I had a post ready-to-go on working the scene with focus on how to discover a rich variety in each and every moment, while deepening your character work and strengthening your connection to your partner. Important work.
And then I thought about it again, and decided that, today, this is more important to say:
Trust yourself.
At this point in the workshop, you have spent approximately 12 hours working with these disciplines. Trust that your diligent attention and repetition is working. You know this. You got this. You have enough skill now that movement with your weapons is an expression of your intent. “I want to cut there” and the sword goes there.
One of my acting teachers, Christopher Weddel, blew my mind when he said, “all acting should have a sense of ease”. In fight scenes, we can get caught up in playing the conflict with physical tension, magnifying any nervousness we have about what we’re doing, and additionally translating to a loss of dexterity.
Instead, find the flow and the ease. Trust that you know this, you got this. The physicality should be becoming easy, which will give your mind the space it needs to focus on playing the scene. Don’t get caught up in playing “badass”. The tension is between the characters, not within your body.
Trust yourself.
Trust your work.
You got this.
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(not all of the text in this song is appropriate to the post, but I like the sense of ease in the sound).