Full Text 790_9089

Tradition of physical exercises and martial arts in actors’ education

Jan Harasymowicz

Paweł Włodkowic University College, Płock, Poland

Source of support: Departmental sources

Received: 10 May 2011; Accepted: 14 May 2011; Published online: 16 May 2011

This article in its reduced version was presented at the Scientific Conference of Historians and Theoreticians of Physical Education, which was held on 24–26 November 2010 at Paweł Włodkowic University College in Płock, Poland, entitled “From the Tradition and Concepts of Sports, Physical Education, Recreation and Movement Rehabilitation (1867–2009), with a particular focus on Mazovia”.

Abstract

Thisarticleisanattempttoprovideasyntheticexplanationofthephenomenonoftheapplicationofmovementexercisesandmartialartstotheactors’educationalprocess.Theauthordrawsattentiontotheimportanceofex-erciseandphysicalfitnessinactingandbringsusclosertotheviewsoftheperformingartsmostoutstandinged-ucatorsandreformers.

Theauthorexaminestherelationshipbetweentheactor’sbodyexpressionandmartialarts,explainswhyideasaboutusingthebodyandtrainingmethodsfromFarEasternmartialartsarousedgreatinterestamongprominentactors,directorsandactingschoolteachers.

Key words: actors’education•movementexercises•martialarts

Author’s address: JanHarasymowicz,StaryRynek17Str.,09-400Płock,Poland,e-mail:[email protected]

Background

Anactor–asreportedbymultilingual,electronicsourc-es–isapersonwhointerpretsaroleinthetheatre,inthecinema,ontelevisionorradio.Theactingprofes-sionrequiresacertaintalentandpreparation,involv-ingthedevelopmentofabilitiesneededforinterpretingvariousrolesanditalsorequiresgainingrelevantknowl-edgeandspecialskills.Therefore,mastercoursesprepar-ingfortheactingprofessioninvolvenumeroustheoret-icalandpracticalsubjects,directlyorindirectlyrelatedtotheatricalacting.Amongthemanysubjectstaughtinactingstudies,afewblocksmaybementioned[1]:• blockoftheoreticalandhistoricalmatters(historyof

art,theatre,cinema,musicandthelike)whicharesupposedtoenrichthestudents’knowledgeandcom-prehensionoflinksbetweenart,historicalandsocialprocesses;

• blockofspecialsubjectsdirectlyrelatedtotheact-ingprofession(basicactingtasks,enunciation,poetryandproseinterpretation,vocaltraining,actingstylesandthelike);

• blockofmattersdevelopingmotorskills,physicalcon-ditionandtheactor’sbodyaesthetics(plasticgym-nasticsandacrobatics,dancing,pantomime,fencing,judoorelementsofothermartialarts).

Thedevelopmentofthesubjectblocksmentioned,thecontentsofwhicharesimilaratactingschoolsinmanycountries,tookplaceafteralong-lasting,complicatedhistoricalprocessofthedevelopmentofspeechanddra-ma,aswellasrelatedconcepts.

Itisknownfromdifferentsourcesthattheartofact-inghasseveralthousandyearsoftradition,thatitwasalreadyknowninEgyptandGreece,aswellasinother

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regionsoftheworld.Itwaspracticedfordifferentrea-sonsandinvariousforms.Itprovidedcheapentertain-ment,religiousoraestheticexperience;itcouldstimu-latecriticalthinking,andinfluenceattitudestowardsvarioushumanactionsorsocialphenomena.

Thehistoricalanalysisofthetheatrerevealsthatithasalwaysbeenimmersedinculture,connectedtospirituallifeandvaluesystemsofsocietiesinwhichitfunctioned[1].“Thetheatreartexpressedtragedy,antinomyandeuphoriaofsocieties,newbehaviourpatternsanditcrit-icizednegativepatterns.Itisimpossibletoseethethe-atreasastaticform(…).Thetheatreisasynonymofmovementandchange,asynonymofrealpeopleandofanopenprocessofcreation”[1,p.67].Thismeansthattheconceptsconcerningthesignificanceofactors’per-sonalities,aswellastheireducation,havebeenchang-ingalongsidetheevolutionofthetheatre.Newvisions,conceptsandtheatreformsrequiredchangesintheap-proachtotheeducationalprocessandtrainingofanac-tor,theyrequiredmodificationstothevaluesystemandcultureofanactor,hislifeandprofessionalcompetences.

