THE WARM UP I learned this from my mentor, Roberta Gasbarre, nearly 20 years ago – at the time of this posting. I try to teach this and pass on to tohers when ever possible. People ask how does someone my size move the way I do? Read on…. OH! and breathe!!! The purpose of posting this is to support those that have learned it from me (or others) in classes. NOTE! Certain elements can cause pain and injury if not applied correctly.
Stand upright. Stand at Neutral. Feet about shoulder width apart. Feet below knees. Knees below hips. Hips below shoulders. BREATHE! Throughout this warm-up if you feel yourself tensing, let it go. Toes, Knees, hips, hands, shoulders, neck, jaw… let it go. Release the tension.
Drop chin to chest. Keep the spine straight. The spine extends to the top of the neck. So drop the head from top of the neck. Lifting in the stomach and chest, supporting the spine. Roll the head to the right. Breath in. As you reach the top, exhale and vocalise. AAAAAAH. Roll back to chest. (Careful not to over extend to the back. Around the time I learned this, dancers we stopping this type of stretch of rolling the head WAY to the back.) Repeat 2-3 times. And then 2-3 times to the left. If you have neck tension or pain, take a couple extra seconds and roll away form the pain, gently. Passive stretching can reduce and eliminate this tension. Forced efforts will add to the problem. When done return chin to chest and breath.
Lift in the gut. Lifting out of the hips. Weight should be rolled forward but ankles on the groung. UP & OUT!!! Check for tension head to toe and back again.
Clasp hands behind head. Above the neck, thumbs can rest at the base of the skull. Drop elbows towards the ground. One at a time, each elbow feels heavier, slowly twisting the head. Just a bit. Again passive movements. After a few twists come back to center. BREATHE! Take a deep breath and roll up the head. Expand the elbows up and out to the sides , opening the chest wide. Push the head gently into the hands. DEEP BREATH. Release hands up and out standing in a T position (Hands straight out left and right). AAAAAAAAAAAAH. Take a few more breathes. Check for tension and release.
TAKE DEEP BREATH, EXHALE and give your self a hug. Wrap hands as far around our body as possible. Walk the hands farther back and then down the shoulder blades, giving yourself a massage. BREATHE and release tension. Lifting up and out of the hips, twist the upper body left and right. Go as far as you can WITHOUT twisting the hips. Return to center, take a deep breath and release back to T position.
Feel a string reaching up and out of your head, cheast and hands. Allow it to float you to your toes. UP AND OUT. As your ankles return to the group continue to float up.
Hands float up, intertwine and hands are now palm to palm. Shake your head yes andno. Release tension in jaw, neck, toes etc. Reaching for the ceiling. Continue to reach up, bed your knees, keeping tail bone above the ankles (AKA don’t sit, flaring butt to the rear – so to speak). This will give your mid section a nice stretch. Extend legs and relax (Still reaching intertwined hands to the ceiling) REPEAT. Again check for tension. now, lifting up and out of your hips, start drawing circles on the ceiling. Start small. Getting larger. Again keep hips stationary. When you can’t get any bigger with out moving the hips, go back in the opposite direction, unwinding and slowly coming back to center. When you are straight up and again, take one last big breath, squeezing hands together, and release, exhale and vocalise AAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
Shake things loose and widen stance. From here on out if you have any sort of back, neck or other injury, please procede with caution and work only with professional present.
THE LOBSTER – With wider stance (2nd position parallel) reach hands up and back, bend knees, arch the back, plant the hands on the hips for support. Looking behind you vocalise AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, hake head yes and know. Release tension.
THE CAT – Out of the LOBSTER hands come back over the top (Like the butterfly swim stroke) landing on the knees with and arched back. Head and butt are low with middle of the back at the highest point. Knees bent. Feet flat on the ground. If comfortable, bend knees a little more.
THE DOG – Out of the CAT, roll to a flat back. Knees are bent, feet flat on the floor, the spine is complete flat and elongated. Looking forward breathe and vocalise AAAAAAAAAAAAAH. (REPEAT CAT/DOG)
TEH BIG FINISH – the next three steps are meant to go as slowly as you need them. Think meditation.
THE POOPER (Anyone have a better term, I do comedy these days)- From the dog, reach hand forward for balance and roll butt down to just hovering above the ground. In the crouching position, feet should be flat on the floor, rather wide apart. It literally looks like you are pooping in a hole. If you can, bring hands in. If you have to keep them out stretched for balance. NOTE: If you are warming up for a specific part (performance, rehearsal or audition) start visualizing the character (Breath, clothing, props etc). Good to start thinking as the character. As you roll up, roll up as the character.
THE ROLL UP PART ONE – The head drops at the top of the neck. Hands dangle to the floor. Release all tension in the neck etc. Breath and lift in the stomach. The butt starts to float to the ceiling. Slowly rolling up to half way. Stop when the butt is the highest point and the hear, neck, shoulders and arms are just there letting gravity do its best. Stomach muscles and toes are barely keeping you up. (REPEAT and roll up this far at even slower pace. PAIN is bad but, intense burn is good that will release at the top.)
THE ROLL UP PART TWO – Now lets roll up the rest of the way VERY SLOWLY. With each full breath roll up one vertebrae at a time. Head and shoulders stay relaxed until the last possible moment. The slower the better. At the last possible moment shoulders and then the head roll into erect position. BREATH.
WELCOME TO EXPENDED NEUTRAL. try taking your first step in character. Go writie in your performer’s journal about the experience. What felt good? bad? awkward? Any new developments? Discoveries?
ADDENDUM: For me at this point I like to have my eyes closed and focus. Focus on the task at hand. Focus on lines, blocking and music. Focus on character. What ever, JUST FOCUS!
Mr. Frasier has appeared on film, TV, Commercials and the Live theaer and is currently the director of intruction for the COMEDY HALL OF FAME FOUNDATION (www.comedyhalloffame.com) See Walt Frasier live in Times Square and touring nationwide in Improv Comedy Troupe EIGHT IS NEVER ENOUGH. (www.eightimprov.biz
