- Definition
Body position describes how an actor stands on stage, like facing the audience directly or having their back to them, to show different emotions or direct attention.
When an actor faces the audience directly to speak, they are in the 'full front' body position.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Body position is like deciding which way your action figure is facing when you're putting on a show for someone.
Ask your child: Show me how you would stand to talk right to me.
Common mix-up: Kids may think body position is just about good posture. The key idea is that an actor's position is chosen specifically to communicate with the audience.
Examples
- An actor standing sideways to talk to another character is in a 'profile' position.
- If a character walks away from the audience toward the back of the stage, they are in the 'full back' position.
body position is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
