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Veronika Dash

New York; ‘Cadillac Records,’ ‘Rescue Me’

Many of the acting teachers I choose to work with I find through word-of-mouth suggestions from my fellow actors. If someone recommends a teacher they liked, I’ll research him or her online and ask if I can audit the class before committing to it. I usually know whether or not he or she is right for me within the first 15 minutes. Does the teacher bring something new to the table? Will he or she give me personal attention? And most importantly, can the teacher inspire me to be better?

The teachers I learn the most from are the ones who challenge me and aren’t afraid to criticize my work, even when I think I’ve mastered it. They constantly offer new pearls of wisdom, such as

"Don’t go bigger; go deeper" or "Never call cut on your performance" or "Trust your inner genius." By constantly feeding my curiosity and engaging my creativity, they remind me of why I chose this career and the deep passion one must possess to
pursue it.

As actors, we always want to do well, give Oscar-worthy performances, and impress others with our transformations. Yet I’ll never forget when my acting coach told me that in order to become a great actor, "you must let go of the want to be good and just be in the moment." Anytime I feel myself judging my performance while I’m acting, I hear his Romanian voice in the back of my head: "The magic is broken." The great teachers I’ve chosen have taught me to find the magic and the different techniques to capture it consistently.

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