Dance Savvy Wrkshp Template Facilitatrs: Gal: Length: Setup Needs: One YBCA Staff member, ne Guest Expert (The gal f the wrkshp shuld be tailred t yur specific desired utcmes, fr example:) T explre cntemprary dance as a site f ritual and transfrmatin. 6:00 pm t 8:00 pm (We have fund that tw hurs prir t shwtime wrks well.) Open space fr mvement, discussin prmpts n table tents, viewing tips n cards, etc. (Whatever yu think yu might need.) PRIOR TO WORKSHOP: It is a gd idea t have email addresses fr all attendees, in rder t cntact them the week prir t the event with lgistical reminders and extra infrmatin. Participants are sent cntextualizing materials Interviews with the chregrapher Reviews f previus wrk Link t clips f wrk nline ARRIVING: This is when yur participants will actually cnvene in the space. We generally meet up in the grand lbby, greet participants ne by ne, and then encurage them t engage with a Visual Art exhibitin until everyne arrives. 5:45-6:00pm (15 minutes) Participants arrive. They are greeted and encuraged t mve int a gallery space fr casual viewing. SELF-INTROS: This is an pprtunity fr the facilitatrs t give everyne a sense f the activities that will cmprise the evening s wrkshp, as well as fr the participants t intrduce themselves t everyne else in the rm. 6:00-6:15 (15 minutes): Facilitatr: Welcme. My name is and I ll be facilitating this evening s Dance Savvy Wrkshp. The landscape f cntemprary dance is vast and diverse. A wrkshp can explre nly a limited range f that landscape. It is ur hpe that this wrkshp will prvide yu with prtable tls yu can take t dances and perfrmances in the future. Hwever, we re als ging t be lking very specifically at themes that may infrm tnight s viewing f. We ll be investigating the ways in which the perfrmance can functin as a ritual f transfrmatin, and the rle that the bdy plays in that transfrmative prcess (frecast fr the participants the gals/bjectives yu ve utlined that are specific t the perfrmance).
2 We re ging t begin with sme self-intrductins t get t knw the flks in the rm. We will then mve ut int a deep bservatin exercise with a piece f visual art t get us int the mde f really spending time reflecting n a wrk f art. We will then head upstairs fr sme mvement and bdy awareness exercises t help us becme present in ur bdies and in the mment and in the space. We will then hear frm (Guest Expert) n sme f the cultural (r thematic, aesthetic, technical etc) cncepts that infrm the chregraphy we ll be seeing this evening. We will then have a discussin ver dinner abut sme f the brader ntins f theatre, dance and cntemprary perfrmance. We will then give yu sme thughts and tips t take with yu int the perfrmance, and finally, after the perfrmance and the Q&A, we will meet up again in here t very briefly share sme final thughts. Facilitatr intrduces self, gives a brief sense f backgrund. I d like t g arund the circle and hear frm each f yu. Please tell us yur name, and ne artist r piece f art that has been particularly transfrmative t yu. At this time, just mentin the piece r the persn -- dn t necessarily share the stry f yur experience with that art r artist, r why yu fund them s transfrmative, but d hld it in yur mind in case we circle back t this cnversatin later in the wrkshp. (This caveat is intended t keep the wrkshp n schedule). Participants g arund the circle and intrduce themselves. ART SAVVY 6:15 t 6:30 (15 minutes) Art Savvy uses the principles f Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) t encurage deep bservatin f, and reflectin n, wrks f art. The facilitatr uses the three key questins frm VTS (What s ging n here? What d yu see that makes yu say that? What mre can we find?) t engage in safe, dynamic dialgue arund a piece f visual art. Begin by sharing the fllwing thughts with the participants: By viewing visual art, cinema, theater, and music, as well as yur wn lived experiences and wh yu are as a persn, yu have already develped many tls that can be deplyed when viewing cntemprary dance. (cite specific examples: visual artists might lk at cmpsitin, theatergers might lk at lighting/staging, strytellers might lk at narrative, etc.)
3 Furthermre, yu bring yurself t the wrk: the stresses f yur day, what yu ve eaten, yur bdy, yur energy levels yu meet the perfrmance where yu re at, and that meeting, that mment f shared time and space, is what makes up the perfrmance experience. A large part f ur educatinal philsphy here at YBCA is that it is kay t be lst. Being lst with cntemprary dance is uncmfrtable, and smetimes frustrating, but the part where yu feel lst, frustrated r uncmfrtable, can be a fertile place fr explring new ideas. And, as a matter f fact, it might even be kay t feel bred, t space ut, t think abut ther things the key is t stay present, and aware f the places yur brain travels during a perfrmance. Mrever, cntemprary art may nt have an inherent literal meaning, s whatever meaning yu make is valid. All f us are cming in t this prgram with different aesthetic predilectins and levels f frmal r infrmal training, and we want t validate, up frnt, the fact that yu are the architects f yur wn aesthetic meaning-making prcesses. Nw, we re ging t engage in that very practice f meaning-making, using deep bservatin techniques n a wrk f visual art. Deep bservatin rests n the principle that the mre time yu spend lking at a piece f art and talking abut that piece f art with yur peers, the deeper and mre meaningful yur experience f that piece f art will be. Pretty simple. Remember, there is much t be gained by listening t ne s peers as well, s make sure there is space in the discussin fr everyne t share their bservatins. Als, remember that an bservatin is nt always a fact, s differing interpretatins are kay. In fact, ften times bth ppsing views can be valid and crrect. Facilitatr then guides participants thrugh the Visual Thinking Strategies mdel, using a piece f Visual Art (actual r prjected). At 6:30, everyne heads upstairs t the mvement space. MOVEMENT EXERCISE: 6:35-6:50 (10 minutes) This is just an example f ne apprach t the mvement cmpnent f the wrkshp. Different educatrs and different perfrmances may benefit frm a variety f appraches, techniques, vcabularies and facilitatin styles. Hwever, we have fund that incrprating mvement f sme kind encurages a deeper cnnectin between Audience Members and the experience f viewing cntemprary dance. Facilitatr explains that the gal f the mvement exercise is t becme present in the mment, t becme aware f ne s bdy in the space, and t experience the negative space between ne s bdy and anther.
