PERFORMING ARTIST - INSTRUCTOR - MUA
CHERYL ANN
SANDERS
Cheryl Ann’s Neutral Mask workshop
Details and Requirements:
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participants should arrive early and be physically warm to start class on time
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long hair should be pulled back and secured away from the face
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clothing should be void of any logos or lettering, preferably solid black, well fitting but unrestrictive, and depending on the classroom - we will be working barefoot
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pictures, video, and note taking is both allowed and encouraged, but please silence phones
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participants will be led through a series of exercises to help create a heightened sense of awareness and discovery
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hands on adjustments will be made to achieve a personal neutral state
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participants will explore and create original stories based on organic impulses
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all supplies will be provided but must be returned
You don't go shopping for new clothes and try on a new suit while wearing your current clothes. The same can be said for an actor trying to create a complete and believable character. Neutral mask is a tool for helping the performer become aware of their own physical habits and subsequently, be able to control them. By "taking away" the face, the emphasis is on telling the story with the whole body. The goal of this workshop is connecting breath and body, finding and maintaining neutral to create a clear pathway for breath and impulses, and manipulating that channel to create new and organic character traits.
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Neutral doesn't mean absent. It is obtaining a neutral place without a past so the actor can readily become an author of space and character. Ready to receive and act on any impulse with honesty and connection of breath and body.