‘The Changing Body: the Bodymind in Contemporary Training and Performance’
January 6 - 8 2006, University of Exeter
This symposium is the culmination of 18 months of research and activities by the International and Intercultural Research Centre, Laboratory and Archive
for Performance Practice and Actor Training. The symposium will include workshops, work demonstrations, moments of practice analysis, performances and seminar papers. There will also be interdisciplinary and performer respondent panels, and two keynote presentations by philosophers. Full details of the programme and contributors can be found at: http://www.ex.ac.uk/drama/research/changingbody/sym_intro.html
Registration for the symposium is now open. There are a very limited number of places available, so early booking is advisable. For booking form and details, please go to: http://www.ex.ac.uk/drama/research/changingbody/booking_form.html
The cost of registration includes a post-symposium DVD of documentation of the event, edited by Peter Hulton (Exeter Digital Archives).
Pre-Symposium Workshops
January 3 - 5 2006, University of Exeter
Prior to the symposium, there is the opportunity to participate in one of a choice of four workshops led by leading practitioners in diverse approaches to the bodymind in performance:
Niamh Dowling (MMU): 'Moving Into Change'
Bella Merlin (University of Exeter): 'The Psychological Space and the Changing Physical Place'
Phillip Zarrilli (University of Exeter): 'Making the body all eyes: body, breath, activation, image'
David Zinder (formerly Tel Aviv University): 'From ImageWork to the Chekhov Technique'
Full details of the workshops and booking information can be found at: http://www.ex.ac.uk/drama/research/changingbody/sym_prework.html
There are again a limited number of places per workshop, so please book early.
PLEASE NOTE: It is possible to book for a workshop without booking for the symposium as well, and vice versa.
For further information, please contact Jerri Daboo (J.J.Daboo@exeter.ac.uk). For booking enquiries, please contact Gayatri Simons (G.Simons@exeter.ac.uk).
THE ANATOMICAL THEATRE REVISITED
Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis (ASCA) & Department of Theatre Studies, University of Amsterdam
5-8 April, 2006
CALL FOR PAPERS
The historical anatomical theatre marks the emergence of a new knowledge about the body. Eventually, this knowledge came to represent the knowledge of the body, while at the same time -- as Jonathan Sawday (1995) points out -- anatomical dissection came to represent the model of scientific investigation par excellence. The anatomical theatre, therefore, symbolizes the emergence of a particular constellation of ideas and practices underlying what became the dominant conception of the body, including prevailing notions of how the body can be known, and, what it means to know. This inaugural moment was highly theatrical in character, and occurred in a highly theatrical space.
The popularity of anatomy -- Sawday argues -- cannot be understood solely from raising the ban on the formerly forbidden practice of dissection, nor simply as a result of the superior quality of the knowledge thus produced. Rather, the anatomical body is part and parcel of the development of modern individualism, and of the modern scientific world-view. Dissection turns the body into a mute corporeal object, separated from and opposed to the Cartesian disembodied eye/I as the site of subjectivity, thought and knowledge. Additionally, the ‘culture of dissection’ (Sawday) marks the beginnings of what Michel Foucault has analysed as the ‘surveillance’ of the body within regimes of judgement and punishment, as well as an early crystallization of the modern Western sense of interiority.
‘The Anatomical Theatre Revisited’ engages with what is by now a history of attempts to rethink these notions of the body, subjectivity and knowledge. It promotes a return to the theatre in order to explore alternative conceptions emerging at the intersection of artistic practices and philosophical, theoretical and scientific ideas.
Many artists use (or have used) performance, theatricality, staging, or re-enactment as means to challenge conceptions of the body as a mere object. They argue for a new understanding of the body as an agent actively involved in world making, and in the production of thought and knowledge. Sometimes, their work presents an explicit critique of the history of the anatomical body, in other cases the implications of their work can be read as an implicit commentary on the constellation of ideas and practices concerning bodies, thought and knowledge, summarized in Sawday’s notion of the ‘culture of dissection’.
‘The Anatomical Theatre Revisited’ encompasses a series of plenary lectures by selected international scholars, followed by panel presentations.
