Mimicry consists of expressing oneself through gestures and body movements.
The Greek word mimikós derived from the Latin mimĭcus , which came into our language as mime . As a noun, the term refers to the act of expressing or representing actions, emotions, feelings and ideas through body movement and gestures .
The term, like its masculine version ( mimic ), can be used to describe what is linked to mimicry and mime . At this point it is important to clarify that a mime is an actor who interprets his scenes with body movements and gestures , without speaking.
Mimicry works as an expression mechanism that uses gestural and body language , regardless of verbal language . It is usually used in scenic art for the dramatization of a speech.
Mimicry as an artistic expression
Mimes use mimicry as an artistic or theatrical manifestation . Leaving speech aside, they rely on the expressiveness of the face and body to tell a story or imply something.
Mimicry as an artistic tool is believed to have emerged in Ancient Greece . In the Middle Ages, mimes were part of traveling theaters and excelled in the so-called comedy of art .
Closer in time , during the silent film era, mime was a very important resource. Charles Chaplin , Buster Keaton and Harpo Marx , among others, shone with their skills.
Nowadays, mime can also be highly beneficial for acting, both in theater , television or cinema, despite the fact that in these last two areas audio recording and music superimposition have existed for several decades. The absence of sound is not necessary for actors to make an effort to express their performances through physical movements, but rather both aspects should complement each other.
Mimicry is usually part of an artistic manifestation.
Character preparation
To offer a credible and memorable performance, the person must carry out a process of preparing the character in which they know it in depth and recreate it to present it to the public. If it is a role based on someone real, the research will focus on their biography; Otherwise, in their most relevant characteristics, from their personality to any illness that marks their life. Since works of fiction do not show every second of existence but rather milestones, the performance must be slightly "exaggerated" to accentuate the events as much as possible.
Finding the right balance between lack of intensity and overacting is not easy, and in fact only the most talented achieve it. The use of mimicry, or its study as a complement to acting, is essential to put the body at the service of interpretation. All our muscles must represent the character, not just those of the face and the body parts used in the scenes: even if we are simply talking or moving an arm, the transformation must be complete.
Nowadays acrobatics and imitations are common activities in the field of mimicry. Dance is also usually part of their shows, which take place both in theaters and in streets and squares.
The game of mimicry
We cannot fail to mention the game of mimicry , which is also known by the name of say it with mimicry , among others. It requires a minimum of two people, and can also be played as a team. In each turn, one player must use only mimicry to represent a concept and get the other to guess it.
The unknown can be a word, a proper name or the title of a book, for example. There are certain conventions that facilitate the representation, such as indicating the number of words and their length by making certain gestures known to all the members.