Apart from the field projects, my own research and performance appreciation, this program also includes a series of workshop for our inspiration. Different from simply attending and learning from the tutor, I have an agenda of cooperating the workshop experience into my work. This motive brings a lot different in approaching the workshop materials. For example, I am highlighting the artist methodology and how it can relate to my work.
Myth, Madness, Montage and Melodrama (Jul 16, 2022)
Raja Feather Kelly
Kelly is a smart person in cooperating the words and body. He has 7 rules in doing improv/ creative works:
Without preparation
Interrogation
Debate
Repetition
Nothingness-> until there’s something
Tension
Freedom of travelling the above six.
photo from ImPulsTans website.
I like his idea of thinking through dramaturgy as a body presence.
How do we construct our move?
How do we make sense of the move?
How do we connect to the audience?
This thinking process helps me to think through my presence on stage.
Furthermore, his dramaturgy in working with personal and collective knowledge is also interesting. Artistically, he adapts simplicity in word choices. And add layers after. To create these choices, he ask everyone to share their understanding on a story, take the story of Icarus as example. He asks us to share our understanding on it first and then search the ‘original’ one. This reminds me of how the ‘myth’ is formed: oral history. And this kind of creativity and interpretation of each individual has created another layers for the story, not just the authentic one with specific messages.
In this session, we work with the definition of pain and Icarus. He connects Madness (pain and hilarious mask) , myth (story), montage (structure of the work), and Mlodrama (body and expression). To me, the topic itself has suggested his methodology on creating works, which is touching and interesting.
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