Jenn Banda

Teaching Philosophy

Jenn’s philosophy on teaching acting begins with helping actors find an organic way of coming to the truth through various methods including Meisner, Stanislavsky, Strasburg, Linklater, Laban, Suzuki.  Through these methods and ensemble, intensive scene and monologue work the actor will come in contact with their inner voice, the voice that is a whisper, the voice that the actor holds onto that is most vulnerable, the voice that they are afraid to let go of. It is the marriage of voice and soul. Using just the voice most actors are performing, not being, not living completely in the moment; therefore, as actors, the journey is to marry the inner voice with the physical voice, to keep the integrity and soulfulness.

As well as finding the inner voice, Jenn feels an actor must work on physical aspects of the text. For example, if your character is young and joyful, your body must not be heavy and tired. The actor must find the joy corporeally, as well as in the text/voice, e.g. the joy could come within the character’s eyebrows and knees. Focusing energy there could open the actor up and bring the text alive, thus freeing the inner voice.

In her room she sees herself as a guide, Jenn learns as she teaches.  She believes in the Socratic method of teaching because acting is not finite; acting must be open to questions and refinement. Coming from observation, examination, and internalization, acting is a growing, breathing, ever changing art. 

It is her zeal for theatre and her compassion for her students that stands her in good stead in any classroom.  Jenn enjoys teaching her craft, learning with her students, and applauding their successes.  Jenn believes that the best teaching is a result of sharing the ardor for a subject.  

With that elation comes her belief that any student, of any ability, can be challenged and can learn even the most difficult material. In theatre, understanding text is fundamental in the steps toward production; whether we acquire knowledge by writing, reading, repeating, or moving, we all can master one step at a time. Table discussion, personal rewriting, and enacting of a piece bring it alive for students. Approaching the text from multi-angles helps present the emotion and message of the text to each type of learner. Thus, Jenn always approaches her instruction with a multi-sensory, multi-learning style approach.

Jenn’s global experience, her eclectic education, her lifetime immersion in theatre all have led her to believe, quite sincerely, that teaching is a creative, ever morphing art that cannot be restrained by too many tight demands of paperwork and testing.  Rather, she believes, that good teaching comes from patience, passion, and perseverance, from knowing your discipline, practicing your art, and through collaboration and innovation. Good teaching comes from experience, constant learning, and sharing of knowledge.