EMBODIED VOICE AND MOVEMENT 1 - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module introduces students to a range of key movement and voice practices designed to develop embodied awareness and understanding, expand their physical and vocal literacy and capability, and support students to embody a range of movement possibilities. Through the year students are encouraged to become self-reflective and independent, developing their confidence, clarity, and range of movement expression.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

BIRCH-LAWSON Rachel (GSA)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Content may vary according to staff specialisms and availability, but indicative content may include:

• Movement Fundamentals classes exploring Bartenieff Fundamentals, Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, Yoga.


• Expressive Movement classes exploring Laban, 5 Rhythms, Authentic Movement, and Gaga technique.


• Physical literacy exercises to develop alignment, strength, flexibility, and coordination.


• Practical voice classes exploring breath, resonance, articulation and more, to support good vocal support and function.


• Applied voice classes incorporating text, to familiarize students with their own expressive sounds.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

1. The beginnings of an embodied knowledge and understanding of key practitioners, theories, and practices.


2. Embodied skills in acting, movement and voice.


3. The ability to evaluate and articulate embodied knowledge, through self-reflection.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Continuous assessment: Embodied Movement (addresses 1,2,and 3 above)


• Continuous assessment: Embodied Voice (addresses 1,2,and 3 above)

Formative assessment Formative assessment and verbal feedback will be given in tutorials at the end of Teaching Block 1 and Teaching Block 2. In addition to these sessions, students will receive formative verbal feedback from tutors within class sessions in response to tasks and exercises, as appropriate

Module aims

• Develop students' embodied awareness and understanding of key practitioners, theories and practices
• Foster the development of embodied skills in acting, movement and voice
• Encourage self-reflection as a means of evaluating and articulating embodied knowledge.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Introduce students to a range of key physical and vocal practitioners, theories and practices.


• Enable the development of embodied skills in acting, movement and voice.


• Encourage the use of self-reflection to articulate and evaluate embodied knowledge.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ACT1036

Other information

Guildford School of Acting trains students, within their chosen fields, to have an understanding and appreciation of Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow acting students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Employability

The focus on employability is embedded in the teaching, learning and assessment activities throughout every aspect of this module to nurture career ready graduates that will be sought after by employers in the creative industries. Expert staff with practitioner backgrounds deliver authentic and practical modes of working in the studio, mirroring professional practice. Students develop transferable skills including independent and collaborative working, creative, critical and reflective thinking, and problem solving.

Digital Capabilities

Throughout the module students will be required to engage with digital technologies to develop their digital literacy, to support their learning journey. Students will also use traditional software and other digital technologies to undertake communication, administration, and planning.

Global & Cultural Capabilities

Through the skills taught in all classes across this module, students will develop their global, social, historical, and cultural awareness, share experiences and knowledge from their own backgrounds and cultures, and appreciate, recognise and interpret diverse perspectives. With an open mind and a willingness to engage in discussion, students will develop awareness and appreciate, recognise and interpret diverse perspectives in the characters and communities they will be portraying as actors-in-training. 

Resourcefulness & Resilience

The nature of the work means students will learn to navigate uncertainty, to deal with risks and challenges, and to take on board personal and professional responsibilities. The use of formative and summative feedback will enable the students to build a thorough overview of their individual process and progress. The training features independent and collaborative learning, problem solving, communication, perseverance, stamina, critical thinking, self-management, and an understanding of self-value.

Sustainability

Throughout the classes, students are encouraged to reflect on the social,¿cultural,ethical, political, economic, and environmental impact of the work they do as individuals and collectively, and to recognise their shared responsibilities. GSA has a strong commitment to working from the studio in the most sustainable way possible. Movement and voice classes allow the student to work in a sustained safe physical manner commensurate with rigors of professional delivery.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.