Thirteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society

Abstract

Part of the success of any group encounter is how individuals come together synergistically as they practice social engagement with each other. Whether teaching studio class, engaging in theoretical readings or working together as a group, starting the encounter with physical exercises can release tension and bring people to the present moment of being and learning together. Drawing from Performance Art curriculum, this session focuses on techniques for generating a positive group dynamic where all participants are engaged, relaxed and encouraged to cultivate a sense of radical openness. Here an embodied encounter gets to the root of who we are as social beings. We will begin with some exercises that connect each individual to the group and build if not social cohesion then a temporary space of conviviality. Through humor and experimentation participants enact new ways of sharing time and space ostensibly hosting each other as a means to facilitate an emergent experience. In the context of “How Art Makes Things Happen” we will think about our bodies and time as core materials for making form. This will be followed by a short exploration of strategies for strengthening participation with a focus on phenomenological and experiential learning. In this way an embodied pedagogy is understood as creating an environment for experimentation, risk taking and play.