A few weeks ago I shared a quote from a book called Acting the Song by Tracey Moore and Allison Bergman. It’s a wonderful resource that explores the process of how we prepare and perform music theatre songs.
Another quote from the same book seemed appropriate as we begin to wrap up the semester. It speaks to the non-performance skills that can be gained from performing arts training. Regarding the medium of dance, the authors state:
“Eventually, of course, students should be able to move and dance with abandon, but the first objective is to help them find a comfortable, livable stillness.”
Consider how that applies to our work as singing actors. Much of our training is designed to build and explore our technical capabilities. But in the end, each of you has to stand before your audience and perform with no apologies for who you are at this stage in your life and artistic development—instead of trying to be someone or something you are not.
Livable stillness is the internal peace that comes from self acceptance and the place from which your truest expression springs forth. It is not permission to stop working toward self-improvement or to simply excuse your shortcomings. Rather, it is a willingness to speak your truth after honest self-assessment and while acknowledging your own brokenness, vulnerabilities, and weakness.
Imagine if all art came from that place.
Now go practice.
Trying on someone else's emotions, problems, successes, losses, and mannerisms, is close to impossible to do unless you are comfortable with who you are as a performer. Working on my whole-self, trying to connect my mind, body and spirit, is just as complex and challenging, if not more, as trying to dissect what is going on in a character's world. Being confident with who I am and what I have to bring to a show, song, scene, monologue, or movement piece is an ongoing process. I always say to myself, if I ever think I am done with my work on a piece, I am probably not done. It's a balance that I need to find between accepting my current self when I am working, and not focusing too much on improvements, and still allowing myself to change and grow. As actors we are taught to have this sort of neutral place to start any scene or song from. In that neutral place there is a stillness, and vulnerability. However in life, we don't just show up perfectly neutral state. I have problems, insecurities, and set-backs, and working on making myself better, I think can only help make my work more vulnerable, honest, and hopefully more connected. Not apologizing for who I am and all of the BS in my life, and just accepting who I am, is always going to be the starting point is I want to change something.
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Lindsie Kongsore
I think the quote is very applicable we as singers have to be comfortable with just how our voice sounds before we can start trying new things and experimenting. Its important to be completely in tune with your body for e very aspect of this career. Something I still need to get better at is being comfortable with what im doing and not be so self critical of the work I do. When I practice I find my self to be very self critical instead of just fixing the mistake and moving on its definitely something I as a singer need to work on.
ReplyDeleteI am thoroughly upset right now haha. I went to publish my response, and clicked "Sign Out" instead and it deleted everything that I wanted to say.
ReplyDeleteI think this quote explains who we need to be for sure everytime that we enter an audition, a jury, a performance. We do our best, we give our all, and we should be proud of what we do. Everytime it's all a matter of "This is me, this is my best, and I've come so far to offer this to you." And if we don't get cast, or something else goes not as we wish, then we just have to say, I'm going to go back to the rehearsal room and continue working because eventually we will be what someone is needing. It is hard to be vulnerable though... you might recall my hesitancy to make my voice squeak, even when it was an intentional character choice I had a hard time wanting to do it because I wasn't wanting to open up. I'm grateful that I went for it though and I appreciate you laughing with me instead of at me as we tried to perfect an intentional voice crack.
-Trystan Chase Quinn
I think that everyone's livable, vulnerable, true stillness is what drives them towards art in the first place. However, a lot of times artists can forget that very core of their art when they are surrounded or in the midst of it all. It can be very easy to become distracted by what makes more money, what OTHER people want, what other people think, how we individually critique ourselves, how much better we can or can't be, etc. I think I have discovered a lot about how important this livable stillness is in one of my songs this year ("A Quiet Thing"). In addition to bringing down the vocality of the song, which instantly makes the piece more vulnerable and still, the words of the song are so true and speak of such simplicity that it has given me the opportunity to delve into my own personal core.
ReplyDeleteLivable stillness is something I struggle with as an actor. I find myself thinking 'I have to move my arms around to make this seem real'--which of course makes it less 'real.' Brian, I liked what you said about livable stillness coming from being accepting of one's self. I know that I am still a very self conscious performer. And hopefully, if I can find a place of self acceptance within my work I will also be able to find strength in stillness, that will allow the movements that I do make to become a choice rather than a default.
