Interdisciplinarity
Interdisciplinarity and Interculturality
Preparation and execution of the program of the Special Interest Group (SIG) IDEA Congress Hong Kong 15 July – 25 July 2007
“Emergence of New, Interdisciplinary Theatre & Art Forms - Local initiatives and site specific locations in relation with globalizations”
The BT/DD (IDEA Member in the Netherlands) had offered to take the lead in making an interesting program for this SIG, in June 2006. This was accepted by the Hong Kong Academic Congress Committee in November 2006. Maria van Bakelen was asked to act as Coordinator of the SIG.
The Coordinator sent a draft program to colleagues/experts in interdisciplinary art forms in other countries and continents. Enthusiastic reactions were received. The Coordinator used her network and the network of Nicoline Nagtzaam to identify other experts in this field. These contacts resulted in the participation and contribution of Théâtre du Fil from Paris, France and also in several European participants in the audience of the SIG (e.g. Outil Théâtre from Montpellier and several drama teachers from The United Kingdom). Also the director of the Indian Theatre group Natya Chetana (Orissa), Subodh Pattnaik, accepted the invitation to participate in the program, as well as MOVITED-SF from Nicaragua, in the person of Els van Poppel.
To identify interdisciplinary work and experts in the other continents, the Coordinator approached well informed personalities within the IDEA organization: via Associate Professor Dr. John O’Toole (Australia) the musician Dr. Samuel Leong was willing to participate; via Associate Professor Dr. Larry O’Farrell Dr. Bobby McKean was invited (ex actress and teacher at the College of Fine Arts and School of Theatre Arts, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA) and she too accepted this invitation, as did the composer/musician/theatre director Hamadal Moumine, Issoufou from Niger, Africa.
IDEA’s network and the individual networks have proofed to be very effective in the preparation of the program about Interdisciplinarity and Interculturality in the arts – within three months the program was drafted.
- to stimulate the Dutch contribution in the program by discussions in the International Committee of the BT/DD (the Dutch IDEA-member). Nicoline Nagtzaam and Marjolijn Schutgens prepared a reflection and audiovisual documentation of their own experiences in interdisciplinary work and projects in the Netherlands. Other Dutch contributors, who were involved in the beginning of these discussions, had to cease their participation because of planning problems or lack of finances.
The preparation of the content of the program The following aims / criteria were aimed for the quality of the program:
- to find experts of different interdisciplinary practice to be able to compare the interdisciplinary notions and practice in other cultures and countries
- to ensure the intercultural dimension by inviting at experts of different countries in Europe, in Asia-Australia and in India, in Africa, in Latin America and in the USA/Canada) and to find at least one expert in Hong Kong.
- to clarify the term ‘interdisciplinaity’: a clear description on the term “interdisciplinarity” (to be distinguished e.g. from multidisciplinary work) had to be prepared, to avoid all possible misunderstanding in the meetings. The choice was not to use a ‘closed’ definition, but to make a ‘working-description’ for this SIG to start with. This preparation resulted in a sheet with clear working ‘definitions’ which helped to clarify the content: several confusions were already discussed beforehand in e-mail correspondence, e.g. between the Indian contributor of the program and the coordinator.
Thanks to contributions from all continents, the program was really intercultural and intercontinental. The proposed contributions of the presenters focused on the function of interdisciplinarity in the theatre forms as such in different fields: in the society, in professional formation (higher education) and in theatre & education, e.g. in schools.
Therefore the program was structured in three parts: I. Interdisciplinarity in making theatre with Communities II. Interdisciplinarity in formal and non formal (semi-)professional art schools III. Multi- and Interdisciplinary projects in (secondary) schools
The program has offered also a great variety in (theatre) forms: - short live performances and lpresentations, by Natya Chetana (with director Subodh Pattnaik) and by musician Hamadal Moumine, Issoufou from Niger - workshop/exercises, e.g by Boby MacKean - audiovisual documentaries during the paper presentation - ‘papers’ - discussions.
The contributions by the colleagues from Hong Kong (Samuel Leong and Suen Wai Fong, director of the Lincoln Arts Institute/ Hong Kong Institute of Aesthetic Education) and the assistance of Kannie Chung effectuated the exchange with Chinese / Hong Kong practice and theories.
Execution of the program
Meetings were held during five days 13.30h to 15.30h
The coordinator has chaired the sessions with the help of Kannie Chung (Hong Kong).
The discussions were summarized by Adriana Nichting.
Participation
Per session about 40 people participated; about half of them followed more than 2 sessions; about 15 percent were present in all sessions.
The languages used were English and French.
This SIG has extended and intensified the existing network of (interdisciplinary) theatre/ drama & education and has given a better insight in the notions and practice of interdisciplinary theatre work of the presenters and audience / participants. Conclusions and Questions SIG: Interdisciplinarity and Interculturality On the last day of the Hong Kong Congress each SIG summarized the conclusions and questions of the meetings of the SIG:
1. The 21st century challenges people to develop themselves as “prosumers”: pro-active citizens who are producers and consumers at the same time. Artists respond to the “medialisation” of society in making interdisciplinary art works. The question is what implications these developments have for (art) education. How can we overcome the competition between the art disciplines to collaborate in developing new practices in art education, especially in a time where governments use the need and desire for interdisciplinary cooperation as an argument to cut into our budgets?
