Movement & Dance

Our personalities are indicated by the shape of our bodies and the way that we stand, sit walk.

Our movements and their motivations stem from physical, emotional and mental sources. Our minds and feelings are informed by physical experience. Thoughts trigger emotions and actions.

We sense our bodies and we are aware of its energy. The outline of the body is the shape of its inner contents. Movement starts with an impulse and not for movement's sake.

The actor transforms his body into many bodies but always moves out of need.

The role of the movement teacher is to free this process. To assist the actor in bringing the body to a state of readiness; to be aware of its weight, rhythm and breath.

It is through the practice of movement that we open up the possibility of information flowing freely from the inside-out and the outside-in. This state enables the actor to give way to the imagination.

About Jack Murphy

Jack trained as an actor at LAMDA 1985 -1988 and graduated with the Alec Clunes Memorial Prize. He immediately worked in theatre as an actor (Theatre Royal, Stratford East, Mercury Theatre, Colchester and the Royal National Theatre.)

While performing in The Mountain Giants at the RNT he was invited to become the assistant to the Head of Movement in order to re-train as a Director of Movement, Movement Teacher and Choreographer. This consisted of a major re-study programme with Jane Gibson (Head of Movement RNT) Trish Arnold (Head of Movement GSMD) and The Royal Academy of Dance (Historical Branch).

Having worked as a freelance theatre practitioner Jack has a clear, coherent understanding of the demands placed on an actor working in theatre, television and film today. His work has included children’s theatre with David Wood, Shakespeare at the RSC, Birtwistle at the ROH, pantomime at Chipping Norton with Toby Jones, Proust at the National Theatre and many films and television programmes; Vanity Fair, Sylvia, Bridget Jones, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.

During 2004 he co-directed and choreographed “Ballroom” by John Retallack for the Riverside Studios and Tour for which he received a Manchester Evening News Award nomination for Best Production. Jack has directed at the Wilde Theatre, Bracknell, in the open air in Oxford and final year showings at LAMDA and ALRA.