51³ÉÈËÁÔÆæ

Course Description

Summary

Masks' is dedicated to the opening up of physical and vocal expression. To further that goal, this advanced performance class works with several groups of masks. In general masks can be used to hide and reveal, to disguise and transform, to attract, arouse and fire the imagination. Beginning with Jacques Lecoq's neutral mask exercises involving economy of effort and Mexican mask improvisations, the work extends to personal clown statements and verse expression. The second half of the term branches into two parts: spontaneous build up of a fantasy community and careful development of two individual monologues taken from a medieval play, which focus on such personages as Pride, Mercy, Avarice, Envy and Truth. Storytelling combines selected physical gestures and medieval text in site-specific monologues. Required: reading of a medieval play and selected hand outs, and development of source material. Corequisites: Dance or Drama lab assignment.