Particularlysignificantchangesinthefieldofthethe-atre,artofacting,andeducationalmethodsofactorsoccurredattheturnofthe19thand20thcenturies.Thisperiod isassociatedwith thephenomenoncalled theGreatTheatreReforminEurope.Newtheatrewasbornthenanditwaslookingfortheobjectivetruthaboutman,natureandthings,truthabouthumanreactionstotheirnaturalandsocialenvironment[more:2,p.10–73].Criticismwasaimedatthetheatredominatedbymindlessentertainment,thetheatrewhereactorswere–similartotheaudience–dividedintocategoriesanddisrespected, the theatrewherecommercialandmat-rimonialtransactionswereconcluded,andwherecos-tumes,gowns,jewellery,aswellassocialandpoliticalin-triguesoftheamusedaudiencereignedsupreme.Actorsdrowninginexaggeratedcostumes,limitingtheirtheat-ricalperformancetofacialmovementsandtothelinestheysay[2].Thus,moreandmoreattentionwaspaidtotheinadequacyofmovementintheatre,totheim-portanceoftheactor’sbody,totheneedforhisreha-bilitationandre-education.Thetheatreofmovement,lightandbodywasslowlycomingintoexistence.Itwasinspiredbyprominent,creativepersonalities,whoin-fluencedthedirectionofchanges.

great Innovators of the art of actIng

Denis Diderot,theauthorofThe Paradox on the Actorpublishedin1830,wasaprecursorofthechangesintheapproachtotheartofthetheatreandthecraftofacting.Hewasinfavourofcreativeacting,technically

perfect,infavourofprofessionalactors,capableofplay-ingeachandeveryrole.Heattachedalotofweighttomovementonstageclaimingthatmovementstruckfarstrongerandfasterthantheactor’svoice,thatitwasbettertounfoldtheplotonstagethroughactionrath-erthanthroughastory[3,p.15–16]Then,Francois Delsarte(1811–1871)appearedinsociety,propagatingthenecessityofplacingtheaestheticsofthebodyandits theatricaldistinctivenesson thescientificground.From1839Delsarteconductedvariouscoursesonthe-atricalarts,andmadeagreatimpressiononhiscontem-poraries.However,hedidnotwritedownhiscompli-catedsystemofmeticulouscodificationofmovementswhichwaslaterreferredtoasaestheticgymnasticswithelementsoffreedancing[4,p.20–22].

Oneof thosewhochanged theapproach to thehu-manbodyintheatrewasalsoSwiss,Adolphe Appia(1862–1928).Herecognizedmovementastheheartoftheatre.Itarisesfromtheactor’sbodywhichderivesex-pressionfromlightandshadow.Movementcomposestimeandspace,introducesartisticorder,andmayalsoresultfromcooperationamongactors.Appiaclaimedthat,tobeanartistmeantnotbeingashamedofone’sbody, seeingone’sown livingbody inotherpeople’sbodies.Thisbody–volatile,nakedandbeautiful–maybethebasicmaterialofthenewtheatreofmovement[2,p.60–68].Appia,bypromotingthepraiseofsportsandphysicalfitness,praiseofdevelopinghygiene,aes-theticsofthebodyandhealth,providedfoundationsforthenewtheatreandforintroducingregularmove-mentexercisesintheeducationofactors.

AverysignificantcontributiontothedevelopmentoftheatreandtheartofactingwasmadebyaRussianac-tor,directorandtheatreteacherKonstanty Stanisławski(1863–1938).Heintroducedandconsistentlyemployedcomprehensive,psychophysicaltrainingforactors,healsopracticedpreparatoryexercises.Hewantedtheac-tortobeabletoimpersonatethecharacterstheyplayedbothinternally(mentally),andexternally,withtheuseof relevantphysicalaction.Stanisławskinoticedthat“physicalfitness,musclerelaxationandtotalsubordi-nationtothewholephysicalapparatusplayedagreatroleinthestateofcreativeinspiration”[5,p.319].Healsonoticedthatphysicalactionofactorswasclearerthantheirmentalstatesandthatphysicalactionmir-roredhumanmental statesandhis relationshipwiththeenvironment.Stanisławskialsodeservesthecred-itfordrawingattentiontothesignificanceofaesthet-icsintheactor’sprofessionalwork,andtothenecessi-tyofthecomprehensivedevelopmentofhispersonality.Stanisławskiwantedtoformactorscapableofcreatingtheatrelookingforthetruthaboutmanandsociety,the-atrewithapositive,moralizingimpactontheaudience.

