This practical development portfolio aims to outline the progress I have showcased during my first year. I will analyse the three core principles of musical theatre (singing, acting and dancing) and further assess how my technique and performance has altered from the beginning of the year to the end. I aim to highlight the strategies I have used in order to progress within my training and I will also reflect on how effective these strategies were in aiding my development by using evidence to support this. To track my progress, I began the year by creating a personal development plan (PDP) for my goals within each semester. Additionally, I will be referencing texts that I have used this year to assist my progression and understanding of technical elements within the craft. This portfolio intends to discuss how I will also continue to develop my craft into second year and subsequently into the professional industry.
Attached to the left is a copy of my PDP in which I have made realistic goals that I have referred to throughout this year. In this portfolio, I will refer to my progress of these goals and how I have achieved this. In order to discuss these I will be using reflective models such as Rolfe et al (Rolfe et al., 2001) and Gibbs (Gibbs 1988).
Dance and movement
At the beginning of the course, Dance and movement were my weakest disciplines due to lack of exposure previously. Throughout the year, I have tracked my progress and witnessed significant improvement with my understanding of my body and acknowledgement of technical elements such as alignment, coordination and muscle engagement. It is important to consider “The body as an ‘articulated mechanical system’” (Pakes 2006) in which technique, expression and strength is interconnected and work simultaneously with one another. Starting the year, I had little knowledge on how to correctly and effectively engage specific muscle groups in lessons such as ballet and jazz. I noticed that my balance in ballet classes was weak due to not having the capabilities to correctly engage certain muscles like the core when instructed to do so. Classes like Body conditioning and body mechanics have both strengthened my awareness of certain muscles through analysing diagrams as well as practical strength building exercises like planks and press ups
I tracked that at the beginning of the year, I could do 5 press ups on my knees with poor form, now I can do 10 full press ups with my elbows tucked in, a neutral alignment and engaged core. This showcases my improvement in upper body and back strength which is key for resistance during balances. This is crucial for a west end performer as it allows them to perform in many shows a week and not experience fatigue or injury. This is due to the correct muscles such as the posterior muscles powering the movements.
However, A specific exercise we frequently practice is meditation to mindfully connect to different areas of our body and notice areas where we hold tension and to practice mind to muscle engagement. It can be described as “using the mind’s eye when doing a “body scan,” which is widely practiced in meditative, mindful, and somatic methods” (Saumaa, 2021). I found this a useful method in the beginning to become more aware of my breathing and muscles in a static and conscious manner which is easily accessible within my own room or quiet space. I was then able to translate this into my dance like in jazz technique and tune into the sensations of specific muscle contractions when instructed to do so which positively elevated my Relevé in pirouettes and pliés into leaps for example. This conscious connection is important for a professional performer within the industry as it allows them to continue engaging key muscles like the core or quads and therefore grow and develop without the instruction of a teacher. This can be important in auditions for example where technique is a fundamental element in which the performer is able to self-correct their technique by checking in on their bodily sensations (introduced through meditation) and execute the skills safely and effectively. Exercises like meditation and body weight exercises have therefore successfully improved my ability to engage muscles like my adductors and the latissimus dorsi muscle and my overall strength to support my body weight in balances. As a result, this has drastically elevated my ability to balance in ballet like in arabesque and fifth position as I can consciously connect my mind to the specific muscle I aim to engage. In addition, due to my improved strength, the form of my jazz pirouettes had elevated from showcasing weak core stability and a poor supporting leg to a stable position with engaged glutes and core muscles.
Reflecting on a specific technique, I have acknowledged significant progress within my pirouette form. In the first video titled’ Pirouette Then’ it is clear that I am not engaging my back and core muscles and as a result my arms are situated low on my body. My relevé was also weak due to lack of strength in my ankles and calves and therefore the pirouette ends on my heel. Analysing the second and most recent video (titled ‘Pirouette Now’) I will focus on integrating Gibbs reflective cycle (1988) to assess my development. During this week in jazz technique class, we were practicing pirouettes with an emphasis on the correct alignment. However, on reflection of the video, one limiting factor that I am experiencing is my ability to ‘spot’ consistently on a certain point which is impacting my stability as well as momentum. This made me feel very defeated as I had focused intently on my strength and balance however it seemed I had neglected this fundamental element of coordination when changing direction. The positive element however that I noted is that I have a strong relevé and therefore a good foundation for a strong pirouette. Looking into my coordination more, I researched the physics behind the pirouette turn from the book “Analyzing angular momentum in the pirouette” and I learnt that “the head should rotate at a different rate to the rest of the body” (Maya, 2010:13). Therefore, I understood that the momentum should not lead from the arms and body but rather through balance and quick head rotations. In response to this, every week I practiced Chaînés with emphasis on spotting and increasing the speed each week when I became more comfortable. This is a technical element which I will further continue to develop over the summer in preparation for second year as I want to be more comfortable turning in different directions which will be useful in second year dance project where spatial awareness is crucial.
