education
Curriculum for Puppet Theatre Department
Puppet Theatre Department of Turku Arts Academy offers a project-oriented education.
During the four years of their study students are constantly engaged in realizing specific projects – individually,
in pairs, small groups or whole class together (the course production). All the projects are tutored by the instructors.
No basic theatre training (such as voice, movement, fencing, dance, acrobatics, etc.)
is regularly provided to students at the Department (though some of the above may be included in some of the workshops,
according to the specific creative needs of a given project).
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As there are two groups of students at the same time studying at the Department – either 1st and 3rd or 2nd and 4th years groups – both groups’ curricula are closely related. Younger group students are always involved as performers in older students’ projects. Older students are obliged to involve younger group into their productions. Spring terms of every odd year (2009, 2011) there is a “graduation shows” project ended up by the graduation showcase Fanatik Figuras Festival. There are no other classes arranged for both groups of students during February – May at that time. Students are not allowed to choose extra courses or classes from the “free choice studies” for this time.
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There is no specific specialisation (puppet theatre designer, constructor, performer, director) in the AMK education – every student is taking part in all the classes and workshops organized by the school – equally on puppet construction, manipulation or directing. The department takes into account the individual student’s talents, intents and skills. The department does accept courses taken by student away from school if the staff knows the course description, gets the appropriate documents from the student and the final result presented to school in a documentary form (DVD, Video; puppet itself; pictures; confirmation letter from the teacher of the course, etc). |
Curriculum of Puppet theatre Department consists of following groups of disciplines:
1. Common basic studies
2. Common studies in performing arts (Art and Research; Introduction to the Performing Art)
3. Basic studies in theatre
4. Special studies in puppetry field
• Regular studies
• Workshops
• Projects
• Theory
• Group production
5.Free choice studies
6.Work practice
7.Graduation work
1. Common basic studies are compulsory for every departments and faculty of AMK
2. Common studies in performing art are organised together with other programs from the Performing Arts department. By different kind of classes using variety of pedagogical approaches student are introduced to the specifics of different art forms, learn general professional basis and get acquainted with the specifics of education in the Performing Art department of Arts Academy. They learn about the creative process in the neighbouring specialisations widening their own professional language while discussing performances and different aspects of the profession.
3. Basic studies in theatre are provided in the amount of credits needed for puppeteers to understand puppetry as one of the drama art forms and at the same time to apply given basic skills and knowledge to the specific needs of chosen art specialisation.
4. Special studies in puppetry field.
Along with regular teaching in puppet construction, manipulation and directing provided by the department’s staff students work with different professionals from abroad who introduce them either to the specific form of puppetry or to the special puppet theatre technique or technology (hand theatre, masks, shadows, certain way of puppet construction, directing, and/or manipulation). The workshop of foreign professors usually includes both manipulation/directing and construction lessons. Duration of the workshops is from one to four weeks. At the end of every workshop the open class or demo for informal audience is organised. After workshops students develop and interpret given knowledge and skills in following after the workshop projects or fulfilling the tasks of regular teaching.
Individual, pair and group projects are the basis of the education. Working together with the colleagues from older (in the first terms of the studies) and younger (at the end of the studies) group students learn about the specifics of their own creative process and different stages of the group work, work out common artistic solutions and professional language. Students share and divide responsibilities during the projects and develop their own skills in a chosen specialisation.
During the studies analytical and practical approaches are closely related. Students of the both groups of the department have mutual seminars, analyse works of the colleagues, discussing the ideas, directing plans and shows of classmates. During the theory classes students are writing short essays about specific aspects of their profession. The visiting International Puppet theatre Festivals, meeting with the colleagues from other schools and companies is an optional part of the education.
5. Free choice studies
Any studies related to the performing art (artistic and technical, producing and performing, both puppetry and others) can be selected by the students.
6. Work practice
Students organise the practise time by him-/her self according to the personal needs, specific interest, arranged contract etc. The chosen place for the practice time should be related to puppetry art form (not necessary company – it might be tutoring artist’s workshop; specific puppets’, books’ or video materials’ collection) and must be approved by the staff of the department.
7. Graduation work
Graduation work includes both written essay and artistic project. Both of them should be connected with contemporary art of puppetry.
