When I receive a new script, my first step surprises people. I create an audio recording of every scene I’m in – not just my lines, but everyone’s lines. Using apps like LineLearner, I record each cue line followed by my response, all delivered in completely monotone voice with zero inflection or emotion.

This approach might make acting coaches cringe, but it connects directly to Sanford Meisner’s teaching philosophy. Meisner had students rehearse lines in monotone specifically to prevent them from “setting” a line reading too early. The goal? When you’re actually performing, you can react naturally to whatever happens in the moment and deliver your lines however feels right.

But there’s a deeper psychological reason this works so well.

What are psychologists doing watching dancers? They're trying to get a better understanding of how a dancer's emotions affect the way they move. These researchers used some sophisticated equipment – including a motion capture apparatus – to analyze exactly how people moved while they were experiencing different emotional states.

I think you'll find what they did and what they found to be quite interesting. If you're interested in dance and psychology you'll get a glimpse of how these two fields can be combined. That's one of the things about psychology: you can apply it to so many areas of life, including dance.

Most performers "mark" when they're tired during rehearsals. Are they "not giving it their all" or are they getting quite a benefit from doing this? You'd be surprised at how beneficial marking can be. I talked about the psychology of dance in a previous episode but in this one I review the research on "marking", a practice which many performers do.