Abstract:
Actor training can demand sustained emotional and physical intensity, yet curricula do
not always teach students how to regulate and recover from that intensity. This paper
examines the pedagogical relevance of the Feldenkrais Method and the F. M. Alexander
Technique for developing more sustainable actor training. The study adopts a qualitative,
conceptual research design based on critical analysis and synthesis of literature on somatic
education, actor training, performer wellbeing, and de-roling. The analysis focuses on
how the two somatic approaches address habitual tension, psychophysical awareness,
efficient movement, and transitions into and out of demanding performance states. On
this basis, the paper proposes a three-phase Somatic Actor Model comprising Entry,
Sustaining, and Exit. Entry prepares the performer through awareness and inhibition;
Sustaining incorporates moment-to-moment regulation during demanding work; and Exit
provides a structured process for physical recovery and separation from the performed
role. The framework is designed as a pedagogical layer that can complement existing
acting and movement practices rather than replace them. The study does not claim that
the model has been empirically demonstrated to prevent burnout. Instead, it identifies a
theoretically grounded pathway for reducing avoidable strain and proposes directions
for future empirical evaluation. The paper argues that recovery should be treated as
a teachable component of actor training and as part of professional preparation for
sustainable performance practice. This approach also encourages institutions to consider
performer wellbeing within curriculum design rather than treating recovery solely as an
individual responsibility. The proposed framework is intended as a pedagogical model
for implementation, observation, and subsequent empirical assessment.
