Dunkel (Continued )--

Allen --

Dunkel -

A senile, old person immediately becomes stooped and broken. Nothing gives
as much vitality and strength to a character as correct posture." So we
find posture helpful in conveying negative impressions as well as positive
onese Have you noticed that those stage people who please us we usually
describe with words of approval such as "allure" and "glamour". These
words we generally reserve for an expression of porsonality which the
average spectator never even considers as boing possible for himself. Now
let's look beyond the footlights into the proccss of making the particular
actor what he or she is in physical appeale Considor that every young
actor undergoes rigorous training in dancing, fencing, and goneral body
postures. Why'Ive scen a theatrical novice practicc just sitting down or
getting up like a young pisno student might practice his scales. Welking,
going up and down stairs, ond all the hundred and one necessary movements
in daily life must be done as an art. Thon after this period of work and
practice has accomplished its purpose, we who sit out in front admiring
actors' ease are wont to sigh and murmur, "God has been good to them, aron't
they fortunate!" Don't ever fool yourself that what scems so simplo and
natural for these artists is divine favor alone. The samo formula that
works and wonders for them will do just that for any one with the interest
and determination to practice ite Just last night. I noticed in the paper

a description of a word we hear a lot lately --- umph - described as person-
al dynamics, meaning attractiveness, ond kinesthetic vigor. Body posture
is a very real part of that personal dynamic impression. I will nover for-
fet Jim Bausch, the World's Olympic Decathlon Champion. On the Kansas
basketball court or on the track, his power was eaily apparent, but even in
his casual and relaxed positions ho radiated the powor and force that was
his because of the thrilling wey in which he carricd himsclf. He was a
neat example of perfect focus in body posture.

Yes, and he had that power, too, Miss Dunkel. I remember once on the prac-
tice court in the gymnasium, the basketball was thrown into the balconye
Jim Bausch, with a Herculenn leap grasped the girders of the gallery and

in an instant he pulled his gigantic form up tho girder, over the rod, and
into the balcony after that ball, with the poise and doxterity of a modern
Tarzane Thore was grace and efficiency. Miss Dunkol, you have had a great
deal of training in the dance. Aren't the problems of the dancer and the
actor much the same?

Yes, their problems have mech in commone But the actor, of course, has his
voice and his speaking lines to help make himself expressive to his audience.
Whereas the dancer has to depend entirely on movement for expressione Del-
sarte spent his life making a study of emotional oxpression through body
position and movement. He discovered and codified the laws that govern

the usc of the humen body =s an instrument of expression, and his findings
have been invaluable oids in doveloping the arts of the dencor and actor.

Of course, tho average individual who isn't trying to tell o story or con-
vey a message to an audience through movement docsn't nocd to bo as skil-
ful as the ortist, but he should never forget that his movements and his
body positions still retain the same powers of oxpression, anc he conveys
many impressions to the public concerning his inner sclf, his ments atti-
tudes and his emotional traits through the positions and postures of his
bodye I have noticed, Dr. Allon, when you want jrour besketbe11 mon to sug-
fost an aggressive, militant attitude they immediately assume a posture as-
sociated with that foeling. You doubtless have discovorod what wo have in
dancing concerning the relationship of thought anc feoling to body positicn.
The two scom to complement one another -- idoa or omotion tending to evoke