Mimetic imitation is the third integral part of mime. In miming the balloon, your body moves as if you are a balloon, which makes your performance more real.

This is called 'mimetic imitation' - to let your body or segment(s) of your body imitate the object you want to show.
This 'imitation' can help you tell the characteristics of the object you are now miming.


Balloon

First, imagine your balloon, and try stretching it.

Use your arm and body like balloon (hopping, bouncing.. express the characteristic of balloon using your body).



Then, let's blow the balloon.

Use your hands to fit the surface of the balloon. .. and blow it.

Not only your hands, use also your body roundly like the balloon, while blowing.


Your hands and body are now imitating the balloon.

- -

Next, play with the balloon. Move as if you're the balloon. This movement will help tell the characteristics of the object you are playing with. That is, imitating the balloon by body movement.

Move like ballons do. Softly, bouncing, etc. The sample animation at the right is using the body like balloon.
This is bad movement sample. Moving hard and straight. Though changes are slight, this sample seems like hitting a ping-pong ball with rackets rather than a balloon.

Imitation using your body movement is also important to show the characteristics of the object.


- Robot (Mannequine) -

Next, try the imitation using your whole body. The mannequine(robot) is a good example.

Figure at the right is the basic standing pose of mannequine. You should kill your eyes. Standing in not human-like way...



If you want to show a robot, then move awkwardly - as robots do.
The animations below is the sample of movement.

Move your body separately by segments.

Take a pause when moving.

However, the patterns are not important. Instead, create your own robot movement.

The mimetic imitation is the important method of mime. But imitating other performer's movement or pattern is disgusting, if it isn't including your original view-point.

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