Unit 1 - Skills development in performing arts

Monday 3^rd October

The aim of this lecture was to start to develop our poems which we had selected in a previous lecture on Monday 26^th September.

To start off the lecture, we carried out a very simple physical warmup including warming up our neck by doing head rolls and circling the hips. 

Next, we carried out our intercostal diaphragmatic exercise. However, instead breathing out for 8 counts, we breathed out for 12 seconds. I found this quite difficult as it is quite a big time difference from the previous times in which we have carried out this exercise although it was only an extra 4 counts. Once we had finished this, we learnt an extension called abdominal press. This extension consisted of breathing in with 4 short separate breaths and after the fourth, we held the breath. We held this breath for 6 seconds and then we breathed out with 8 separate short breaths. Once all of air was gone we pulled our stomach and diaphragm in to make sure there was absolutely no air left. We then repeated the abdominal press exercise again. The reason why we carry out this exercise is to increase our lung capacity. Another reason for this exercise is to use all of the air and oxygen which we breathe in. Also, it strengthens our intercostal muscles and diaphragm and enables us to hold on notes for longer during and singing. 

We then moved onto the main part of the lesson which today was to focus on applying diction to our poems. Our lecturer, Cara introduced us to some diction exercises which, if done frequently, will improve our diction in general. The exercise which we mainly focuses on was ‘pah, tah, cah’. This exercise contains words that all begin with p with different endings. This exercise is also a travelling exercise because it uses words which all travel through the mouth but are stopped by different articulators. 

During this lecture I learned how important diction exercises are and why actors need to practice them. I was also introduced to the abdominal press exercise. 

Our lecturer set us some targets at the end of the end of the session. My target from the lecturer was to learn the diction exercise ‘pah, tah, cah’ and to start to learn the first part of my poem. I have a week to complete to these targets.