THE STATE EDUCATION DEPA RT M E N TTHE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

PART II.4

Pantomime.......................................................2

Analysis, Evaluation.......................................9

NOTE: This document is a work in progress. PartsII and III, in particular, are in need of furtherdevelopment, and we invite the submission ofadditional learning experiences and local perform -ance tasks for these sections. Inquiries regardingsubmission of materials should be directed to: TheArts Resource Guide, Room 681 EBA, New Y o r kState Education Department, Albany, NY 1 2 2 3 4(tel. 518-474-5922).

http://www.nysed.gov

The ArtsThe Arts

▲ write scenes

▲ enact experiences

▲ use techniques

▲ make acting choices

▲ use theatre technology

▲ articulate an understanding

▲ interpretation

C O M M E N C E M E N T

P A N T O M I M E :

Creating A StoryThis learning experience in pantomime

is designed for an introductory highschool level theatre class as part of an

acting unit.

A series of lessons takes a student throughthe creation of simple pantomime actions tomore complex pantomime storytelling.

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Learning Experiences 3

It is important to start thison a Monday to allow for weekend prepa-ration of the first pantomime performance.

Day 1: Space Objects

In a large circle, the teacher leads the class in creating imaginary “space objects” to pass toaround: basketball, small bouncing ball, balloon. The teacher questions students about the prop-erties of each object (size, shape, and weight) and how to make these invisible objects visible byusing eye contact to focus attention, by creating consistency of size, and by allowing the objectits time in space. Students pair up and continue passing objects back and forth from closertogether to farther apart as teacher side coaches students to “see the object,” “give the object itstime in space,” and “keep the size consistent.”

In the last half of class, students play dodge ball in large circle with the player in the center. Theobject is to keep focus on the space ball as it is thrown at the center person who must attempt tododge the space ball without getting hit. If the center player is hit, the person who threw itreplaces him. Teacher coaches students to “play with their whole bodies,” “keep focus on theball in space,” and enforce the rule, “no hitting above the waist.”

The games have a seriousintent which is to helpdevelop important theatreperformance skills inmovement, perception &expression, creativity,teamwork, and storytellingskills.

Whether studentshave seriousinterest inpursuing theatre ornot, while playingthey learn aboutconcentration,problem-solvingand groupinteraction.

Teacher

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Day 2: Tug of War

Teacher re-stresses the concepts of focus, sizeconsistency and time in space by splitting intogroups of 3 to 5 to play imaginary jump ropewith two people at opposite ends synchroniz-ing the turning of the rope while others taketurns jumping. Play continues until everyonehas had a chance to turn the rope and jumpin. The teacher coaches throughout. The con-cept of exaggerated resistance is introduced nextby group circle work where students passheavy objects of different sizes: anvil, bowlingball, luggage, and barbell. Teacher demon-strates that resistance should be exaggeratedfor effect by making actions definite, sharpand biggerthan in normal life and addingappropriate facial expression to show exer-tion.

Students now split into two teams for gameof tug of war with an imaginary space rope.Coach students to “see the rope in space,”“use their whole bodies to pull,” “keep therope between you,” and “show body andfacial tension.”

Day 3: Apple Picking

Teacher re-stresses concepts of focus, sizeconsistency, time in space, exaggerated resis-tance and exaggerated facial expression byworking in pairs to recreate a simple activity.Students imagine they are apple picking. Eachstudent is wearing an imaginary shoulder bagfor collecting the apples. Two students are topick apples from the same tree, making sureto get apples from branches which are high,low, outside, and inside. When their bag isfull they are to remove it, empty the contents

into two large baskets and, together, carryeach basket to a large waist-high bin anddump the apples inside. As students pan-tomime these simple actions, the teachercoaches with appropriate comments whichkeep students focused and attempts to guidethem into appropriate use of the elementsbeing stressed: focus, consistency of size, timein space, exaggerated resistance, and exagger-ated facial expression. By now students haveusually become attuned to the basic qualitiesof good pantomime and are ready to embarkon creating their own simple pantomime ofan action.

At this point students are given a handoutreminding them of these qualities and a sec-ond handout describing their pantomimeassignment on creating a story pantomime.The assignment also includes a sample out-line and an outline form. Teacher stressesgood storytelling elements through perform-ance of a pantomime. The pantomime demon-strates the assignment by creating an individ-ual character in pursuit of an objective (goal)who is confronted with obstacles in trying toreach the objective (conflict), but eventuallyovercomes the obstacle and resolves the con-flict (climax and resolution). The teacher goesover the handout and sample outline, thenassigns an outline to be brought to class intwo days (Friday). Remaining time is spentindividually listing ideas on paper for theassignment.

DAY 4: GoodIntroduction, Poise,Energy

The emphasis on this day is the importance ofa good introduction delivered with poise andenergy. The teacher explains that each pan-tomime performed in class must have anintroduction. Since talking is not allowed inpantomime, students will create signs withtitles which will help their audience to under-stand their pantomimed action better. Usingan adjustable music stand and a blank sheetof paper large enough for a sign, studentspractice walking across the stage to a podium,placing the sign on the stage and moving tocenter stage for the start of the pantomime.Students not performing are asked to observe

This series of lessons takes a student throughthe creation of a simple pantomime action tomore complex pantomime storytelling. It isimportant to start this on a Monday to allowfor a weekend preparation of the firstpantomime performance.