Keynote speakers include Susan Foster (UCLA), Michal Kobialka (University of Minnesota), Bojana Kunst (University of Ljubljana), José van Dijck (University of Amsterdam), Sally Jane Norman
(Culture Lab, University of Newcastle upon Tyne), and Kurt Vanhoutte (University of Groningen).
For the panel presentations we invite proposals that address the following questions:
- How might a practical or imaginary ‘re-theatricalization’ of the anatomical body contribute to exposing aspects of the cultural-historical perspective implied within what Sawday terms the ‘culture of dissection’? How do historical and contemporary bodies on stage reflect aspects of this perspective? How do bodies on stage illustrate historically and culturally specific conceptions of embodiment, as well as conceptions regarding the relationships between embodiment and knowledge, thought and reflexivity? How are these conceptions reflected in theories of theatre, performance and dance?
- How do artistic works respond to, expand or explore new theoretical approaches concerned with the relationships between bodies and knowledge? How do artistic works contribute to new conceptions of what bodies are and how they can be understood, not only as objects of knowledge, but also as the site of subjectivity, thought and knowledge?
- What are the implications of new developments on stage, in art, and in theory for analysis and interpretation of acting, dancing, and/or spectatorship? What new concepts present themselves? What kind of interpretive tools are lacking?
- What might the implications be of such a re-theatricalizing for our understanding of: the relationship between art and theory in the production of knowledge; the objectivity of science; and, the performativity of thought?
Please send proposals comprising the name and a short bio of the presenter, and a title with abstract (300 words) to Maaike Bleeker at anatomy-fgw@uva.nl
Please paste the proposal into the body of the email message rather than attaching a separate file.
Submission deadline for proposals is 15 November 2005
Second International Conference for Digital Technologies and Performance Arts
Doncaster, June 2006
School of Intermedia and Performance Arts | Faculty of Arts, University Centre, Doncaster College
June 26, 27, 28, 2006
Call for Papers, Workshops, Performances
Following the success of the 1st International Conference for Digital Technologies and Performance Arts, the School of Intermedia and Performance Arts at Doncaster College announces DTPA 2006. This interdisciplinary conference provides a forum for those in the field of theatre, dance, music and performance (researchers, practitioners, educators, systems developers) for a dynamic and exciting exchange of approaches surrounding the use of new media technologies in live performance.
Proposals are invited for papers, performances, presentations/workshops, and poster presentations on the following topics:
- Live performance and interactive systems
- Motion capture/motion-sensing technologies
- Performance pedagogy, education and new media
- HCI and live performance
- Web based performance and virtual performance spaces
- Realtime music control
- Gesture and interactive multimedia
- Interdisciplinarity and new media
- Performance software/hardware development
Apart from papers in conventional format (30 minutes) there will be the opportunity for practitioner-researchers to offer
- performances with corresponding documentation for post-production peer discussion,
- performance workshops
- digital technologies workshops
- performative installations with related paper. (all 60 minutes).
Presenters may also wish to submit written papers for publication prior to, or following the conference, in the new International Journal of Digital Media and Performance Arts. (http://www.intellectbooks.com/journals/padm.htm)
Proposals for research papers should be about 200-300 words.
Proposals for performances and installations should be submitted with an outline of about 200-300 words and either audio CD or DVD, as well as full details of technical and spatial requirements.
Workshop proposals should also be about 200-300 words with additional full details of technical and spatial requirements.
All expressions of interest should be forwarded by January 6, 2006 to:
Dr Dave Collins | Reader School of Intermedia & Performance Arts | Doncaster College High Melton | Doncaster DN5 7SZ | Email: david.collins@don.ac.uk
Notification of acceptance of papers will be sent out by the end of March 2006.
Performing arts companies and independent artists may have conference fees waived, but will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation fees.
A registration form for this conference is available at: www.don.ac.uk/ipa
Working Group on Performance as Research
Call for expressions of interest
Co-convenors: Jaqueline Martin, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane; Baz Kershaw, University of Bristol.
