<p> This thesis explores the ways in which the fields of neurobiology and cognitive science impact concepts of performer processes, and how the findings of this research can help actors and actor trainers to examine assumptions that inform how they frame and describe performer practices. Cognitive science research provides a precise understanding of the embodied processes of &ldquo;self&rdquo;, &ldquo;consciousness&rdquo;, &ldquo;emotion&rdquo; and &ldquo;perceiving&rdquo;, and I argue that it is productive to interrogate these terms as they pertain to descriptions of the actor&rsquo;s practice and performer training. </p><p> In this thesis I describe the relevance of cognitive science findings to theatre with respect to concepts commonly advanced in actor training in the United States, namely the &ldquo;self,&rdquo; &ldquo;truth,&rdquo; and &ldquo;authentic.&rdquo; I offer a reconsideration of these concepts through a cognitive science lens that opens up possibilities for emerging dramatic and performance paradigms. I then propose the development of a &ldquo;corporeal intelligence,&rdquo; that enables an actor to propose gestures, movement, vocal strategies, and action</p>

<p> Acting students enrolled in theatre training programs often receive excellent instruction in voice, movement, and acting techniques respectively; however, there are few opportunities, in most of these programs, to incorporate these skills into <i>one</i> integrated class prior to graduation. This Project Report proposes the creation, development, and implementation of such a Capstone Integration Course. The curriculum of this proposed course relies on the author&rsquo;s cumulative experience of several decades in the acting profession, primarily the following four pillars: (1) early training at the Juilliard School of Drama, (2) experiences teaching undergraduates in the California State University system, (3) a lifetime of study in the art of acting in professional conservatories and under master teachers, and (4) private coaching of professional actors in the field of theatre and film. This report claims that the proposed course fulfills a vital need in the education of student-actors, by preparing them for sustained and successful careers as professional actors.</p><p>

<p> The MFA Acting and Performance Pedagogy program at CSULB has inspired me to investigate non-psychological based acting techniques. These newfound techniques, coupled with my classical singing background, led me to discover how to perform with joy and ease. Sanford Meisner acting technique exercises effectively redirected my attention away from myself and onto my scene partner in singing and acting. In performance and teaching, I am able to utilize the Meisner technique to uncover what inhibits the actor&rsquo;s attention and subsequently redirect their focus to the present moment. Declan Donnellan&rsquo;s <i> The Actor and the Target</i> and Timothy Gallwey&rsquo;s <i>The Inner Game of Tennis</i>, provide strategies to free the actor from inhibiting factors that prevent him/her from behaving naturally under imaginary circumstances. The use of all these concepts both in practice and performance allows actors to redirect their attention onto the imaginary circumstances and discover true freedom and joy in performance.</p><p>

<p> Educating our Dance School Educators examines the relevance of certification for private dance school teachers. I offer a personal history as evidence for the need of certification in dance schools. I also provide a desired outline of the certification, which encompasses the mission statement and requirements for the candidates. The question of what it means to be certified is addressed by using the National Dance Education Organization as defining support. To argue for certification I draw support from dance editors and professors as well as the National Dance Education Standards. I use an example of a certification outline from the Connecticut school district and deconstruct why the outline is insufficient for my ideal standards. I do not have a target age group desired when talking about the students because this subject is relevant for students of all levels and ages. I use support from pedagogical research to explain the human developmental process for all ages specifically concerning the effects this process has on their learning curve. I also use critical pedagogy to explain the importance of pedagogical knowledge versus content knowledge. I conclude with a summary of my findings in support of certification for dance school teachers to ensure a quality education for all students whether pursuing it as a recreational activity or as a career.</p>

Alors que nombre d’artistes s’emploient à confronter les arts d’interprétation ou à transgresser les catégories de genre sur les scènes européennes, la formation des comédiens, en France, demeure organisée selon une logique disciplinaire. Au cours de son apprentissage, un élève préparant le diplôme national supérieur professionnel de comédien (DNSPC) dans une des écoles habilitées par l’État pratique néanmoins la danse et le chant, s’initie souvent aux arts martiaux et aux techniques somatiques, s’essaie parfois à l’acrobatie ou à la maîtrise d’un instrument de musique. Ces disciplines non-théâtrales intégrées à la formation visent à la fois à lui procurer des aptitudes complémentaires et à l’entraîner à l’exercice de « l’écart » tel que le définit le philosophe François Jullien, pour revenir à son art enrichi et peut-être ressourcé. Cependant, telle qu’elle transparaît dans des programmes et des discours qui la légitiment, la considération dont ces pratiques bénéficient dans des institutions qui s’imposent comme des voies d’accès privilégiées aux carrières théâtrales ne s’avère pas tout à fait équivalente à la place qui leur est réservée dans les cursus. L’enseignement, centré sur l’interprétation du répertoire dramatique, est principalement assuré par des metteurs en scènes invités, qui apportent leur vision du théâtre et leur appréhension du jeu. Il repose sur un système de valeurs dont les maîtres mots sont singularité et liberté. La transmission de techniques centrées sur la respiration, la voix, la concentration, le corps ou le mouvement ne s’articule pas sans difficultés avec une telle conception. Des contradictions surgissent entre la nécessaire adaptation de leur contenu au contexte d’enseignement et la sauvegarde d’une altérité féconde, tant sur le plan artistique que pédagogique. À travers une enquête auprès de cinq écoles supérieures d’art dramatique françaises, de leurs professeurs et de leurs étudiants, la thèse examine la formation de l’acteur au prisme de l’interdisciplinarité, afin de tenter d’en éclaircir les soubassements idéologiques et les enjeux esthétiques, mais aussi les implications dans la vie professionnelle des futurs acteurs. / While many artists strive to redefine the performing arts and break through genre-bound approaches on European stages, actor training in France is still structured around strong disciplinary lines. Throughout their training, student-actors who prepare the “diplôme national supérieur professionnel de comédien” (National Acting Degree) in French-government-accredited acting schools, nonetheless take dance and singing classes, often train in martial arts and somatic practices, and sometimes try their hands at acrobatics, or playing an instrument. These non-theatrical disciplines are integrated to their training with a view to complementing the young actors' set of skills but also to make them experience what philosopher François Jullien calls “l'écart”, and come back to their own art enriched and energised by their foray into other disciplines. Even if the interdisciplinary approach is touted in programmes and theoretical literature issued by the most prominent acting schools, that prestige is not reflected in the share given to non-theatrical approaches in actual syllabuses. The teaching in acting-schools is based on performing the repertoire, with master-classes given by guest directors who bring their own vision of theatre and performance. The underlying value system places individual difference and artistic freedom at the top. This conception of acting can make it difficult to teach techniques based on the body, movement, vocal training, breathing, and focusing. The dilemma is that these practices need to be adapted to the overall teaching context, all the while preserving the otherness that makes them such a fruitful alternative both artistically and pedagogically.Thanks to a survey conducted at five French Acting Schools, alongside teachers and students, this thesis explores actor training in the light of interdisciplinarity, as an attempt to clarify its underlying ideological tenets and its aesthetic potential, as well as what it means for the future careers of professional actors.