Teacher

Learning Experiences 5

each person’s introduction looking for charac-teristics of an effective beginning: poise,energy, eye contact, and emphasis. This is anappropriate time to discuss the need to givehonest, constructive criticism which firstpoints out strengths, then gives helpful sug-gestions for improvement. After each studentperforms and is critiqued, the class discusseswhat will need to be done in an introductionto make it effective. Generally speaking, theteacher guides the discussion to make surethe following is stressed: enter the stage areawith good posture, poise and energy givingdirect eye contact to the audience while walk-ing to the music stand, pausing after placingthe sign on the stand to allow time for theaudience to read the sign, then walking withgood posture, poise and energy to centerstage, pausing before the start of the pan-tomime. Students are given blank sheets ofconstruction paper and told to complete a titlefor their pantomime lightly in pencil usinglarge letters that can easily be read by theaudience. Sample signs should be shown tostudents as models. Appropriate simplegraphics may also be added, but should notclutter the sign. The sign is due the next daywhen students will submit them for approvaland color in with markers.

DAY 5: Rubric

The Teacher will:■ give students the rubric assessment

sheet which will be used to evaluate stu-dent performances (The rubric isdesigned to assess the same qualitiesstressed by the teacher during theatregames played earlier in the week andattributes of an effective introductiondiscussed yesterday.)

■ collect pencil drawings of signs andcheck for visibility and appropriateness

■ circulate among students double-check-ing outlines and giving assistance.

The Students will:■ exchange outlines of their pantomime

activity, check for conformity to theassignment by using the criteria on therubric assessment sheet as a guide,revise and turn in outlines

■ revise and color in signs

■ develop their pantomime and be readyto rehearse in class Monday.

DAYS 6 & 7: Rehearse

The Students will:■ rehearse their pantomime activity using

the music stand and sign. (Rehearsal isvideotaped.)

■ verbally critique each performancewhile the performer takes notes of sug-gestions.

■ take their tapes home for self-evaluation.

Day 8: Makeup

The Teacher will:■ show students various pictures of

makeup designs of pantomime artists■ demonstrate the application of white-

face makeup on a selected student.

The Students will:■ design a simple sketch for their white-

face makeup to bring in to class on theday of their performance (Students aregiven individual makeup kits to use onperformance day).

Days 9 & 10:Performance/Assessment

The Students will:■ apply makeup designs before presenta-

tions begin■ perform their pantomimes before the

class (they are videotaped)■ evaluate their peers using the rubric

assessment sheet■ take videotape home to complete self-

assessment and reflection sheets.

The Teacher will:■ evaluate each student using the rubric

assessment sheet.

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☛Assessment

Learning Experiences 7

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Learning Experiences 9

▲ throughful listening

▲ read/write

▲ use anatomical terms

▲ identify/describe

ANALYSIS, EVALUATION, COMPARISON OF

Professional and Student Performance

Aperforming ensemble is in theprocess of rehearsing a composition.This activity is designed to give the

students a model of a quality performance,improve student listening, student analysis,and individual and group performance skills.

Students will have previously rehearsed awork to the extent that they have a minimalunderstanding of its style, stru c t u re, andoverall sound. They will listen to a re c o rd-ing of a professional ensemble and a re c o rd-ing of themselves performing the same com-position.

They will be asked to listen to each recordingtwice. The first time, they will listen andwrite in response to three questions. After thesecond hearing, they will write an analysisand evaluation of the professional perform-ance, compare it with their own performanceand make suggestions for improvement.

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This lesson will:1. demonstrate the students’

command of specialized lan-guage used in musical analy-sis

2. develop the listening abilitiesof our students

3. make the student morethoughtful, over time

4. ensure that students will useclear and specific statementsfocusing on what was heardand observed

5. most importantly, improve thestudents’ musical ability bymaking them evaluate them-selves

This lesson teaches studentshow to evaluate and criticallythink —two areas oftendismissed in the area ofperformance.

Teacher

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ASSESSMENT

Students are asked to respond to three questions in writing:

1. How would you evaluate the performance of the professional ensemble?How did the music make you feel?

a. Specificity—state the strengths and weaknesses of both performances,make suggestions for improvement relative to the specific weaknesses.Make suggestions of appropriate areas of the ensemble performance thatshould be dealt with by the ensemble at the next rehearsal.

b. Terminology—show an understanding of the language of talking aboutmusic and performance. Examples would include style, genre, form, melody, rhythm, har-mony, timbre, tone, dynamics, articulation, etc.

c. Completeness—the extent to what the students critique. Analyze, evaluate andcompare the whole work by stating multiple strengths and weaknesses, giv-ing many examples of terminology, and multiple suggestions for improve-ment, including what he/she and the ensemble need to do to improve.

2. What is the difference between the professional performance and our currentperformance?

3. What must we, as an ensemble, and you, as an individual , do to improve theperformance of this work?

☛Assessment

To be successful,students must havebeen taught how tocritique a work. Theymust have been taughtappropriate musicalterminology to be usedin the critique.

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Learning Experiences 11

A very fine job! You were specific and complete. Your use of vocabulary shows me younot only understand the musical elements, but can use them to evaluate your work andothers’. I know you will do fine on the solo. I can’t wait to hear it. I was also happy tosee you listened to other instruments and made comments. As I said earlier, you arequickly turning from a drummer to a percussionist. Keep up the good work.