HOW THIS PROJECT WAS BORN…
Hola, hola, hola…. My name is Sandra McClean. I am originally from Valencia, Spain. I have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Psychology and Education. I have more than 15 years of experience teaching Spanish as a Second Language to immigrants in Spain, as well as in Morocco, Germany and the United States of America. During my years in college, I was a member of a theater group in the School of Psychology at the University of Valencia. Once I graduated, I continued my acting training by participating in several courses in some of the most well-known acting schools of my country, like “La escuela del actor” in Valencia, and “La central de Cine” in Madrid. I also participated in short movies and TV programs. In 2015 I moved to NYC, where I continued my formation in the acting craft at The Barrow group. However, I reached a greater love and passion for this art when I met my teacher and mentor, Rob Sedgwick, one of the best and most passionate acting teachers of New York City, and I began to explore an even deeper level of study. For the last 5 years I have worked as a Spanish teacher, as well as an educator of Spanish Literature and Hispanic Cultures in one of the most prestigious special education high schools in Manhattan, Aaron School. I also operated a business as a private tutor for adults and children. Most of my students are boys and girls on the spectrum or with different speech and learning pathologies. As part of the Spanish curriculum, I also have been conducting acting classes for the last two years. During this time, I realized the connection between the learning process of a new language studying and performing dramatic texts, provided students with the needed tools to learn from replicating “real life”. By turning a language class into a theater, students were interpreting real world situations, connecting newly learned language to human emotion, while faced with the challenges of developing a character. This has been an outstanding experience in my work as an educator.
ABOUT THE CLASSES
Due to the increment of Spanish speakers in the country, this language has become the second most spoken language in the United States and around the world, and one of the target languages in the movie industry. Actors such as Will Smith, Matt Damon, Mathew McConaughey, Gwyneth Paltrow or Dakota Fanning speak Spanish and use it as part of their art.
My classes are open to professional and non-professional actors who seek to improve and perfect their Spanish and command of the language in the field of film, television and theater. All classes will be conducted via Skype and include individual or groups classes, weekend workshops (specifically based on the student’s needs and/or preferences) and the number of participants. My method is based on the understanding of the phonetics of the Spanish language, and its different accents and dialects for its correct mastery. Each class will connect the development of learning and improving of Spanish through acting practice and performance. The classes are conducted mainly in Spanish; however, some discussions and clarifications would be open to be in English.
Some benefits of learning a second language to strengthen your acting career are:
o It will give you the opportunity to find other types of roles and spread your career in the United States and other countries.
o Speaking a second language is a very desirable skill in every professional area. As an actor, being able to master another language will make you more complete. Just as dancing, modeling or singing makes an actor a “triple threat”, speaking more than one language broadens your marketability in the world of film, television, theater, commercial and voice over.
o It will let you work closely with directors, casting agents and other professionals in the industry and in many other countries.
o You will be ready to communicate with confidence to a greater number of people when shooting in other countries.
o Having a meaningful interaction in another language develops stronger relationships
o Learn new vocabulary and structure in context
o Develop imagination by thinking in a different language other than English
o Encourages independent thinking
o Builds social awareness
Objective of the course:
o Develop the Spanish language through acting
o Develop communicative skills in Spanish
o Develop writing skills in Spanish
o Improve pronunciation and diction
o Learn and recognize the different accents of the Spanish languages spoken in 23 countries
o Improve negotiation skills with partners in Spanish
o Improve confidence when acting in front of others in Spanish
o Performance goals
o Audition preparation in Spanish language
o Learn specific Spanish terminology of the industry
Syllabus:
1. A little bit of history:
a. Introduction to the Spanish Drama
b. Influences of the Spanish Drama
c. The Golden Age of the Spanish Theater:
i. Lope de Vega
ii. Calderón de la Barca
2. Basic Spanish Phonetics
3. Spanish grammar and vocabulary
4. Differences between Articulation, Vocalization and Diction
5. Connect the different acting instruments with the new language: body-voice-mind-emotion
6. Neutral Spanish
7. Castilian. The Spanish from Spain
8. Latin American Accents
9. Practice of the prosody: accents, pronunciation and tone
a. Anatomy of the voice box:
i. Muscles
ii. Nerves
iii. Vocal folds
b. The voice and vocal techniques
c. The Breath
d. The Words
10. Creating and analyzing characters in Spanish
11. Monologue
12. Scene Work
13. Improvisation
