What Acting Classes should a Beginner Actor Take?

What should beginner acting classes consist of?

Beginner actors need acting classes that address the basics of acting more than anything else, in order to build a strong foundation for all the rest of their actor training. 

By acting basics I mean things like learning how to breathe as an actor. Did you know that you need to breathe into your belly as an actor? Breathing into your belly helps you gain access to your emotions so that you can express yourself authentically. You also need to breathe into your heart centre and open it up so as to access truthful feelings. 

The authentically embodied actor

Beginner actors need to learn how to drop out of their heads and into their bodies. Do you know why? Because your mind can take you into the past or the future but the body can only be here now in present time. And actors need to learn to live in their bodies in present time.I’ve written several articles on this topic and you can find them here under The Actor’s Instrument

“To be at acting school, it was kind of the first time you felt the freedom to be as much as yourself as you wanted. People weren’t going to judge you.”

 – Michael Imperioli

Organic listening for the beginner actor

Beginner acting classes should teach you to learn to listen as an actor. Actors listen differently and more deeply than the average person. You should learn about how to act on your instincts and impulses, and be able to recognize the urge in your body instead of in your head. As a beginner actor you will want to learn ways you can become less inhibited, more daring and courageous, unpredictable and creative. You will need to learn how to turn a “mistake” into an opportunity, how to trust yourself in the moment, and how to let go of control. Beginner acting classes should teach you how to live organically in the moment, how to trigger strong needs and emotions in a safe way. 

An acting student at our Toronto acting school practises the basics of organic listening and fully inhabiting the moment

How should a beginner actor approach acting?

Learning in a variety of ways to approach acting is important for beginner actors just learning about the art of acting. I teach how to work from the inside out as well as the outside in. I don’t teach just one method or approach to acting. I teach a variety of approaches. Essentially my Toronto acting classes are a holistic approach to acting. You will need to get physical when you are first learning how to act. You’ll want to move, and move out of your comfort zone physically as well as emotionally and mentally. Learning to open up emotionally and be vulnerable needs to be done in the hands of a teacher who understands the psychology of how to do this safely. You’ll want to learn to live outside the box which will help you make stronger, more compelling choices once you get into your scene work. Therefore your beginner acting class should challenge you safely.

Self Discovery and the Actor

You will want to gain plenty of self knowledge as a beginner actor so that you can play a large variety of characters easily! I offer private one-on-one acting coaching in support of actors wanting to gain access to the characters that live inside of them, gaining much self knowledge. My 25 years of teaching acting has included not only actor training but also therapeutic and movement training. I’ve worked with and continue to work with a variety of therapists and therapy supervisors to gain the necessary support and know how to help actors in this way. 

Beginner acting classes are best when they consist of exercises that work on the above, giving the beginner actor a series of acting exercises they can practice on their own. As you can see, the basics are not superficial. They are the very deep, embodied practice of the actor, whether beginner or experienced.

A beginner actor in the Actor’s Instrument Class experiences liberation after peeling back the layers in a deep dive self exploration exercise

When should a beginner actor take an on-camera class, an audition technique class or a scene study class?

Taking an on-camera class, an audition technique class or a scene study requires these acting basics listed above to already be in place. The most productive thing to do would be to take these more advanced acting classes once you feel you have some understanding of acting basics and how to work with them. Otherwise your acting teacher will be dealing with your actor’s Instrument rather than the character and the scene. And because most acting classes don’t address what I’ve laid out above, the acting teacher may try to apply techniques to the scene itself, not recognizing that’s not where the issue lies! Or they may simply suggest you are not connected and suggest you go away and get connected, without telling you specifically what to do about it. Simply because it’s not the focus of their class!

I strongly advise beginner actors take a class that does not involve scene work at the start. I teach a class called the Actor’s Instrument Class both online internationally and in person in Toronto, Canada. This acting class is for beginner actors and will address each and every detail an actor needs to practice before they are handed a film or play script. You can read more information on the Actor’s Instrument class here: https://cindytanas.com/in-person-acting-classes/#acting-classes-category

Experienced actors will also gain tremendously by revisiting their acting basics. As a matter of fact, many experienced actors that come into my acting classes recognize that they do not have enough practice in the basics and that is why they are struggling in their on-camera and scene study classes. 

Cindy Tanas Actors Studio teaches acting classes for Theatre and Film in Toronto and the GTA, Collingwood and Southern Georgian Bay.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Acting Teacher / Mentor / Life Coach Cindy Tanas, has run a highly reputable and successful Toronto acting school for over 25 years. She teaches Acting Classes for beginners and experienced actors. Cindy is a member of ACTRA, former Chair and member of TAAS (Toronto Association of Acting Studios) and member of Theatre Ontario.

Cindy Tanas Actors Studio offers a holistic approach to acting in Toronto since 1995. Both in person and online acting classes are available.

www.torontoactingstudios.com
www.actratoronto.com
www.theatreontario.org