FROM ZERO TO HERO – FROM CREATION TO PRESENTATION - A DEVISED AND COLLECTIVE APPROACH TO THEATRE - COURSE DESCRIPTION

Introduction

​

This course is aimed at anyone who is working with theatre groups: teachers and school staff from primary to secondary, vocational, adult and special needs education, staff of non-government organizations, government and policy makers as well as students. If you are involved as a mentor, participant or leader with any kind of theatre work (school clubs, community theatre groups, student theatre groups etc.) you should find this course very useful.

Participants will be introduced to all stages of creative process needed to stage a performance; from pre-preparation to dealing with stage fright. Acquired knowledge can be applied to variety of public presentations, appearances and performances such as theatre skits, short scenes, public events etc. To put it simply and lightly: a teacher/mentor wants to stage a play/performance. He/She/They ask a question HOW TO DO IT? Let’s find the answer together! Participants are expected to have at least B1 level of English proficiency.

Methodology

​

Devised theatre/devised process is a theatre that starts without a script. It starts with an empty space, creative minds and diversified participants that through various methods, formats, improvisation, techniques etc. start developing stories that they would like to tell and perform, together. Collectively, we create a completely unique performance, that inclusively carries a message of the whole group of participants. From zero to hero.

Through several different formats we will embark on the field of devised theatre techniques, while meanwhile also approaching the subject of collective theatre practices.  Both approaches will enable the participants to use different creative outlets such as everyday objects, themes, issues etc. and transforming them to the actual scenes.

Inclusivity and cohesion will be the guiding themes, so that we can give every participant the opportunity to participate with their unique viewpoint and therefore then transfer the knowledge to their classrooms, environment etc.

The methodology will be explored and upgraded on a daily basis and the participants will be able to adapt all the learnt techniques of devised and collective theatre approach to their own needs and specific local contexts.

The content of the course will be divided in three phases:

• Exploration: ice-breakers, discussions, collective and individual exercises

• Improvisation: introducing several devised and collective theatre approaches, formats and techniques, gathering the materials, exploring different scenes

• Creation: finding a cohesiveness amongst the materials and scenes gathered, staging scenes, collective and creative teamwork, observational learning

Objectives

​

• Defining theatre, drama and education.

• Understanding drama conventions and ways of structuring them to create meaning and engagement.

• Understanding how to lead a theatre group.

• Improving the participants’ ability to use the language of theatre, the sound, the image and the movement.

• Learning how to approach a creative theatre process.

• Exploring diverse cultural backgrounds.

• Facilitating experience that will motivate participants to provide similar experience to their learners.

• Developing communication, collaboration, presentation, problem solving, negotiation, critical and creative thinking skills.

• Implementation of different approaches to theatre work.

• Learning how to engage student in acting without acting.

• Enhancing understanding of the potential drama and theatre methods have in education and opportunities they provide.

• Enhancing professional skills through acquisition of versatile drama conventions and ability to structure them in order to reach envisaged learning outcomes.

• Creating a final production.

• Improving English fluency (official language of the course).

• Enhancing intercultural cognition.

• Sharing experiences of drama in education from different countries in order to help each of us to be more effective in our work.

• Strengthening the European collaboration among people practicing drama in education in different contexts but unified by similar drama-pedagogical approaches.

• Providing insights into different education systems.

Preparation

​

After registration participants will receive pre-course questionnaire which will be used by the trainer to learn about participants’ teaching backgrounds and to assess their exact needs. Before the beginning of the course a basic reading list will be suggested to participants to prepare for the training. Participants will also be asked to publish a presentation about themselves, their professional context and their culture. The presentation will be available on the virtual collaboration platform. It will be used during the first meeting, but it will also be available online to the other participants so that they can have a preliminary knowledge of the group they are going to be part of. Participants will receive information about the country they are going to visit in order to prepare them for their cultural experience.

​

Follow up

After the course participants will be asked to share what they have learned with the rest of the staff in their schools. Since they will all join the virtual collaboration platform they will be able to further discuss and deepen the understanding of the themes of this course and therefore keep on learning. Moreover, they will be encouraged to share materials showing how they are using what they have learned in their everyday work in terms of ideas, photos, videos, lesson plans, assessment and self-assessment forms, etc. creating an open educational resource available to everyone else from the group. Thanks to the virtual collaboration platform they will all be networked which will provide greater opportunities to develop future partnerships and projects. Further books and articles to deepen the topic and contacts with some other practitioners all over Europe and in the world will be suggested by the trainer. The methods shared and explored and the bibliography given will allow the participants to complete and improve their educational path.

Certificate

Each participant will get a course attendance certificate and the Europass Mobility Document.

Paperwork

​

We also provide all the support with paperwork you might need for your Erasmus+ project documentation such as mobility agreement and regsitration letter.