04.28.2010. Workshop for Professionals

Creative workshop “TABUS in Theatre for Children and Youth”

Creative association “Nomadi” together with ASSITEJ Latvia in cooperation with partners from Denmark, Norway and Estonia are implementing a creative workshop for theatre professionals in Latvia.

This workshop will be led by theatre profesionals from 4 different countries:
Kaja Kanna from an Estionian theatre group OMAtsirkus,
Christian Schroder from a Danish theatre company Madam Bach,
Ingvild Haugstad from Teater Isenkaram in Norway
Martins Eihe from the creative association “Nomadi” in Latvia

During the 3 days of the workshop participants through different methods of creation together with their tutors will be able to discuss, play, create, search and research their inner visions for TABUS in theatre, and maybe will come up with something that our theatre world has never had a clue of?

Theme

TABU’s in theatre, are there any? Can theatre for children and youth be combined with “rough sex on stage with children”?

Who can apply?
Last year students and professional artists: scenographers, actors, theatre directors, dramatists, producers, etc.
Dates 30.05. – 1. 06. 2010
Venue Liepaja
Fee 10 LVL
Travel and accommodation:
Travel to the venue must be covered by participants themselves. Board and lodging is covered by the organisers through all the days of the workshop.

Deadline for applications: May 17th
Language English
Contact details and information: sandra@nomadi.lv, 26428632

Kaja Kanna – OMAtsirkus, Tallin, Estonia

36 years old choreographer, dancer, actor, circus and theater director from Tallinn. She is author of 11 important performances, performed in 25 shows, and traveled with her art to San Diego, New York, Munster, Braunswaig, Kortrijk, Berlin, Iash, Zagreb, Vilnius, Leeds, Stockholm, Malmö, Bucharest, Helsinki, Nürnberg, Turku, Karkkila, Riga etc.
In Estonia, she has won “the best dance performance in year” award 4 times.

At this workshop:
First of all she is interested in the working process because the result is always relative and depends on the context where it will be placed. And this time the context will be children’s theater.

“At this workshop our startingpoint is: “rough sex with kids on stage”. For me sex is about relationship. It is strong and passionate. It is there or it is missing. There is always hope, hope that something will happen. There is fear, that you do not get what you hope for. Sex is concrete act, that you can deal with. Dear participants, I would like to think together with you about relationship. Try out honest and real actions”. (Kaja Kann)

Christian Schroder – Madam Bach, Odder, Denmark

38 years old, actor and artistic director of Theatre Madame Bach.
Educated from Michael Chekhov Studio in Aarhus 1995
Has made the performances “I only write masterpieces” in Broadway, New York
Produced the show “Fritz Neumann” in Bali Indonesia and had workshops in Sibiria, Moscow and London. His performances has been invited to 20 countries and this spring Theatre Madame Bach go to Canada, Ireland and France.

At this workshop:
This workshop will be about the taboos in our daily life. We will work with masks from Bali, the technique of Michael Chekhov ( archetypes, gestures and viewpoints) and generally work hard and have fun.

“My passion is children’s theater because it makes you put your ego away and leave us to what it´s all about…to be respectful and creative” ( Christian Schroder).

Ingvild Haugstad – Teater Isenkram, Oslo, Norway

28 year old actor who is working a lot with improvisation. She is touring with the performance “Toys strike back”, both in Norway and in festivales around the world. They have been to countries like Lituania, Canada, Germany and Estonia. She is part of several theathre-groups who perform in Norway. She also does teaching of improvisation, acting for national television and dubbing animation.

At this workshop:
“At this workshop I want to dive in to children theatre together with you. I think it is important to find honesty in the performances for children. Why make theatre if it doesnt inspire us, or we don’t belive in it ourselves. Are there so many tabus and things to “protect” children from, that theatre for children is putting boundries on us as artists? I want to use improvisation as a tool to look at some of the tabus: what can we discover, how far can we go?”

Martins Eihe- Creative Association “Nomadi” in Latvia

After graduating theatre directing at the Latvian Academy of Culture (2004), Mārtiņš Eihe has spent several seasons in Liepaja and Valmiera theatres finally establishing himself as an independent artist. His interest varies from the adaptation of Latvian classical literature and plays to contemporary drama and experimental collaborative practice.

Martins main working field at this moment is children and youth theatre, where he is searching for new and unique theatre language, that would let him easily communicate with this auditory. The performances he has created for the past years: “Hedgehogs coat”, “Crazy”, “The Little Man”, “Island of Summer”, “Battle at..” have received not only children’s but as well grown- ups positive reviews.

At this workshop:
“At this workshop i want to explore, what are the criteria for good performances for children or youngsters. Possibly the only answer for this is… honesty. And if so – than as well for this auditory there are no Taboo themes. But maybe it is the other way around. And yes.. we will talk about sex. Because the result of sex is – new life
Possibly we will be able to create new and long lasting ideas on stage for theatre.” (Martins Eihe)