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Reconsidering Purpose, Art and Performance

Statement 2: On Contemporary Dramaturgy Anton Chekhov put it best when he said, ‘If a pistol appears in a story, eventually it’s got to be fired.’ (…) What Chekhov was getting at is this: necessity is an independent concept. It has a different structure from logic, morals or meaning. Its function lies entirely in the role it plays. What doesn’t play a role shouldn’t exist. What necessity requires does need to exist. That’s what you call dramaturgy. Logic, morals or meaning don’t have anything to do with it. It’s all a question of relationality. Chekhov understood dramaturgy very well. (Murakami, Haruki, Kafka on the shore . London: Vintage, Random House, 2005. p. 376). When art-based practice teaches us to think In a time of a pandemic the concept of necessity in performance becomes more urgent. On the one hand you want necessity to be present in your life as a compass for living. But at the same time in lockdown you have to deal with a lack of necessity give...
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Expanding Dramaturgy in Practice

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A Series of Quotes Explained My original craft comes from dramaturgy. I have studied and practiced traditional dramaturgy in theatre for over 12 years. I have been dramaturg in more than 15 productions, I gave dramaturgic introductions on performances, interviewed choreographers and studied dramaturgic subjects. In my career it became clear though that dramaturgy meant more to me than just a traditional craft to perform. Dramaturgy is a mindset, a perspective on how things work and how to move within your surrounding. The cross-over practice of dramaturgy is my main source to study how art-based practice can inspire us outside the making of art.  Observing the global system followed by zooming into the detailed experiences we have. Many scientists, theorists, artists and dramaturges write about those expanding practices of dramaturgy. The following blog posts honor some of those definitions on dramaturgy. The quotes have inspired me or triggered me to develop my own practice...
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WHERE ART NEEDS SCRUM MASTERSHIP

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An integrative approach on problem-solving Have a look at the Youtube film above. An illustrative explanation on the way of working in the format of scrum. What I like about scrum is the horizontal way of leading a process-based trajectory with focus on result. All work is integrated to facilitate the end result, but with the intention to optimize the process along the way. This way of working doesn't come from art, but there is common ground with artistic practice. Artists from different disciplines work together with communication, marketing and theaters or museums. As a dramaturge in the making of choreographies I oversee the total process by guarding the initial ideas, to not go off track. And to make sure everybody is in the same process, understanding the experiment for creation. An artistic production process is usually planned with a premier as final deadline. The process knows different stadia of creation, from first concept or inspiration until the final perform...
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CRITICAL THINKING BY ARTISTIC STRATEGIES

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About critical thinking Take a look at this illustration film. It exemplifies exactly the need for critical thinking in the world now, then and in the future. In a complex world where faith doesn't seem at our site, where our lifes are questioned, where we aren't in power and where we are confronted with global problems it's easy to listen to someone that offers simple solutions. But complex problems in human lives can't be fixed by blaming others, ignorance to the topic or to primal power expression.  In art education critical thinking is crucial to produce qualitative art that reflects on the world. Art that mirrors us and makes us aware of our behavior. Art that challenges you to think ahead of mainstream communication. Thinking that requests courage to question what responsibility you want to take. 
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DRAMATURGY LAB

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Exploring dramaturgy to perform by research HAPPENING Dramaturgy LAB, Trailer Fontys Dance Academy, April 2017 8 week course Facilitated by Anne-Marije van den Bersselaar Thanks to Nishant Bhola, Orfee Melsen, Fontys Dance Academy, Fontys University of Fine and Performing Arts. Concept Store for Artistic Strategies www.motionterritory.com ABOUT THE DRAMATURGY LAB Dramaturgy LAB is developed at Fontys Dance Academy by me in 2016 with the intention to combine theory class and studio classes together. In the LAB I challenge the students to create prototypes or frameworks for performance from instant ideas. They have to co-create from the dialogue they have, so learning how to have a qualititavie dialogue is an important pillar. You learn while doing and research is constantly necessary to develop different prototypes. By iterative design cycles they receive feedback and feedforward in order to make another step or to go into a different direction. They gain theory...
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INCLUSIVE APPROACH ON ART, EDUCATION AND CAREERS

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SKILL DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION IN THE ARTS  So proud I performed international research and created content for this online platform on dance in public space the past 3 years, as part of my work at Fontys Dance Academy. Hell, it wasn't easy, but the final goal was crazy fullfilling. Never have I learned and developed so much new skills in online design, wordpress, innovative education and design prototyping. So check the film and link below if you want to see the result and become a free member of the platform to build the inclusive dance community together!  LOCATION Take a look and become a member of the platform here:  Inclusive Dance Community   A little retrospect on my  journey so far Since my masters in Theatre Studies at the University of Utrecht I'm fascinated by the ways the 'chaotic spirit of art' manifests itself in our own rationalized and civilized constructs called society. Especially in terms of se...
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STORYTELLING AND PERCEIVING TRUTH

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How the choice for words matters I find this film a great example of how the choice for language defines what we believe and become our truth. It does remind me of my studies in theatre analysis at Utrecht University, where we discussed meaning by relational signs. These could be words, gestures, props, light cues, costumes and more. But in the film they bring it back to the choice of your words only. Check it before reading further:   In the analytical theory of semiotics is seen as schemes of signs, singular parts of objective information that get meaning by its relation to time and space. And the moment it becomes meaningful for someone was the tricky part. There, always a subjective component played a role in understanding what someone had seen or becoming attached or offended by words, gestures and scenes. And this theorietic concept that was used to understand art is also important when you communicate your own expressions.  This film fragment emphasiz...
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