Before: “I feel like I can move my body relatively well, but I often struggle with why.  I would like to be better with self-direction.  I would like to be more broad and clear with my physicality.  I want to be able to make bigger choices, but also make them clear and obvious to both myself and an audience.”

After: “I feel like I have found that every part of the body can visualize an image, not just the mind.  I felt impulses before I knew why I was doing it and it felt freeing - less overthinking and more experiencing.  I can do a lot more when I don’t limit myself.”

Before: "Following physical impulses & seeing where they lead before questioning if they are 'right'."

After:
"I’m more aware of the fluidity in my body, the connection between everything, how moving one body part can impact and change another.  The power of softness and being receptive is stronger than stiffness and holding.  Small changes can have a full-body impact if I let it and don’t fight against it.  Weight-sharing can feel scary, but has such an openness and release and strength.  I can move in cool unexpected ways to tell stories."

Before: “What my body does feels automatic,
which can be good but it does not feel like it is an intentional or a choice.  Example: sometimes I notice myself doing something physical and  I'm not sure it's the thing that will serve the moment.”  “Have a range of things - meaning to be able to do big or small or in-between.” 

After: “Looser, freer.  And after class #1 I was sore until Wednesday.
After class #2 I was only a little sore until Sunday.”  “I discovered I still can be flexible and energetic and experience the joy of movement of being in a body.”

Before: “Getting out of my head and into my body in any way.  Variety, intention, sureness, awareness.  Awareness in daily life (feeling my body) and intention and variety as a performer.”

After: “More awareness of my body. More ability to pay attention to my body and get out of my head.  It’s hard, but I think it’s good for me - as an actor and as a person.”

Before: "Following impulses, letting one point lead my body into following.  I would live to be more confident in my choices/actions. Let go of judgement and make bold choices!"

After: "I feel much less stiff in both my movement and my exploration of movement.  Following impulse feels easier.  My body can do so much more than I thought it could, and following my impulses can make some pretty cool pictures and moments. I can trust my body!"

Anna has developed her own approach to teaching and working with actors doing Chekhov’s psychological gesture.
It has great clarity, and it's challenging. And within just a few days you find people in class doing these creative, inventive, magnificent pieces.
It's pretty darn marvelous.

I think just the awareness of our entire body communicating something — like, use your feet, use your spine, use everything — that awakening.
I'm still not perfect at it yet, but that was a tool that really gave energy to my body.
And I feel like if I did that all the time, I would be a great actor.

I felt it actually reflect somewhere in here, in my chest. It caused me an emotion, was a really fun way to use this work.

The idea that language was part of it was also very fun, just because it gave us expressionality and opportunity to listen — and then listen again in a different language. It gave a little more treat, and a little more opportunity to hear it, see it, and feel it in different ways. 

I changed my mind and how I uh feel my acting and the tools that I can use uh to analyze the text uh and the emotions of the characters.
The workshop is extremely helpful.

It was really fun. It was not like scary or hard like I was worried it might be.

Diving into this acting training reminded me that I’m an actress — and that feels amazing! I’ll be using these tools both in my own work and when teaching my students.

The Psychological Gesture changed me forever — now I have several ways to come into rehearsal with a vivid, prepared character. And working with Anya is always a celebration, even if she were teaching physics or the phone book — it would still be a joy!

Now I have a clear method that helps me understand what to do and how to do it on stage. It’s not just the director giving directions — I can bring my own ideas to the table.

A whole new layer was uncovered — something to feel, lift up, and work through. Anya’s way of teaching is unique, and there was so much to discover!

I understood how the body connects to emotion — there are actual tools for this, and they really work. With consistent effort, it becomes something you can control and develop.