ReplyDeleteThis week, while I work on my juries, maybe I will try video recording myself (or practicing in front of a mirror) and live in stillness...
-Katryna
I think I'm very comfortable with performing, as in I don't get all that nervous to be in front of people, BUT I do struggle with letting the true and vulnerable parts of Austin be present on stage and to do it unapologetically. To live in my stillness and trust that it's good enough. More than anything, I believe I need to trust that those characteristics are what's required and also that they are stronger than anything contrary.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dylan that we should be completely in tune with our bodies. This should happen both in and out of theatre. This semester i've learned a lot about being human and what it means. We live in a society that has to label everything and that can make people feel uncomfortable. Screw what people think and focus on yourself and your growth. Never try to be something you're not unless you're acting of course! AMIRIGHT?
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying to work through being completely comfortable with myself and where I'm at in my artistic journey. I get nervous. I get embarrassed that I'm not as "good" as I want to be. I have a hard time accepting who I am and where I'm at in my training. I think everything I'm learning in my various classes is helping me find that "comfortable, livable stillness." It's a slow, exploratory process, but it's happening nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteI think this idea of "livable stillness" is a wonderfully articulate label for something we are constantly asked to grow into and learn as ATP students for sure. The larger ideas of being present, being here, getting grounded, allowing ourselves a willingness to fail and possibly a glory in it, a comfort in suspending judgment, noticing but not judging or changing, and allowing the work to come from wherever we really are at in that moment on that day all seem, to me, to be focused in upon in the suggestion of working from "livable stillness". While I certainly don't think I always do this, and I definitely practice this less in my singing compared to my acting, I do feel my work in this program has helped me progress towards and into "livable stillness" more and more. I hope, in the next week of finals and vocal juries, to allow my work to spring from here.
ReplyDeleteI have a pretty solid grasp on who I am. I like myself, and I honestly think I do a pretty good job of being unapologetically myself in almost every aspect of my life. But for some reason, the performing arts is one place I sometimes feel that I am not enough. In an audition, for example, I feel like I have to present myself as someone that I am not, where actually, if I were just myself, I'd have a lot more to offer. I need to remember that and figure out how to work on it.
ReplyDeleteI love this concept. I think this year has been especially hard for me, with confidence in my performing. Recently i have discovered how my favorite performers are themselves 100%, the Sutton Fosters and the Cynthia Erivos show to me the importance of being confident in the story YOU have to tell through your character. Ironically enough, the two afformentioned perfomers exhibit excellent stillness in their performing, something i admire. To just stand and deliver a piece is a really scary thing to do, but once done it can be truly fantastic.
ReplyDeleteHaving a twin brother in this business can make it hard not to compare myself to literally anyone else, because we can be so similar. But i've found the more truthful the two of us are, separately and together, as performers the better. Owning my voice, my skills, my size, my personality, my SELF is the thing i am working toward most at the current moment. Because ultimately, someone will cast ME, not my talents.
The phrase that stuck out to me the most was "each of you has to stand before your audience and perform with no apologies for who you are at this stage in your life and artistic development". I have definitely been guilty of apologetic performances. Not necessarily saying "sorry" before, during, or after. But not performing relaxed, comfortably, or with power because I didn't feel like my performance was of a high enough caliber. This semester has really helped me find a better "livable stillness", especially in voice and acting. I got to show my songs to most of my class the other day, and I went into it reminding myself that I am here to progress. I don't need to provide any excuses for where I am at. And during that performance I finally felt like maybe I'm a singer and not just a dancer and actor who can sing. I have become much more comfortable with how I'm progressing this year and it's been a really nice experience. I'm not perfect, but I'm not going to stop trying to improve. Even if it's just a little at a time.
ReplyDeleteStillness is very powerful. I love the comment "it's not permission to stop working toward self-improvement," because I think that every performance is centered around the truth of the moment. As actors, it's our job to work honestly and live in the moment and that presence has to be free from the pressures of what we haven't yet accomplished. Not to say that we won't accomplish those things, but when we are in the performance there are more important things than what we have yet to learn and develop. I also liked the point about not being who we aren't because I think that applies specifically to the voice. It took a long time for me to realize that there was a difference between approaching material with a specific technique suited to its style and trying to sound a certain way or like a certain type of singer to accomplish the same thing. I only have my voice and I can manipulate the backspace and the resonance, but I can't flip a switch and sound like a different person for every piece of music I work on.