2. Clarification of terminology is necessary at least for the basic terms, like “space”, “equal” position next to “dominant” position of the different disciplines; “different disciplines have different spaces”, “layers”.
3. Interdisciplinarity stimulates the creativity of ALL participants, especially when the investigation of the space (where the performance will be created and performed) is an integral part of the creation.
4. The choice to use non-theatre buildings for the creation process and the performance (site specific theatre) stimulates the creativity of the actors as well as the spectators, as the usual function of the space has been transformed into a different, imagined space / function.
5. One of the crucial questions in making interdisciplinary art for communities is the choice who will be the actors: the community members themselves or professional artists / actors: The choice for professional artist still makes it possible to create community theatre, as the artists are involved in the community in every phases/stages: they use their talents to express what the community brings in and want to express.
6. The director who makes interdisciplinary theatre has to develop a new kind of director-ship and needs different skills, as he is confronted in the process with multiple / manifold / multifarious / multiform materials. a. needed skills are: - awareness of the layers in the materials and processes - awareness and ability to make choices to fit the materials into a fluent / coherent / adequate composition - a special dramaturgy is often needed, so: composition skills and insights in structures - team work is crucial, so the tolerance and ability to handle confrontations and cooperation with other artists / experts - has to master new techniques / being able to cooperate with technicians b. how to develop and organize the training of those skills? 7. Psychological and social-political insights are desirable, e.g. in the resistance of mono disciplinary positions (fear for weakening the position)
8. How to avoid that participants coming from different background / disciplines fall down to the lowest (skill) level when one part of the work needs one discipline (e.g. music, dance)
9. Related to point 2 and 7: research to the process of making interdisciplinary art works and interdisciplinary art pedagogical approaches has to be developed as well as new terminology. Often researchers orientate their research to the description, analysis and evaluation of the art product toward analysis based of highly abstract semiotics, while the description, analysis and evaluation of the process of creation of interdisciplinary art in all its layers and stages is hardly / scarcely undertaken. What skills researchers have to develop to be able to do such research. How can they be trained to develop these skills?
10. The same is valid for the training of artists-teachers: How to develop training in the new art pedagogical approaches and skills?
Coordinators
Maria van Bakelen, Netherland
Retired early in 1997 as drama teacher/staff member in theatre education.
Currently she is involved in intercontinental (IDEA-) project on (im)migration “Changing Horizons” (2008-2009).
Julian Park, Corea
Solange Caldeira, Brazil
Preparatory Group
Kannie Chung, Hong Kong
Artistic Director, Consultant of The Miracle Workshop, which offers productions service for stage and media, as well as musical theatre training for the community & Wiki Drama Education.
Adriana Maria Nichting, Netherland
Part time Inspector of Primary schools, in the Inspectorate of the Dutch Ministry of Education and Visual artist: monumental design: ceramics; bronze, glass, wood etc.
Els van Poppel, Nicaragua
Theatre director & Coordinator MOVITEP-SF
MOVITEP-SF (Movimiento de Teatro Popular Sin Fronteras) is a non-profit art organization in Nicaragua that was founded in 2000 as an initiative of five professionals in arts: three theatre directors, a visual arts artist and an organizer of cultural events.
Nicoline Nagtzaam, Netherland
Theatre director and teacher who mainly do interdisciplinary theatre projects.
Samuel Leong, Hong Kong
PhD; MACE. Head and Professor of the Department of Creative Arts and Physical Education at the Hong Kong Institute of Education.
Power-point presentation from SIG "Interdiciplinity"
Barbara (Bobbi) McKean, USA
Associate professor in Theatre Education Outreach at the University of Arizona.
Allan Agerbo, Denmark
Many years of experience within the field of theatre and culture. He has worked with artistic processes, education, organisation and administration and as a professional theatre instructor and producer. Leader of European Performers House in Silkeborg, Denmark, established in 2007.
Marjolijn Schutgens, Netherlands
Regional art coordinator and consultant for drama, coaching teams of primary schools. Guestlecturer in drama at the university and gives lectures for teachers.
Suen Wai-Fong, Hong Kong
Director of Hong Kong Institute of Aesthetic Education Limited and also
coordinates school based projects for Hong Kong Art School.
Issoufou Hamadal Moumine, Niger
Nous sommes un groupe de praticiens de théâtre dont moi je suis enseignant d'une classe de théâtre dans un centre d'enfants SOS enfants abandonnés à Niamey. Cette année j'ai donc ouvert la première classe et qui renferme 40 élèves.
Reçu récent le titre «Ambassadeur SOS de bonne volonté» lors d'une cérémonie officielle a Niger.
