Lighting Bodies

date May 7 — 24, 2001
activity workshop, leading to small presentations
issues Body — Light — Space: the integration of light design, dramaturgy and the architecture of theatrical space in movement composition
physical training, dance, movement composition, elementary light technique and design, studio management
participants 15 (young) professional pedagogues and artists (actors, dancers, directors, puppeteers, architects) with little or no former experience in MAPA workshops
language English
organisers: Toaca Cultural Foundation, MAPA Amsterdam
with the support of The Royal Embassy of The Netherlands
artistic co-ordinator Nona Ciobanu
course leaders Ide van Heiningen (mime pedagogue, director MAPA,
The Netherlands )
Tomas Zizka (scenographer, performer, Czech Republic)
Iulian Bãltãtescu (director, scenographer and performer, Rom.)
Laurentia Barbu (choreographer, performer, Rom.)
technical supervision Deni Sesnic (light designer, Croatia)
Sjoerd van Heiningen (stage manager, The Netherlands)

This course was an intensive introduction into the integration of light and space in movement composition. Issues are for instance how light determines the space and the interaction between theatrical movement on stage and scenographic elements. The course consisted of physical training and movement composition in the morning and light workshops in the afternoon. There were also video presentations that teachers and participants showed and discussed their own material. During the workshop, participants worked in teams towards presentations at the end of the period.

The content of the workshops was conceived so as to fill some gaps in the academic arts education in Romania:
The light — respresents a modern vision of the concept of scenography, on the second place means a better knowledge and use of light in performing arts (theatre, dance, music), but also in visual arts and architecture (as an alternative to the classical vision of Romanian performing arts, as a response to the poor involvement of light design in productions). The light can change the meaning of an action on stage, can guide the audience’s attention and even influence the theatrical concept. The participants learn to control light, to understand its movement, to have an overview of all the possibilities the light can offer.

The movement — represents both stage movement and flexibility in assuming private arts initiatives (as an alternative to the rigid organisations and slow-emerging private arts innitiatives).