We use emotions in every genre of our work; they are valuable to actors and essential to performances. In our everyday lives, we all experience and feel emotions, yet even experienced actors have the occasional question, such as, “I know how he/she feels, but I’m not quite there yet…” or “I’m not sure why he/she does/says A and B.”.

Throughout this 6-week class, you will explore a wide range of emotions to enhance your emotional expression for your work. Students will gain a deeper understanding of their role’s emotions under given circumstances, whatever the production genre may be.

There is NO prior ‘Emotional Range class’ experience required. As the class is NOT a repeat of the previous content, previous students are also encouraged to join this class to deepen their understanding and skills.

As you practice elaborate exercises, you will become more adept at playing your characters and interfacing with one another more precisely.
Every class includes movement-based exploration to ensure you are ready to experiment and learn. Feedback is provided, and further discussion will be available to advance your skills and potential for your future career and projects.

Upon completing the course, you will be more confident, ready to produce better work, and more aware of how you interact with characters, texts and others.

Class Progression

1. How does any ’emotion’ manifest in our bodies?
2. Emotional and imaginative exploration of combined emotions
3. How to practice using your body and voice and how to expand your emotional range
4. Application to the text you have chosen, involving tension and release as well as gestures
5. Better control: How to improve your senses and achieve better results
6. How to integrate all and make your character visible, audible and believable

All 6 days of the course include short, limber and preparatory exercises to ensure you are in a better frame of mind and working towards a responsive yet coordinated body and mind.

We aim to physically and mentally extend the actors’ ability and imagination. At the end of the course, you will have a better sense and understanding of your craft, especially sensorial connection to emotion through body, voice and text that empower you and support your future projects and career development.

FAQ

I haven’t taken any Movement or formal Acting classes before. Can I join this class?

Yes, definitely. Suppose you want to improve yourself or seek to change the direction of your career. In that case, you will hugely benefit from acquiring the knowledge and practical skills through this series of classes.

However, if you are still worried that this course will be too advanced, you can join other introductory classes to enhance your understanding of your work. Meanwhile, you can supplement it with personal training or private lessons with her or other teachers. If you want to discuss your concerns, please email the ELFS or tutor directly. We are happy to guide you through!

If I miss a class, can I make it up later?

If you know when booking the class that you will be absent during one specific date, you can make up for the session the next time the course is repeated (introductory courses repeat every 5 to 10 weeks).

If you miss a class due to a severe emergency, you can make it up the next time. However, if you miss a class for personal reasons, the course can unfortunately not be made up.

I am not a native English speaker and worry that my language level will not be enough. Can I still join this course?

Absolutely! We have many students who are not native English speakers.
The classes are a great place to become accustomed to working in English internationally while improving your acting skills.

I’m interested in your class, but I’m not confident that my English is good enough. Is there a Japanese translator available?

We don’t provide a translator, but the course tutor is bilingual and speaks native-level Japanese. Additionally, there are usually bilingual students in each class who can help you if you have questions. Our tutors are also happy to explain things more slowly and simply if you need assistance understanding an exercise or feedback.

About the Tutor

Kaoru is an acting coach, movement teacher, and Alexander Technique teacher with over 1800 individuals in the past twenty years, including celebrities, actors, musicians, dancers, and opera singers. She is also a Movement Director and an IDC-certified Intimacy Director.

With her extensive training since childhood, she graduated from Toho Gakuen Art College for Drama and Music, Goldsmiths College, University of London, and the Hampstead Centre for the Alexander Technique, certified by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique. She translated and published F.M. Alexander’s ‘The Use of the Self’ by Banseishobo in 2010.

She is recognised for her dedication to professional development, as evidenced by her two certifications from the Japan Harassment Counsellor Association in 2022 as a Harassment Counselor/Advisor before becoming certified as an intimacy director by Intimacy Directors and Coordinators in the US.

Kaoru also made history as the first and only Asian student in the inaugural MA Movement Studies cohort at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where she developed her expertise in Movement, Direction, and Pedagogy, expanding her passion for Actor’s process. Kaoru was teaching as the youngest tutor at Toho Gakuen College for Drama and Music and the National Theatre Drama Studio/Opera Studio while teaching in some other drama schools and theatre companies’ vocational courses. She has also provided private lessons and group classes in the Alexander Technique, Rudolf Laban’s method, and various acting techniques for twenty years. She is also pursuing her career in Intimacy Directing and Movement Directing with like-minded professionals worldwide.