Students in class will know that I am a big proponent of “adding energy” to an exercise. So often we shy away from an energy flow with our partner as a way to protect ourselves. If we don’t send a lot of energy out to the partner, we won’t have to show anything about ourselves. We can keep ourselves at a safe distance.
Also, higher energy levels tend to push behavior into levels that are socially unacceptable. Yelling, gesturing, crying, laughing, loving, all of these would be considered “too big” in a normal social interaction. But not between actors.
Actors, even when not in an acting environment, can seem to be bigger (in their behavior) than “normal” people. Admittedly, sometimes that big behavior is to cover up for some inner insecurity. But it can also be coming from a place that actors have trained to be ok with bigger responses. In front of a camera, those big responses tend to translate into quicker response times, a feeling of being extra receptive to the things that are going on around you (an actor while on camera often can’t have such big external behavior). But on the stage, that willingness to have big, energetic behavior is what an actor needs to get a performance out to an audience.
So when you’re in the acting class, and I ask you for “more energy” don’t worry! It’s something that everyone needs!