Teamworks
Teamworks
Teamworks is an exploratory performance/new media workshop project, funded by NESTA as part of the National Theatre’s Art of Regeneration programme. It has enabled a group of emerging artists to work together with young people and teachers, alongside experienced theatre director, Kate Beales, and leading digital artist, Derek Richards, to explore the interface between new media and live performance.
This has taken place through a combination of intensive exploratory workshops, individual mentorship and workshop facilitation training, with a particular focus onthe creative use of the Isadora software programme developed by Troika Ranch dance company.
Teamworks’ emerging artists have been interested in exploring the creative cross fertilisation that occurs when we break down the barriers imposed by discipline-led roles. Each member of the team (whether actor, designer, choreographer, director, sound artist or performance artist) has worked across disciplines, challenging themselves to learn unfamiliar skills, moving into new creative territories in order to discover alternative ways of exploring performance. This cross-disciplinary approach subsequently informed our workshops with the young people and their teachers.
Why New Media? For many young people, new media has become the new sketch-book, pen, camera, and organiser. Young people have daily access through devices such as TV, internet, mobile technologies, and games. However, the downside of their experience with such daily exposure is that the experience is often solitary, and removed from physical activity, imaginative or creative thinking This learning model uses media as an active way of approaching classic texts and providing tools for creative expression. The user-friendly nature of Isadora allows students to build their own interactive media to realise their ideas on stage. Learning to work with it empowers young people in a way that impacts upon all aspects of their creativity and learning.