3 ways to improve body language for acting on stage
55% of your communication is done by your body and not by the lines you find on the script. Here's how to improve it!
Hey Thespian,
Does it happen to you too, on stage, to feel static or awkward?
Maybe during an important performance?
What if I told you that not only is this an extremely common problem… but one that 99% of theater coaches have no idea how to solve?
I have been studying the performing arts and doing shows for more than 12 years now. I have done dozens of shows with hundreds of different people. I can tell you for sure that many of these people can't get their body language consistent with the lines they say. Those who can, very often, do so intuitively and not because they have “studied.”
Am I saying that if you do not have this ability by nature, you cannot develop it?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
It can be learned… and it is easier than you think!
You should know that, according to a 1971 study conducted by Albert Mehrabian, a professor at UCLA, it was found that our communication is strongly influenced by hidden signals, i.e., nonverbal language.
To be exact, according to this study also often taken up by NeuroLinguistic Programming:
7% are the words we use
Paraverbal language (tone of voice, pauses, etc...) decides 38%.
And the remaining 55% is body language (our physical movements, facial expressions, the clothes we wear, etc...)
You may have happened, in your acting classes, to do an exercise where 2 people can only communicate by saying “It's not this, it's that!” or by using one word and repeating it with different expressions.
This kind of exercise is proof that the words we use matter much less than how we say them.
Unfortunately, however, this exercise does not actively teach you to control your body language, only to align it with your intention. Instead, how can we study more deeply the art of using body language, so that we can consciously choose what we want to communicate at any given moment?
Here are 3 ways you can apply regularly to improve your body language for acting on stage.
Way #1: Study from books.
Did you know that holding your hands open and facing upwards conveys a sense of familiarity and friendship?
And on the other hand, holding a hand pointing downward below the chin line is a sign of authority and reproach?
These are all aspects of body language that, over the years, have been studied by behaviorism experts and are often taught in courses on public speaking and effective selling.
We actors, too, can take our cues from these studies to have clear reference points when building a scene or working on a character.
And let's be clear.
You don't need to buy hundreds of books on the subject. In fact, I recommend you limit yourself to this very useful book by Joe Navarro, who is one of the world's foremost experts on body language (you can also read his first book so you know even more, but it is not essential)
You will see for yourself that, this first way alone, will give you so many tools with which you can amaze both your director and the audience.
Way #2: Imitate the greats.
It's ironic you know?
We all get into the world of acting by imitating the actors we see on TV....
But then when we start studying acting, we imitate less and less.
And that's a big mistake, because that's really where we should start taking our cues from the actors we see in the movies or in the theater.
Therefore, always remember:
Whenever you work on a character, look for movies and TV series with similar characters and imitate the way they do and move
As a bonus, also repeat their lines, trying to say them with exactly the same intention and tone as they do
Don't limit yourself to movies and TV series: even in real life there are often “interesting people” you might want to imitate (of course... don't do it in front of them... or if you do watch your nose! ;) )
Consciously imitating is an amazing way to unlock new possibilities in your acting toolbox.
Way #3: Exaggerate
This is a lesson we are taught early in our acting journey: “It is better to exaggerate and then clean up than to be conservative and then add.”
Yet once we develop our style, we hardly ever go back to exaggeration.
After all, we feel we no longer need to and can “catch” our characters on the fly.
The truth is that exaggeration is always useful....
For that matter, it leads you to discover new combinations and positions that may never come in handy, but they expand the awareness you have of your body.
And the more aware you are of your body, the more precise and refined the movements you will have on stage.
The whole thing will become much more instinctive and immediate for you, giving you tremendous self-confidence during each performance.
BONUS WAY: Keep a diary
You will hear me harp on this advice a lot.
I will repeat it so many times…
So many that you may end up not being able to stand me anymore (or I will become a Meme...who knows ;) ).
Keep a journal and write down all the feelings, ideas, and insights you have whenever you imitate someone, read a book about body language, or exaggerate your actions.
This IS the million dollar tip that applies to any discipline you want to master.
The benefits of keeping a journal are truly many and will take you a quantum leap in a very short time.
But I will discuss this in more depth in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, to recap the 3 ways to improve body language for acting on stage:
Study body language from books (I recommend starting with this one, which is indispensable in every actor's library)
Imitate actors from movies (or people in everyday life)
Exaggerate
BONUS: Keep a journal and jot down all the ideas, insights and feelings that come to you when you use these 3 ways.
See you next week,
Henry the Mighty
Founder of Confident Actor's Playbook
PS - Let me know in the comments if there is any particular topic you would like to explore. I'm always interested to know what we can explore together to grow more and more confident actors capable of unforgettable performances.