Draft:ReFocusMethod

ReFocusMethod

ReFocusMethod is a contemporary acting technique that integrates body awareness, mental focus, and insights from neuroscience and behavioral psychology to help performers achieve authentic presence in live and recorded performance. It is designed primarily for actors, but has also been applied by singers, musicians, and dancers.

Overview

ReFocusMethod offers a structured and practical approach to performance, emphasizing focus, muscular awareness, and curiosity rather than emotional recall or pre-planned character choices. It trains actors to reduce mental noise, respond truthfully in the moment, and develop a playful, investigative mindset. The method provides specific exercises and principles aimed at enhancing presence and believability on stage or on screen.

The method is influenced by the teachings of Latvian-born Swedish actor and pedagogue Andris Blekte, who taught at the National Acting Academy in Sweden from the 1970s through the 1990s. Blekte’s emphasis on physical relaxation and presence laid the foundation for what would become ReFocusMethod, which has since been expanded with modern insights from psychology and neuroscience.

Core Principles

The method is built on five interrelated pillars:

• Focus: Directing attention with precision to a scene partner, object, or physical task.
• Mental noise reduction: Quieting internal dialogue and self-monitoring.
• Muscular tension awareness: Identifying and releasing unconscious physical tension.
• Courage and curiosity: Embracing risk and failure during exploration.
• Self-compassion: Encouraging a constructive, non-judgmental relationship with the self.

Exercises involving breath, micro-movement, and attentional shifts are used to develop these capacities.

Foundations and Influences

ReFocusMethod is informed by contemporary theories of cognition and behavior, including:

• System 1 and System 2 thinking, as described in Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.
• Self 1 and Self 2 from W. Timothy Gallwey’s The Inner Game of Tennis, distinguishing the conscious mind from the instinctive self.
• The philosophical distinction between finite and infinite games introduced by James P. Carse.
• Research into habit formation as found in Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit.

These ideas provide a scientific and philosophical framework for the method’s emphasis on presence, physicality, and continuous discovery.

Applications

ReFocusMethod is taught across multiple acting and performance institutions in Europe. Notable examples include:

• The Film Acting Academy and Theatre School De Trap (Netherlands)
• Jeugdtheaterschool Utrecht, which describes the method as part of its approach to building performance intuition and body awareness.
• Mediacollege Amsterdam, a vocational school for media and creative industries, where the method is part of acting-related instruction.
• Mulholland Academy in Amsterdam, which lists ReFocusMethod as part of its professional training curriculum.

Workshops and masterclasses have also been conducted in Sweden and the UK.

Comparisons

While grounded in psychophysical practice like the techniques of Michael Chekhov and Demidov, ReFocusMethod differentiates itself by blending acting tradition with neuroscience and performance psychology. It is often compared to the Meisner technique for its focus on moment-to-moment truth but emphasizes inner silence and muscular awareness rather than repetition.

Reception

The method has been positively received by educators for its clarity, accessibility, and adaptability across disciplines. It is particularly recognized for supporting young actors in finding a sense of ease and freedom in performance. As actor training increasingly embraces mental health and mindfulness, ReFocusMethod is seen as part of a broader movement toward actor well-being.

See also

• Meisner technique
• Stanislavski system
• Psychophysical acting
• Michael Chekhov technique
• Alba Emoting
• Demidov technique