9E. Two Shape/One Bumps and Talks

• Again in trios. And again, two shape and one reads. But in this case, instead of the Reader describing the scene from outside, the Reader bumps (replaces) one of the Shapers, assumes his situation (intention and shape) speaks from inside that role. He narrates the scene while inside it, giving clues as to who or what you both are, and what your relationship and situation is. You all end up being Readers at one time or another.

• This is done in round/robin sequence.

A freezes.

B adds on, freezes.

C bumps A and does the reading from inside.

B freezes.

C adds on, freezes.

A bumps B and reads from inside.

C freezes.

A adds on, freezes.

B bumps C and reads from inside.

A freezes.

B adds on, freezes.

C bumps A and reads from inside.

etc.

• Continue going until I say stop.

The Reader gives specific information from his view of the story. The more he believes the posture and condition he has assumed, the more flowing the narration. He doesn't have to think because the scene is not something outside of himself. He's in it. His assumed situation and condition has awareness of its own. It has body, energy, posture, voice and feeling. The voice the Reader uses is a manifestation of the energy and feeling. The voice has a particular texture, pattern of articulation, and timing.

Dialects

Students are asked to avoid dialects because they are imitative. The Irish brogue, Southern drawl, or any foreign accent all suggest that the student is attempting to talk a particular way, rather than access and express immediate aspects of themselves. Their speech becomes too "heady," comes too much from a thinking state, instead of a feeling one. Dialects, as a result, often turn into plans that abandon the present moment. Instead, patterns of speech should actually respond to the present embodied condition. The student is to focus on her moment-to-moment experience rather than an idea, image, or description of experience. The quality of the student's voice will reflect these moments.

Students may feel "blocked," or "pressured," because they think they need a complete idea of what they're about to say before they say it. However, they don't have to know their entire text before they start. Narrations may begin with just one word, "I," or "My," or "Take." It's much better to build, word upon word, sometimes very slowly, until the content takes hold, than to deliver an entirely prepared speech. One word at a time leads to more spontaneous images and associations. The interesting part is what happens as the story unfolds.

9F. Questioner/Narrator

• In pairs. One partner is the Narrator. The other is the Questioner. The Narrator begins with a simple image, for example, "A stairway," or "A beautiful woman." The Questioner, asks a question that leads to more information about the image. For example, in the case of the stairway, the question may be, "From where to where?" The Narrator answers accordingly.The Questioner asks another question and the Narrator answers.

• The Questioner does not intentionally lead the Narrator into new territory.Instead, each question should intend to explore what the Narrator has already implied. The Questioner must not lead by introducing any new elements.

• Continue this exchange until I say stop. Then you will switch roles. Example:

Narrator "A stairway."

Questioner "Leading from where?"

Narrator "From the cellar to the kitchen."

Questioner "What's the kitchen like?"

Narrator "It's a 1950s kitchen with pale green tiles on the walls and counter tops and a grey linoleum floor."

Questioner "Is the kitchen clean?"

Narrator "The floor's very dirty. The entire kitchen's dirty. The sink's full of dirty dishes, there's food all over the place, open, exposed. The screen door's slamming. "

Questioner "Did someone just leave?"

This last question is a leading one, since the Narrator didn't mention a "someone." A better question would be:

Questioner "Why is the screen door slamming?"

Co-Believing

The Questioner and Narrator link in fantasy, each one stepping into niches the other provides. They believe and take themselves seriously and they believe each other. In order to ask a question, the Questioner must listen intently to the Narrators information. Unconditionally. The Narrator must take seriously the Questioner's questions and not get so involved that he forgets to answer them. The end product is a composite of their two intentions focused on the material at that moment in time. Both of them are led into territories they would not have ventured alone.

This exercise helps show students that everybody has access to an incredibly vast imagination. With each question, there is always an answer. There's no limit to the questions, or the answers.

In the final event of the day, everything comes together in an interactive score.