Reflections on Character Development- On and Off Stage

To take the purest piece of yourself- to embrace naked vulnerability- and lay it before the judgement of other humans…. this is what it takes to perform on a level considered “free.” No one is drawn to the insincerity of a dancer performing from a false place. That being said, you do not always perform roles that are your truest “self,” but you CAN dig deeply enough to find the shared traits of humanity and manifest the character from there.

A simple exercise to enable relation between yourself, and all others, is to break actions down to their root. You may not feel you have anything in common with Hitler- but you would be wrong. Just because you do not feel the need to express your inner workings through mass murder and conquest, does not mean you are not in possession of insecurity, pride, jealousy, and so many other common characteristics. Humans are humans, and we must remember when we find ourselves emotionally injured by another person’s actions.

While I am not sure I will ever choose to lose myself again in a role requiring the evils of my flesh to take the main stage of my mind, I can say that my normal nature is not as “flashy” as I may be at times on stage. I do have a desire within me to draw others close though, and find it effortless to melt into the needed mentality of the moment to garner that attention from the stage. Do not mistake what I am saying- I don’t want to be “wanted” in a sexual fashion, but I do aim to engage my audience enough to keep them present and thinking.

Method acting can ruin a person’s life, but if you keep it to performance only, it can be an exhilarating experience. Who wouldn’t want to escape into the mind/body of someone else from time to time? The true challenge is to be your genuine self in and out of the studio, on and off the stage; to present those magnetic qualities when your audience is anywhere from 10-1,000 feet away, as well as up close in conversation as a teacher/performer/friend.

It is always worth it to be YOU- No one else can replace you, no one else was made to be
you, and no one else can dance in your place. Sure, they can place someone else in your spot for choreography, but it still doesn’t replace you. Remember that next time you think you aren’t “needed” in class or on stage.

A big thanks to TAB Photography for the lovely featured image image 🙂 Such a fun shoot, and such an incredible person!