Deadline for proposals: March 31, 2006
This will be a IFTR/FIRT Working Group at the 2006 World Congress.
International Federation for Theatre Research/Fédération internationale pour la recherche théâtrale
The 15th World Congress GLOBAL vs LOCAL
Helsinki August 7-12, 2006
Hosted by the Department of Theatre Research, Institute for Art Research, University of Helsinki
Congress website: www.helsinki.fi/taitu/english/theatre/firt
Performance as Research
Performance Research investigates creative-academic issues raised by performance as research across the performance media: dance, film, television and theatre.
A number of key issues are driving the formation of the working group focusing on Performance Research including the following:
The nature of Performance as Research
What field(s) of activity does 'performance research' describe?
The working group will identify a range of performance as research activities in international higher education institutions.
Significance
What knowledge(s) can performance generate and to what extent knowledge and understanding are increased by performance as research?
How can the knowledge and experience of practitioners be integrated into university-based research cultures?
The performance as research group will develop a diverse range of case studies to produce knowledges surrounding notions of value.
Its aim is to define objectives, methodologies, procedures and focus of performance within its disciplinary and institutional context as well as interrogate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the research methods.
Dissemination issues
What are appropriate modalities through which to communicate about and in terms of performance?
The performance as research group will consult on and realize a series of creative projects to advance potential uses of digital technologies for documentation and dissemination.
Institutional and academic frameworks
What is the meaning and standing of a qualification in performance research?
What are the implications of developing bodies of practice and theory specific to performance research?
We are now inviting expressions of interest from international researchers/ groups working through/ with Performance. Initial expressions of interest should be no more than 200 words.
We welcome proposals along the lines suggested above. Performance excerpts of a live or digitized nature are also welcome as part of the presentations, i.e. combinations of performances/ screenings; performances/ screenings with associated documentation; expository writing-based conference papers.
Ideally, the presentations should be restricted to 30mins, including time for questions, but longer presentations can be discussed.
Initial expressions of interest should include:
1. Names of those potentially involved
2. Area of practice
3. Institutional/company affiliation and address
Please send your proposals to:
Baz Kershaw baz.kershaw@bristol.ac.uk
Jacqueline Martin je.martin@qut.edu.au
ICMS9 - call for papers
“MUSIC, SENSES, BODY” | “LA MUSICA, I SENSI, IL CORPO”
Roma, 19-23 September 2006
Università di Roma Tor Vergata | Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia | Via Columbia, 1 http://www.umweb.org/icms9
Directors:
EERO TARASTI (University of Helsinki - Director of the International Project on Musical Signification) - eero.tarasti@helsinki.fi
GINO STEFANI (Università di Roma Tor Vergata) – gino.stefani@libero.it
AGOSTINO ZIINO (Università di Roma Tor Vergata) – md1339@mclink.it
The ICMS is a biannual conference to provide a platform for presentations and discussions of recent developments and future trends in Musical Semiotics. It has been held since 1986 as part of the International Project on Musical Signification. ICMS9 is the ninth edition of the congress.
This year the organizers especially encourage submissions on topics such as: musical ‘gesture’; ‘feeling, emotion and meaning’, today; bodily roots of the musical mind; metaphor in music; image and embodied schemata in musical semiosis, composition and analysis; synaesthesia and transductions ‘interartes’; body as musical medium; etc.
You are invited to attend the conference and/or to submit a proposal for a presentation no longer than 20 minutes. Proposals for round tables will also be considered. The proceedings of the Congress will be published.
The official languages of the Congress are English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. All speakers are requested to provide a short summary of their paper in English OR Italian.
Closing date for reception of Registrations and Abstracts: 13th of April, 2006.
Proposals for papers (1p. in length, accompanied by a short CV) should be sent to ALL the following e-mail addresses:
GINO STEFANI | gino.stefani@libero.it
DARIO MARTINELLI | dario.martinelli@helsinki.fi
EERO TARASTI | eero.tarasti@helsinki.fi
For more information, please visit the website http://www.umweb.org/icms9
