Quite simply the Viewpoint of Architecture is about the physical environment in which you are working and how it affects movement. In working on Architecture as a Viewpoint, we learn to dance with the space, to be in dialogue with the room, to let movement evolve out of our surroundings. We are talking about walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, windows, types of fabric and material in the space, the sources of light, the color of the space and objects in it---even the sound created by the architecture (do the floors creak, is there gravel under our feet?.....). Everything about the space is incorporated into, and influences, our movements.
To introduce this Viewpoint I took the group of 40 students who were with us today outside to the loading dock in the back of our theatre. There was an unusual working environment…a ramp, a loading dock about 3 feet above ground, gravel and concrete ground, metal hand rails, large metal posts supporting a ceiling above the loading dock, two doors leading into the theatre, and stairs as well. All of us stood and looked at the space. And then we began Viewpoints. The students have been working with this training method and language for three weeks but I still reminded them of the Viewpoints we have worked with so far: spatial awareness, tempo, levels, kinesthetic response and duration. (See previous blog entries to get an introduction to Viewpoints training—or check out the book: The Viewpoints Book, by Anne Bogart and Tinal Landau). One person went up first, and then another, and another, until half the group was performing while the other watched. They climbed poles, slid down banisters, danced with the stairs, did sit ups on, and jumped up onto, the loading dock, while still paying attention to the other Viewpoints. It was energizing and interesting work. They enjoyed being in another space and it was clear to them how much the Architecture affected their movement.
Then we all moved to the auditorium itself: our first time in this space that would eventually be where we performed our finished product. And we did the same exercise here. Half were in seats and the other half on the stage, using the Architecture of the new space, to move with and to. Then we switched it around, and half the group sat on the stage (which now became audience) and the other half used the seats and aisles for their Viewpoints. They were liberated and excited about turning the normal use of the space on its head. This all took about 30 minutes. For the final hour the students were broken randomly into groups of 5 or 6 (again using our cover the space activity described earlier). They had an hour to do the following assignment that was written for them:
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Hagia Sophia
Devising Exercise
Your group will choose a space for this: we can use the auditorium / the exits in the auditorium/the wings of the stage/the little theatre/the loading dock area/the hallway between the little theatre and the auditorium, and the outside amphitheatre area.
Rules though: No running, and eating and drinking in designated areas only. You need to represent the theatre ensemble well.
Your group needs to create a movement sequence (no text, no words) that shows clearly that your chosen space is sacred. We are working with the space you choose, not objects or people, unless the objects are part of that particular space. Your piece must include, but isn’t limited to the following:
- Evidence of the following viewpoints: Tempo, Levels, Duration, Architecture, Kinesthetic Response, and Spatial Awareness. Architecture is particularly important as each of us is in a different place.
- At least one moment of stillness (10 seconds). It can come anywhere in the performance.
- Your piece must last at least 60 seconds, but no more than 4 minutes. Time it.
- You have today, and today only to create (about 50 minutes)…We will present them and link them on Wednesday.
These are important sequences as they will be the basis from which we will begin creating our play.
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And then they set to work. One group asked if they could use the balcony of our theatre, normally an off limit area for our students. I had an aide who works with one my developmentally disabled students so I was able to send her up there to make certain no one fell off. The others were spread around: one was outside on the loading dock, one in our normal studio called the little theatre, another on the stage in our auditorium, another using the seating area of the auditorium and another in a large outdoor seating area we call the amphitheatre, that is used mostly as a meeting spot for PE classes. I circulated around and watched as the students worked. Most needed very little encouragement. The only group having difficulty was the one at the Amphitheatre. They were caught in conversation and didn’t know where begin. I suggested they just use the viewpoints to get started: to get out of their heads and into their bodies. This was enough, for as they began moving I kept side coaching: “vary the tempo, think of levels, pay attention to the floor beneath you. You’re outside, what do you see in the distance….etc…” Within 2 minutes of this, one of them began running up and down the steps and the others followed with a kinesthetic response and soon they gathered, talking about their ideas which were bubbling. I was no longer needed.
The hour went by quickly. Most finished but no one had stopped working so our plan is to spend about 10 -25 minutes at the beginning of our next session to review and practice, and then to present. I plan on getting a video and photographic record of the work and to use it for our next steps. Hopefully I’ll figure out a way to link or place on this blog. At this stage of the process I am still wondering when the Hagia Sophia itself comes into our process. Hopefully, it will be clear to me at the right time. I have to trust the early stages of the devising process and continue with training and somewhat abstract ideas.
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