B – Body Language | Acting & Drama Physical Communication Toolkit

“Before you speak, your body has already told the story.”

This complete Body Language Toolkit is part of the BIGVLF Acting Instrument Series — six high-impact, skill-based Drama resources designed to develop physical and emotional expression in student performers.

Through this pack, learners explore how physical choices communicate emotion, power, and relationship.

Each section follows the clear, classroom-ready model:
Skill → Explanation → Practice → Apply

What’s Inside:

5 Full Lesson Packs:
Posture – Shape, stance, and the emotional line of the spine.
Tension – Controlled energy and muscular focus for truthful acting.
Openness & Closedness – Vulnerability, defence, and the psychology of physical presence.
Levels & Angles – Visual storytelling through height, tilt, and spatial power.
Proxemics – Space, distance, and emotional geography between characters.

Each focus includes:

Learning objective and “core idea” summary
Key principles and contextual theory (Stanislavski, Lecoq, Rodenburg, Brecht)
Progressive classroom activities and group work
A creative performance task
Reflection prompts for assessment and metacognition

How to Use It

Teach one focus per lesson for a 5-week physical performance unit.
Combine two per session for a fast-track GCSE workshop series.
Integrate into devised theatre projects or acting technique modules.
End with a “Silent Ensemble Sequence” performance showcasing all five skills.

Ideal For

KS3/4 Drama Teachers
Acting Technique Workshops
Physical Theatre / Devising Units
Student Leadership or Ensemble Training
Departmental Skills Reset or Introduction Weeks

Part of the BIGVLF Acting Instrument Series:

B – Body Language
I – Interaction
G – Gestures
V – Voice
L – Levels
F – Facial Expression

Each resource can be used alone or combined into a full Acting Instrument Curriculum.