opening, definition: an aperture or a gap, especially one allowing access.
Openings is an international workshop in the performing arts developing creative relationships and performance situations through dramatic play and improvisation.
It is a process-oriented workshop, an experimental journey of diverse cultures, languages, and artistic backgrounds.
The workshop is organized and produced by Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current ry, a Helsinki-based arts and education non-for-profit organization.
Keep up on the Opening's blog at this link.
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Photo credit: Diego Ginartes, © 2022 Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current ry
The workshop has three main goals:
First, we aim to share and to further develop improvisational performance practices based in contemporary variations of (Inter)acting with the Inner Partner (IwIP) with workshop participants. Second, we would like to generate new collaborative connections among performers based in Finland who may not know each other and have not yet worked together. Third, we aim to provide the artist community with a means of supporting performative well-being by providing an encouraging space to play, study, and create together.
It is offered at no-cost to participants.
The working language is English, but participants will also have the opportunity to work in the language(s) of their choice, usually their native tongue(s).
Workshop begins: March 1st, 2022. Workshop ends: May 27th, 2022.
Contact info:
Alexander Komlosi, Artistic Director
alexander [at] culturecurrent.org
+358 404 110 706
Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current ry
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For more detailed information about the project, please scroll down.
Photo credit: Diego Ginartes, © 2022 Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current ry
You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.
Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final.
From “Go to the Limits of Your Longing” by Rainer Maria Rilke
Detailed Project Information
Goals
Through Openings, Culture Current and the working group would like to:
1) Open up a dialogue for developing performance and creative practices
We would like to open up and to share (Inter)acting with the Inner Partner (IwIP) and the practices we have developed through it with people who are interested in performing and improvisational practices. We also hope to work with people who are curious about IwIP’s principles, values, and methods. At the same time, we hope participants will bring some perspective to our work. We would like to develop our practices in collaboration with participants. Also, we are curious about how workshop participants’ own practices, values, and experiences can enrich and influence our improvisational performance methodologies…and perhaps enrich influence their own practices.
2) Enable intercultural dialogue and exchange and promote inclusion and participation of cultural minorities in Finnish life and culture
Through this workshop, we would like to enable intercultural dialogue and artistic collaboration among various linguistic and cultural communities in Finland. We would like to share our own cultures and languages – our many selves – and be enriched by other cultures and languages.
We understand that foreign background artists are often confronted with particular challenges in pursuing their professional work and personal development. We hope that this workshop will open up future opportunities for foreign-background people living in Finland to participate in and contribute to Finnish cultural life.
3) Provide the community with a means of supporting performative well-being, play, have fun
The pressure to produce, usually at a fast pace, can sap artistic and existential energies and lead to burn-out. We need ways to maintain and to support performative well-being. In this workshop, we aim to create an encouraging, creative space without the pressure of having to produce art.
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Photo credit: Alex Komlosi, © 2022 Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current ry
Our motivations for the Openings workshop
Since 2013, Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current ry has organized numerous courses and performances in Helsinki and throughout Finland. Our association’s purpose is to organize and implement educational, cultural, and artistic activities that create and promote empathetic, critical, and mutual interaction between different individuals, groups and ideas on topical themes. You can read more about Culture Current goals and values here.
Content of the Workshop
The workshop consists of two parts.
Part 1
An intensive introduction to IwIP for workshop participants who have not studied the discipline before. These sessions will be led by Alexander and other members of the working group. For more information about IwIP, see below.
Part 2
Strand 1: Participants will continue to study IwIP with Alexander and other members of the working group.
Strand 2: Participants and the working group will meet together for two sessions per week to explore different variations of IwIP and methods and practices derived from IwIP. One session per week will be lead by Alex. It will explore various individual, pair, and group improvisational exercises developed from IwIP. The second weekly session will be led by other members of the working group. These will explore improvisational practices in the fields of acting, performing, dance, and writing.
Working Methods
Our primary working methods are based in contemporary variations of (Inter)acting with the Inner Partner that have been developed in Finland, and practices developed from IwIP in various fields. We will also discuss, write, play games, etc. Participants will be invited to share their own cultures, languages, and artistic practice through the work we do together.
Workshop Timetable
Participants should count with 6-12 hours a week in 3-7 hour sessions sometime between 9AM-5PM. The final week will have one evening demo.
Part 1 – Weeks 9-12
We will meet two days a week. Each day we will have a 3-hour IwIP session.
Part 2 – Weeks 13-21
We will meet two days a week. On one day, we will meet for a 3-hour IwIP session in the morning, have a lunchbreak, and then continue with a 4-hour group workshop session in the afternoon. The other day, we will meet for 4-hour group workshop session in the afternoon.
Workshop size and make-up
The maximum group size is 13-14, including the core working-group. We accepted 9 participants out of a total applicant pool of 18. Our aim is to have a diverse group, especially in terms of culture, language, and profession.
Workshop languages
The working language is English, but participants will also have the opportunity to work in the language(s) of their choice, usually their native tongue(s).
Cost
The workshop is offered at no cost to participants. Participants need to provide their own meals, snacks, and appropriate clothing for physical work.
COVID-19 Note
We kindly request that only people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 participate in the workshop.
Core working-group
The core working-group consists of long-time IwIP practitioners, teachers, and researchers who have developed IwIP through their artistic, pedagogical, and research work. We are active professionals in our fields.
Malin Kivelä: writer, performer
Alexander Komlosi (workshop leader, artistic director): actor, teacher, researcher
Cecilia Paul: actor
Hanna Raiskinmäki: actor, singer, teacher
Jenni-Elina von Bagh: choreographer, dancer
Project manager: Diego Ginartes
Dramaturgical and directorial feedback group for workshop (based on availability) includes: Mikaela Hasán, Otso Huopaniemi, Eeva Muilu, Riku Saastamoinen, Milja Sarkola
Main Organizer
Openings is organized and produced by Culture Current, an arts and education non-for-profit organization based in Helsinki, Finland.
Partners
Our project partners include Caisa (communication), DuvTeatern (rehearsal space), Globe Art Point (communication), Restart.
Support for this project
This project is made possible by the generous financial support from Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Finnish Cultural Foundation - Uusimaa Regional Fund, Helsinki City, and The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.
Photo credit: Diego Ginartes, © 2022 Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current ry