We started out with a warm-up, based on a viewpoints exercise called flocking. Basically it tries to mimic, amongst an ensemble of actors, the seamless movement found in a flock of birds. You can never tell which bird is initiating a direction change. 10 actors enter the stage space. One of them leads via a movement and incorporating all the other viewpoints (particularly tempo change, duration, shape and levels) all the others follow, imitating the movements of the leader (the leader is moving through space, and the actors do not line up in a row behind but rather flock like birds, drafting on the lead bird--in this way it moves much like a peloton in bicycle racing). At any point the leader stops and turns. At that exact moment another actor takes control and initiates a movement. The others follow. Who initiates is the person that finds themselves, when the turn is executed, with no other actors in front of him/her. Then, after a time, this actor stops and turns (45 degrees, or 90, 180 or 270, but never 360) and another actor takes over. This continues and in time the group does indeed move as a flock. From the audience perspective there is no clear indication as to how the lead is chosen. For the actors on stage the time builds a real ensemble sense. Plus it will serve later in actual rehearsals when we use flocking to create different sequences, based on what mood we want to create on stage.
After all participants went (we had only 35 today: lots of illness and test taking) we introduced the major focus of today. They were to return to their groups and review the movement sequences they created last week, using architecture to create a sense of sacredness for a particular place. They then would come to me and get a card which introduced a problem that they had to incorporate into their movement sequence, essentially changing it. These problems came from the history of the Hagia Sophia--earthquakes, take overs, riots, sackings, etc. In this way their movements pieces would reflect the actual history of the building. They would have 25 minutes only to make their alterations and then present them. Each card had a photo of the Hagia Sophia on it as well.
Here are the cards I created for this exercise:
The year is 1344 A.D. A serious earthquake damages the Hagia Sophia. Your group must reshape your piece to reflect this information.
After all participants went (we had only 35 today: lots of illness and test taking) we introduced the major focus of today. They were to return to their groups and review the movement sequences they created last week, using architecture to create a sense of sacredness for a particular place. They then would come to me and get a card which introduced a problem that they had to incorporate into their movement sequence, essentially changing it. These problems came from the history of the Hagia Sophia--earthquakes, take overs, riots, sackings, etc. In this way their movements pieces would reflect the actual history of the building. They would have 25 minutes only to make their alterations and then present them. Each card had a photo of the Hagia Sophia on it as well.
Here are the cards I created for this exercise:
The year is 532 A.D. The first Hagia Sophia is burned to the ground during a riot. Your group must reshape your piece to reflect this information.
The year is 726 A.D. Image worship is prohibited by the new emperor Leo III. Some of the most beautiful mosaics that had portraits of saints were covered up and replaced with symbols like crosses. This is the beginning of the iconoclastic period. Your group must reshape your piece to reflect this information.
The year is 1204 A.D. Crusaders from Europe sack Constantinople. The Hagia Sophia is looted and damaged. Some of the most important artifacts and statues are taken away. Your group must reshape your piece to reflect this information.
The year is 1453 A.D. The city of Contstantinople falls to the Ottomans. The Christian Church of Hagia Sophia is converted into a mosque and is now for Muslim worship. Your group must reshape your piece to reflect this information.
The year is 1750 A.D. The mosaics of Hagia Sophia depicting Christian images are covered in whitewash by the Ottomans, reflecting Islamic beliefs regarding figurative art for religious purposes.
Your group must reshape your piece to reflect this information.
We then gathered to watch each other's work.
They created very interesting and meaningful scenes. I videotaped them and will post them in tomorrows post. The first one struck me the most. It was the group that had been doing their work on our outdoor amphitheatre. They had really used the entire space in their initial work. The problem that they had been presented with was the one which talked of the whitewashing of some of the mosaics in the 1700’s. Their piece had such power that everyone gasped as they moved to their final image, where a student, who was in a pose of religious posturing (looking like a cross) stood motionless and with a great formal flourish and solemnity others moved to him and placed a sweatshirt over him, covering him up completely. A very powerful, and symbolic depiction of the problem. Others were also powerful and the period ended, just in time for all the performances to be viewed.
We learned a little about the Hagia Sophia in this session and perhaps more importantly the students internalized the way in which history had an impact on rituals and traditions. I felt that some of the work was complete enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if they found their way into our final performance. I plan on using these pieces to stimulate our final training on Wednesday, where we further our work with Augosto Boal’s image work.
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