It is important as I continue my training and further into a professional career that I maintain this in-depth understanding about my body and how important muscles engagement, alignment and coordination is for my dance and movement progression. Therefore, I will continue to develop my strength doing body weight exercises like press ups and sit ups and also targeting different muscles groups in the gym like my core and quads using weighted machines. I also acknowledge that as the year closes, the development of my coordination has not improved drastically compared to other areas. I can infer that this is mostly due to my mindset as I believed this would gradually increase though practice of technique and strength exercises, however through this reflective process, I have identified that coordination practices like turning pas de bourrées is an area of focus as I move into second year.
Voice
At the beginning of this course, I had undertaken around 2 years of surface level vocal training which mostly consisted of scale learning to increase my range and to also learn musical theatre songs. A skill I aimed to improve at the start of the year (highlighted in my PDP) was my power and resonance with head and head-mix qualities of voice. This is so when I embark into the industry, I can be a versatile soprano in which I can articulate my voice from legit to a contemporary belt to open my opportunities to a larger number of shows. Focusing on this, I noticed that I found it challenging to find the correct placement for notes around my break or in a higher pitch where they are clear and healthy without strain or a breathy quality. I worked to improve this area of my voice in lessons like vocal technique and in my individual singing lessons. An exercise that I found particularly useful was hustlers’ placements which focus’s on his methodology of which sound can resonate from different parts of the body.
Husler, F. and Rodd-Marling, Y. (1965) Singing: The physical nature of the vocal organ: A guide to the unlocking of the singing voice. New York: October House.
This diagram above indicates the areas in which we need to imagine the sound resonating from which may alter the laryngeal height or tongue placement to create a different vocal sound. I found the most effective placement was the bridge of nose which creates a brighter and more nasal sound which would be useful for more contemporary musical theatre pieces. This helped me therefore create a fuller and richer sound in a higher pitch without strain from my neck or throat. However, I found the top of back and collarbone highly unhelpful as it was challenging to visualise and henceforth I did not notice a difference in my sound quality.
In addition, I have been developing a set of reliable vocal exercises which aim to target my lack of power in my voice. Following research into how to bring the vocal chords together in order to produce a more powerful and controlled sound, I learnt about the importance of implementing plosive sounds which is described as “a complete obstruction of the airstream, followed by a subsequent release of air – for example, “p” or “b”” (Fisher, Kayes, 2018:46). I find this exercise really beneficial in creating a healthier and fuller sound with power and breath supporting it. I have been able to recently transfer this power into my spoken voice classes in which power and resonance is crucial for clarity and annunciating diction. Although. I feel confident applying exercises involving emphasis on consonants, I am still in the process of developing exercises which help strengthen vowel sounds.
I will be using Rolfs reflection model to reflect on the progress of my vowel shape and power when singing ‘Only Love’ from ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ (Wildhorn, 1997). In video 1 titled Voice ‘Recording Only Love’, I initially experienced a tight and closed sensation when approaching this high note. I also struggled with finding power in my voice as it resonated breathier and in the M2 register. Reflecting on this voice recording, it is evident that the vowel shape is affecting my quality of sound as the ‘ow’ sound causes my lips to close and therefore restrict the flow of sound. In order to improve this I practiced being comfortable with more open vowel shapes like ‘ah’. Conducting research into how to create a more powerful sound I discovered the importance of onsets and that during “a hard onset, the vibration starts from a closed glottis, the opening being abruptly forced by the rising subglottic lung pressure” (Lebacq, Dejonckere, 2019) In my singing lessons, I tried exercises which aligned with this research like ascending scales on the vowel sounds beginning with an ‘ah’ sound on a glottal onset to build sufficient subglottic pressure. In addition, I also practiced SOVT exercises like arpeggios on a buzzing v sound which allowed me to engage my back to energetically deliver the sound. As a result, I began noticing more power in my voice and a clearer mixed sound on a more open vowel. In the second video titled ‘ATS Voice Only Love’, I performed this in an acting through song class and therefore I felt I could embody the sound more using correct alignment of my body and neck and by engaging my latissimus Dorsi muscles to effectively connect my body and breath. This understanding of body and breath has been a transferrable skill within my spoken voice and accent lessons as I can use projection when reading text in a healthy and sustainable way. In the video it was evident that I was able to create a more open shape with my mouth imitating more of an ‘ah’ sound and lowered my tongue to also create more space for a fuller sound. Moving forward, I will continue to practice exercises to forwardly place the sound to resemble a belt quality as this is a weak area of my singing currently. It is important for a performer to have a versatile voice for a range of styles which opens more performance opportunities. I am interested in performing in contemporary musicals which requires more of a fuller voice with a strong belt and therefore this will be one of my ongoing targets as I progress through the course. Not only this, but it is essential for a musical theatre performer to have a strong connection between their body and breath to maintain stamina throughout an intense show week.
