Category: Ülemajalised uudised

This week, CPPM is thrilled to present a one-week intensive workshop conducted by Külli Roosna from Estonia and Kenneth Flak from Norway. Acclaimed for their pioneering integration of dance, digital art, and technology, Roosna and Flak are set to share their distinct Responsive Body movement technique with CPPM students. The workshop concludes with an open class this Friday, 22 December, at 18:00, in the EAMT black box. This event presents a rare chance for attendees to witness firsthand the innovative methods and artistic synergy that Roosna and Flak are renowned for.

The Responsive Body Workshop

The workshop centres around the Responsive Body practice, a unique methodology by Roosna and Flak. It amalgamates elements from functional anatomy, martial arts, and sensor technology. The workshop aims to cultivate an awareness of the body’s functional connections, starting with fundamental movement exercises. This initial stage is crucial for grounding participants in their physicality and preparing them for more intricate activities.

As the workshop advances, students will delve into diverse sensory experiences. They will develop their capacity to respond to a range of internal and external stimuli by engaging in both individual and partner exercises. This expands their movement vocabulary and improvisational prowess. A standout feature of the workshop is the integration of sensor technology, encouraging students to explore the nexus between bodily movement and sound. This avant-garde approach hones physical skills and fosters inventive thinking at the intersection of human motion and digital technology.

Külli Roosna

Born in 1981, Külli Roosna is a celebrated Estonian dancer, choreographer, and educator. She graduated in choreography/dance from Tallinn University, followed by a second bachelor’s degree from Rotterdam Dance Academy. She also holds an MA in choreography from Tallinn University. Roosna’s extensive career spans collaborations with eminent choreographers and performances worldwide. Her solo performance “Circle Through” received top honours at the International Festival of Modern Choreography in Vitebsk, Belarus. She has also played a significant role in the Estonian Dance Artist Union, both as a board member and head of its Stipendium commission.

Kenneth Flak

Born in 1975, Kenneth Flak is a versatile Norwegian artist who excelled as a dancer, choreographer, composer, and educator. He trained at the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Norway and the Amsterdam Arts School in the Netherlands. His accolades include a Bessie Performer’s Award for his role in André Gingras’ solo CYP17 and a nomination for the BNG Award in Amsterdam for his choreography “Of Gods and Driftwood.” As a self-taught composer and creative coder, Flak specialises in crafting music and interactive tools for live choreographies and dance films. He also led the Norwegian Arts Council Commission for Dance from 2018 to 2020.

The intensive workshop at CPPM is poised to be a transformative and enlightening experience for the students, offering a rare chance to engage with two of the foremost innovators in contemporary dance and digital artistry.

This week, we are excited to host the esteemed artist Stacy Makishi, who will lead the much-anticipated “Killing Time” workshop exclusively for CPPM students.

Stacy Makishi, a dynamic and versatile artist from Hawaii, is renowned for her multi-form approach encompassing live art, film, visual art, and physical theatre. She has graced stages at prestigious venues like the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Albert Hall, TATE Modern, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. With over 30 years of experience as a facilitator, Stacy brings a unique blend of creativity and spontaneity to her workshops, engaging students in a transformative learning process.

This is not the first time CPPM students have had the opportunity to learn from Stacy. In 2019, she conducted a workshop for a previous cohort, which was met with resounding admiration and students and faculty eagerly anticipate her return to CPPM this year.

Killing Time Workshop

During the “Killing Time” workshop, Stacy will focus on encouraging students to:

• Move Faster Than Think: Instilling a sense of spontaneity in creation.
• Create Faster Than Critique: Emphasizing the importance of the creative process over self-judgment.
• Resist Resistance: Helping students to overcome creative obstacles.
• Pulverize Procrastination: Teaching strategies to maintain artistic momentum.

Stacy Makishi’s approach is not just about teaching art; it’s about unleashing the potential within each artist, challenging them to explore beyond their limits.

You can see the workshop results in an open class on Saturday, 9 December, at 19:00 at EAMT black box.

The Latvian Theatre Award ceremony, held at Dailes Theatre in Riga on Thursday, 23 November 2023, unfolded into an evening of theatrical splendour as “Malleus Maleficarum. The New Pact” took centre stage. Masterfully directed by CPPM alumna Iveta Pole, the production earned widespread acclaim, clinching the title of the year’s best and setting a new benchmark in big-scale physical performance.

Iveta Pole, an esteemed Latvian performance artist and actor, embarked on a transformative journey during her studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre’s CPPM program from 2019 to 2021. Here, Pole developed a deep interest in contemporary physical performance, leading to the inception of “Malleus Maleficarum”. Inspired by the theme of feminine energy and its often misunderstood dimensions, Pole envisioned a production that explored these complex dynamics.

Drawing from Heinrich Kramer’s medieval treatise “Malleus Maleficarum” or “The Witch’s Hammer”, Pole and her creative team sought to challenge and reinterpret the historical perception of women as inherently dangerous. The production delves into a pre-labelled era of feminine energy, questioning its role and potential in the past and future.