Francois Delsarte(1811–1871)–Frenchteacherofactingandsinging.Delsarteformulatedcertainprinciplesofaestheticsthatheappliedtotheteachingofdramaticexpression.Hesetuprulescoordinatingthevoicewiththegestures.

Adolphe Appia(1862–1928)–Appiabecameanarchitectandtheoristofstagelightinganddécor,andapioneerofmodernstagedesign.

Konstanty Stanisławski(1863–1938)(originalname:KonstantinSergeyevichAlekseyev)–Russianactor,director,andproducer,founderoftheMoscowArtTheatre.HeisbestknownfordevelopingthesystemortheoryofactingcalledtheStanislavskysystem(ormethod).

Denis Diderot(1713–1784)–Frenchphilosopher,manofletters,artcritic,andwriter,co-founderandchiefeditoroftheEncyclopédie,oneoftheprincipalliterarymonumentsoftheAgeofEnlightenment.

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Theneed for thedominanceofmovement in the-atrewaspromotedbyanEnglishman,Gordon Craig(1872–1966).Heclaimedthateverything-includingmusic–resultedfrommovement.However,Craigpre-ferredtointroducetheso-calledüber-marionetteinsteadofrealactorsonthestageofhisdreamtheatre.Theidearesultedinintroducingmovablepuppetsandmarionettesonthetheatrestage[2,p.121–123].

ParticularcreditforthedevelopmentofconceptsandmethodsofphysicalexercisesforactorsmaybegiventoJacques Copeau (1979–1949),whocriticizedtheignorance,cheapexhibitionismandlackofdiscipline,commonatthattimeamongFrenchtheatreactors.In1913Copeaucreatedhisowntheatreandactingschoolwhichhereferredtoasalaboratory.Duringtheinitialweeksoftraining,studentswereforbiddentospeakwithoneanotherandweretaughttocommunicateonlywiththeirbodies.Studentsstudiedpantomime,mime,danc-ing,eurhythmics,andacrobatics.Theyattendedmove-mentimprovisationclasseswithoutsayingtheirlines,withexpressionlessmasksovertheirfaces.Thisforcedstudentstointensivelylookformodesofexpressiononlywiththeirbodies.“Thebody imposesvariousplasticshapes:tree,bridgeandthelike.Movementismould-edthroughrhythmicexercises,dancing,gymnastics”[6,p.18].ThesubjectsofmovementimprovisationgiventoCopeau’sschool’sstudentsconcernedsimpleactivi-ties:apersondrivingawayapeskyfly,differentprofes-sionalactivities,movementsofmachines,orawomanstranglingafraudulentfortune-teller.Duringtheclass-es,varioussoundsofnature,ofthecity,ofanimalswereimitatedusingmouths,handsandlegs[7,p.16–17].

Copeauclaimed thatwordsconstitutedonly the fi-nalstageoftheprocessofwhathadalreadyhappened,whathadbeenfelt,experiencedorthought.Itisworthmentioning thatCopeauwas friendswith theSwiss,Dalcroze,thecreatorofrhythmicgymnastics.Copeauhadanumberofoutstandingstudentsandco-workers.Oneofthemwentdowninhistoryasthecreatorofamodernmovementintheatre,andthecreatorofpan-tomime–Etienne Decroux(1898–1991).

