Workshops description
WORKSHOP 1: “Shakespeare’s patterns” Facilitator Stathis Livathinos, director National Theatre of Greece
WORKSHOP 2: “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, facilitators Giorgos Biniaris director Municipal Theatre of North Aegean, Margarita Mandaka choreographer, Nikos Govas theatre teacher
WORKSHOP 3: “Imagine-Nation”, facilitators Apostolia Papadamaki performer, choreographer, researcher assisted by Margarita Mandaka choreographer. Creative collaborator Nikos Vasileiou composer-musician
WORKSHOP 1
“Shakespeare’s patterns”
Facilitator
Stathis Livathinos, director National Theatre of Greece
Working language: Greek
Ideas, pictures, stimuli, improvisations … taken from several Shakespeare’s plays.
Preparation exercises towards Shakespearian patterns
A practical workshop for teachers, university students, young actors.
Stathis Livathinos was born in Athens. He is a graduate of the School of Drama of Pelos Katselis and of the Department of English Literature of the University of Athens. He worked as an actor for the Greek Popular Theatre of Manos Katrakis (1981-1983). He studied theatre direction at the Moscow State Institute of Theatre (1984-1990) and he was awarded the Moscow Critics Award for his final performance Rosencrantz and Guildestern are dead in the Mayakofski Theatre in 1990. He has directed the following performances: Dying as a country by D. Dimitriadis, Little Tragedies by Al. Poushkin, Kazanova by M. Tsvetaeva (participation in the International Festival Pontium in Moscow, April 1997), Eleonora Douze by Gigo de Kiara with the famous Greek tragic actress Aspasia Papathanasiou, The isle of slaves by Marivaux, Beast on the moon by Richard Kalinoski, Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, Avant la retraite by Thomas Bernhard, Illusion Comique by Tony Kushner, Les Romanesques by Edmond Rostand, Nostalgos by A. Papadiamantis, An impossible meting by Paul Bartz, Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet and Love’s Labour’ s Lost by William Shakespeare. He has taught in the directing workshops organized by the Department of Theatre Studies of the University of Patras (1997-1999). He has also taught directing and acting in the Department of post graduate studies of the Harvard University in Boston (American Repertory Theatre). Since 2001 he is the director of the Experimental Stage of the National Theatre of Greece.
WORKSHOP 2
“Midsummer Night’s Dream”
facilitators
Giorgos Biniaris director Municipal Theatre of North Aegean
Margarita Mandaka choreographer
Nikos Govas theatre teacher
Working language: Greek
In this practical workshop participants will have the chance to work on William Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream”. The practical work will focus on the scenes of the play that take place in the wood. The workshop will involve work with voice, sound, improvisation, theatrical synthesis. Particular emphasis will be given on movement, dance, music and body expression. All these elements will combine for the creation of a theatrical event in natural surroundings. The workshop is addressed to primary and secondary school teachers, Theater Studies graduates and artists that are involved in Theatre and Education and wish to further explore its role in contemporary Greek society. It is necessary for all participants to have read the play in advance. They will also need to wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
Giorgos Biniaris is actor, director and theatre pedagogue and tutor with longtime experience in teachers’ education. He has collaborated with numerous theatre companies in Athens and has toured in London and Brussels. He has instructed and directed many plays in Universities of Athens and Crete, in municipal theatre companies all over Greece, and in “Empros” Theatre School of Drama. He is artistic director of “Mythologia” Theatre Company and a member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama Education Network.
Margarita Mandaka was born in Thessalonica. She graduated from State School Dance and studied in N. York (1986-1989). She collaborated with “La mamma”, “Bread and Puppet”, “Isadora Dancan Fco”, “Manhong Kang”, “Analia” and other dance groups. She has presented solo choreographies in Greece and Barcelona- BIENNALE ’87. She played in “Eniohos” of A. Damianos and made the choreography movement of the film. She has also made many choreographies in Theatre Company of North Greece, Chamber Opera, Thessalonica Music Hall (“Megaron”). She founded “Evanemos” which had a rich artistic production in Thessalonica. The last 15 years she has been teaching movement and dance in seminars all over Greece, at the Theatre Dance of Thessalonica, at Drama School of Theatre Company of North Greece and at the Theatre Faculty of Aristoteleio University of Thessalonica. She is a member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama Education Network and teaches at its courses.
Nikos Govas studied mathematics, theatre and education in Greece, England and Australia. He has worked as actor, musician and director with a number of theatre companies and music groups in Greece, Melbourne, Munich and London. In 1994 with other artists he founded Theatre Lab Company in London, directed performances in several venues, took part in the European Festival of Theatre in Camden London and the International Festival “Theatre Spring” of Experimental Theatre in Salonica. He is secondary school teacher since 1982, cultural programs coordinator for Secondary Education of Eastern Attica since 1998 and theatre tutor in many INSET courses, Universities, Municipal Theatres, Associations etc. He was awarded the “Hellenic Foundation Award 1997” for the play The Parade in London and the international award “Grozdanin Kikot 2002” for his contribution to development of drama in education. He is editor of the “education & theatre” Journal, he co-ordinates the Athens International Theatre Education Conference and he is chair of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama Education Network. In 2002 his book “For a creative theatre for young people” was published by METAICHMIO Editions, Athens.
