Now in its fifth year, the C20th and C21st Performer Training Working Group is delighted to issue a call for papers for the forthcoming conference in Cardiff in September 2010.
We are asking for presentation possibilities in three formats:
• formal papers (max 20 minutes)
• provocations or position statements (max 10 minutes)
• instances of practice as research, articulated and presented through short
workshops/demonstrations (1 hour).
One Session this year will be led by a commissioned performance practitioner and will focus on
questions of ‘the training beneath’.
In response to the diverse range of interests of group members and following conversations and
exchanges that took place at a recent interim event, the convenors welcome proposals that relate to
or emerge from our overall theme for 2010 and/or any of the following subthemes:
1. Lineages of training and performance (Tracing ‘families’ of performance’ and the extent to which
different methodologies connect with and influence each other).
2 The ways and means of embodying knowledge in workshop/theatre making
environments. (What models of training are involved here and how can we
test their efficacy?)
3. The comic performer (Explorations of the comic in performance; traditions of the fool and
slapstick performance, comic language, farce, solo performance, satire, parody etc)
4. The intuitive performer. (What does this imply and at what level does
it involve 'training' in the way we normally understand it? What is the
nature of the relationship between intuition and expertise? How do we
document and speak of such intuitive processes?)
5. Contemporary political economies and their impact on C21st performer
training (Is 'deep' training possible at all in the HE sector today?)
6. Articulating training processes through writing and other forms of dissemination.
(Challenges, methodological issues, difficulties of translation and transmission etc.)
7. Training for contemporary dramaturgy. (Where should dramaturgs be trained?
Should they be trained? What are the training needs of dramaturgy? What does the dramaturg do in
contemporary theatre practices?)
8. Improvisation (Exploring and examining approaches, methodologies and practices relating to
improvisation – both as pedagogical and/or rehearsal tool and as a form of performance practice).
9. Acting and Science (New models of understanding training through science, interdisciplinary work
on sci-arts focusing on training issues, a consideration of the impact of cognitive science on actor
training.)
This is neither an exhaustive nor a prescriptive list and we will be delighted to consider proposals
that do not fit into any of the above categories.
Circulation of Paper based presentations in advance of the conference
In 2009 at the TaPRA Plymouth Conference, paper based presentations were circulated to group members
in advance of the actual event. For delegates this approach afforded an opportunity to read and
reflect on papers in advance of the conference and for presenters the chance to engage in considered
and detailed exchanges with other group members. Given the undoubted success of this approach, we
will be pursuing the same strategy for TaPRA 2010.
Joint working group sessions at the Glamorgan TaPRA conference
Please also note that our working group anticipates at least one joint session with
another TaPRA working group. More details will be announced on this in due course.
Submitting a Proposal
Please send 250 word (max) proposals with brief biography and resource
needs to all of the three convenors (details below) by 30th April 2010.
We welcome questions and conversations prior to this date if any colleagues need
advice and/or clarification on any aspect ofparticipation at the conference from colleagues who do not wish to submit papers or other
presentations.
Theatre, Dance and Performance Training (TDPT)
Papers may be considered for further development and publication in the new Routledge Journal TDPT,
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/rtdp
We very much look forward to hearing from you.
Simon Murray, Dept of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, University of Glasgow.
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Jonathan Pitches, School of Performance & Cultural Industries, University of Leeds.
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David Shirley, School of Theatre, Manchester Metropolitan University.
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