By the end of their studies students should show the certain level of the professional and personal maturity in the chosen specialisation and related social activities shown in their graduation works, during organising graduation festival, in social behaviour etc.
Artistic competence
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Understanding and appreciation of puppetry specifics as an independent art form with it’s unique national traditions, independent history, modern aesthetics; |
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Understanding and appreciation of the specifics of puppet theatre working process – where all basic elements of the normal drama (such as dramaturgy, space composition, timing, light and sound design, rhythm, scale etc) undergo certain interpretation and closely related to the puppetry technology - traditional or contemporary |
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Understanding and appreciation of multi-disciplinary nature of puppetry |
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Understanding of own and other colleagues’ creative endeavours and artistic solutions based on individual interpretation of puppetry specifics; |
Technical competence
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Ability to interpret drama, fairy tale or short story plot by puppetry means of expression in the form of short production in chosen puppetry technique; |
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Ability to manipulate and analyse specific of puppetry movements in different puppetry techniques |
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Ability to use different materials for creating puppet theatre character |
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Ability to participate in the professional process in a role of either puppet constructor, puppet and stage designer, manipulator/performer, director or in all of the mentioned above |
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Ability to analyse puppetry shows using professional vocabulary |
Social competence
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Ability to structure the group creative process, to explain own ideas to the colleagues, captivate them with the ideas and work out the group solutions – as much as being able to follow and develop the colleagues’ ideas and solutions |
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Ability to cope and to use individual skills of group members in the creative process |
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Valuation of promoting puppetry in general among all the social groups by any of own projects |
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Understanding therapeutic and educational meaning of the chosen profession and valuation the target group of the audience not limited by adults but where different age and social groups are included |
Ethical competence
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Understanding the International nature of the chosen art form – ability to be the representative of the country, city, school, society in different professional students’ events |
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Understanding and valuation of the applied puppetry projects as a mean of political, social and educational tool |
Courses’ specifications
I. Commomn studies in performing arts
1. Introduction to performing arts
2. Art and research
II. Basic studies in theatre
3. Production
4. Light and sound design
5. Voice
6. Movement
7. Singing
8. Visual impression
III. Special studies in Puppetry
9. Manipulation
Teacher Ari Ahlholm
10. Construction
Teacher Ari Ahlholm
11. Directing
Type of the course seminars, practical assignments
Teachers Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya, Ari Ahlholm
Courses descriptions: classes include both theoretical and practical assignments with the gradual transition from the analytical work (text analysis, characters, relationships, time and space analysis, etc), to the rehearsal practice (plot interpretation, event reconstruction, selecting materials and visual means for the idea realisation, creating the space, selecting of the puppetry means – scale, material, manipulation technique, introducing the director’s idea to the performers, rehearsing process)
Objectives and contents: to bring students from understanding differences between written drama or narrative text and theatre production to the practical work. During the classes students work on stage version of the own interpretation of the chosen literature material. Understanding; appreciating and learning the practical use of professional tools of puppet theatre director.
Assessments: open rehearsals, demonstrations, presentation of short play
Required reading: common and individual lists are given during the course
Course location Turku
Language of Instruction English, Finnish
12. Workshops
All together 24 op
Courses descriptions: intensive processes dedicated to the certain practical aspect of puppetry. Includes basic training elements, special warmth ups, exercises and tasks for the student’s individual interpretation of the given professional technique. Includes creating short etudes, where all the elements of the profession (constructing, manipulation; special acting techniques and directing) are included.
Objectives and contents: to introduce students to the variety of world puppetry techniques where everything might be done out of everything or/and without anything; to put group of students together, to make them feel partner and partners, to work out mutual rhythm preparing them to the group production; revealing every student’s specific natural abilities for the following development; to awake their imagination, to provoke fresh artistic solutions inspired by intensive diving to the concrete artist’s way of working; to work in pairs, individually, in small groups and as a big collective under the supervision of the Master. The everyday training is based on body technique and aiming to develop and train performer’s arms, hand, and fingers as a professional instrument and mean of expression.
