{"id":158,"date":"2017-04-19T17:09:09","date_gmt":"2017-04-19T17:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/15\/?p=158"},"modified":"2023-06-03T08:02:58","modified_gmt":"2023-06-03T08:02:58","slug":"the-art-of-michael-chekhovs-chart-a-training-sequence-for-contemporary-practice-in-professional-studios-and-academia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/15\/the-art-of-michael-chekhovs-chart-a-training-sequence-for-contemporary-practice-in-professional-studios-and-academia\/","title":{"rendered":"The Art of Michael Chekhov\u2019s Chart: A Training Sequence for Contemporary Practice in Professional Studios and Academia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lisa Dalton<\/strong>*<\/a><\/p>\n

Michael Chekhov\u2019s approach evolved over a lifetime on three continents through extraordinary socio-political-technological change. His writings, recorded lectures and the notes taken of his live teaching are very extensive. Like the famous story of the group of blind men touching an elephant and arguing over what it is, if you sample random Chekhov technique\u00a0<\/strong>workshops and books you may never know what the larger whole truly is. This is where The Chart of Inspired Acting<\/em> saves the day, as it is able to unite single elements of his method into a solid and fluid technique. The chart was published in the book On The Technique of Acting<\/em> in 1991. This chart is an indispensable tool for artists, a reminder of all the resources Michael Chekhov offers, serving as a treasure map for anyone wanting to be \u201chappy on the stage\u201d<\/em> (Chekhov 2004). Shortly before Chekhov died, he drew the chart by hand for Mala Powers.[1]<\/a><\/sup> What follows is an introduction of how National Michael Chekhov Association (NMCA) teaches the chart: a carefully crafted pedagogical sequence that also includes Five Guiding Principles<\/em> found in his final lectures.<\/p>\n

Understanding the Chart as a Pathway into the Zone<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Chart is Sun-like in its image. If we want our sun to shine, or in contemporary terms, if we want to get into \u201cthe zone,\u201d all we need to do is to focus on a single point on this chart. Your focus creates a chain reaction by igniting the light in that box which sends sparks into the center. This ignites all other points instantly and effortlessly. Chekhov offers us a holographic technique where the whole is in each part. Each box on the periphery describes a tool, a concept or a universal law representing one or more elements of inspired \u201chappy\u201d states. The NMCA\u2019s motto of bringing the spirit of Michael Chekhov into the twenty-first century has led to transforming the original black and white chart into a multi-colored one.[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

\"\"
Chart of Inspired Action, as used by National Michael Chekhov Association Intensive Training Workshops. Numbers in white correspond with numbers in text below. Copyright: NMCA 2013[3]<\/a><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>In his actor training, Chekhov looked at what energy patterns are present in their peak performances, identified these patterns and created exercises to activate them at will. Thus, we create the favorable conditions to coax inspired images by replicating the energy patterns of inspiration. To develop the rich psychophysical sensitivity required, the actor awakens the energy by exaggerated use of the body with strong concentration on the image and gradually lessens the physical movement to achieve the style of the performance. These fundamental principles are used in the NMCA class structure and teaching. Specific recurring elements include:<\/p>\n
    \n
  • Warmups, including the Ball Toss and Yoga, both practiced by Chekhov himself.<\/li>\n
  • Ensemble (#14), Truth (#16), Improvisation (#13)<\/li>\n
  • Compositional Laws of Triplicity, Polarity, Transformation (# 9)<\/li>\n
  • Preparation, Action, Sustain, Stop (PASS) the Energy<\/li>\n
  • Full Voice, Energy and Body Integration<\/li>\n
  • Openhearted Contact and Self-Reflection<\/li>\n
  • Flying Back\u2013Reflexive Self Evaluation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The teaching uses Chekhov\u2019s Law of Triplicity. The introduction and exploration of each element is rhythmically followed by improvisation to deepen the skill with the tool and then scene\/monologue study to explore and develop application skills.<\/p>\n

    NMCA Pathway around the Circle<\/strong><\/p>\n

    One of Chekhov\u2019s bold ideas is that the images of the story, the characters, situations, etc. already exist, independently in the collective unconscious. So, conveying these images to audiences becomes the actor\u2019s greatest task. When an image arises, but does not come out right, it means there is a disconnection between your imagination and the body\u2019s ability to express it. Solving this image-body gap is where the NMCA begins the journey.<\/p>\n

    The Mind-Body-Spirit Reunion<\/u><\/p>\n

    The PsychoPhysical Exercises, (PPEs)<\/u> (#1), are addressed in Chekhov\u2019s First Guiding Principle (2004). The PPEs are Expanding\/Contracting, Qualities of Movement and Archetypal Gestures. These three sets of tools represent all of the basic energy patterns Chekhov identified. They are as essential to human expression as the scales are to music. Doing these exercises restores the artist\u2019s ability to move\/speak in any way that a character might. If an actor learns the whole range of PPEs, he\/she can express any image that arises. If we accept that energy is always in motion, we see the PPEs as the most primal ways in which energy moves. They can answer questions about that motion:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • What is the most basic pattern of motion? Expanding or Contracting (#1a). All energy is doing one or the other. Many other terms can be used for this energy pattern, including opening\/closing or growing\/shrinking. Each variation of the term alters the image, creating an infinite variety of uses and meanings of this most basic energy pattern. As a practical tool, every character\u2019s degree of expanding or contracting can be identified by using a simple scale where ten is fully expanding and zero is fully contracting. Thus, the character\u2019s arc can be scored through the course of the story. Scrooge may start contracted at a three, expanding to an eight when a Ghost appears and contracting back to a five when he sees his past.<\/li>\n
    • How does this energy expand or contract? What is the Quality of the Movement? (#1b) It moves like the elements of earth, water, air and light, representing the degrees of resistance the energy meets. Here, the \u201chow\u201d is identified as Molding, Flowing\/Floating, Flying or Radiating. Every character could be seen as dominated by one of these four. Scrooge may fly into an expansion and mold into a contraction, and each Ghost may move with a different quality to help distinguish them from each other. One can apply the \u201cHow\u201d to one\u2019s thoughts, physical movements, will impulses, etc. so that Scrooge is physically molding at his own gravesite while his thoughts are flying wildly inside.<\/li>\n
    • Why does the energy expand or contract in such a way? This is expressed as Archetypal Gestures (AGs) (#1c). We define \u201cgesture\u201d as a movement plus an intention. Thus, the AG is a big move we do with a specific intention, such as: to push, to pull, to lift, to smash, to gather or to throw. These are acts of pure will, free of any thinking, (no rationale, no consequences) or feeling (no emotional attachment).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Our aim in doing an Archetypal Gesture is to activate an urge in the actor\u2019s body. This will provide three important outcomes:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Archetypal Gesture gets the objective off the page and into the body of the actor.<\/li>\n
      • Archetypal Gesture clears the inhibitions that prevent an actor from using the archetypal gesture effectively.<\/li>\n
      • Archetypal Gesture prepares the actor to create an original Psychological Gesture for a specific character.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Here is a video showing actors practicing a variety of Archetypal Gestures. They are done imagining how an energy body is moving the intention beyond the physical form into the space. Archetypal Gestures are done fully and then \u201cveiled\u201d where the physical body reveals less, while the energy body remains actively radiating the image of the gesture through the space. This makes the technique useful both for broad and subtle styles.<\/p>\n

        Video 1<\/h6>\n
        \n