Spring 2009 Buffalo

Saya Woolfalk used this syllabus for her Spring 2009 course at the University of Buffalo.

No Place: A Ritual of the Empathics

performance syllabus

UB Art Gallery, Spring 2009

Contact Information:

email:    [withheld by the AAPAA]

cell:        [withheld by the AAPAA]

Project Overview:

This course is designed to choreograph a part of my project, No Place, a fictional future fabricated as a reflection on human life and its future.  The name No Place is derived from the English word, “utopia,” coined by Thomas More from the Greek “no” (ou) and “place” (topos).

A group of women in 2009 called The Empathics uncover a ritual and dance they believe can conjure No Place into the present.  During this thirteen session class, we will choreograph the ritual The Empathics perform to bring utopia into the present.

Course Expectations:

I expect you to come on time, to every session, with your choreography assignment completed.  Please be prepared as your contribution is a necessary component for the success of this production.

Learning Outcomes:

1) How to create performance in an art gallery.

2) How to be influenced by ideas and concerns that lie outside of dance to choreograph performance.  In this case, we will be inspired by abstract painting, sculpture, and performance art.

Preparation:

Reading Assignments

1)    Know a bit about the No Place story, I will send you text on:

  1. Who the No Placeans are.
  2. Who the Empathics are.

2)    Read the script before the first session.  If you have any questions please ask them in an email before the first session.

Choreography Assignments

1)    Before you come to Sessions 3, 4, 5, and 6, I want you to create gestures that relate to abstract painting and sculptures.

I will provide images of abstract paintings and sculpture. I want you to be inspired by these images to create the choreography for Section 4 of the performance.

Maybe you can think about how the artist moved his/her body to create a brush stroke.  What movement does the painting make you want to make?

2)    For Sessions 7 and 8, I want you to come review the pictographic script of A Ritual of the Empathics.  I then want you to interpret the pictographs and choreograph this as a dance.

We will use your choreography to create Section 6 of the performance.

Rehearsal Dates & Times: (rehearsals are from 5 – 7 pm)

1 Tuesday March 3 Introduction.Start to learn the pre-scripted performance Section: 1, 2, 3
2 Thursday March 5 Continue to learn pre-scripted performance. Section: 1, 2, 3
3 Tuesday March 17 Bring choreography assignment 1.Today we will begin to design section 4 together . Section: 4
4 Thursday March 19 Continue to design section 4. Section: 4
5 Tuesday March 24 Continue to design section 4. Section: 4
6 Thursday March 26 Finish section 4. Section: 4
7 Tuesday March 31 Bring choreography assignment 2.We will begin to design section 6 together. Section: 6
8 Wednesday April 1 Finish section 6. Section: 6
9 Thursday April 2 Dress rehearsal. Section: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
10 Tuesday April 7 Dress rehearsal. Section: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
11 Wednesday April 8 Dress rehearsal. Section: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
12 Thursday April 9 Dress rehearsal. Section: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
13 Tuesday April 14 Dress rehearsal. Section: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Performance dates and times

Buffalo, NY

UB Art Gallery, Center for the Arts

Performance: April 15th 4 pm – 6 pm

New York City

Performa09

Studio Museum in Harlem

144 W 125th Street

NY, NY 10023

Schedule: one week in New York City November 2009

(dates to be determined)

Arrive in NYC: Saturday

Rehearsal: Sunday – Wednesday

Performance: Friday and Saturday

Leave NYC: Sunday

Artist: Saya Woolfalk Current Repository: AAAPA Location: Unknown(Buffalo?)
Source: Saya Woolfalk Title: Spring 2009 Buffalo Rights: Saya Woolfalk ?
Medium: Word Document Comments: Dimensions:

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