Developing decision-making skills for performance through the practice of mindfulness in somatic training

Edinborough, Campbell

Abstract

Decision-making is a fundamental part of the actor's work. Actors must choose how to present a character, how to tell a story, and how to communicate with an audience. This article examines how certain somatic practices used in actor-training can improve processes of decision-making through the development of mindfulness. Through examining the way in which the psychologist Ellen Langer correlates increased mindfulness with a clearer sense of the available options during decision-making, the article shows the relationship between Langer's experimental studies and the practices developed by the somatic practitioners Moshe Feldenkrais (developer of the Feldenkrais Method) and Minoru Inaba (Aikido master). In conclusion, the article suggests that somatic practices and physical training should not merely be seen as tools to improve physical technique, but as valuable processes for improving the actor's embodied sense of self during decision-making. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.

Citation

Edinborough, C. (2011). Developing decision-making skills for performance through the practice of mindfulness in somatic training. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 2(1), 18-33. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443927.2010.543917

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Mar 14, 2011
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2011
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Theatre, Dance and Performance Training
• Print ISSN: 1944-3927
• Electronic ISSN: 1944-3919
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 18-33
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19443927.2010.543917
• Keywords: Decision-making; Mindfulness; Somatic; The Feldenkrais Method; Aikido
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/465917
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19443927.2010.543917