Acting
Starting the year, I had some experience within acting and felt familiar working with practitioners and their methodologies. An aspect however that I found difficult to grasp and embody was finding an objective and intention behind a text or character which feels authentic. A technique that I believe has allowed me develop as an actor is the ability to intensely research the world surrounding a character and by analysing the text. During our acting class, we began investigating the techniques of Stella Adler and understanding that when approaching a text it is important to “Always play an action, never an emotion—actions produce emotions” (Adler, 2000). I learnt about the skill of ‘Actioning the text’ which is where one allocates an action per line or section in order to clearly understand the intention of the character.
To the left is an example of a scene from the play ‘Skylight’ by David Hare (1995) which i have actioned line by line. Attempting this script before I actioned it felt forced and almost robotic as I was forcing the emotion that I believed matched the moment. I practiced saying the action such as ‘to deflect’ and then read the line focusing purely on the action rather than the emotion within the line. focusing on this approach, my acting seemed more fluid and authentic and also the relationship between both characters felt more genuine. reflecting on this, this technique has been a very useful and transferrable skill that I have developed to aid me to naturally discover intentions behind the text. However, an aspect I am still attempting to grasp is the ability to differentiate between similar actions such as ‘To interrogate’ and ‘To question’ and showcase this clearly to an audience. In order to develop this into second year, I can use my physical understand within actor movement to bridge the gap between actions and “Laban Efforts” (Laban, 1971). This can therefore aid me embody the characteristics of the action in a physical and vocal sense.
This technique has also been a focal point within our acting through song lessons as it was clear that I had little sense of intentions within the text and how to accurately display this during a song. I also began to notice bad habits that i was unintentionally making as my mind was not focused on an intention but mostly how my voice sounded in the space. This included weight shifting, shuffling feet and poor use of eye line. in order to correct this i focused on answering fundamental questions when approaching a score such as ‘What does the character need?’ or ‘what is the journey of the character?’ This helped me to establish an objective for my character which therefore informs my acting choice such as having a focused eye line to who or what I am singing to. I have tracked significant improvements within my use of objectives within ATS classes in align with my PDP with positive feedback from tutors supporting this.
In the first video Titled ‘Hello Young Lovers ATS’, it is clear that my gestures and movement have no real reason or intention and that is why they are sporadic and unnecessary. This is showcased by me moving forward and backwards without a purpose and also holding my hands close to my chest by habit rather than choice. However in video 2 (which is my most recent ATS session) titled ‘Only Love ATS’, my actions are driven by the ongoing objective of ‘I want this character to love me back’ and therefore there is no need for random gestures as the important element is to emphasise words expressed by the character. Therefore, minimal gestures seem more effective within this song as it is still clear that I am following my objective through my facial expressions, eyeline focus and emphasising the important words. Moving into second year however, I want to become more comfortable using larger appropriate gestures as we transition into focusing on contemporary musical theatre. in order to achieve this, I will practice contemporary songs using first small gestures (which would be appropriate for screen) and then increasing the scale to large and extreme gestures to become more comfortable heightening my expressions and using the space. This is important within Musical Theatre as the story and emotions needs to be communicated through the entire theatre space and therefore it is essential to exaggerate certain gestures to convey this.
Here is more evidence within a more experimental session during R&D week where I am seen playing the objective of the character rather than forcing an emotion. I wanted to include this clip as I was in a situation that mimics how I would use this technique when I leave drama school and in a more professional environment. However, within this scene I did feel that I had some unnecessary movements that did not aid my intention and objective. Moving forward this will be something that I will continue to explore in actor movement and how I can separate characters from my own habits.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I am satisfied with my overall progress from the three disciplines across my first year of training. I feel content with my current level of ability inline with my professional development plan, however I still feel inconsistent with some areas of my craft such like my jazz pirouettes. As discussed previously, my coordination and spotting with be a prevalent goal within my second year of training. Aside from this, I have recorded significant improvements in my dance more than my singing and acting. I understand that this is because I have focused more on this discipline as it was my weakest subject at the beginning of the year. If I was to begin the course again I would ensure to spend equal time developing all three disciplines in order to notice a steady progression overall. Specifically, I would delegate maybe an hour a day to focus on small sections of singing, acting and dancing that I found particularly tricky that day. I also believe that something that would have elevated my development would be to conduct more wider reading surrounding musical theatre. This could include reading more books, listening to more podcasts or soundtracks or seeing more local theatre to widen my knowledge deeper on different styles of musical theatre. Something that I have began as the year draws to a close is focusing more on music theory and securing my understanding of analysing my sheet music which will therefore inform my performance choices. I will take this into second year and track how this will positively impact my progress within both singing and acting through song. I am excited to begin second year as I am in a secure position to begin more personal exploration and experimentation. This could be attempting musical styles that are unfamiliar such as pop and rock or integrating more difficult elevated tap steps.
Bibliography
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