🎭Intro to Performance Studies Unit 12 – Global Performance Perspectives

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Performance studies encompasses a wide range of disciplines including theater, dance, music, and ritual
• Ethnography involves the study and systematic recording of human cultures, traditions, and practices
• Intangible cultural heritage refers to non-physical aspects of a culture such as oral traditions, performing arts, and social practices
• Intercultural performance occurs when artists from different cultural backgrounds collaborate or incorporate elements from multiple cultures
• Diaspora describes the dispersion of a people from their original homeland, often influencing cultural practices in new locations
• Syncretism is the blending of different cultural elements to create new forms or practices
• Hybridity in performance refers to the mixing of different genres, styles, or cultural influences within a single work
  • Can involve combining traditional and contemporary elements (Bollywood dance)

Historical Context of Global Performance

• Ancient Greek theater laid the foundation for Western dramatic traditions, influencing storytelling and performance conventions
• Sanskrit drama in India dates back to the 2nd century BCE, with works like Natya Shastra outlining performance principles
• Noh theater emerged in 14th-century Japan, characterized by stylized movements, masks, and poetic language
• Commedia dell'arte, a form of Italian improvisational theater, popularized stock characters and influenced European theater from the 16th to 18th centuries
• Colonial encounters led to the suppression and adaptation of indigenous performance practices
  • Spanish colonizers banned Aztec rituals in Mexico, leading to syncretic forms like the concheros dance
• African performance traditions, including griot storytelling and ritual dance, were disrupted by the transatlantic slave trade but persisted in diaspora communities
• Intercultural exchange along trade routes (Silk Road) facilitated the spread and influence of performance styles across regions

Cultural Diversity in Performance Practices

• Indonesian wayang kulit shadow puppetry depicts epic stories and moral teachings using intricately designed leather puppets
• Flamenco, a Spanish art form combining music, dance, and singing, emerged from the cultural interactions of Andalusia
• Hula, a Hawaiian dance tradition, serves as a means of storytelling, cultural preservation, and spiritual expression
• Chinese opera encompasses various regional styles (Beijing opera) with distinct musical and acrobatic elements
• Yoruba theater in West Africa incorporates music, dance, and masquerade to convey social and spiritual themes
• Native American powwows gather indigenous communities to celebrate culture through dance, music, and regalia
• Carnival celebrations in the Caribbean and Latin America feature vibrant costumes, dance, and music rooted in African and European traditions
  • Brazil's Carnival is known for its elaborate samba school parades and street parties

Traditional vs. Contemporary Approaches

• Traditional performances often adhere to established forms, techniques, and narratives passed down through generations
  • Kabuki theater in Japan maintains strict training and stylistic conventions
• Contemporary artists may reinterpret or subvert traditional forms to address current issues or experiment with new aesthetics
• Fusion of traditional and contemporary elements can create innovative and culturally relevant performances
  • Akram Khan's work combines classical Indian kathak dance with modern dance techniques
• Globalization has increased access to diverse performance traditions, enabling artists to draw from a wider range of influences
• Digital technologies have expanded the possibilities for performance creation, dissemination, and audience engagement
  • Virtual reality experiences (The Under Presents) offer immersive and interactive performance environments
• Contemporary performances may challenge dominant narratives and power structures, giving voice to marginalized communities
• Site-specific performances engage with the unique history, architecture, or environment of a particular location

Influential Performers and Productions

• Jerzy Grotowski's Poor Theatre emphasized the essential elements of performance, stripping away elaborate sets and costumes
• Pina Bausch pioneered tanztheater, a form of dance theater that explores human emotions and relationships
• Peter Brook's intercultural productions (Mahabharata) adapted classic texts with international casts and minimalist staging
• Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian playwright and poet, incorporates Yoruba mythology and ritual in works like Death and the King's Horseman
• Cirque du Soleil revolutionized the circus arts by combining acrobatics, dance, and theatrical storytelling
• Anna Deavere Smith's documentary theater pieces (Fires in the Mirror) explore social issues through verbatim interviews
• Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton reimagined American history through a diverse cast and hip-hop-influenced score

Social and Political Impacts

• Performance can serve as a tool for social commentary, protest, and activism
  • Teatro Campesino supported the United Farm Workers' movement in the United States
• Street theater and guerrilla performances can disrupt public spaces and challenge authority (Bread and Puppet Theater)
• Community-based performances empower marginalized groups to tell their own stories and address local concerns
• Performance has played a role in nation-building and cultural diplomacy
  • Chinese National Opera promoted a unified national identity in the early 20th century
• Censorship and political repression can restrict artistic freedom and limit the ability of performers to critique power structures
• Performances can foster intercultural understanding and dialogue by showcasing diverse perspectives and experiences
• Participatory performances blur the lines between performers and spectators, creating a sense of collective engagement and responsibility

Practical Applications and Analysis

• Ethnographic research methods, such as participant observation and interviews, can provide insight into performance practices and their cultural contexts
• Semiotic analysis examines the signs, symbols, and meanings embedded in performance elements (costumes, gestures, staging)
• Postcolonial theory interrogates the power dynamics and cultural negotiations in performances shaped by colonial histories
• Gender and queer theory can illuminate the ways in which performances construct, reinforce, or subvert norms of gender and sexuality
• Performance ethnography involves the researcher's embodied engagement with the practices and communities they study
• Applied theater uses performance techniques for educational, therapeutic, or social change purposes
  • Forum Theatre, developed by Augusto Boal, invites audience members to intervene in scenes and explore alternative outcomes
• Performance analysis considers the interplay of text, movement, sound, and visual elements in creating meaning and affect

Current Trends and Future Directions

• Globalization continues to facilitate the exchange and hybridization of performance practices across cultures
• Digital technologies are increasingly integrated into performance creation and dissemination
  • Live streaming and virtual performances have gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Immersive and interactive performances blur the boundaries between performers and audiences
  • Sleep No More invites audiences to explore a multi-floor set and piece together a fragmented narrative
• Eco-critical performances address environmental issues and sustainability through site-specific works and eco-friendly production practices
• Performances are engaging with urgent social and political issues (climate change, racial justice, migration)
• Interdisciplinary collaborations between artists, scientists, and technologists are expanding the possibilities of performance
• Decolonizing performance practices involves challenging Eurocentric norms and centering the voices and aesthetics of marginalized communities
• Accessibility and inclusion are becoming central concerns in performance creation and spectatorship