News - Demidov Etudes Course

Dear friends!
We invite you to familiarize yourself with ONLINE course curriculum 'Demidov Etudes'
This online acting course is simultaneously the roots and the crown of the creative tree; the foundation and the apex of the acting pyramid; the acting basics and its crowning skills.

Introductory Classes: November  10//17

November 21 to December 19 (Part I)

January 9 to February 6 (Part II)

Sundays and Thursdays (Nov 25 off)

150 min. sessions. Online via Zoom.
Beginners through to Advanced.
 
03.00 pm New York
08.00 pm London
11.00 pm Moscow

LEARN MORE

News - Actor's Journal. Part II

Chapter 2 

 Per aspera ad astra

(Our aspirations take us to the stars)

Russian Theater School is believed to be one of the best on the world. However, where there’s excellence, there’s always a system. 

As I have mentioned before I was always a very sensitive kid. And probably my most outstanding feature was inexplicable love for freedom. That’s why later on I have found myself drawn to Demidov principles, but I’ll tell you all about that in the next chapter. 

I was not happy studying at my Russian school: to be honest these were 4 years of pure emotional torture?

Most of the things that we did were aimed on the result, and nobody cared much about inner processes of each student. 

Moreover, I had a feeling that everything we did was just for a show, as if it was a shiny shell with the emptiness inside. My ideas were called “too odd” and my attempts were always met by criticism and even personal offence. Hard to believe it’s still happening these days… However, it is true. 

It pressured me a lot and I even had problems with my throat and voice (which made the situation worse because we had to sing a lot)  - like I was constantly “swallowing” all of those insults. 

I was to young to stand up for myself and defend my boundaries back then. But I had the sense of inner truth - it was like a compass that was guiding me through those hard times and I knew that “one day” there will be the right time and place for me. When I was getting my diploma on stage the head teacher told me “You were trying so hard… But you know you’ll never be an actress”. I looked at him and smiled, because by then I already knew that I got accepted to the American Academy Dramatic Arts in New York and ready to leave all the nonsense behind. 

And the moment came! 2 years of studying at AADA were the happiest of my life: I have found my tribe, my voice and my calling. I was not a muppet anymore. I was surrounded by people similar to me: creative, eccentric, brave and hardworking. And the teachers were very supportive- they sincerely cared about each of us and realised the responsibility. That was also where I have found what I was looking for artistically: we were studying craft by exploring our inner world and being true to senses and instincts. The training itself was much more effective for me, cause it worked in harmony with my nature, and not against it. I didn’t have to justify things for myself while being on stage with the help of mind anymore- it was more about being in the moment, being present in body and listening to the inner gut. 

While in Russian school it was all about the result, appearance and “how the director wants you to be” American school has offered me self-exploration and being able to collaborate with the director, expressing my true self through any type of character. 

And that’s interesting, because both of these schools are Stanislavsky- based. 

I think it’s because western training is more about the connection of body, spirit and mind, using yoga principles and going beyond  limitations. They are not afraid to experiment and try different techniques, even though most of them have roots in Stanislavsky. 

While Russian is still far away from fully engaging the spiritual and therapeutic part of the process, being focused mostly on the mind and conscious part of it, where actor is most of the times being used as a director’s tool and is trained to be a “good soldier”. 

I think it has a lot to do with culture and mentality and the way it had been formed historically. As we know, Stanislavsky was definitely trying to include spirituality and yoga in actors training (with the help of Demidov, of course?), but history has made some significant changes which are still affecting us. Anyway… That’s a whole other story. 

What’s important is that American training and re-connecting with myself as an artist and human being have really brought me closer to understanding Demidov school and when I started exploring it I was ready -physically, mentally and emotionally. 

Studying Demidov Technique has become the icing on a cake of my personal journey. I felt like Russian school has made me physically strong and resilient, American training gave me a soul and Demidov has connected me with the freedom of self-expression and higher purpose of it.

PART I

We get the question from our Instagram account.

