Spectacle Vivant  :: International conference "Performing Arts Training Today"

Monday, October 06, 2008 - 01:58 PM

    Izumi Ashizawa will present the workshop of Japanese Noh and Suzuki techniques.The method of Japanese theatrical theory is a concentration on developing consciousness of the body and is suitable for actors of any nationality.



International Conference

Performing Arts Training Today



PROGRAMME



Izumi Ashizawa (Japan/USA)

Member of IUGTE



Workshop and presentation

"Japanese Noh and Suzuki techniques

and excerpts from

"Gilgamesh and "Zahak"



Izumi Ashizawa



Izumi Ashizawa has been an artistic director of Izumi Ashizawa Performance since 2002. Her original plays have been performed in various countries. The second part of her Neo-Noh trilogy, The Blue Rocks, was presented at the International Arts and Ideas Edge Festival in New Haven, CT (2003), New York International Fringe Festival, NY(2004), Man In Fest Festival in Romania(2005), Fajr Theatre Festival in Tehran, Iran(2006), Sibiu International Theatre Festival, Romania(2006), and Arion Tokyo Summer Music Festival, Tokyo, Japan(2006). The intensive documentary of the Tokyo production has been broadcasted through the National Public TV of Japan(NHK). The first part of trilogy, Medusa, has been performed in 2002, and has won the Puffin Foundation Award and Gritchen Johnson Award. In 2006, Ashizawa has trained young Iranian actors in Tehran, and has selected 11 actors to pursue collaboration for her world premiere play, Minotaur, which was performed in April, 2006. This entire production process was acclaimed for both educational and aesthetic values, thus her play was awarded for the Best Performance Award. In 2006, Ashizawa was selected as a recipient of the UNESCO artist grant for her residency at Institut International de la Marionnette in France. During her residency, she wrote a play based on one chapter of Persian mythology; and in July 2007, she flew back to Iran to collaborate with 10 Iranian actors for the world premiere of her new play, Zahak. The goal of this Persian project is to transcend cultural and political boundaries, and seek a peace mission through art. Her project has received numerous awards including Tehran Municipality Culture and Arts Organization Award.



Ashizawa currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Performance at the University of South Florida where she created an original performance "Gilgamesh" and toured within the United States in 2008. She also has taught performance techniques and theory in various countries including University of Babes Bolyai, Romania, Tehran University and Art University, Tehran, Anadolu University and Selçuk University, Turkey.



Ashizawa has an experience of traditional Noh theatre training with a Kanze Noh School Master in Tokyo, Japan. She served as an assistant director of Tadashi Suzuki in 2005. She holds an M.F.A. from Yale University School of Drama.



Workshop Overview



Izumi Ashizawa will present the workshop of Japanese Noh and Suzuki techniques.The method of Japanese theatrical theory is a concentration on developing consciousness of the body and is suitable for actors of any nationality. Izumi Ashizawa is particularly interested in approaching characters’ psychology both from inside and outside. Western technique studies characters through psychological analysis, whereas Japanese technique explores characters’ psychology through human body: thus, a fusion of these two techniques helps students to develop character studies.



Izumi Ashizawa will also present a fragment of a past performance in relation to the workshop. This way, people can understand how these techniques are related to the performance works.



Workshop Objectives:



- To practice body-oriented routine exercises based on Japanese acting techniques - Noh, and Suzuki in relation to Zen philosophy.



- To establish the relationship between your body and space.



- To do series of physical ensemble exercises.



Participants Outcomes:



Participants who successfully complete this course will be able to heighten their consciousness in “performance” body and communicate with others using their sixth sense on the stage. Students learn spirituality through extremely physical exercises.



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