4 a. Begin in a neutral psitin, with yur feet in parallel, knees slightly bent, arms by yur sides. b. Take a deep breath in thrugh the nse and rll yur shulders up. Breathe ut and feel yur shulderblades sliding dwn yur back. Repeat. c. Take a walk arund the space as nrmal as yu can. Becme aware f yur feet landing n the flr, yur pace, the length f yur steps. d. Freeze. Hw frzen can yu be? Feel frzen in yur fingertips, yur eyeballs, the ends f yur hair. e. The air arund yu thickens, and suddenly it s a substance yu have t push thrugh in rder t mve. Mve thrugh the space in slw mtin. f. Shake it ut, cme back int a circle. Briefly share sme thughts n the significance f that experience. Hw des getting in t ur bdies help us empathize with the perfrming bdies we are abut t see nstage? Hw des it prepare us fr the experience f physically sitting in the audience? Hw can it help the ptential nndancer get dance? LECTURE/DISCUSSION OF CONCEPTS 6:50 t 7:10 (20 minutes) The Guest Expert facilitates a cnversatin abut cultural themes, aesthetic cncepts, technical aspects, design, and any ther elements frm the distributed readings that may help illuminate/prvide pints-f-access fr the perfrmance experience. DINNER 7:15 TO 7:40 (25 minutes) Participants are escrted t their tables, where they encunter discussin prmpts n each table. Examples f discussin prmpts that we have used t frame past cnversatins include: Have yu experienced the theatre as a site f reflectin r transfrmatin? When? Hw? What are rituals that yu have been a part f? Hw was that ritual like, r nt like, a perfrmance? What is the functin f the theatre? Think abut the transfrmatinal piece f art yu mentined when yu intrduced yurself at the beginning f the wrkshp. Hw did it transfrm yu? VIEWING TIPS & CLOSING. 7:40-7:45 PM (10 minutes) Facilitatr explains that they will be given sme thughts t cnsider while they are watching the perfrmance. They will have a small handut with these items s they dn t have t memrize anything. Keep in mind the things yu ve seen, dne, and learned in this wrkshp as yu see the shw, especially
5 Bdy awareness. What des yur bdy feel like during the shw? What srts f physilgical states r experiences des it underg? Nte the cnnectins between what is happening nstage and within yur wn physical self. Deep bservatin. Take a mment t ask yurself: What is ging n here? What d I see that makes me say that? What mre can I find? Remember that there may nt be an inherent literal meaning, s whatever meaning yu make is valid. Presence & patience. What are yu bringing in t the perfrmance experience? Yur day, yur meals, yur cmpaninship, yur energy levels hw d these things affect yur experience as an audience member? Remember that it s kay t space ut, t think abut ther things maintain an awareness f the places yur brain travels during a perfrmance. Lk at audience members arund yu. Remind yurself that perfrmance can simply be peple sharing a space and a mment in time. Hw are we all experiencing this space and this mment tgether? Separately? Als remind participants verbally t read the prgram befre the shw. Facilitatr dismisses the participants, reminds them they may use the free time t eat r just relax, and tells them where t regrup after the perfrmance. POST-SHOW MEETUP: This is an pprtunity fr peple t share their reflectins abut the piece. PARTING THOUGHTS (5 minutes): Facilitatr asks participants fr ne thught they will leave the wrkshp with. Everyne has a chance t respnd. The participants are thanked and invited back fr future wrkshps. PERFORMANCE HANDOUT: We have printed these up n pieces f paper, s that participants can bring a tangible reminder f their wrkshp experience int the shw. THINGS TO DO: Keep in mind the things yu ve seen, dne, and learned in this wrkshp as yu watch the shw. Bdy awareness. What des yur bdy feel like during the shw? What srts f physilgical states r experiences des it underg? Nte the cnnectins between what is happening nstage and within yur wn physical self.
6 Deep bservatin. Take a mment t ask yurself: What is ging n here? What d I see that makes me say that? What mre can I find? Remember that there may nt be an inherent literal meaning, s whatever meaning yu make is valid. Presence & patience. What are yu bringing in t the perfrmance experience? Yur day, yur meals, yur cmpaninship, yur energy levels hw d these things affect yur experience as an audience member? Remember that it s kay t space ut, t think abut ther things maintain an awareness f the places yur brain travels during a perfrmance. Lk at audience members arund yu. Remind yurself that perfrmance can simply be peple sharing a space and a mment in time. Hw are we all experiencing this space and this mment tgether? Separately?