Assessments: 90 % contact hour’s attendance, interview with the teacher and member of the staff, participation in demo
13. Projects
Courses descriptions: during their studies students realise different projects where they can concentrate on the one side of their profession or try themselves in different fields. The task is to interpret and to demonstrate the gradual mastering in the chosen field and combine experiences and skills given during regular studies, theoretical classes and workshops.
Objectives and contents: to work out the individual, independent way of working, to develop and improve the individual interests, to select partners for the project, to concentrate of the current interest. To work in the city events + to perform.
14. Theory
Puppet theatre History
Type of the course lectures, seminars
Teacher Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya
Courses descriptions
Historical and geographical perspectives of puppetry from it’s origin (puppet in ritual, ceremonies, game, carnival and theatre) to modern art form, including common European traditional types of the shows and unique eastern forms (water, shadow, butter puppetry).
Objectives and contents: understanding the logic of historical and geographical diffusion of different national traditions; analysing different types of puppet theatre productions (street comedy, marionette show, automatons, optical shows, etc) as a complete artistic systems.
Assessments: course attendance, interview, short written essays
Required reading common and individual lists are given during the course
Course location Turku
Language of Instruction English
Puppet theatre Theory
Type of the course lectures, seminars
Teacher Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya
Courses descriptions
Fundamental structural elements of drama theory applied to puppetry specifics along with unique aspects of puppetry aesthetics (scale, material, texture, technology, manipulation technique, fundamental content distinctions, etc.) are analysed and discussed during the course using different examples from video materials
Objectives and contents
To discover professional terminology, workout own and mutual professional vocabulary, to understand and valuate puppetry art as a specific language to be able to use means of puppetry expression in practical artistic works
Assessments: course attendance, interview, short written essays
Required reading common and individual lists are given during the course
Course location Turku
Language of Instruction English
Dramaturgy
Type of the course seminar, lectures, independent reading and written essays on drama analysis
Teacher Anna Ivanova-Brashinskaya
Courses descriptions: Analysis different drama texts with different types of drama composition, conflicts and action , related theoretical essays and actual theatre performances; dealing with correlation between drama text and scenic version of dramaturgy; dramatizing the text for own directing need and writing puppet theatre scenario.
Objectives and contents: understanding fundamental elements of drama and theatre, its inner connections and links; forming aesthetic criteria and arguments for appreciating puppetry specifics; to get acquainted with the basic rules of oral discussions on the professional aspects, discovering the precise meaning of professional terms and definitions
Assessments: interview, short written essays
Required reading common and individual lists are given during the course
Course location Turku
Language of Instruction English
Group Production
Is a big scale puppetry production staged by the team of professionals from puppet theatre field in cooperation with city theatres or produced as a department production.
Objectives and contents: to introduce students to all the stages of the professional process –dramatizing, construction in atelier, different or certain acting techniques, group improvisation, manipulation, director assisting, performing for the public
Work practice
Students select the place/-es of the practice in Finland and abroad. It may include both practical and theoretical approaches to puppetry art and can be both observation of the professional process, and active work in the team of professionals.
Objectives and contents: to develop individual skills in chosen area, to get acquainted with the different aspect of the professional life that cannot be provided by school curriculum. The studies in other puppetry schools in the framework of existing European students exchange programs as well as courses in related art forms such (as clownery, mask theatre, mime, etc) can be accepted as a practice time with the approval of the staff of the department.
Assessments: written report, visual report (DVD with filmed show or CD with pictures); tutor’s evaluation letter
Course location student’s choice
Free choice studies
Final Project
Written work is a 25 pages essay designed according to the AMK requirements on the chosen subject from the actual aspects of puppet theatre. It can be based on or related to the certain historical fact or theoretical problem of general theatre but must be analyzed in its clear connection with art of puppetry. It can include description and analysis of the professional experience of the student (with clear objective values of the result of the work) but cannot be reduced just to it.
Artistic work is maximum 30 minutes show directed and/or designed by the graduate and performed by professional performer (actor or puppeteer) in a school or in any other professional company. The show should be staged in any of puppetry techniques with clear understanding of form and content specifics of puppetry art. The production should be performed in Turku for the jury as an official part of the graduation showcase Fanatik Figuras Festival (May, 2011).
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