Workshops & Classes
(current offerings)
“Come Empty: Channeling in the Theatrical Jazz Aesthetic”
“Theatrical Jazz” is a distinctive aesthetic borrowing many elements from the musical world of jazz itself. In this tradition, rehearsal is a process not of achieving perfection but a “jam session” of sorts; an inter-dimensional riff on time and space.
Here, play is prized. It is a delectable mix of skill and immediacy; the dexterity to jump off the baseline, end on the nine, wait two licks and pick up in the cut.
This workshop is a process for individuals who wish to clear their creative channel and examine the rehearsal space and theatre not as a place of polite perfection, but a sacred, raunchy, after-hours spot--sweaty and sweet.
Participants will explore aspects of the aesthetic including: simultaneity, collaboration, communal engagement, process over product, & the African concept of nommo (the power of words to create balance and harmony from discord).
Minimum/Maximum Participants: Min--5/Max—15
Time Requirements: 2 hours minimum
Materials needed: Large, empty space; sound system, paper/pen
“ARTivist: The Artist as Activist”
“It is the duty of the artist to reflect the times in which they live”.
--Nina Simone
Artists are society’s conscience, it’s inconvenient mirror offering unaltered truth. In times of conflict, deceits, and indecision, it is often the artist who steps forward to help point the way. This workshop focuses on the tools of Activist Art and what it means to employ art in creating societal change.
Participants can:
Consider the basis of “Artistic Ethics” and how they differ from ethics in general
Utilize the process of creation as a means to reframe challenges into opportunities for growth
Discover the ways art is used to form community, educate and spark change
Identify the social, economic, ecological and/or political issues that inspire their creativity
Address ways they may have unknowingly benefited from particular structures & institutions that cause harm to others and gain tools to release attachment to those benefits
Unearth their unique creative voice and personal power
Discover their “Beloved Community” and ways to engage with community in collective action
Minimum/Maximum Participants: Min--10/Max—25
Time Requirements: 2 hours minimum
Materials needed: Large, empty space; sound system, paper/pen
