The Empowered Spirit Class (also known as the power connection) is based on energetic principles. I have nothing against scene analysis, using beats or method acting done correctly. However, I'm far more in tune with the metaphysical aspects of creating characters such as the aspects tapped by acting legend and teacher Michael Chekov.
I love the story of Michael in a stage performance where he is supposed to see a ghost. He was so good at connecting energetically with both the reality of the scene as written and the audience that, afterwards, several people described the ghost and believed another actor had come on stage with Michael when, in reality, he was there alone.
The Power Connection Acting Technique
This e-class, © Neva J Howell, all right reserved
Crying on Cue * What is Subtext? * Acting Tips
Featured Training: The Vocal Release System
The Empowered Spirit Performance Art Course Description
The toolbelt of techniques I now use to create characters came about through my personal and intense realization that performance art could serve as a powerful tranformative tool for spiritual growth and healing.
These performance art techniques address physical, mental and emotional restriction and encourage flexility of the mind, body and emotions.
The freeing energy of performance art, in a metaphysical sense, is additionally powerful for healing on other levels of the actor's life.
The best actors are healthy actors. So utilizing spiritual and metaphysical principals to develop acting skills, by it's very nature, first addresses personal areas of restriction and limitation.
The only acting class I teach online is The Level One, Beginning course. This beginning level serves to familiarize potential students with the basic energy and resonance of my approach. Level one provides exercises to encourage creative excellence through metaphysical principals.
The level one online course covers what I consider to be four cornerstones of believable acting: the actor's body, the actor's voice, the actor's emotions and the actor's mind.
This Level One Acting Class consists of six lessons. There are additionally five assigments that I hope to add to the site later on but, for now, the class consists of the six lessons below:
1. Introduction: Exploring Acting
2. Lesson Two: The Actor's Body
3. Lesson Three: The ACtor's Voice
4. Lesson Four: The Actor's Emotions
5. Lesson Five: The Actor's Mind
6. Lesson Six: Acting Tips for Believable Acting
If you are already an actor, you may recognize familiar improv exercises or adaptations of exercises you've seen before. Keep in mind that the focus of this course is metaphysical so your approach to the exericses will be different if you read the instructions and follow them.
If you are not an actor and are just taking the class because you wish to stimulate personal growth, increase creativity and explore your emotional, mental and physical restrictions, the exercises may be a little confusing at first and will require a degree of adventuresome Spirit. The recommended reading materials would be more strongly encouraged for non-actors taking the course, to provide an understanding of the principals of acting. However, such is not required.
If you want to become an actor, one of the very best ways to start is by getting involved in community theatre. This is richly rewarding.
Acting Resources
Feel free to take this online acting class without ordering the book I am recommending. However, I feel that the work of Michael Chekov and the exercises in his books On the Technique of Acting and To the Actor will not only enhance your acting skills but enhance your life.
Acting Lessons for Level One These should be done in order.
Power Connection Performance Art Intro
The actor and the body
The actor and the voice
The actor and the emotions
The actor and the mind
How to be Believable as an Actor
How to nail your auditions