Étienne Decroux facts for kids

Étienne Decroux (born July 19, 1898, in Paris, France – died March 12, 1991) was a French actor. He became famous for creating a special type of performance called corporeal mime. This art form uses the human body to tell stories and express feelings without speaking. Decroux spent his life exploring how the body could be the main way to communicate on stage and in films.

Étienne Decroux's Journey in Mime

Étienne Decroux joined the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in 1923. He was a student of Charles Dullin. During this time, Decroux started to imagine a new way of performing without words. He later developed his own unique style of movement.

What is Corporeal Mime?

At first, Decroux's mime was called "statuary mime." It looked a bit like the sculptures of Auguste Rodin. Later, his more flowing style became known as "mime corporeal" or corporeal mime. This type of mime focuses on using the entire body to express thoughts and feelings. It's not just about hand gestures or facial expressions.

Decroux was a deep thinker about how the body moves. His training methods used something modern dancers call "isolations." This means moving different parts of the body one after another in a specific order. He also studied how the body stays balanced when it moves.

Working with Other Artists

Decroux wanted to start a mime company with other students. However, many acting students were not very interested at first. When the Vieux-Colombier theatre closed in 1924, Decroux began teaching at Charles Dullin's acting school, the Atelier.

There, he met Jean-Louis Barrault. The two worked closely for two years. They created many corporeal mime pieces together and on their own.

Teaching in New York

Around 1957, Decroux traveled to New York City. He held classes in a studio there. Many students came to learn from him. Eventually, some students had to commit to full-time training. They were rehearsing for performances as "The Mime Theatre of Etienne Decroux."

They performed pieces like "The Factory" and "The Trees." After Decroux returned to Paris, some of his students, like Jewel Walker, continued to teach his classes in New York.

Returning to Paris

In 1962, Decroux went back to Paris. He opened his own school in Boulogne-Billancourt. He taught there almost until he passed away. Hundreds of students learned from him. Today, a new generation of mimes continues to explore his ideas.

The art form Decroux created was very different from traditional pantomime. Traditional pantomime often tells a story with clear actions and characters. Decroux's corporeal mime was more about expressing inner thoughts and emotions through abstract body movements.

Étienne Decroux's Film Roles

Étienne Decroux also acted in many films. Here are some of the movies he appeared in:

• Enfin voir Etienne Decroux bouger (2006)
• Art of Etienne Decroux, The (1961)
• Compagnons de Baal, Les (1968) (a TV show)
• Comme un cheveu sur la soupe (1957)
• La Bergère et le ramoneur (1953) (he was a voice actor in this animated film)
• Occupe-toi d'Amélie (1949)
• Enfants du paradis, Les (1945) (known as Children of Paradise in the USA)
• Le Corbeau (1943) (he was not credited for this role)
• Le Dernier tournant (1939)
• Affaire est dans le sac, L' (1932)

See also

In Spanish: Étienne Decroux para niños