Decrouxdevotedhislifetostudyinganewbody“lan-guage”oftheactor,andcreatedaperformanceinwhichtheonlymodeofexpressionwasthehumanbodyanditsmovement.Thefirstperformanceofthistypewas“PrimitiveLife”whichhecreatedtogetherwithhiswifein1930.Decrouxactedonstage,andappearedinmovies.Heintroducedbodymovementstypicalofsports,circusartsanddancingintotheactor’srepertoireofphysicalexercises.Hewasalsoinspiredbysculptureandarchi-tecture,studiedpoetryandgrouprecitation.In1941Decrouxopenedhisown,experimentalschoolinParis,

attendedbyJean-LuisBarraultandMarcelMarceau.ItwasthemwhoshowedDecroux’sfindingstotheworldwhenlecturinginPiccoloTeatroinMilan,theTheatreofBertoltBrechtinBerlinandthelike.

Decroux resigned fromstagedecorations, costumesandtext,hemovedactorsandthemovementoftheirextremelyagile,minimallydressedbodiestothefore-ground.Whilstmakinghisactorsfitter,Decrouxtookadvantageoftheachievementsofacrobatics,athletics,eurhythmics,classicballet,andexperiencesofothercul-tures.Hesetarulethatagood,expressiveactorneedstohaveperfectlyfitmuscles,tendonsandjoints,needstocontrolthemtobeabletobend,twistandmoveeachbodypartfreely.Decrouxconsideredtheactor’storsotobethesourceofbodilyexpression;forwhichhedevel-opedseveralsetsofexercises(separatelyforthespine,chest,shoulderblades,waistandhips).Theaimwasatrainingsystemwhich“allowstoperformwhatweimag-ine”[7,p.191].Decrouxapplieddifficultcoordinat-ingexercisesinwhichactorssimultaneouslyperformedmovementsofdifferentbodypartstovariousrhythms.Theyrequiredagreatattentionfocus,andtaught“tothinkwiththebody”whichwassupposedtoobeytheactorinordertodrawfreepicturesinspace.Theactorwassupposedtolearntoreplacetheformsofthebody(picture)whichittakesineverydaylife,withtheformorpicturethathewantstoactonstage.Decrouxnameditasidentificationwhichherecognizedasthebasicrightofthepantomimecreatedbyhimselfandtrainingoftheactorwhowasabletoillustratespirituallifeonlywithbodymovements(Decrouxcalledsuchactorsmimes).Hisactorshadtobeabletoidentifythemselveswithnaturalphenomena,animals,peopleandemotionswiththeuseofmovementexpression.ThiswaspossibleduetothefactthatDecrouxdiscoveredtheprinciple of coun-terpointwhichallows,throughtheuseofmovementandappropriatecontractionsofmuscles,tocreatetheillu-sionofinteractionwithnon-existingobjects,theillu-sionofovercomingdifferenttypesofresistance,forcesandofexperiencingemotions.Decrouxtaughtactorssuchmimeactionsas:pushing,lifting,pulling,march-ing,fakerunning,climbingstairsandthelike.Decrouxalsotaughtanimportantruleforbodilyexpressionre-ferredtoascourse.Hemeantbothacertainstateoffo-cusandthepsychophysical readinessof theactor,aswellastheabilitytoinitiatemovementwithanimpulseflowingfromthestomachandmidriffsection.Thiswasaboutengaging–similarlytosports–theactor’sentirebodyandpsycheforstageperformance.

Wsiewołod Meyerhold(1874–1940)deservesasep-aratechapteronthedevelopmentoftheactor’sphys-ical trainingmethods, first inRussiaandthenintheSovietUnion.Heisknowninthehistoryofactingas

Gordon Craig(1872–1966)–Englishmodernisttheatrepractitioner;heworkedasanactor,directorandscenicdesigner,aswellasatheatretheorist.

Jacques Copeau(1879–1949)–Frenchtheatredirector,producer,actor,anddramatist.CopeauwasoneofthefoundersoftheNouvelleRevueFrancaiseandthefounderofoneofthemostimportanttheatresofthecentury:TheVieuxColombier.

Etienne Decroux(1898–1991)–FrenchactorandteacherwhohasbeencalledthefatherofmodernFrenchmime.Duringhislongcareerasafilmandtheatreactor,hecreatednumerouspieces,usingthehumanbodyastheprimarymeansofexpression.

Vsevolod Meyerhold(1874–1940)–Russiantheatredirector,actorandtheatricalproducerconsideredoneofthe20thcentury’sgreatesttheatricalinnovators.Hedevelopedthebiomechanics,asystemofactortraining.

