Concentration and ensemble︎︎︎
Here's short description of an improv exercise I've done in the past to build concentration and create a sense of ensemble and spatial awareness. It also functions as a sort of ritual to begin the class.
I give each student a small plastic glass, they fill it 3/4 full of water. Then I guide them with imagery and simple directions—walking, pausing, changing directions, balancing, changing levels, I keep it fairly open. The glass of water can represent anything they want, something that's precious etc.
The rules are simple they must not spill any water, be aware of others, be alert and negotiate the space to avoid colliding.
What tends to happen is that the movers are intensely focused throughout, have a soft gaze yet are acutely aware of the group. It's a nice way to start the class. It ends with the movers placing their glass on the floor in the centre of the room so that they create a circular form. It could also be the beginning of part 2, spatial design, creating a landscape to explore. And of course the improv can be modified.
I give each student a small plastic glass, they fill it 3/4 full of water. Then I guide them with imagery and simple directions—walking, pausing, changing directions, balancing, changing levels, I keep it fairly open. The glass of water can represent anything they want, something that's precious etc.
The rules are simple they must not spill any water, be aware of others, be alert and negotiate the space to avoid colliding.
What tends to happen is that the movers are intensely focused throughout, have a soft gaze yet are acutely aware of the group. It's a nice way to start the class. It ends with the movers placing their glass on the floor in the centre of the room so that they create a circular form. It could also be the beginning of part 2, spatial design, creating a landscape to explore. And of course the improv can be modified.
︎︎︎from Cheryl Prophet
Welcome to mapping collaboration, a toolbox for workshopping and creating across disciplines...
In spite of a long history of interdisciplinary creation, from our earliest recorded arts to our present moment, artistic pedagogy has created divisions between disciplines. This has left artists in a "post-Babel" condition where we don't share the same language and definitions. It’s also encouraged artists to develop practices for devising, creating and composing work that are distinct to their disciplines.
In spite of a long history of interdisciplinary creation, from our earliest recorded arts to our present moment, artistic pedagogy has created divisions between disciplines. This has left artists in a "post-Babel" condition where we don't share the same language and definitions. It’s also encouraged artists to develop practices for devising, creating and composing work that are distinct to their disciplines.
The inspiration for this project came from faculty and students at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts where BFA, MFA and PhD programs in Dance, Theatre Production and Design, Visual Art, Film, and Music and Sound all work together in studio settings and playfully experiment with processes of art-making.
We wanted to create a database of projects, assignments and theory that we collect inside the studio and from research happening in other places. We are curious about how we collaborate and how structures reoccur, translate and deviate from one discipline to another.
Composition is central to these processes and offers a base for our approaches and experiments. We are excited about what our students are doing and inspired by the new languages in contemporary art and performance we continue to see develop.
︎︎︎select a category above to build assignments, learn more about how artists process ideas across disciplines and to create a collaborative process of your own
︎︎︎these tools are collected and used in workshops and classes; some are resources from artists; some are quotes about art-making and how bodies think and listen; others are ideas to expand and disrupt your own training and processes.
︎︎︎Each idea is intentially short- and not meant to be executed as written, but to be adapted to your own practice and specific project/context. Some may be taken in parts or combined with others to spark new ways of training and making together.
︎︎︎submit your own ideas and tools so we can keep building this site!
︎︎︎select a category above to build assignments, learn more about how artists process ideas across disciplines and to create a collaborative process of your own
︎︎︎these tools are collected and used in workshops and classes; some are resources from artists; some are quotes about art-making and how bodies think and listen; others are ideas to expand and disrupt your own training and processes.
︎︎︎Each idea is intentially short- and not meant to be executed as written, but to be adapted to your own practice and specific project/context. Some may be taken in parts or combined with others to spark new ways of training and making together.
︎︎︎submit your own ideas and tools so we can keep building this site!
