Description

Book Synopsis

Your Body Knows provides the foundation actors need to move with ease and power. It is a practical guide to movement starting at the very beginning: knowing your body and experiencing how it works.

Through the work of F.M. Alexander, Rudolf Laban, and Michael Chekhov, this book offers basic training in movement fundamentals. Its step-by-step process supports the actor's work in any acting or movement training program and as a working professional. The book focuses on three main areas of exploration:

  • Body facts â Know your body and its design for movement. Let go of misinformed ideas about your body. Move more freely, avoid injury, and develop a strong body-mind connection.

  • Movement facts â What is movement? Discover the movement fundamentals that can serve your art. Explore new ways of moving.

  • Creative inspiration â Connect your body, mind, and imagination to liberate authentic and expressive

    Table of Contents

    Acknowledgments

    Introduction

    PART I

    Know Your Instrument (So You Can Really Play)

    Section I The Starting Place

    Chapter 1 Your Motion Detector

    Chapter 2 Your 3-Dimensional Body

    Chapter 3 Your Moving Breath

    A Restful Break: Constructive Rest #1

    Section II You Are Designed for Movement

    Chapter 4 Get to Know Your Joints

    Chapter 5 Joint Connections in Your Head–Spine–Pelvis

    Chapter 6 Joint Connections in Your Arm Structure

    Chapter 7 Joint Connections in your Feet, Legs, and Pelvis

    Chapter 8 Strong Bones, Dynamic Muscles

    Chapter 9 Connecting Your Joints and Your Whole Body

    A Restful Break: Constructive Rest #2

    Section III What You Think Is What You Get

    Chapter 10 Your Body-Mind Connection

    Chapter 11 Body Myths vs. Anatomical Facts

    Chapter 12 Your Primary Coordination

    Section IV Claiming Your Inner and Outer Space

    Chapter 13 Your Inner Space

    Chapter 14 Exploring “Outer Space”

    Chapter 15 Inner and Outer Space: A Movement Partnership

    Section V Pathway to Presence: Putting It All Together

    Chapter 16 Connecting Body, Mind, Breath, and Space

    Chapter 17 Practicing Presence

    PART II

    Elements of Expression

    Section VI Authenticity and Commitment

    Chapter 18 Authentic Impulse: Listening Within

    Chapter 19 Your Body Leads The Way

    Chapter 20 The Four Brothers

    Section VII Foundations

    Chapter 21 Space

    Chapter 22 Time

    Chapter 23 Weight

    Chapter 24 Flow

    Chapter 26 Qualities of Movement

    Chapter 27 Shape

    Chapter 28 Spatial Tools

    Chapter 29 Text and Your Responsive Body-Mind

    PART III

    Creative Practice

    Chapter 30 Whole-body Warm-up: Staccato-Legato

    Chapter 31 Movement, Character, and Relationships: Putting Principles and Skills Into Practice!

    Chapter 32 Performing for an Audience: My Space, Your Space, Their Space

    Chapter 33 Movement and Space: Creating the World of the Play

    Conclusion

    List of Key Words and Key Practices

    Appendix I – Practices for Further Exploration

    Appendix II – The Movement Pioneers

    Bibliography

    Index

Your Body Knows

    Product form

    £32.99

    Includes FREE delivery

    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Fri 26 Jun 2026.

    A Paperback by Jana Tift, Jana Tift, MFA

    15 in stock


      View other formats and editions of Your Body Knows by Jana Tift

      Publisher: Taylor & Francis
      Publication Date: 2/26/2020 12:00:00 AM
      ISBN13: 9780367258825, 978-0367258825
      ISBN10: 036725882X
      Also in:
      Theatre studies

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      Your Body Knows provides the foundation actors need to move with ease and power. It is a practical guide to movement starting at the very beginning: knowing your body and experiencing how it works.

      Through the work of F.M. Alexander, Rudolf Laban, and Michael Chekhov, this book offers basic training in movement fundamentals. Its step-by-step process supports the actor's work in any acting or movement training program and as a working professional. The book focuses on three main areas of exploration:

      • Body facts â Know your body and its design for movement. Let go of misinformed ideas about your body. Move more freely, avoid injury, and develop a strong body-mind connection.

      • Movement facts â What is movement? Discover the movement fundamentals that can serve your art. Explore new ways of moving.

      • Creative inspiration â Connect your body, mind, and imagination to liberate authentic and expressive

        Table of Contents

        Acknowledgments

        Introduction

        PART I

        Know Your Instrument (So You Can Really Play)

        Section I The Starting Place

        Chapter 1 Your Motion Detector

        Chapter 2 Your 3-Dimensional Body

        Chapter 3 Your Moving Breath

        A Restful Break: Constructive Rest #1

        Section II You Are Designed for Movement

        Chapter 4 Get to Know Your Joints

        Chapter 5 Joint Connections in Your Head–Spine–Pelvis

        Chapter 6 Joint Connections in Your Arm Structure

        Chapter 7 Joint Connections in your Feet, Legs, and Pelvis

        Chapter 8 Strong Bones, Dynamic Muscles

        Chapter 9 Connecting Your Joints and Your Whole Body

        A Restful Break: Constructive Rest #2

        Section III What You Think Is What You Get

        Chapter 10 Your Body-Mind Connection

        Chapter 11 Body Myths vs. Anatomical Facts

        Chapter 12 Your Primary Coordination

        Section IV Claiming Your Inner and Outer Space

        Chapter 13 Your Inner Space

        Chapter 14 Exploring “Outer Space”

        Chapter 15 Inner and Outer Space: A Movement Partnership

        Section V Pathway to Presence: Putting It All Together

        Chapter 16 Connecting Body, Mind, Breath, and Space

        Chapter 17 Practicing Presence

        PART II

        Elements of Expression

        Section VI Authenticity and Commitment

        Chapter 18 Authentic Impulse: Listening Within

        Chapter 19 Your Body Leads The Way

        Chapter 20 The Four Brothers

        Section VII Foundations

        Chapter 21 Space

        Chapter 22 Time

        Chapter 23 Weight

        Chapter 24 Flow

        Chapter 26 Qualities of Movement

        Chapter 27 Shape

        Chapter 28 Spatial Tools

        Chapter 29 Text and Your Responsive Body-Mind

        PART III

        Creative Practice

        Chapter 30 Whole-body Warm-up: Staccato-Legato

        Chapter 31 Movement, Character, and Relationships: Putting Principles and Skills Into Practice!

        Chapter 32 Performing for an Audience: My Space, Your Space, Their Space

        Chapter 33 Movement and Space: Creating the World of the Play

        Conclusion

        List of Key Words and Key Practices

        Appendix I – Practices for Further Exploration

        Appendix II – The Movement Pioneers

        Bibliography

        Index

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