Subodh Patnaik, India
Founder of Natya Chetana in 1986, Playwright and Theatre Director
Performance by Natya Chatana
Collaboration between India and France
Rational for the chosen subject of Interdisciplinarity
Our world nowadays is complex and ambiguity. People do live nowadays often ‘in between’: in between cultures; in between aspects of their identities, in between social values and systems. This “in between status” is contradictious to the strict division in society, also in the arts. In the national theatre traditions and history in various European countries. Theatre art in Europe was mainly text orientated and the performing arts are split up into separated disciplines.
This traditional hierarchical status of the disciplines music, dance, and theatre etcetera does not work any more. In different places in Europe one can observe developments to cross these traditional borders, e.g. by combining dance, text, music, and the space. A new performing art language has been developed. Important elements and features in this process of creating an interdisciplinary theatre language are (among others): text from music, the physical approach as a starting point, starting from music, starting from the space by development of the notion of space, the awareness of the physical aspects of space and of the theatrical meaning of space.
However, the concept of interdisciplinarity is broader than the art world itself: also the connections between “art and society” are considered as other interdisciplinary relations. In our vision art “in use for” educational or social aims has to be combined with high artistic and social standards; form that viewpoint it is interesting to explore these crossroads as well.
Interdisciplinarity is closely connected to interculturality. Both notions respond to the complex situation of our societies. However, when cultures are mixed, interdisciplinarity is not automatically the result. Youngsters, teachers nor artists do not try or experience automatically new ways, especially not when the participants come from similar social-economical or ethnical backgrounds. Challenges are needed, together with passion to break through the stereotypes and ‘dead’ traditions of the artistic-educational pasts in Europe and of the stereotypes of ‘the other’ in society. Thus, the exchange in the Special Interest Group Interdisciplinarity in the Hong Kong Congress will also include the question of methodology to create these challenges.
More and more artists do reflect these ambiguity and complexity in their work while shifting between art disciplines, mixing cultures and by an increasing interest in art & society. Theatre, dance and music can connect the participants to our complex world.
On philosophical level the interdisciplinary work leads to the notion of frontiers and borders; to the need of crossing borders, in one self and in the communication with others, between disciplines and cultures.
The underlying art pedagogical idea is to give the participants the awareness of artistic possibilities to express and address this social complexity and ambiguity.
Core question is:
What do theatre / performing arts mean for us nowadays in an interdisciplinary and intercultural frame?
With this Special Interest Group in the Hong Kong congress we want to open up to this interrelation between the different performing arts and between performing arts and society, especially focusing on the relationship between interdisciplinarity and interculturality.
Interdisciplinarity is not an ‘extra’ feature within one art form, but a necessity in the process of the making of performing art work that wants to break down the borders of the separate disciplines and cross the borders of coexisting or clashing cultures.
The following issues were identified for a final discussion:
___A. The notion and importance of Space in interdisciplinary theatre
In the session there seem to be different concepts and meaning of the notion “SPACE”: ___
Nicoline Nagtzaam explained that space for her is crucial to work interdisciplinary and often it is neglected in the working process. When various disciplines meet, this meeting takes place in the space, literarily in the concrete places where we work as well as in the spaces ‘In between”.
- Space in the most simple form is the studio we work in: e.g. is it round, square, rectangular. The notion of space is complex, as we have functional spaces and behavioural spaces.
- Acoustic space – how we create space through sound?
- Theatrical space: the relation between the making of theatre and the space we select to do this process of making. The space has its influence and consequences for this process of making. Playing outside is different than in the theatre studio; a small space different than a large. In thetatre space you relate to the actual space, and you manipulate the actual space and the time to make the fiction.
Theatre is about the relationship between people (actors/public) and the space (the actual play ground as well as the environment, the world).
You can add also digital space, as we did in the theatre video project. If you use digital means in theatre, still you try to be as 3-dimensional as possible.
Bobi McKean contributed: one of the sources of making theatre is space an time, In geography ‘space’ is not only a concrete spot or ‘topos’, because culture plays an important role.
B. How a theatre director handles all the different layers/levels which are present in interdisciplinary theatre making? Is it different – and how - from mono disciplinary theatre?
Els van Poppel, Nicaragua: the way of working is different; as director you have another start, e.g. in site specific theatre you start with the selection of the space where you want to work and perform which should fit with the content you want to express to the audience.
In the end the director uses all elements: sound, images, actors, text etc etc.
In my experience the accompanying of the actors is much more intensive during the whole process of making the performance, as they often have to forget what they have learned in their acting / theatre education.
Subodh Patnaik (India): In our practice we experience an important difference between the two groups of people with whom and for whom we make our theatre and therefore also the big difference between the spaces they live in. E.g. the tribal people live in the mountains and do not have a theatre tradition and no specific theatre space, whilst the intellectual social middle classes do have a traditional theatre space. But the whole live system of the tribal peoples is full of theatrical elements: rituals, dances for funerals, weddings, birth etc. We make our performances in a way that they can be performed everywhere, so not the space as such is important, but the rituals and the story.
The text is taken from the report by
Maria P. van Bakelen