Harasymowicz J – Tradition of physical exercises and martial arts…


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thecreatorofthestageperformancemethodwhichhehimselfreferredtoasbiomechanics.

Meyerholddevelopedhismethodinoppositiontoin-tuitiveandpsychologicalmethods.Hederived inspi-ration fromthecircus,boxing, gymnastics,militarydrillandscientific reflectionconcerningbodymove-mentandhumanpsyche.HedrewontheexperienceofJapaneseandChinesetheatre,commediadell’arte,mar-ketshows,aswellasDalcrozeeurhythmics.HetookintoaccountprinciplesofTaylorism,concerningtheecono-myofmovementswhileworking,aswellasreflexology,whoseauthorsclaimedthatthehumanbeingreactedtoexternalstimulifirstemotionallyandthenintellec-tually.Mayerholdreachedtheconclusionthatthehu-manbeingoriginallyreactedtoallstimuliwithmove-ment.Thereforeagoodactorshouldbeabletoexpressallemotionalstatesandexperiencethecharactersplayedonlythroughappropriate,expressivebodymovements(inphysicalaction).Meyerholddevelopedanumberofmovementexercisescalledétudeswhichweresmalldra-masexpressedonlywithmovements(e.g.:Slapping, Stab with a Dagger, Jump onto the Chest, Pyramid, Tripping upandthelike).Practicingétudeswassupposedtodevelopthecultureofstagemovementofactors,aswellasinstilinthembodyawareness[2,p.230–234].Meyerholddidnotlimitmovementexercisesforactorstobiomechan-ics.Theyalsolearnedfencing,boxing,gymnastics,eu-rhythmics,variousdancingstyles,andjuggling.

Thecreatorofbiomechanics,afteranumberofsuccess-fulyearsandcooperationwiththepoliticalauthoritiesoftheSovietUnion,wasaccusedofartisticformalism,arrestedandexecutedin1940.

Henryk Tomaszewski(1919–2001),thecreatoroftheWroclawMimeTheatre,contributedsignificantlytothedevelopmentofconceptsandtrainingmethodsformimeactors.Inaninterviewforthemonthlymagazine“Dialog”Tomaszewskistatedthatmovementwasanaffirmationoflife,thatitwaslifeitselfandareflectionoflife.“ThatiswhyIattachsomuchweighttomovement,andthatiswhyItrytobuildmytheatrethroughmovement”[8].

InTomaszewski’sconcept,movementisacreativeforceofallthings,space,andtime.Italsorevealsemotions,reac-tions,personalityandhumanfate.Humanactionsalwaysrepresentthecertainformofabattle,astruggleagainsttheenvironment,oflifeandsurroundingobjects.Thesestrugglesareclearlyvisibleinmovement,theybuilditsdrama,andtheymaybepresentedonstagebyactors.However,thismaybeachievedonlybyanexceptionallyfitactor,whoknowsthestageprinciplesallowinghimtoperformthedramaofhumanstruggleagainstopposingforces.Tomaszewskidescribedtheidealtypeofamime

actorasasensitiveathlete.Suchanactorshouldhaveaharmoniousbody,strength,physicalfitness,emotionalsensitivity,andapoeticdisposition.Whileperforming,itisindispensablefortheactortoconvincinglyillustrate,throughmovementandthecontractionsofhisbody,hu-manstrugglesandconflictswiththesurrounding,unco-operativematter.Tomaszewskiplacedtheactorinthecentreofthesurroundingworldandinthesituationofmutual,dramaticinteraction.Theactor’sbodybecamehiscreativetechniquewhichwassupposedtobesuit-ablypreparedandfullyengaged[4,p.53].

