.  For example, you might have a fear of something that is keeping you from moving your arm a certain way because of a past injury.  I’m not really sure what mental range of motion is but I’m going to guess that it is the ability to think you can or can’t do something with your body.  Range of motion in all areas can definitely be blocked by fear or emotional concerns that related to the movement. 

Seeing Others:  I believe that societal pressures bind human movement.  Most of us move in the same ways and are afraid to look different and do different things with our bodies because we are afraid of acceptance.  Movement would be free when we are alone or around people we feel most comfortable with and trust.  Being out in public would be where we are not allowed to have free expression over our movements.  I think words can definitely hinder our movement, words such as stop, no, you look silly, and even laughter.  Even just simple walking is done like everyone else, we may have a few slight differences but overall we all walk in a certain pattern going forward, and facing forward.

Relating to Others: Staying away from others and keeping eye contact away from others definitely will keep distance.  If you are looking to communicate with others, eye contact and movement toward the individual will work.  You can also use gestures to catch someone’s attention, like snapping and waving.

Body Awareness: I feel most familiar with my upper torso.  Even though I’m a dancer, I tend to use less of my lower body during day to day relations.  My legs definitely are less expressive than my arms and upper body.  Body awareness can relate to feelings, emotions and intentions by expressing certain emotions.  When we are sad we may hunch our shoulders down and hang our heads and when we are happy or excited about something we may be upright and moving in at a fast pace.

Flexibility:  I believe I am extremely flexible with my body, mind and spirit.  I practice relaxation techniques and yoga.  I’m also a dancer, which helps with body flexibility.  But mind and spirit flexibility come from trust and openness and the ability to believe that you can do more than you think you can.

Spatial Awareness:  I am completely comfortable with space externally and internally.  I do believe that I can arrange my body in a way that feels safe, appropriate and conscious to me.  I am not afraid to use the space around me and inside me to create what I want.  I am not afraid to make choices with others and with objects and have no problem sharing those choices.

Sensitivity: I feel that I have a great intuitive self and can quickly make decisions on when to be close or back off.  I listen to the sounds around me and I also read others faces and body language for indications that I might need to make a change.

Openness and Availability:  I love when others give me new ideas.  I like to people watch and get many ideas from that.  I am open to other points of view and have no problem letting them share their ideas.  I usually don’t believe that there is a wrong or right way in movement, we are all just different.

Engagement and Follow Through:  I am fully engaged with any activity and will take risks and allow others to take risks as well.  Theatre should always be a safe place for us to try new things.  I will always commit to an activity and see it through. 

Creative Problem Solving and Imagination:  When a problem arises, I am usually able to create a new movement or change the way I am doing something.  If I struggle with it, I will do research and that will help me to create new ways of moving my body.

Creative Play: I loved class last week.  Learning about the different planes was so interesting to me and I have no problem experimenting with different movements and also encouraging others to do the same.

Spontaneity: Most of the time I react freely but sometimes I do get stuck in the same movements and shapes with my body.  I think Dance has helped me with freeing my body but sometimes-old habits are hard to break.

Adventurousness and Daring:   I have no problem moving where I need to.  I am not afraid to share with others or do what I need to do.  Sometimes I even dance while I’m walking to class or in the grocery store.  My kids get embarrassed by I don’t.

Expressiveness: Once again, I think dance really helps with expressive movement.  Being able to express your feelings in how you move or relate to others can be very helpful in acting and in human contact.  I am extremely expressive in movement and most of the time people can tell how I’m feeling without even talking to me, just based on my body language.

Musicality and Rhythm:  My rhythm is habitually quick.  I move fast, but I can change it based on need.  I have no problem adapting my rhythm with pulses, phrasing and tempos.

Tension and Release: I typically hold tension in my neck and shoulders, however, I have been consciously working on this and it has been helping.  I used to get headaches based on this tension but since I’ve been conscious of it, and trying to keep my upper body more relaxed, I haven’t been having headaches.  I think in all movement we must make a conscious effort to be relaxed, even when dancing.

Breath:  My breath is very low and my breathing rarely troubles me.  I imagine breathing into certain muscles and body parts when I feel them tense or start to hurt.  That really works well.  I don’t feel that my breath negatively affects the way I move.

Application:  Knowing my body and the way I move is extremely important in my personal and professional life.  Body language is a real thing and being able to cover how you’re feeling from others is sometimes necessary.  It’s also important to be able to share and not cover that body language as well.  Movement is so important in performance because it’s what differs between a good actor and a great actor.  Great actors use their entire body and you can feel how they feel just based on their movements.  Sometimes we don’t have spoken language to share our feelings and we must use our bodies.  Being able to be flexible with your movement and try new things is also important in performance.  It’s as important as experimenting vocally with a character.  I think sometimes actors forget that their body is also a way to channel that character.