Levels of Body Refining: Performing Skills of Taiwanese Professional Acrobats

精煉身體層次：臺灣職業雜技演員的展演技藝

10.5297/ser.202306_25(2).0001

Hsien-Wei Kuo(郭憲偉)；Chin-Fang Kuo(郭金芳)

technical body ； role-based body ； artistic body ； director ； 技術化的身體 ； 角色化的身體 ； 藝術化的身體 ； 導演

大專體育學刊

25卷2期（2023 / 06 / 30）

119 - 130

英文;繁體中文

This qualitative study interprets and analyzes the performing skills of Taiwanese professional acrobats via a case study and immersion/crystallization analysis. Levels of body of physical presentation and interpretation during preparation, rehearsal, and performance are discussed. Seven participants (three males and four females) aged between 33 and 52 years were selected. They had at least six years of training and over 15 years of practical experience. In-depth interviews revealed that each participant had different levels of experience and perceptions depending on their age, occupational age, experience, and expertise. Results show that professional acrobats have developed three levels of body (technical, role-based, and artistic) through their cumulative performance experience, social environment, habit patterns, and institutional influences. The technical body implies a sound traditional technical foundation in skills that acrobats have developed since childhood, which emphasizes the difficulty, skill, and integrity of movement techniques. The role-based body evolves during the process of preparation and rehearsal. Acrobats then experience friction with the director due to their understanding of the script or character or different views on the choreography or rehearsal, resulting in various challenges in implementation. However, once their skilled movements develop into a well-refined whole after multiple performances, their gestures become highly expressive, creating excitement and anticipation in the audience. The artistic body is made possible by the discussions, bonding, and trials between the acrobat and the director before the rehearsal, and continuous practice brings it into the "second act of the act." Most professional acrobats remain in a plateau within the technical and role-based body.

本研究旨在理解臺灣職業雜技演員的展演技藝，從準備與排演，演出過程的身體展現與詮釋，論述演員的身體層次。研究採取個案研究法與融入／結晶分析法，進行資料的蒐集、闡釋與分析。本研究訪談了3位男性和4位女性共7位職業雜技演員，其年齡為33～52歲，學齡至少6年，並具有15年以上的實務經驗。在深度訪談過程中，每一位研究參與者會因年齡、職齡、經驗及專項技藝，而有不同程度的體會與看法。研究結果顯示在展演的累積經驗中因社會環境、習慣模式與制度面的影響，職業雜技演員會形塑出三種不同漾態的身體層次－技術化、角色化、藝術化的身體。技術化的身體指稱雜技演員兒時奠定的技能有紮實的傳統技術基礎，強調動作技巧的難度、熟練與整體性。角色化的身體意指在準備與排練過程中，雜技演員會因對劇本或角色的理解，編排或演練的方式，與導演產生磨擦，造成落實上的困難。然一經過多次演出，他們的技巧得到了磨練，舉手投足變得極富表現力，觀眾們也充滿了期待。藝術化的身體是通過雜技演員和導演在排練前的討論、磨合和試驗而成為可能，且持續不斷地實踐使其進入「第二次行為的行為」。多數職業雜技演員仍徘徊在「技術化」與「角色化」的兩個層次的身體之間。

