The magic envelope︎︎︎
Many artists in dance and theatre use scores in a variety of ways. Some techniques cultivate a group connection or build compositional ideas. Others offer structures for performing improvisation. One of the challenges in using scores is finding the right balance between enough structure that you feel free to move, but not too much that you feel restricted.
Below is a small list of concepts and scores that can be printed on a small sheet of folded paper and placed in a large envelope. A finite group of participants is selected to participate. The group chooses two folded papers and applies the concepts to the improvisation.The group should not discuss ideas, just take a few seconds to be in the space and go. It’s also useful to include a finite amount of time. It's fun to make up your own, but here are a few ideas: melody, rhythm, spatial relationship, movement language, contrast (time, space, dynamic), story, flow (continuous action, relationships), one focus, sound drives, gesture, obstacle, object, conversation, kinesthetic response, image, one arm, no arms, attraction, repulsion, no content, collaboration, chaos, control, one solo, face up stage when still, speak when still, only straight lines, only curves, secret, family, animal...
Below is a small list of concepts and scores that can be printed on a small sheet of folded paper and placed in a large envelope. A finite group of participants is selected to participate. The group chooses two folded papers and applies the concepts to the improvisation.The group should not discuss ideas, just take a few seconds to be in the space and go. It’s also useful to include a finite amount of time. It's fun to make up your own, but here are a few ideas: melody, rhythm, spatial relationship, movement language, contrast (time, space, dynamic), story, flow (continuous action, relationships), one focus, sound drives, gesture, obstacle, object, conversation, kinesthetic response, image, one arm, no arms, attraction, repulsion, no content, collaboration, chaos, control, one solo, face up stage when still, speak when still, only straight lines, only curves, secret, family, animal...
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!