ReplyDeleteSomething I have really struggled with, and made efforts to improve on this semester. Obtaining stillness is something I am working on achieving, I think I am constantly doubting myself, think the was a do an exercise, song or monologue, needs to be a certain way, that it is always wrong. I think simply accepting the way I do something is valuable and gives something to the world as an artist, and moving on from there, will vastly improve my abilities.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I get into my head. I always know I can move when performing, but then I freeze or just focus on the words. I think when people look at me, they are judging but really they're not. I am very comfortable in auditions, but when it comes to singing in front of my peers, I feel like I'm expected to move myself correctly or not move
ReplyDeleteat all. It is weird for me but I need to remember to stay confident because I know I can perform.
For me, livable stillness means finding the place in performance where you are completely calm. You know exactly what you are going to do in an audition to book the job and you know exactly how to do that.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I am starting to get a sense of that. I am finding more of what makes me me in an audition room, and as I prepare for summer stock auditions next semester, this is of vital importance. How am I going to work professionally if I don't know who I am as a performer?
It's scary to be seen. But that's what it is to be an artist. Part of what makes this work so challenging is that our art is personal. It can be hard to divorce criticism of the work from a personal attack. So to have the comfortability to invite a group of people to see all of yourself and live in that stillness is far from easy. But it's something that has made me a better performer, and a better human being in general.
ReplyDeleteI have been able to find much more comfort in my singing performance throughout my college career. I think the learning process of this really stems from forcing yourself to push through those really scary or awkward moments. Learning to breathe through nerves and to accept that you've done all the work you can is so very important. I love being prepared and practiced to the point where I can walk in a room and only focus on delivering a story. This story can be told through the eyes more than anything. Simplicity is sometimes really beautiful to watch and it is a lot more difficult than flailing around. Sometimes my favorite performances are when the actor makes you come closer through their words and expression. It is nice as an audience member to lean in to those performers.
ReplyDeleteI had a bit of a breakthrough in a masterclass with David.I was able to find the most relaxed chest dominant mix for kind of woman. I haven't been able to find that placement before. I am excited to work it and further it. I am also really excited to work on next semesters pieces. I am ready,determined and focused for next semester and juries.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of livable stillness and being comfortable in that stillness. I feel that it is so easy to get caught up in if what you are doing, is right or wrong. It’s hard to see that through that stillness, you won’t have to worry about what is right or wrong. Like it is stated, bringing forth where you are in yourself, and your work at that time is the key to all of this. That is where you will be able to do what you feel is right when you are truthful and proud of everything that you are doing. For me I would say that I am not always the best at doing this. I have noticed that every time I am unapologetic and am living in my livable stillness I always feel successful in the end. I will try from now on to be unapologetic of who I am at this stage of my life, and my artistic development!
ReplyDeleteAs a 19 year old women I like everyone else have struggled with self acceptance, self love, respect etc. I am just learning now how overwhelmingly important it is to love yourself and be confident enough to use your voice, this goes hand in hand with my art. I am looking for livable stillness in all that I do as I can tell that it is when I achieve that my art is the most honest and impactful. As performers we all voluntarily get in front of an audience and show our work, but to truly be seen is very scary and many of us at times hide behind technique. I am working on being truly seen, all of me, even the scary parts that we all try to keep hidden when it comes to my art.
ReplyDeleteLivable stillness can be a very difficult concept to master when one is not comfortable with themselves. I have struggled with accepting myself as a human being previously, and still do from time to time. If you do not like yourself and you are not confident in what you are doing, who will be? Being still is quite the challenge for me because I am a kinesthetic learner and I associated the vast majority of my knowledge with moving. Even when I am memorizing lines, I have to pace back and forth or go for a long walk; I cannot simply just sit still and memorize. I am not sure why I have the tendency to learn that way, but I have just always found that information sinks in better when I am moving. In Dave's masterclass recently, he pointed out that I could not stop moving my hands, and if I was not resorting to that, I was shaking my leg or sitting in my hip. I was very uncomfortable with just staying still throughout the duration of my songs because I thought it would read as though I have not done the homework I needed to do on my songs. Livable stillness is a work in progress for me.