AnotherPole,whobecameoneofthegreatestauthori-tyinthefieldofactingpedagogyintheworld,whoin-fluencedthedevelopmentofconceptsandpracticeofpsychomotorexercisesforactors,wasJerzy Grotowski (1933–1999).Hisnameintheworldofstageartsisas-sociatedwiththeconceptofPoorTheatre.Grotowskiwasinfavourofthetheatrewhereactors’bodieswerethesourceofexpressionofthecontentsconveyed.Hereject-edunneededstagedecorationsandthesumptuousattireofactors,limitingtheirexpressionabilitieswhichweresupposedtocombinewordswiththebody.Whilelook-ingforefficienttrainingmethodsforactors,Grotowskiarrivedataconclusionthatitwasnotpossibletocreateauniversal,codifiedsystemofexercisesthateachactorneededtofindexercisesandmethodswhichweremostsuitableforsolvinghispersonalproblems.YetGrotowskipaidattentiontotheexistenceofcertainuniversalregu-laritieswhichoneneededtoconsiderduringactingex-ercises.Insteadofthinkinghowtoperformagivenex-ercises,itisbettertolookforinternalobstacleswhichhinderthisexercise,orpreventit.Generally,suchobsta-clesareunnecessarypsychophysicalcontractions,andalackoftheabilitytorelax.Theactorshouldlearntheabilityto“unblock”hisbodyandmind.Selectedexer-cisesfromyoga,kathakaliandMeyerholdbiomechan-icsmaybeappropriatemeanstoachievethis.Appliedsystematically,theyallowtheeliminationofvariousob-staclestostageexpressionanddevelopthecreativefit-nessofactors[9,p.77].Theseexercisesmaynotbeper-formedinamechanical,automaticway.Eachexerciseshouldhelptoresearchandexploredifferentphenome-na:mechanismsofcontractingandrelaxingthemusclesengaged,changingthepositionofthecentreofgravityoftheactor’sbody,functionsofspinepositionsandthelike[9,p.80].Grotowskididnotacceptexercisesper-formedthoughtlessly,exercisesconsistingonly in themechanicalperformanceofcertainformsofmovement.

sports and MartIal arts In actors’ traInIng

Trainingelementsoffencing,boxing,judoandthelikehavealwaysbeenusedintheeducationofprofessional

Henryk Tomaszewski(1919–2001)(akaHeinrichKarlKoenig)–Polishmimeartist,dancer,choreographerandtheatredirector.FounderandartisticdirectoroftheWroclawMimeTheatre.

Jerzy Grotowski(1933–1999)–Polishtheatredirectorandinnovatorofexperimentaltheatre,founderoftheLaboratoryTheatreinWroclaw.Hewasanavant-gardetheatretheorist.


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actors[10,chapter2.3].Theusefulnessofmartialartsfor thecraftofacting resulted fromvarious reasons:thoseconnectedwithboththetechnicalneedsofstageperformanceandtheneed for shaping thepersonali-tiesofartists.Theartofactingconsistinginthever-balandphysicalpresentationofdiverseconflictsexist-inginhumanlife–alsothoseconnectedwithviolenceandphysicalaggression–requiredtheknowledgeandtrainingofbasicattackanddefencetechniques,learn-ingsuitable,expressivebodypostures,aswellastheim-portantabilitytofallsafely.Thesemodesofexpressionareindispensableforpresentingdramaticscenesofcon-flictsinaconvincingway,tensionandfighting,owingtowhichcommercialcinemahavealsobecomesuccess-ful.Certaincreatorsofmimetheatre–aswasthecaseofHenrykTomaszewski– strengthenedthe tieswithmartialarts.Theybasedactingontheassumptionthatthemovementandpsychophysicaltensionconnectedwiththestruggle(fight)againstdifferentbarriersandenvironmentalforcessurroundingthehumanbeing.ItisknownthatvariousgenresandformsoftheatreartshaveexistedforagesinFarEasterncountries,whichare–asThe Opera of BeijingorcertainformsofJapanesethe-atre–strictlyconnectedwithEasternmartialarts,con-cerningbothphilosophicalassumptionsandformsofphysicalexpression[10].Manymovementelementsre-ferringtofightingarealsovisibleinnumerousnationaldances,orinmorecontemporary,rhythmicalformsofhealthtrainingperformedtomusic[11].

