Amy has her Masters in Classical Acting from LAMDA, the oldest acting school in London and one of the top five drama schools in the world. She has also trained in American Method Acting, Stanislavski, Laban for Acting as taught by Yat Malmgren, several movement techniques including, but not limited to, Laban, Alexander Technique, and Feldenkrais Method, and is trained in vocal techniques as taught by Cicely Berry, Kristin Linklater and Patsy Rodenberg. She's has trained in TV/Film auditioning at Mornell Studios, where she also guest teaches. As an actor, she's appeared on stage, television, and featured films. As a director, she directed in the U.S. and the U.K., from staged plays to devised theatre, and from youth productions to professional.
Amy feels that her greatest strength in her teaching work is helping actors overcome blocks, tension, and trauma with their instrument, either physically, psychologically, or even vocally, and returning the actor to a state of wholeness so that the work can flow freely again without feeling blocked or limited by self.
Amy's Teaching Philosophy
In theatre we say that the audience is the co-collaborator. I believe that is true in teaching acting. I am first and foremost, a co-collaborator
with each individual student in their process of self discovery. However, the student actor is the senior collaborator in this partnership, as whatever the student and teacher build over the course of their time together, it is the student who will take it with her/him to continue to develop and to use in their professional work and continued training. The student must have ownership of the process. And before we embark on that process, I believe that as actors, before we can illuminate stories of the human condition, we must first understand our own. It is often the hardest journey we take as actors, and artists.
I believe that anyone wishing to undertake the arduous task of the study of acting should be given as much encouragement and guidance as possible. As a teacher, I strive to encourage student actors to pursue acting in a manner that best suits their individual interests, aspirations and abilities. What I love best about teaching actors, is the requirement for individualized teaching and attention, which makes it unlike any other kind of instructional environment. My goal is to challenge and nurture the creative energy of students while fostering enthusiasm on their part for personal discovery of the acting process. I believe that the acting process is different for each student. While I agree there are basic skills an actor needs to understand regarding voice, movement, text analysis and period/styles, it is essentially an individual process in which each actor must develop and continue to refine according to what works best for the actor.
The more I teach, act and direct, I sincerely believe that there is no “one-size-fits-all” technique to approaching acting – every actor, director, and playwright/screenwriter has his or her own personal technique, either drawn largely (though almost never exclusively) from one school of thought, or cobbled together from many different schools of theatre and film. Ideally, acting students spend their training encountering, engaging and testing various methods, tools and techniques – then identifying, embracing, and personalizing the approaches that best match their unique intellectual and emotional composition. There is no one correct way to act but in fact, it may be a mixture of methods one has to discover on one’s own through the process of study, and trial and error - in the process of "doing" does the learning occur.
Most importantly, I am proudly a passionate acting instructor, which is critical in order to inspire students, especially due to the personal nature of studying acting, and to push themselves beyond the realm of preconceived personal limitations or expectations, and achieve their ultimate goals and dreams.
"Amy Serafin is a wonderful acting teacher and coach! I took acting and voice and movement classes from Amy for more than a year. Through her demonstrations and examples, Amy clearly explained techniques, how to approach a new role, and many other aspects of acting and the industry. She is very perceptive and noticed when I was struggling, then guided me through my obstacles. Amy genuinely cares about her students and knows how to help each individual achieve his or her goal." ~Mattie Sanders, Phoenix, AZ
"Amy Serafin is one of the finest coaches and directors that I have ever worked with. Her unique approach and technique of bringing out the character from within has done wonders for me. I wouldn't be the actor that I am right now if I hadn't studied under her tutelage. Frankly, Amy Serafin is one of the greats!" ~Anthony Maniscalco, Los Angeles, CA
"I was one of Amy's students for a little over three years. When I began her class I had little to no experience with acting and was very shy. Now I have gained confidence and grown so much as an actor. I would never have been able to attend a summer program at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) or be involved in plays if it wasn't for her. She knows how to push you the right amount and truly cares about your learning." ~Alaina Lass, Phoenix, AZ
"Through her support and coaching, Amy has helped me grow. Not only as an actor, but also as a person. She helped me accept my emotions, and guided me through exploring them. With her coaching, I was able to realize my potential. With her guidance, I found the courage to take my first step towards my dreams. Amy helps you to notice both your strengths and weaknesses, recognizing that both are vital, and both can become your strengths with support and acceptance." ~Tris Kelsey, Scottsdale, AZ