1. Chen, F.(2014)。Refashioning acting: The foreignization of Taiwan Shake-xiqu actors’ bodies。Taipei Theater Journal，20，39-67。
   連結：
2. Cheng, Y.-Y.(2006)。Body performance and self embodiment in six dynasties’ appreciation and classification of historical personalities。Chinese Studies，24(2)，71-104。
   連結：
3. Chou, K. H.-L.(2009)。The queer stardom and body enactment of Leslie Cheung。Journal of Theater Studies，3，217-248。
   連結：
4. Chung, M.-D.(2016)。An actor’s work on his will/impulse: The third adventure into Constantin Stanislavski’s method of physical actions。Taipei Theatre Journal，24，171-195。
   連結：
5. Chung, M.-D.(2020)。Self-penetration, nudity, and compassion: On the method of physical actions implicit in Marina Abramovic’s performance art。Arts Review，39，1-43。
   連結：
6. Chung, M.-D.(2018)。On presence of actor: We are playing at being Shiva and we are acting out Shiva。Arts Review，34，67-103。
   連結：
7. Chung, M.-D.(2012)。This is a technique of the "trance": The forgotten core in the acting methods of Constantin Stanislavski and Jerzy Grotowski。Taipei Theatre Journal，16，119-152。
   連結：
8. Hsu, W.-L.(2019)。Dance battle: The body technique and culture of B-boy。Sport Studies，35，51-81。
   連結：
9. Jung, S.-H.(2016)。My body is the world center: The aesthetic experience in the performing arts classroom。Arts Review，31，79-104。
   連結：
10. Kuo, H.-W.(2016)。On life narrative: Self-identity of the professional acrobats。Sport Studies，29，61-86。
    連結：
11. Kuo, H.-W.(2020)。"Fen": Taiwan acrobat’s physical skills。Physical Education Journal，53(1)，125-140。
    連結：
12. Kuo, H.-W.(2007)。A study on the evolve of the China acrobatics。Journal of Physical Education and Sports，18(4)，15-24。
    連結：
13. Kuo, H.-W.,Kuo, C.-F.(2017)。On the awareness and strategy of pregnant female professional technique performers。Sport Studies，30，33-53。
    連結：
14. Kuo, H.-W.,Kuo, C.-F.(2013)。Performance in pain: A narrative of the professional acrobat’s body experience。Sports & Exercise Research，15(1)，1-11。
    連結：
15. Liang, Z.(2014)。Mnouchkine’s performing aesthetic: The body writing theater。Journal of Theater Studies，13，221-242。
    連結：
16. Lin, Y.-P.(2011)。East encountering west in Suzuki Tadashi’s the trojan women。Journal of Theater Studies，7，173-198。
    連結：
17. Su, T.-C.(2010)。Excess/passage from the affective and athletic body, the naked body, to the body as gift。Review of English and American Literature，16，83-122。
    連結：
18. Tsai, B.-M.(2011)。"Maintain the stillness of Du meridian" and "align the body along the Du meridian": A study on body experience and body technique as a newly discovered method for bridging the studies of Laozi and Zhuangzi。Bulletin of the Department of Chinese Literature National Taiwan University，34，1-54。
    連結：
19. Tung, S.-C.(2015)。Using body language in storytelling: Body symbols of the children theater’s actors。Taiwan Dance Research Journal，10，41-68。
    連結：
20. Yeh, K.-C.(2013)。Exploratory of Taiwan modern theatre’s body technology as self-cultivation practice from 70’s to 90’s。Taipei Theatre Journal，18，7-49。
    連結：
21. Chang, F.-F.(2010)。The five steps of qualitative data analysis: Climbing up a ladder of abstraction。Journal of Elementary Education，35，87-120。
22. Chao, C.-F.(2010).Dancing culture: The ethnographic study of Taketomi Isle, Southern Okinawa.Taipei University of the Arts.
23. Chen, H.-M.(2001)。National Tsing Hua University。
24. Crabtree, B. F.(Ed.),Miller, W. L.(Ed.)(1999).Doing qualitative research.Sage.
25. Goffman, E.(1959).The presentation of self in everyday life.Doubleday.
26. Hsu, I.-H.(2003)。The way out of Taiwan’s body culture and sports。School Physical Education，13(2)，135-144。
27. Hsu, W.-H.(2004)。Reflections on a performer’s liberation of nature and cultivation of acting skills。Proceedings of the international symposium on the performing arts
28. Kuo, H.-W.(2018).Family troupe, troupe, drama school: The development history of Taiwan acrobatic performance.Green Berlin.
29. Kuo, H.-W.(2020).Taiwan’s acrobatic celebrities.Lucky Bookstore.
30. Kuo, H.-W.,Chen, Y.-H.(2009)。A historical study the family-based acrobatics group-use "Yi Feng Acrobatics Group" as model。Journal of National Taiwan Sports University，20(1)，41-54。
31. Kuo, H.-W.,Hsu, Y.-M.(2011)。History．body: Taking "Tang-Hua Li’s Acrobatics Group" as a narrative center。Sport Studies，18，111-146。
32. Li, L.-Q.(2008).Actor’s treasured memories: Li-Qun Li’s life scenery.National Chiang Kai Shek Cultural Center.
33. Li, S.(2012).I put my life into the river of acrobatics.Dazhong Literature & Art Publishing House.
34. Miller, W. L.,Crabtree, B. F.(1994).Qualitative analysis: How to begin making sense.Family Practice Research Journal,14(3),289-297.
35. Miller, W. L.,Crabtree, B. F.(1992).Doing qualitative research.Sage.
36. Shyu, T.-M.(2000)。Dancing with the body。Quarterly of Chinese Physical Education，14(3)，34-40。
37. Stanislavsky, C.,Lin, L.(Trans.),Shih, M.-T.(Trans.)(2006).Работа актёра над собой.China Film Press.
38. Sun, H.-Z.(2006).The construction of theater.Bookman.
39. Wang, W.-J.(1997)。Demystifying method acting。Performing Arts Review，54，39-42。
40. Wang, Y.-J.(1998)。Jin Shijie’s "silent" thinking。Performing Arts Review，62，77-78。
41. Yu, S.-D.(1998)。Body cultivation and ritual performance: A case study of Ci-Xi。Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica，84，1-35。
42. Zhan, Z.-S.(1997).Essential acting skills: A practical coursebook.Bookman.
43. Zhang, T. Y.(2016).Bending the body for China: the uses of acrobatics in Sino-US diplomacy during the Cold War.International Journal of Cultural Policy,22(2),123-146.
44. Zhang, T. Y.(2016).From China to the big top: Chinese acrobats and the politics of aesthetic labor, 1950–2010.International Labor and Working-Class History,89,40-63.