Yetanother importantmotivebehind the interest inbudomartialarts fromprominenttheatreartistsandcontemporaryreformersoftheartofactingweretheircreativeexperimentswithinnew,deeperapproach-eswhichcouldbethebasisfortraining,aswellasforthestageperformanceofactors.Whileattemptingtofindamoreconvincing,andmoreinteresting,cultureofstageappearanceofactorsfortheaudience,theatreeducatorspaidparticularattentiontotheuncommon-lyefficientwayofusingone’sownbodyandmind,ap-pliedinEasternsportsandmartialarts.Theirexamplewasemployedtodisplaytheexpressiveusefulnessanddependenceoftheactor’sbody,filledwithenergyandreadyforimmediatereactions,ontheabilitytoachievea specific,prereflective stateofmind,characterizedbytheeliminationofalldiscursivethought,inner“empti-ness”,aswellasintensiveconcentrationonthepresentmoment.“Onlyinthisstateofmind–astheauthorsofTheTheatre Anthropologyclaim–isasamuraiabletofighteffectively,anartisttocreateortobeaperform-er,anactortorecite,andanathletetorealizehistaskseffectively”[12,p.204].Theexampleofbudoalsoex-plainedthatobtainingthedesiredstateofconcentrationaswellastheabilitytoperformeffectivelyandimmedi-ately,requiresagreatdealofeffortandlong-standing,

conscioustraining,consistinginovercomingtheauto-maticresponsesofeverydaylife,agradualincreaseinthepotentialofone’spersonalityaswellastheabilitytoactivateone’sownpsychophysicalenergywithoutdelay.

Sportsandmartialarts–regardlessoftheirsignificanceforactingskills–possessanumberofautonomicele-mentsandadvantages,worthyof stagepresentation,sincetheircontentsareconnectedwithconflict,threatandtheypresentatremendousabundanceofmovementsolutionsoffights,resultingfromtheobservationofan-imalbehaviouraswellasthelawsofnature.Training,orademonstrationofself-defencetechniquessuchasbudo,isamanifestationofanactivedisagreementwithviolenceofothers,possessespeculiarstagesceneryofitsown,medicationwithaction,cooperationwithpre-ventingaggression.Italsoincludesnumeroussymbolicelementsofmutualrespect,respectforthecenturies-oldtradition,forthemaster-teacher,aswellasfortheaudience.Traditional formsofmovement (kata)arealsoaphysical,eventheatricalexpressionofuniversallawswhichwereformulatedbythecreatorsofclassicalbudosystems.Theexistenceofenergyismanifestedinthem(ofteninslowmotion),ortheforcesofthehu-manbodyinacloserelationship,oppositionorcooper-ationwithexternalforces[10,chapter2.5].Suchadia-lecticallinkbetweenthetensionofhumanmusclesandtheresistanceoftheenvironmentwasexpressedinthecounterpointconcept,formulatedbyDecrouxforthetrainingofmimeactors.Itneedstobeemphasizedthatthisisconnectedwiththeabilitytopresentenergyandcounter-energy,constitutingthesourceofmovementsandcontractionsoftheactor’smuscles.Thisabilityal-lowsonetocreateanillusionofinteractingwithnon-existingobjects,andovercomingvariousresistances.Itis–asprominenttheatrespecialistsbelieve–abasisforbothcorrectactingtechniqueandforthementaltrans-missionofamimeartist[12,p.20–23].

Whenanalysingtheartofactingwithmartialartsoneshouldnotforgetthatabilitiesattractivetothemediasuchashand-to-handcombatandthewieldingofcoldweaponsareassociatedwiththeethosofchivalry,andthelifestylewhichwasorientedtowardsfollowingthevalueselaboratedandsharedbythechivalrous(mount-edwarriors)duringtheEuropeanMiddleAgesperiod.Theinitialidealofthechivalricethosisabravewar-rior fighting loyally for thecommitmentsmade,andthevirtuesprofessed.Theprincipalautotelicvalueofthechivalricethoswashonour,requiringpurityofin-tentions,aswellasconductconsistentwiththecodeofethics.Thebasicvaluesofthiscodeareasfollows:valour,fidelity,loyalty,veracity,fortitude,andtheabil-ity toovercomeone’sownweaknessesandsuffering,defenceoftheweakanddefenceless,respectforone’s



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rival.Thevaluesassociatedwiththechivalricethosin-spiredgreatwriters,creatorsoftheatricalartsandtheycontributedtotheelaborationofthegentleman’srulesofethics.Itwasthemwhichcodifiedtherulesofcon-ductandfightingworthyofaknightintheformoffairplayandtheybecameoneofthemainsourcesofmod-ernsportsethics[13,14].