Andrei Malaev-Babel is answered:

Demidov Etudes are drastically different from Stanislavsky’s use of etudes in Active Analysis. Stanislavsky used etudes to explore or rehearse a given play. Demidov uses etudes to cultivate a fine actor, who could then approach any role and any play with ease and confidence. Demidov never uses etudes to rehearse a play; by the time his actors are ready to approach a play — they are completely prepared to deal with author’s text directly and only need etudes (unrelated to the play) in order to sustain their organic technique of living onstage. These etudes, once again, are never related to the play rehearsed. They affect the rehearsal work indirectly, by infusing it with freshness and spontaneity, and with actors’ ability to truly see and hear their partners. That ability quickly disappears in rehearsals, from frequent repetition, unless Demidov Etudes are used in parallel, to sustain the skill of seeing and hearing.
That is one of the  main differences between the Demidov School and the Stanislavsky System. Stanislavsky focused on the dramaturgical material, on a play, while Demidov focuses on an actor and actor’s process.
Also Stanislavsky in his etudes makes the actor improvise the words of the author — a skill actors do not need, plus it keeps them in theirs heads. It also creates an awkward transition from improvised text to the author’s; that transition kills the results of Active Analysis etude work, making it rather useless. In the Demidov etudes, the text is always given, which allows actors to train specific actorly skills, rather than “playwriting in disguise.”

Dont hesitate to ask any question about acting. You can send them via FORM

Chapter 1

“Discovery of Wings”

Hi! My name is Serafí. I am an actress, writer, director and … Well, you know how these creative people are, especially if you are one yourself.

I’m here to welcome you in my journey to Demidov Technique. 

You know how they keep those journals in acting schools where you write about your sensations, reflections and challenges in training? If you ever attended any sort of acting institution you probably had or still have one. Well, here is mine.

But before I share my insights about Demidov technique let me tell you how my acting journey began. 

I was always a creative kid, probably even an odd one. My parents both worked at the theater - my father is an actor, director, playwright and even an acting teacher - now can you imagine the pressure? And my mother is a set, lighting and costume designer. So i can without any doubt say that I am a child of Love and Art. 

My parents were always supportive throughout my journey, though they have never pressured my choices. 

I have decided to be an actress when I was 3. This happened when I was attempting to fly,  jumping from the sofa to the floor using the wings that I had made out of aluminium foil. Grandma said that people can’t fly, but I disagreed, because I saw that happening in a “Superman” movie. Then she said: “Well, my dear, that was just acting.” “So I’ll be an actress then!” And that was it. 

When I was 17 I got into one of Russia’s most famous Theater schools - Saint Petersburg State Theater Arts Academy (which was later renamed to Russian State Institute of Performing Arts). The pressure was high and the competition rough. Young people from all over the country came to Saint-P to chase their dreams of being on stage. 

Originally, same as everyone else, I wanted to study dramatic acting. I didn’t know much about it back then because my parents thought it would be better not to overload my head with any conceptions, and I myself was too young to care. 

Though, destiny has decided otherwise. I have failed auditions to all Drama programmes. But there was another option - Variety Performer class. 

I played the guitar and wrote songs since I was 13 and possessed comedy talents, so I decided - why not to try? 

I got accepted right away and that has changed my life for good. 

4 years of study in one of the most prestigious Theater schools were challenging, and all was not as easy as at this point you probably thought it could be.

But I’m going to continue my story in the next chapter. See you soon on the pages, my precious reader! 

Andrew Bosworth holds a BA in Theatre from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; he thereafter performed in small professional theatres in North Carolina, Iowa, and Wisconsin. He also spent several years Austin, Texas, working with the Austin Theatre Project, City Theatre, Austin Shakespeare, and Austin Playhouse; in roles including Cyrano, Iago, and the lead in a (nearly) uncut outdoor guerrilla Peer Gynt.

Andrew earned his MFA at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, where he was introduced to Andrei Malaev-Babel and the Demidov school of acting. In the second year he had the privilege of being a part of A View from the Bridge, a full production wholly executed in the Demidov approach under Professor Malaev-Babel’s direction with assistance from Andrei Biziorek.

As a practitioner of Demidov he brought the work to shows at Ozark Actor’s Theatre in Missouri, Festival 56 in Illinois, Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando, and Dog Days Theatre in Sarasota, Florida.

As a teacher he briefly served as adjunct professor of Playscript Analysis at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory shortly after graduation. After relocating to Chicago, he began to take steps to establish the Chicago chapter of the Demidov Association, holding an inaugural workshop in early 2020, with the aim of a fresh start as soon as conditions permit.

Today, we would like to ask Andrew some broader questions.

 Q: Do you direct and/or act in parallel with your teaching, and how do these activities help or interfere with one another?
 A: I am an actor and barista in addition to an aspiring teacher. The free coffee helps the other two, for sure. Being an actor absolutely improves my teaching – I can try my own lessons out for myself, and better explain to actors how to handle the experience. But fortunately the Demidov approach is rooted in your true faith in the actor’s ability, and no hectic schedule can deprive you of that.

