POST FALLS — Acting and action are taking center stage this week as actor and stuntwoman Lisa Skvarla takes students through the basics of acting as well as action through taekwondo.

Skvarla teaches acting at the Playhouse Northwest Acting School in Seattle and is bringing her experiences in acting, stunts and taekwondo expertise to spark a passion for action storytelling for kids in Kootenai County. 

Throughout the four-day class at Follow My Lead dance studio in Post Falls, the students learn how to audition for on-camera projects, taekwondo, how to use foam nunchucks, personal safety and boundaries, Meisner techniques for acting, board breaking and a variety of acting games.   

Leading the kids in an exercise, Skvarla reminded them to use their “script,” in this case, the words making up the game “zip, zap, zop.” 

When one girl pointed out that the words didn’t mean anything, Skvarla tied the theater game into the Meisner acting technique. Receiving the emotion of what your fellow actor conveys helps root you in a scene. 

“It’s about the behavior,” Skavarla said. 

The students had to make eye contact and “throw” the next word to another in the circle, along with a directional clap to make it clear who the recipient is. 

Hayden siblings Mila Russo, 7, and Avery Russo, 12, had different favorite moments from the first day of class. 

“Guessing which emotion they’re doing,” Mila said, referring to an emotion-based acting game. 

“I liked doing the audition,” Avery said.  

Their grandmother, Julie Lyon, said their mother thought the class would be a good fit for them and was excited to hear what they had learned during their first day.   

“I like things that are different and they’re enjoying learning theatre and taekwondo,” Lyon said. 

Skvarla said that she was pleased to see some of the kids who were excited only about the acting lessons or martial arts wound up being surprised into appreciating both portions of the camp. 

The action day camp combines her two passions: physicality and acting.  

“I got my start in this business for stunt work. I worked on ‘Northern Exposure’ on the third season, that was my first gig. I went to stunt school from there and I fell in love with acting,” Skvarla said. 

From there, she went on to become certified in Meisner techniques and combined the action and acting into a camp format for children to spark their imagination. 

“I teach Meisner because they’re learning how to listen, focus, use their emotional intelligence and they’re connecting to the other person,” Skvarla said. 

She wants students to walk away with confidence in themselves, learn how to focus and respect others. 

Skvarla is also a fourth-degree blackbelt in taekwondo and takes them through breaking boards, punch blocks and other equipment as well as a few words in Korean. 

“They learn how to show respect and work on their mind, emotion and body,” Skvalra said. 

    Lisa Skvarla ended the first day of action day camp with the game "snake," a focus and coordination game to avoid a green pool noodle as Skvarla changes heights, speeds and directions. Students: Paizlee Marshall, Luna Nelmar, Avery Russo, Mila Russo, Stella Duke, Reid Funkhouser, Ginny Funkhouser, Maisie Beeson, Adelaide Stephens and Vicky Divilbiss.
  

    Stella Duke, Maisie Beeson, Mila Russo and Avery Russo laugh Monday during the first day of action day camp at the Post Falls Follow My Lead studio.
  

    Lisa Skvarla, Paizlee Marshall, Luna Nelmar, Crystal Reiber, Delaney Jensen, Mila Russo, Avery Russo and Ginny Funkhouser and play "zip, zap, zop."