ItisworthrememberingthatoneofthesourcesoftheoriginofsportsandmartialartsexistinginJapanwasthesamuraiethos.Theauthorsofthebook“Budo:TheMartialWaysofJapan”[15]claimthatthetheoreticalgroundsforthedevelopmentofJapaneseBudoaroseintheperiodcalledTokugawa(1600–1868),whenthebalancebetweenteachingvaluesandtheskillsofmil-itaryandcivilimportancewerepromoted.Theabilitytokillceasedtobethemaintargetofcombattraining.Trainingwassupposedtohelpdeveloppersonalityandself-control,toshapethestanceofpreventingunneces-saryviolence.Thesearguments–capturedsymbolicallyastheneedfortransformingalife-takingswordintoalife-protectingsword[15]–arestillappliedtoday.Thesamuraiethosandhistory,thefitnessandskillsoftheFarEasternmastersofmartialartsaswellasthephilo-sophicalmotivesassociatedwiththetraditionofvari-ouscombatschoolsappearedtobeexceptionallyinspir-ingandattractivetothefilm-makingart.FilmsraisingthesubjectofFarEasternmartialartsweremadeasear-lyasthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury[16].Bothbril-liantworks(e.g.“Sevensamurais”byJapanesedirectorAkiroKurosawa)andfilmsoflowqualitywerecreated.Dramatic fight scenesappeared increasinglyoften indifferentfilmgenresandattractedviewers.Therewasagrowingdemandforchoreographerswhowereexpertsonmartialartsaswellasforactorswell-preparedforper-formingdifficultfightscenes.Anopportunitytomakeafilmcareeropenedformastersofsportsandmartialartspossessingactingtalent.TheirskillsandpresenceonthescreenswereindispensablefordevelopingthegenreofMartialArtsfilmsinitiatedbyBruceLee(actuallyLeeSiuLoong).BruceLeepracticedChinesemartialarts(kung-fu).Duetohim,thestyleofVing-Tsun,whichhepracticedforacertainperiodoftime,achievedrenowned[17].ChuckNorris,holdinga7thdaninTaeKwonDo,becameanoutstandingactionfilmactor.Then,Steven

Seagal,aikidomasterholdinga7thdaninthismartialart,entered–owingtothepresentationofhisskills–thecircleofthemostpopularHollywoodactors[18].Anumberofpeoplepracticingsportsandmartialartsofdifferentorigin,oftenwithhighmasterranking,fol-lowedinthefootstepsofthemastersmentioned.

conclusIons

Areviewof theconceptsconsideringthecontentsofmovementexercisesandtheuseofmartialartsinactors’educationallowstoformulateseveralconclusions(inthecaseoftheauthorofthisarticletheyarealsoaresultofpersonalexperiencegainedduringmanyyearsofworkasalecturerintheTheatreFacultyoftheVeracruzanaUniversityinMexico):1.Movementexercises,elementsof fencingandvari-

ousmartialartsareindispensableelementsofinte-graltrainingforactors.

2.Theactingprofessionrequires–apartfromtalent–goodphysicalcondition,psychophysicalability toconcentrateandthedevelopmentofaspecificandcomprehensivemotorcoordination.

3.Thebasisofstagemovementexpressionconsistsof:highlevelofsupplenessofthewholebodyoftheac-torandtheabilitytoconsciouslyadjustthetensionandrelaxationdegreeofmuscles.

4.Relativestrengthistheconditionforusingthebodyefficientlytotheextentofallowingonetoovercomeresistancesgeneratedbytheactor’sbodyweight,aswellasgravity.

5.Aninappropriatelifestyle,lackofdisciplineandofone’sownpsychophysicalfitnessresultsinloweringthecompetencelevelofaprofessionalactor.

6.Whenplanningvariousformsofmovementexercis-esforstudentsofactingschoolsoneneedstotakeintoaccountregularitiesderivedfromthetheoryofsportsconsideringthegradationandrationalsystemoftrainingloads,aswellastheprocessesofbiologi-calregeneration.

7.Thecreativeapproachofstageartists,theirabilitytodrawontheexperienceandachievementsfromvar-iousformsofartandculture(includingsports)de-servetobeimitatedandcommonlyapplied–bothinlifeandinthefieldofphysicaleducation.

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