ELP

The purpose of the ELP exercises is to gain a deeper understanding of the subject’s movements. After attempting this a few times, I am gaining not only a better understanding of my subject, but also a deeper understanding in the art of idiosyncratic movement. This is a comment not on the movements of the subject, but on the inability of the studier to fully realize the subject. It is quite easy to mimic the vocal patterns, for one hears voices in almost every part of one’s life. However, an individual has certain ticks which accompany certain actions like recalling, articulating, extrapolating, and a whole host of other actions dealing with thought. For example, a common movement when recalling is to look either to the left, or the right. Sometimes one even looks up, down, or any other direction in the attempt to call the bit of information to the fore. The reason why this might be so difficult in noticing in the first or even second attempt is that one most likely does not even realize one’s own idiosyncratic ticks. While Some ticks are quite obvious, for example, when the person to whom one is speaking gestures their hands to add further articulation to the story. Other ticks are more elusive. I say elusive, not in the sense that the person is attempting to hide them, but in the sense that we do not recognize them as ticks. For example, the number of items on one’s hand, the deep breath of air before an explanation, or even a particular way in which one pronounces a word. I begin this study full in the knowledge that I will never be able to complete it. One cannot fully realize the subject, for one is not the subject. The pronunciations, idioms, axioms, physical ticks, verbal ticks, posture, and a plethora of emotions which through which one roves during any course of one’s day at which can only be hinted or inferred by the studier. There will always be a part of one which seeps into the portrayal of the subject, but maybe that in and of itself is not wholly bad for one’s view of another will always be biased: One sees through one’s own eyes only. One’s performance is a proclamation of one’s view of the subject, and therefore, will always be different from one studier, to the next. Personally, I’m enjoying working on this ELP exercise. I liken it to studying a script, yet instead on the written word, it is the living person.