Week #3: Character Mime and Dramatic Mime

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 1 and 2:

 

Warm up: Who's the leader?

 

• One student goes out of the room.

• Appoint a "leader". This person will initiate actions that the group will imitate.

• When the leader returns he stands in the middle of the circle.

• The leader has already decided on an action. The group begins the action. (Example: Clapping hands)

• The leader must change the action, but not get caught by the student standing in the middle.

• The middle student has three guesses to guess who the "leader' is. 

 

Now we're going to look at how we can show character without words. I'm going to give you a stereotype and I simply want you to walk across the stage as that "person". Walk across the stage as:

 

• An eight year old.

• An old man/woman

• A Teacher walking into a classroom.

• A gang member on the street.

• A fashion model

• A hero

• A villain

• A Sports Star

• The Prime Minister

• The Queen

 

Take a moment with a partner to talk about what you might do.

• How would you walk?

• What hand movements would you make?

• What kid of posture would you use?

• What gestures would you make while walking?

• At any point would you use stillness?

 

Exercise #2:

From http://drama-in-ecce.com/2012/05/11/mime-workshop-for-all-ages/

 

Chain Mime: Divide the class into 2 or 3 groups. Have at least 6 in each group. Number the students from one to six. Get each member of the group to leave the room except for number one. The other groups stay in the room. You then give number one an action to mime. You then call number 2 into the room and number one mimes to number 2. They do not talk. Number 2 can not say anything and she has to do mime exactly what she saw to number 3, then number 3 comes into the room and watches number 2 very carefully. Number 3 does the mime for number four and so on. When number 6 comes into the room she has to guess what the original mime was. This is like broken telephone but it is done through mime. Here are some suggestions for mimes:

 

•           Riding a horse

•           Skiing

•           Washing dishes

•           Eating hot food

•           Counting money

•           Telling someone you love them

•           Eating spaghetti

•           Singing

•           Playing tug of war

•           Washing your dog

•           Ballet dancing

•           Moon walk

•           Playing basketball

•           Singing opera

•           Walking in the desert

•           Playing tennis

•           Making pancakes

•           Opening a present that you do not like

 

Performance Assessment #2: Dramatic Mime

 

 

We have had an experience doing both action mime and character mime. Now, we are going to try our hand at Dramatic Mime. Dramatic Mime tells a story. Which leads us to the question, what do we need to have when we construct a story? Well, the basic elements of story are:

 

• Character

• Setting

• Problem

• Action

• Resolution

 

We are going to get together in groups of 4 for this performance assessment. I will be playing music in class from different films. Film music can many times suggest a genre of film as well as mood or type of story. In your groups you are going to listen to the music and write down what type of scenes or story would go with the music I play. Could it be

• A Love Story?

• A Sad Story of Loss?

• An Action  Story (with cops and robbers?)

• A science fiction story?

 

During this time you are going to "brainstorm" with your group. Remember, with brainstorming, no idea is wrong (accept topics that are unsuitable for class). Think of the scene that could be happening with the music. What characters would be there? Where would the story be set? What problem or complication face the characters? Write down your ideas on the following handout. Download it here!

 

How many scenes in your story?

 

• Work on no more than four. 

• When you complete a scene, indicate that it is finished by freezing in one place.

• After a moment assume the frozen positions at the beginning of the  your next scene.

• You may also use different music for each scene to suit the mood.

 

How will you be assessed? Here are the things I will be looking for in this exercise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session #3 (1 Period)

 

Session three will be devoted to group performances of your "Movement To Music" self devised piece. You will asked to reflect on your performances in your journals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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