Q: Which modern actors in your opinion show acting that is in tune with Demidov School?
A:  Hugh Jackman can do no wrong for me. Watch Darren Aronofsky’s the Fountain if you haven’t; Jackman gets to play the same expression of devotion in three drastically different ways. You see a clearly strong man constantly unsure as to what comes next. There are moments where you wonder how Wolverine can pull this off.

Q: Russian acting school is one of the most influential in the world - why do you think that is?
A: I think that Stanislavsky undertook his labors at an opportune time – he provided a relatively simple starting point for actors of all skill levels at a time when theatrical style was shifting, and the world was settling into a new era of interconnectedness. The world’s mysteries were rapidly being clarified and we could more clearly see our neighbors – the way the world was thinking was changing to precisely what Stanislavsky was working at. No wonder people found much to appreciate in his work!

Q:  Is there a book that you reread over and over again?
A: I am loath to reread a book, knowing how short life is and how many are yet to be read! But one of the few books I’ve read twice - and know for a fact I’ll read a third time – is Nabokov’s Lolita. Nabokov does things with words I didn’t know you could; he’s so technically adept that it overcomes the sticky subject matter.

Q: If you won a big amount of money in a lottery or a prestigious contest, what would you spend it on?
A: Build the world’s first hybrid dog and cat rescue/cafe/theater.

Thank you, Andrew!

Andrei is an acting teacher and director. He has spent 20 years working in Poland, the UK, the US and Australia. In Poland he worked with companies in the post-Grotowski lineage, including Gardzienice, Song of the Goat Theatre, and was an actor touring internationally with Theatre ZAR, resident company at the Grotowski Institute in Wroclaw.

In Poland he also trained with Zygmunt Molik, one of Jerzy Grotowski's main actors from the Laboratory Theatre. He has taught acting and directed at numerous drama schools in the UK and internationally, including, in the UK, RADA, East 15, ArtsEd, Guildford School of Acting, Drama Studio London and Fourth Monkey Acting Training Company, teaching the Demidov work at the latter two schools.

Andrei teaches the Demidov Technique through DSL in classes and one to one sessions, and is also Director of the DSL LAB, a research space that works with select actors committed to exploring the technique more deeply.

Today, we would like to ask him some broader questions.

 Q: Do you direct and/or act in parallel with your teaching, and how do these activities help or interfere with one another?
 A: I am also a director, but the last production with my company was a couple of years ago now. There just hasn’t been the time in the last couple of years to come back to directing. My main teaching role now is within Demidov Studio London and the Demidov Association. I do still teach at a couple of the major acting schools in London, but I only teach Demidov now, so this is certainly a benefit to my other teaching.

Q: Which modern actors in your opinion show acting that is in tune with Demidov School?
A:  There are many actors I admire, and a few with a sense of freedom and spontaneity that would somewhat align with Demidov.

Q: Russian acting school is one of the most influential in the world - why do you think that is?
A: What was happening in Russia in the late 19th century/early 20th century under Stanislavsky was unique in the world. Nowhere else had attempted to systemise, to anywhere near the same degree, a school of truthful experiencing for actors. For western acting traditions, right down to today, everything that came after Stanislavsky was largely either a so-called ‘development’ of it, or a reaction against it.

Q:  Is there a book that you reread over and over again?
A: Well, of course I’m going to say Nikolai Demidov: Becoming an Actor Creator. The other one I return to quite often is Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

Q: If you won a big amount of money in a lottery or a prestigious contest, what would you spend it on?
A: Probably a massive bed for my massive dog.
 

Thank you, Andrei!

For our Greek speaking friends, Demidov Studio Athens and Vicky Georgiadou offer Demidov's Wednesdays. Four online classes, where people are introduced to Demidov's signature etudes and have the chance to have a first acquaintance with the roots of Demidov's Organic Technique.

DEMIDOV STUDIO ATHENS

We would like to wholeheartedly congratulate our participants and teachers on the start of the new 2-year Demidov Acting Certification Program. We wish you great success in your creative journey!

2.5 hour classes are held online 3 times a week.

The program is split in 4 semesters, during which students immerse themselves in the Demidov School of Acting.

The head of Association, Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel, personally hold weekly classes.

We are going to introduce our program teachers  in the future posts!

ANDREI BIZIOREK

Instagram Live Conversation: THE ART OF LIVING OFFSTAGE
 
 “The use of Demidov Technique in professional fields that are not linked to acting, and in everyday life”
 
 This Saturday, October the 2nd, at 10 am US Eastern Standard/3pm London time we at the Demidov Association are going to stream another Instagram Live conversation with the Head of the Association, Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel and Andrei Biziorek, Director at Demidov Studio London.
 
