Beyond spoken text and physical action, is the all-important performance of a work. How something is done is as crucial as what is done. This course encourages you to push your limits and range as mover, dancer and/or actor. Exercises support the practice of clear intention, committed choice-making, embodied character, physical response and the ability to modulate the intensity of action and emotion. You will perform dance and theater repertory scenes and perform your own works that fully utilize your ability to join thought, experience and action. Readings and viewings on contemporary artists of dance/physical theater support studio work.
Sample reading list:
Faynia Williams, Working with Pina Bausch: A Conversation with Tanztheater W.
Young Jean Lee, Nature Theatre of Oklahoma
Mac Wellman, A Chrestomathy of 22 Answers to 22 Wholly Unaskable
Keith Johnstone, Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre
Barbara Adrian, Actor Training the Laban Way
Jerzy Grotowski, Towards a Poor Theatre
Reading/Writing assignments:
Readings and viewings (one hour/week) will support studio work. Students should expect an additional 1-2 hours/week in rehearsal. Three short written projects, one classroom presentation, and a final creative project are required.
