Specific vs Organic

When I was taking theatre directing classes in college I learned about two different styles of directing. I forget their real names so let's call them specific and organic. 

Specific directing is where the director writes out every bit of movement their actors will do onstage, from their entrances to the smallest thing like turn out to the audience on this line. This is great when you are more interested in creating pictures on the stage. It is more of a direct process and doesn't allow the actor much freedom.

Organic directing is much different, and much harder for a control freak like me. You give the actors the basic blocking - where and when to enter and exit and if there are any specific spots you need them to hit in the scene. This allows the actor to have more freedom and the blocking process becomes more of a collaborative process.

I give this little directing lesson because I was thinking about this as I tried to fit in a nap last night and Omar was watching the ever-wakeful Helena. There were times I wanted to get up and let him know things I found out that worked for me - specific directions if you will. 

But I stopped myself. And when I did I realized something. It's better for him to find out organically what works for him than me always over his shoulder telling him what to do - a habit that I'm working on to correct.

And Omar comes up with things that work great with him and Helena. One of the cutest, funniest and most entertaining is "Helena's Dance Party." Omar plugs in his iPhone to the stereo and dances around with Helena. Not only does she stop crying (most of the time), she usually falls asleep by the end of the dance party. 

So by not being over his shoulder all the time it allows me to take a break and allows him the opportunity to find special ways that he alone can connect with Helena.