 This time we are going to discuss the ways that Demidov Technique can be used in professional areas that are not connected to acting and theater work, and in everyday life, and its’ benefits for those who take this training.
 
 We tend to get a lot of insights from the people who have done Demidov Technique and how it helped them improve not only in their acting experience, but in other areas of work and life as well.
 
 It is also notable that there has been a lot of people whose profession is not linked to acting craft at all, but they have been showing interest and participating in Demidov courses and workshops.
 

Most of them say that long after this experience the skills that they have gained such as being present in the moment, listening to your own impulses and being open and responsive to others have expanded their perception of human behavior and the way they approach their own jobs - whatever they are.
 
 We would also be glad to hear from you!
 

Have you participated in Demidov work before and would you like to share your experience and point of view? Or would you like to know more about how to apply Demidov Technique skills for something in particular?
 

Feel free to send your insights and questions directly prior to our discussion.
 
 We hope to see you
 @da_actors at 10 am US EST// 3pm London. Saturday, October 2
 
 You can find our previous live streams on our YouTube channel following this link CLICK

Demidov’s “Culture of Truth” is indispensable when it comes to film. No falseness can escape the magnifying glass of the camera lens. But how does one marry film’s demand for continuity or strict restrictions of framing with Demidov’s “Culture of Freedom”?

Conversation with the Head of the Demidov Association, Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel and Andrei Biziorek, Director Demidov Studio London.

PART I

PART II

Professor Malaev-Babel is the Head of Acting at the Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. He serves on many boards and expert committees for artistic institutions worldwide. He is a published scholar, and a leading expert on the history of Russian Theatre and acting techniques. He is the Head of the International Demidov Association, and he curates Demidov Studios in London, Moscow, Athena and Chicago.
Starting in 2008, he has begun to recreate the Demidov School of Acting in practice at his graduate FSU/Asolo acting studio.  Since  2013, he has been singlehandedly introducing the world to the practical aspects of the Demidov School of Acting through numerous master-classes, workshops, lectures and courses. In 2016, he introduced the English-speaking world to Demidov's writings, thus opening a new chapter in the history of actor training in the West.  Since 2010, he has been practicing the Demidov approach to rehearsal and performance, staging over 12 Demidov-based productions, including a year-long laboratory exploration of THE CHERRY ORCHARD that premiered at the Stanislavsky House-Museum in 2018.
Professor Malaev-Babel is speaking regularly on theatre-related topics.

Today, we would like to ask him some broader questions.

 Q: What world event(s) have you been considering lately?
 A: Two world events that, in my option, has made our world what it is today are the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the Second World War.

Q: What will save the word? Beauty, as Dostoyevsky would have it, Kindness or Love?
A:  These three as as related as Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia. It will take all of them to save the world.

Q: Which question would you ask Fyodor Dostoyevsky?
A: Why haven’t you written a single play? 

Q:  What, in your opinion, is the major resource in life?
A: Creativity.

Q: If you needed to attract a stranger, but could only quote one single fact to describe your entire life, what would it be?
A:  I would tell them that I was born famous. Most people are attracted by celebrity and fame.

Q: If you needed to scare that person away, what would you tell them?
A:  I would mention that one day, like everyone, I will have to die… People are mostly scared of death.

Thank you, Andrei!

This Saturday September 18 at 3pm London time, we at the Demidov Association will be continuing our series of Instagram Live conversations.

This Saturday we will again be in conversation with the Head of the Demidov Association, Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel and Andrei Biziorek, Director Demidov Studio London,  on the subject of Demidov & Stanislavsky. 

We had some wonderful questions on this topic last week that we didn’t get a chance to cover. We will be looking at how the history of both men interacted, and where and why Demidov departed from Stanislavsky, including the central differences in the thinking and approach of the two men. We will also address some of the common misconceptions about Stanislavsky still current today.

And again we would love to hear from you. What questions do you have about Stanislavsky’s work, perhaps from your own experiences? Or maybe you have your own questions about the differences in approach between Demidov and Stanislavsky.

Feel free to send your questions directly prior to our discussion.

We hope to see you live @demidov_studio_london at 3pm on Saturday.