Pole describes the production as an emotional and heart-centred journey, emphasising the importance of approaching it beyond mere intellectual analysis. She highlights the natural flow and primal energy embodied in the show, likening it to being in the womb or a flowing river.

The cast, including CPPM alumni Martina Georgina from Malta and Lea Blau from Croatia, is part of this artistic exploration. Show participant Katrīna Neiburga reflects on the production’s uniqueness, focusing on feminine energy rather than women per se. Lea Blau, another participant, shares her experience of working in a predominantly female creative team, highlighting the dynamic and sometimes explosive energy this brought to the process.

Spectators and critics have praised the show for its courage, self-irony, and exploration of deep-seated themes. Theatre critic Tom Chever commends the play for addressing significant issues beyond gender. In contrast, Henrietta Verhoustynska, another critic, acknowledges the powerful sense of sisterhood and primal connection to the earth experienced during the performance.

“Malleus Maleficarum” is a testament to Iveta Pole’s visionary direction and the collaborative spirit fostered by the CPPM. This production marks a significant achievement in Latvian theatre and sets a high standard for future productions, inspiring artists and audiences with its innovative approach and exploration of deep-rooted themes.

Resources:

Baltics News. (2023, June 6). Witches and Feminine Energy in the Play “Malleus Maleficarum: The New Contract”. Baltics News. https://baltics.news/2023/06/06/witches-and-feminine-energy-in-the-play-malleus-maleficarum-the-new-contract/

Photo: Marshall Stay

Sasha Pepelyaev is a director and choreographer. His first steps in theatrical arts were made while still in secondary school, where he attended drama classes. while studying chemistry at Moscow University, he started learn pantomime and spent all his free time in the studio – learning, performing, improvising and directing. after graduating from university, he continued his theatrical career in the Taganka theatre and Moscow concert agency as a mime soloist.

in 1984, he became an artistic director at the mime studio of Moscow State University. the studio transformed into one of the first independent theatre studios in Moscow in 1987, during the beginning of perestroika. The company was called “poor yorik”. During this time, Sasha entered the State Institute of Theatrical Arts, where he studied drama for four years.

In 1990, after closing down the “poor yorik”, he worked successively as a director and choreographer in a circus, on TV, and in drama theatres in Moscow and abroad. in that period, he also visited Western Europe, took different dance classes in Amsterdam and participated in various theatre dance projects.
in 1994, he started the “The Kinetic Theater” project in Moscow, which led to the creation and performance of a string of experimental works. The project eventually became an intensive search focused on the definition of contemporary Russian dance. since the winter of 1995/96, the idea of combining postmodern Russian texts, contemporary dance and traditional Russian dramatic style continued in the company’s productions.

Workshop: The Third Eye

The workshop will focus on building a structure of visual-physical performance and methods that can be used. This will include initial concept, rough realisation, verification, modifications, analysis of available tools for those tasks, search for influences, affecting phases and patterns of the whole process. The creation of “sign” as a key element of visual communication and the importance of “code” as a collection of homogeneous “signs”, which implement content and desired statement (or meaning) of the performance will be observed and, in a positive scenario, realized. Objects and environments will be inspected as building elements of “code”. Themes for improvisations will be suggested to participants and later stay as the basis for dramatic structure (“story”). They will be mixed and transformed by choreographic patterns, including elements of dance, acrobatics, contact improvisation, etc. The core idea of the workshop is to vary the scope of tools available for creation and emphasise the visual content of stage production. A model of performance will be a goal, but not necessarily.

We are thrilled to announce the opening of applications for our esteemed MA in Contemporary Physical Performance Making (CPPM) program, starting March 1, 2024.

Key Dates:

• Application Opening: March 1, 2024
• Application Deadline: July 1, 2024
• Auditions: August to October 2024 (Globally and Online)
• Studies commence in February 2025.

“MA in Contemporary Physical Performance Making (CPPM) is a ground-breaking course that takes postgraduate education out of the classroom and puts practical experience with world-leading makers of performance at the heart of the learning process. Students will work alongside some of the most exciting directors, choreographers, performance makers, artists and companies across the world to further their own artistic practice through active collaboration, devising and performance”, said CPPM Course Leader professor Jüri Nael.

CPPM alumni Seren Oroszvary adds that “CPPM inverted and rearranged my perspective of myself, of people, of performance, theatre and what it is to be an artist. It has shaped my identity in an organic, unique way. I don’t feel the halo of an institution above me but rather my own master of my journey and artistic practice. The course has also helped me to recognise and embrace the power of being a multimodal artist and a flexible creator in the current social, political and ecological climate.”

As a CPPM student, you’ll be part of a diverse, international community, experiencing a dynamic learning environment that fosters experimentation, collaboration, and high artistic standards. This program is a journey of transformation and self-discovery, demanding physical and mental endurance, creativity, and a readiness to be transformed through the creative process.

More detailed information about the application process, entry criteria, tuition fees, and the comprehensive list of guest artists for 2025-2027 will be published on CPPM admission page on March 1, 2024.