Description
The Art of Devising In Contemporary Theatre and Dance
Welcome to a one week intensive seminar on devising in theatre and dance led by Sanja Krsmanović Tasić.
The topic of this year’s theatrical research will be freedom.
- What does freedom mean to each one of us. What has it meant, is meaning or will mean in different points and phases of our lives?
- Is freedom a liberating notion or something that can also break us down?
- What is the difference between personal and social freedom?
- Is freedom a safe place to be?
Starting with different exercises that warm up the body and develop the physical vocabulary of each individual, the workshop will focus on developing different materials from which a devised performance art piece can be created. The participants will together pass the process of creating physical scores based on personal inner stories, that will be later edited into scenes.
Based on techniques of Eastern European laboratory theatre, and the 20 th Century masters of contemporary theatre and dance (Grotowski, Barba, Biomechanics, physical theatre, Yoshi Oida, Carolyn Carson), different martial art techniques, and also unique theatre/dance techniques developed by Sanja Krsmanovic Tasic after 40 years of dedicated work in the realm of performing art and dance.
We will work on a way of artistically expressing, in the same time developing self-awareness and defining our role and place as artists and teachers in this world and in the 21 st century. We will explore our personal histories as well, the inner landscapes, thus clearing the air for fresh, exciting and new things to come, transforming us on the way.
Who is it for?
The Art of Devising workshop is for directors and actors with experience, and/or for students,teachers and creative drama pedagogues, also for anyone interested to embark with us on this journey of personal revelations and development, as this methodology of work is applicable for all ages. It is a devised theatre and dance workshop that starts from the expression of the body and voice, by defining an important and personal theme for the participants, through researching, developing and creating material that will be shaped into the performance itself, using creative dramaturgy of montage. The level of skill and knowledge is not essential, as the workshop gives space for individual expression, but also a space for challenging personal boundaries and restraints. This multidisciplinary workshop will also include work on creative writing for the performance, site-specific work and also work with rhythm, music and song, to be developed in the final presentation/performance.
Different exercise and training will be used for developing the organic voice and singing as well as work with the body as our instrument of expression. We will work on generating different materials thus creating a meaningful and beautiful performance starting from the participants themselves. We will explore the possibilities of the body, that does not have to be trained to be able to express itself through movement and dance. Any movement can become an action in theatre, any action can become dance. The workshop will dedicate itself to the search of the „dance of the soul“, the harmonization of the inner world and listening to the whispers of nature, in search for the clear, true and wondrous expression of each individual.
About the Facilitator
Sanja Krsmanović Tasić is a performing artist, theatre director, choreographer, dance and drama teacher. The founder and artistic director of the Hleb Teatar and Artistic Utopia Association. Formerly an actress of the DAH Theatre and program director of educational projects of the DAH Theatre Research Centre. She is curently the president of IDEA-International Drama/Theatre and Education Association. She has been working as a drama and dance/movement teacher since 1984. She is an author and producer of numerous educational and artistic programmes & projects. Part of her pedagogical work has been also dedicated to creating art with disabled dancers and actors. She has led drama and dance workshops in Serbia and abroad (Europe, USA, UK, New Zealand, Mongolia, Cuba).
Since 2011 she has been developing new forms of performance described as “theatrical essays” with variation of “essays in movement”, and in 2014 she started developing the concept of “The Ecology of Soul” as part of the Festival “Mater Terra” that she has founded.
As artist creates work that is on the border line of activism and art, dealing with subjects that are important politically and socially. She believes that through art transformation and healing can be achieved.
Where?
In the Open Space Centre in Slany, Czech Republic. Open Space is a non-for-profit educational & cultural centre located 15 minutes from Prague airport and 30 min from Prague in the quaint village of Trpoměchy near Slaný. Originally built as a gymnasium in 1920’s by Sokol, a fraternal organization promoting the old-Greek ideal of a bodily, moral and spiritual whole, the recently reconstructed building offers a large workspace, kitchen, sauna and cozy attic bedrooms.
full board (3 meals a day, snacks, coffee/tea)
dormitory/hostel-style lodging in shared rooms with 2-4 people in one room and shared bathrooms, bedding and towels included
When?
Monday 20th July from 6pm till Sunday 26th July 2 pm.
Cost:
€ 350
The price includes accommodation & meals.
What else should you know?
It is necessary to have comfortable clothes that allow movement, socks or soft shoes for indoor activities, sneakers or hiking shoes for outdoor activities, a big towel or shawl for lying down on the ground. Please bring a personal object that has a story of freedom behind it.
Further information & queries:
Pavel Bednar, tel: +420602322947, [email protected]
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Comments by participants of Sanja’s previous workshops in Open Space:
“Absolutely professional, exceptionally personal and warm-hearted approach.”
“Sanja is an experienced actress and director, but most of all a wonderful human being. I appreciated her sharing this experience with us as well as her own unique approach to acting and directing. Her workshop facilitation was genuinely pleasant which made me feel safe to experiment.“
“What I like about her approach is that even the so called warming-up activities are not just single-purpose but linked, directly or indirectly, with all other activities. Everything is interconnected with the level gradually increasing so we can develop and cultivate all that has been created and thus never feel stuck.”
“These few days spent with warm-hearted Sanja and all those wonderful people will forever stay in my memory. It was very intensive, very deep and yet such a great fun.”