PART I you can find on our YouTube canal

London Studio

Demidov Acting Technique Etude Class

October 6, 2021

6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

£ 30

This weekly class is for actors who want regular practice in Demidov’s signature etudes, the foundation of the Demidov Acting Technique. The class is a great introduction for those new to the technique, and continued, ongoing practice in this fundamental work for actors more familiar with it. Demidov insisted that actors practise these etudes regularly, as they are central what he called the actors ‘scales’. Classes will introduce actors to the core principles of the technique, including Creative Freedom, ‘Emptiness’, Faith, Creative Calm, Passivity and surrendering to impulse. Actors will learn to trust and give in to their creative instincts, and develop the ability to enter a sustainable creative state. Classes will focus centrally on Demidov’s foundational etudes, enabling actors to access the richness of their inner life, developing their perception of circumstances, relationships, and facilitating emotional richness and spontaneity.

Join us London Studio

Our previous Instagram Live meeting took place on September 11, 2021. 

Questions from participants were extremely important and interesting; they dealt with freedom and discipline in acting; how to work with directors and actors from rigid schools; and how to prepare for auditions or urgent film work  “overnight.” Naturally, we took only a small part of questions from our participants. So, we decided to continue this discussion next Saturday, September 18, at 10 am US Eastern Standard time/3pm London time.

Join us at @demidov_studio_london on Saturday, when we will talk about the connection between the Demidov School and the Stanislavsky System. 

We'd love to hear from you again with new questions on this or other subjects!

What obstacles or issues do you have in your process as an actor?

On Saturday September 11 at 10 am US Eastern Standard time/3pm London time, Head of the Demidov Association Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel, in conversation with Demidov Studio London Director Andrei Biziorek, will hold an Instagram Live event to address your most pressing questions in relation to the Demidov School of Acting.

We'd like to hear what YOU want us to discuss, be it auditioning, self tapes, working on film, working with imaginary partners, rehearsal preparation, etc. Which of these (or other) topics are of the utmost importance to you?

You can DM your questions directly or email them back to this address in advance. We will also be discussing our inaugural Two Year Demidov Acting Certificate course launching this October.

Join us at @demidov_studio_london on Saturday. 

We'd love to hear from you!

Wed 1st September

6:30 pm - 9:30 pm (UK)

30 £
 

This weekly class is for actors who want regular practice in Demidov’s signature etudes, the foundation of the Demidov Acting Technique. The class is a great introduction for those new to the technique, and continued, ongoing practice in this fundamental work for actors more familiar with it. Demidov insisted that actors practise these etudes regularly, as they are central what he called the actors ‘scales’. Classes will introduce actors to the core principles of the technique, including Creative Freedom, ‘Emptiness’, Faith, Creative Calm, Passivity and surrendering to impulse. Actors will learn to trust and give in to their creative instincts, and develop the ability to enter a sustainable creative state. Classes will focus centrally on Demidov’s foundational etudes, enabling actors to access the richness of their inner life, developing their perception of circumstances, relationships, and facilitating emotional richness and spontaneity.

Get ticket

Dear Friends,

Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions we receive about the Demidov Acting Certificate Course 2023-2025. We hope you find them useful.

• Spaces

— How many spaces are left in the course?
— There are currently 5 spaces left.

• Course Uniqueness

— Why is this course special?
— The Demidov School is entirely skill-based; it achieves outstanding results by restructuring actors’ habitual reflexes and thus developing reliable creative instincts. To form a new instinct takes time and, most importantly, it requires a certain frequency of training. This course offers the only opportunity, worldwide, to engage in regular Demidov-based training and fulfill the complete two-year curriculum, originally designed by Demidov himself. This curriculum is not offered elsewhere as it is based on materials from hitherto unpublished Demidov Archive and Professor Malaev-Babel’s unparalleled research, scholarship and practice.

• Class Recordings

— Would I have access to recordings of classes?
— The Demidov philosophy is based on the principle of HERE AND NOW. Video recordings cannot duplicate the experience of live performance, partially because they fail to fully convey the presence of the audience, but also for other reasons. Having said that, participants in the course will have access to recordings of select classes if: a) they were not able to be present at a given class; b) a given class dealt with film acting.

• Private Coaching and Office Hours

— Would I be able to arrange for private coaching or consultation with Certifying Master-Teacher, Course Leaders or Guest Teachers?
— The Demidov Association is unique in that it has a network of trusted Demidov teachers. Master-Teacher and Course Leaders will hold office hours, by appointment. Guest Teachers will be available for extra sessions and private coaching.

• Payment Schedule

— Can I arrange for monthly tuition payments, instead of paying at the start of each semester?
— Accommodations can be made on an individual basis.
If you have other questions, or need clarifications, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to help!

The Demidov Association Team

To find out more, and to apply for the course, click on the link below.

Acting Certificate ONLINE Course