ReplyDelete-Burke Schoeppl
From what I have gotten through reading other posts, "livable stillness" is just another way of saying "have confidence". This is something that I have been battling with for a very long time now. I used to be a very jovial young girl who didn't have a care in the world, but growing up and experiencing the cruelty of my peers stripped that away piece by piece until I had nothing left. I've been working on finding that confidence in myself again and believing that I really can do anything that my peers can do with a little work and dedication. It's just a bit harder to get it back once you lost it and that is the part that I don't think most don't understand. At the end of the day, all that matters is what you think of yourself and if you're happy with what you see.
ReplyDeleteI find it so difficult to achieve livable stillness. I always feel like I need to move and groove... maybe to compensate for what I see as a lack of vocal skill, and also being uncomfortable with being vulnerable. Still working on it. This results in me doing stupid hand motions that don't make any sense. I also have a default of conducting myself, which is a habit I'm trying to break. I find it easier to sing if I can physicalize it in my body somehow, but I can't always use that during my songs.
ReplyDeleteI think oftentimes I put so much pressure on myself to be as perfect as I can in any endeavor. I get concerned with "how talented am I" and "Am I any good" like questions that run through my head. Over the course of this semester, I've been working to reframe the thoughts that go through my head. What's become important is this very concept of livable stillness - being ok with the fact that I am who I am as a growing artist and also as an individual. I'm not perfect, and also have both strengths to be proud of and weaknesses to work on, and that both can be shown in my work and development and that's ok.
ReplyDeleteI definitely struggle with the concept of livable stillness because I have trouble being comfortable in my body. I also tend to overthink everything that I do and start "acting" instead of being. I think it really helps for me, particularly when singing, to be really clear and comfortable with my material so that I can really settle into it without overthinking it. I also think I need to work on becoming more comfortable with failure so that I can be more comfortable with my music and not tense up.
ReplyDeleteRecently I've been told by multiple parties that I "try really hard" but I am not achieving whatever I am aiming for and being told to achieve. This is a part of my struggle to find livable stillness because in trying hard to accomplish my goals I get easily frustrated and then in the moments where I should have been able to find livable stillness I have instead found livable frustration and anxiety. I am not where I want to be or feel like I should be and that comes from being an extremely self-judgemental person. I am learning to step away from the judgement I put on myself and trying to improve on my attitude about my performance as well as my performance itself. In this I feel like I can find moments of livable stillness. Its still in the works but I can see improvement.
ReplyDeleteA mantra we have been continually repeating this semester is "allowing ourselves to be seen and to be heard." This is a very important idea and one that I think relates to the concept of "livable stillness." You have to be comfortable and accept who you are. The character or the song you are presenting is arguably secondary; with time and practice anyone could do the piece you are doing. What matters is whether you are yourself when you are doing it; the uniqueness you bring by pouring who you are into these pieces. You can't begin to do that until you accept who you are and all the little intricacies that make you up. Anyone can put on a performance, no one can hold the same livable stillness you do. You have to accept it. Then you can begin to speak your truth.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I know that I have a hard time remaining in sync with my myself. I very early on bought into the idea that performing is just that that: performing. Sounding nice, delivering lines correctly, keeping who I am in check for fear it could mess with my craft. Being in this program has slowly brought me out of this mindset, but I know I have miles upon miles to go.
I wish this was something that all of my teachers would remind me of. I have been struggling the last couple of months with my work, and I think a lot of that comes from me not accepting my work in the place that it is, rather than the place that I want it to be or the place that I’m told it should be. I think, ultimately, that this is the hardest thing to learn as a performer, and I personally very much appreciate this post after my anxieties and frustrations and self deprecation of my work over the past couple of months. I need to be ok with where I am, knowing that it’s the best I can do in this moment.
ReplyDeleteI have been struggling with this the entire semester. I am constantly hard on myself for not being better than I want to be or not living up to the potential that I know I possess. I have been seeing my progress in class through a lens in which I simply do not accept any failure. That's wrong. I have been struggling to know that I am where I am and If I mess up, that makes me human. As long I come from a place of truth, a place of hard work, and honesty, I think I will be okay. It's accepting my own livable stillness for what it is and for what it isn't that I still struggle with and I finally think I am starting to come to terms with.
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