Acting
Acting from A-Z (suitable for beginner to advanced students)
Taught by Ann James or Charles Mayer.  Click here for instructor profiles.

This interactive workshop is designed to be a microcosm of a full-scale acting program and includes nearly every aspect of the craft of acting.  We will explore the terminology, concepts, principles, and practices which are employed in the industry.  Warm-ups, theater games and improvisation exercises, scene work in its many forms, techniques for mastering character, learning/memorizing lines, blocking, voice/diction/projection, movement and stage awareness, performing on stage, styles, techniques, systems, and methods of acting, space and timing, comedy vs. drama, are all covered in this intensive overview.  We will also explore the art of the audition, using video and journals in self assessment, and the many facets of putting on a production.

This course is a fascinating journey into the craft of acting in all its glory.  Exercises and activities build on each other week by week, incorporating skills and techniques from the previous week in a cohesive way.  Individual as well as small and large-group projects progress throughout the ten weeks, culminating in a final performance.  Interesting and engaging homework assignments enable students to practice and hone their skills and to perfect techniques in between lessons.  The tone of the course is to create an atmosphere of total immersion, a fun yet professional working environment, replete with a complete spectrum of diverse acting experiences.  Designed for actors of all levels, students work under the tutelage of a veteran of the stage.  Come and learn the building blocks of the craft, which are drawn from a variety of systems, including those of Stanislavsky, Meisner, Artaud, and Bogart.

Skills and topics to be covered will include:

• Break down physical and internal barriers to identify and bring out the most-effective individual techniques for creating truthful and believable characters.

• Explore techniques to deliver the same line night after night on the stage -- and make it seem just as real each time.

• Develop techniques for rehearsing, reading, auditioning, and creating a meaningful performance.

• Work with time-honored scripts to apply various acting methods in both rehearsals and performances.

• Calibrate performances based direction from a seasoned veteran, as you practice hitting marks, establishing emotional and physical continuity, and strengthening imagination in acting choices.

• Engage in a variety of fun and effective exercises and activities to relax, overcome inhibitions, and to increase mental and physical awareness in order to move naturally and to optimize the use of the body as an instrument of expression.

• Learn to breathe effectively and improve body alignment, open the energy channels in the body which control the vibrations, resonance, and range of the human voice.

• Break scenes down into beats, understanding and creating the character's arc, and insight into the character's emotional and psychological state.

Course Title: Acting
Tuition Fee: RMB 3200

Spring Session 2013: March 3rd to May 8th

Section A: Wednesday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 6th to May 8th (Course Code: AC103)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section B: Wednesday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 6th to May 8th (Course Code: AC104)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section C: Wednesday evenings (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 6th to May 8th (Course Code: AC105)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section D: Sunday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 3rd to May 5th (Course Code: AC106)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Fall Session 2013: October 9th to December 15th

Section A: Wednesday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 9th to December 11th (Course Code: AC103)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section B: Wednesday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 9th to December 11th (Course Code: AC104)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section C: Wednesday evenings (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)
10 weeks from October 9th to December 11th (Course Code: AC105)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section D: Sunday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 13th to December 15th (Course Code: AC106)
Location: ELC Learning Center

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS COURSE

Registration Procedure:
First register online to reserve your place.  You will receive a confirmation email with further details and instructions.  Payment must be made on site at the ELC Learning Center during the payment dates shown below (you can come in person or send someone).

Tuition fee payment for the Fall Session 2013 will take place Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, September 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th.  The payment hours are 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Payments will be received in the Registration Office at the ELC Learning Center.  Payment must be received on time to complete your enrollment and maintain your reservation in the class(es) for which you have registered.

Register early to reserve your place, as many classes fill up quickly.  If the course for which you are registered does not reach the minimum enrollment requirement, you will be notified of the cancellation before the payment dates.  As such, we receive payments only for courses which are proceeding as scheduled.  Please note, we do not offer trial lessons or discounts of any kind.  Refund Policy: No refunds will be issued after the start of the term.