Purposeful Stage Blocking
Assign meaning to stage positions and move only when the message changes
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
Purposeful stage blocking gives each movement a job. Van Edwards recommends selecting the opening position in advance and walking directly to it rather than meandering while the introduction ends. For the body of the talk, a speaker can assign different areas to different content types—for example, research on one side and stories on the other—or move across the stage as a chronology advances. Reusing those positions can help the audience anticipate and categorize what comes next. The scheme should remain subtle. It is not constant pacing, theatrical choreography, or a requirement to cross the stage regardless of access and room constraints. The test is whether the movement clarifies a transition.
Origin
Extracted from The Diary of a CEO
Core principles
- 01Movement should help the audience organize information
- 02The opening walk creates an early competence cue
- 03Repeated positions can become categories
- 04Stillness and movement both need a purpose
How to run it
- 1
Mark the opening
Pick the exact stage position where the first lines will be delivered.
Pro tip Van Edwards usually begins in the middle.
Watch out Do not wander while deciding where to settle.
- 2
Choose an organizing logic
Assign positions by content type, such as evidence versus story, or by chronological stage.
Pro tip Use one clear logic rather than multiple overlapping maps.
- 3
Place the transitions
Mark the few moments in the talk where a category or time shift justifies moving to a new area.
Pro tip Move during the transition, then become still for the next point.
Watch out Movement without a message change becomes pacing.
- 4
Rehearse the route
Practice the talk in the real or approximate space so each walk looks direct and unhurried.
Watch out Adapt the plan to stage size and mobility needs.
- 5
Test audience clarity
Ask a reviewer whether the movement helped them distinguish sections without calling attention to itself.
Watch out If the blocking becomes the most memorable part, simplify it.
In the wild
Van Edwards says she uses one side of the stage for science, facts, and research and the other for personal stories, gifts, anecdotes, or funny videos. During a long keynote, audience members can begin to recognize the recurring content categories.
→ Stage position becomes an additional organizing signal for the talk.
Common mistakes
Pacing without purpose
Continuous back-and-forth movement can look disorganized and does not help categorize the message.
Freezing in one spot
Total immobility can make a speaker look stiff when the message contains clear transitions that movement could support.
Is it for you?
Best for
Speakers delivering structured keynotes, stories, lessons, or recurring presentations.
Not ideal for
Tiny stages, accessibility-constrained settings, or talks where movement would distract from sensitive content.
From the transcript
“I believe you should block your speeches just very subtly.”
“I want to help your audience with your stage movement.”
From the episode
The Body Language Expert: Stop Using This, It’s Making People Dislike You, So Are These Subtle Mistakes! Your Resting Face Matters & How To Fix It!