Pantomime and Mime Study Guide

Vocabulary: Be able to use these terms and understand their meaning.

PantomimeMimeNonverbal communication

CrossGestureKinesthesis

InclinationRotationIsolation

Motivated Sequence

Concepts: Be able to list and describe the following

Basic Pantomime MovementsStandard Pantomime Expressions

1. Relaxation1. Body as a Whole

2. Posture2. Feet and Legs

3. Walking and Sitting3. Head and Face

4. Crossing, Turning and Falling4. Fingers and Hands

5. Gestures

Principles of PantomimeConventional Mime Actions

1. BodyLanguage1. Mime Walks

2. Pantomime Expressions2. Rope Pull

3. Characterization3. Ladder Climb

4. Climbing Up and Down Stairs

Two Important Parts of Characterization

1. Imitation

2. Imagination

How to Develop a Pantomime

  1. Decide where to begin
  2. Set mental image
  3. Visualize appearance and emotional state of your character
  4. Imagine yourself dressed as character
  5. Motivated sequence - eyes first, face and head 2nd, chest 3rd, rest of body last
  6. Keep actions simple and clear
  7. Key action – Don’t guess. Keep every action visible to audience
  8. Have a reason for every movement or action
  9. Practice until you are satisfied with your movement, appearance, and the believability of the piece.
  10. One gesture or movement at a time
  11. Plan your introduction carefully
  12. Plan the ending carefully. Leave the stage in character!

Be able to answer the following questions:

1. Compare and contrast mime and pantomime giving at least two similarities and two differences?

2. Explain the importance of relaxation when performing pantomime.

3. Describe the posture you might use to portray a character with confidence and strength.

4. Give an example of how you would change your body posture to portray an angry character. What is your body language?

5. When preparing for a pantomime, name three important ways you will develop the pantomime.

6. Identify the two parts of characterization and tell how you can accomplish each.

7. Choose one of the conventional mime actions and describe your body language while performing this action. Include what your head and face, fingers and hands, and feet and legs will do to communicate the action.

8. Use the twelve steps of developing a pantomime to explain how you would perform the following scenario.

Example scenario: (a different scenario will be given on the test.)

You are a small child who is walking in the park with your mom. You are holding your mom’s hand until you spy a tennis ball in the grass. You let go of your mom’s hand, grab the ball and examine. As you are doing this, a small dog runs up and is looking at you as if waiting for something. You realize it wants you to throw the ball and so you do.

Pantomime and Mime Vocabulary

1. pantomime: acting without words

2. mime: an offspring of pantomime that conveys abstract ideas; also refers to the person performing the mime

3. nonverbal communication: communicating without words, using facial expressions, gestures, and body language

4. cross: to move from one position to another onstage

5. gesture: a movement of any part of the body to help express an idea

6. kinesthesis: sometimes called “muscle memory”; the neuromuscular sense the body has in a particular position

7. Inclination: the bending of the body to the front, the side, or the rear

8. Rotation: turning or pivoting the body in smooth circles

9. Isolation: the process of separation parts of the body for individual development and expression