Less is more...

You know what? I'm beginning to think that sometimes less is more. There is a time when you want to go all super crazy, but I also think there is a time when not really moving at all is more appropriate, and possibly equally as difficult (harder in my own opinion). Because how do you animate it if it's not moving? You would be surprised at how much animation you have to do to make something look like it isn't moving (yet still alive)

For example:

Maybe accenting only one thing. All the rest is subtle eye accents and changes..maybe a little breathing... mouth stuff... cheeks... nose... slight keep alive on the body! I dunno...the possibilities are endless!

If you design your main pose carefully, do most of the main acting with the eyes/brow and a slight head accent, do all the other little subtle movements, etc. You may be surprised... it could easily be more powerful then all the fancy patterns in the world. (hmmm of course this applies when the scene calls for such things.)