This was the second day of "training" and "ensemble building" and the first Monday. 7 new students came, so we now are up to 45 7th and 8th graders and two invited sixth graders. The plan was to continue working on the viewpoints, building on what we did last week, and then using them to create a new movement sequence based on some of the ideas generated last week. We began with students covering the space. As I stated in an earlier entry, this is going to be our first exercise every time the students enter the room. I really focus on doing the work in absolute silence, which helps build their focus as well as the sense that they are entering a sacred world when we begin our work in the theatre space. We then sat down with everyone facing a stage space. I chose 6 randomly and told them to use the viewpoints that we had worked on last week (tempo, spatial relationships and being and noticing, but but they had a job to do...to use the big stage blocks we have (there are about 15 of different sizes) and to arrange them in interesting ways....as they worked I was side coaching for them to pay attention to what others were doing. When a few minutes passed I asked them to sit down. We applauded their risks. Then I asked one student to go on the stage and begin the viewpoints, but she couldn't move the blocks....As she was moving I snuck up on the stage and dropped a block on the floor. It made a huge noise which caused her to jump. In this way I introduced what I consider the most useful viewpoint of all: kinesthetic response. This is a spontaneous reaction to something which occurs outside you; the timing in which you respond to the external events of movement or sound; the impulsive movement that occcurs from a stimulation of the senses. In a sense this is what theatre is about--letting go of worrying about choosing a good or bad or right or wrong response, but to use everything. If someone runs, use it. If they sit, use it. The key is not to plan but to simply respond. I also emphasized the use of soft focus that allows you to take in much more than a concentrated focus. In this way, groups of 5-7 worked while the rest observed. Anytime someone in the audience saw a moment of kinesthetic response they could call out "stop" and the "actors" would freeze. We would then talk about what we saw and why it was a kinesthetic response. I also added the idea that anytime I clapped the participants would immediately create a circle that rotated clockwise. At first they were polite and waited until everyone was in place before beginning their rotation, but then they understood intuitively that this was boring and static and they began to let it develop more organically. This training is key in that it gives us a vocabulary to work with through the training, creation and eventually through the rehearsal process. The kids grew in the 45 minutes we spent on this in their ability to use what was given to them instead of trying to create something.
Then I posted the list of things generated from the previous sessions small group movement pieces. They were this:
• Specialness/Sacred things cannot be touched in a normal way
• We ask things from that which we call special/sacred
• There is synchronized movement in sacred ceremonies
• There are offerings
• There are alters and deities
• Death is sacred
• There are rules
• There are sacrifices
• People will fight over what they call sacred
• Truth is revealed
• People are searching for something
• Blind faith
• Possession
• We offer to the gods in the hope that they will fix our mistakes
• Gods can be bitter
• There is surrender.
• the objects that are sacred are metaphoric for other, deeper things.
We used the cover the space activity to break into random groups of 4. Their job was in their groups to create a movement sequence inspired by one of the topics. Their piece had to have:
a moment of syncronistic movement
levels
a moment where something is revealed.
They had 12 minutes to create and then they presented. Interestingly many groups choose
gods can be bitter--what does that say?
It was clear, to me, at this point, that the training was a success. I was very impressed by their boldness and the respect they showed each other and the work and their sophistication in talking about what they saw.
Next time I want to begin our image work with an activity that I learned from Michael Rohd: complete the image, as well as add to our viewpoint vocabulary. The thing I wonder about is when and how much to reveal about the Hagia Sophia, and in what form that relevation should take place: story? text? film? photos? I am looking forward to thinking about this and talking with Amy Sass of The Ragged Wing Ensemble on her thoughts about this. Which adds my final thought today to those thinking of embarking on the journey of devising with youth.
I think it is best to work alone and not have too many adults while you are "directing" or leading the group. One voice is less confusing and more unifying for the kids. However, I think you should have someone you trust, even if they are not a theatre person, to discuss ideas with on a regular basis. For my first project I emailed Joan Lazarus, who introduced me to Devising work, quite a bit....on bike rides I talk to my friend Michael, who as a psychoanalyst has a particular perspective on things which I find really useful for the theatre, or my wife who is a visual artist and sees things quite differently than I do. This year I plan on weekly or every other week 1 hour meetings with Amy to help me clarify and understand what I am doing. Devising work does take a lot of thought and effort, and reflection on what you see, in order to really respond to what the kids are doing. In a sense the whole process is one big kinesthetic response.
No comments:
Post a Comment