WORKSHOP 3
“Imagine-Nation”
facilitators
Apostolia Papadamaki performer, choreographer, researcher
Assisted by Margarita Mandaka choreographer
Creative collaborator Nikos Vasileiou composer-musician
This is a regional Young IDEA Workshop
Priority is given to young people of 18-25 years of age.
Working language: English
“Imagination is a magical act. It’s a spell which can make things appear, so that you can hold them” Sartre: L imaginaire
In this workshop we will research ideas young people have about themselves in the world they live in. We will be using the image/imagination, not as a representation of reality, but as a dynamic power that builds projections, interactions and narrative frames.
Tasks will be based on physical body work and image-mental work, in order to investigate the basic existence of body and mind in the theatrical space; to support the skeleton, the flesh and the skin in the service of metamorphosis; to expose the body so naked, so empty, so free to transform, that the “other” can “appear”.
Imagination lies somewhere between the soul and the body and it is a privileged place. The tendency of our modern society is to direct or restrict imagination especially in the young generations. Art is a form of human creation that consciously cultivates freedom of thinking, freedom of creation, full use of imagination.
We will try to liberate ourselves and be able to select among infinite possible perceptual experiences. We will try to open the boarders of different cultures, languages, ideas, traditions, behaviors and learn from and with each other how to use the endless source of being able to IMAGINE and ACT in order to communicate, understand, accept and create together.
Taking initiative from Shakespeare’s Othello and Sophocles’ Ajax, we will try to devise a “show” devoted to identity and multiculturalism; society and individuality. Multiple languages and multiple skills will be used depending on participants.
What to bring:
1) Please bring any piece of material that strikes you relevant to the twin notion of identity and multiculturalism; society and individuality, musical instruments, knitting needles, songs etc
2) There is no need to bring any texts of Shakespeare’s Othello and Sophocles’ Ajax with you. Of course, if you want to read them in advance you are welcomed to do so.
3) Please feel free to bring any photos, articles, poems, magazines etc that have any strong reference to you
Apostolia Papadamaki, performer-choreographer-researcher, was born in 1967 in Thessaloniki, Greece. Her degree in Physical Education stimulated her to further explore dance movement. After graduating from the Greek National School of Dance, she went on to study new dance techniques in New York (1993-95), with scholarships from the Onassis Foundation, the Goulandris Foundation and the Merce Cunningham Studio. >From 1995-2001 she was the artistic director of sinequanon dance co and she choreographed 8 full-evening pieces winning an honorary distinction at the International Choreographic Competition of Seine - Saint- Denis '96 (Bagnolet) for 'Tour de Force. Apostolia was awarded the Hellenic Tourism Organisation choreography award for her first piece ‘We Are So One' (1992). Apart from commissions for works at the National Opera House and National Theatre of Greece, she has been commissioned at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York (1998), the Zodiak - Center for New Dance in Helsinki 2000 and the National Theater of Nothern Greece, 2001, Modern Dance Turkey 2002.In October 2002 she founded her new company “quasi stellar”to further explore and experiment dance , visual arts and music. Since then she has presented her work in Greece and abroad9 Fabricca Europa , Julidans, Aerowaves, Nadine a.o.) In September 2004 she choreographed the 12th Para-Olympic Games opening ceremony. The choreography of "Humanity» evolved 250 dancers-actors and 350 amateurs.She constantly collaborates (performer co- producer) with director-visual artist Jan Fabre (Je suis sung 2001, The history of tears 2005, Avignon Festival). Apostolia is a member of IETM (Informal European Theatre Meeting), president of the board of directors of the State School of Dance and at the board of the Centre for Greek ancient Drama. She is an honorable member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama Education Network and teaches at its courses
Margarita Mandaka was born in Thessalonica. She graduated from State School Dance and studied in N. York (1986-1989). She collaborated with “La mamma”, “Bread and Puppet”, “Isadora Dancan Fco”, “Manhong Kang”, “Analia” and other dance groups. She has presented solo choreographies in Greece and Barcelona- BIENNALE ’87. She played in “Eniohos” of A. Damianos and made the choreography movement of the film. She has also made many choreographies in Theatre Company of North Greece, Chamber Opera, Thessalonica Music Hall (“Megaron”). She founded “Evanemos” which had a rich artistic production in Thessalonica. The last 15 years she has been teaching movement and dance in seminars all over Greece, at the Theatre Dance of Thessalonica, at Drama School of Theatre Company of North Greece and at the Theatre Faculty of Aristoteleio University of Thessalonica. She is a member of the Hellenic Theatre/Drama Education Network and teaches at its courses.