November in Ljubljana organized by KUD Transformer the second two-day event is coming Transformer International Conference of the Theatre of the Oppressed, with a clear purpose: to recognize and present the theatre of the oppressed as a potential tool for community empowerment and to find ways for its optimal implementation, both on Slovenian and international grounds. To this end, Slovenian and international authors will present their experiences, methods, successes and obstacles, in three sections, representing three different areas of the theatre of the oppressed and potential venues for community empowerment:
– connecting through pedagogical work and education,
– expanding international connections of performers and the recognition of this theatrical method through international and domestic festivals of the theatre of the oppressed,
– creating community among the audience and activating the audience through the theatre of the oppressed as a performance approach.
In addition to the theoretical exchange of knowledge and experience, which will open up many other questions, the program will also include practical workshops using the Theatre of the Oppressed method with mentors from Bolivia (Ana Salazar Torrez) and Austria (Joschka Köck and Linda Raule).
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The event is intended for anyone interested in creating theatre performances, education, workshops and training using the Theatre of the Oppressed method, who works extensively with young people or other unique groups of people. All employees in kindergartens, schools and other educational facilities are also invited.
Video clips of presentation of papers
Programme
THURSDAY, 11. 11. 2021
10:00–14:00 / Slovenian Theatre Institute, Mestni trg 17
Presentations of contributions from the thematic section Creating community among the audience and activating the audience
9:40–10:00 | Registration
10.00 | Opening remarks
10.15 | Ronald Matthyssen: Creating Community in an Atomized Society – How Theatre of the Oppressed Focuses on Values for Mobilization
10.45 | Joschka Köck and Linda Raule: From Community to Movement: Thoughts from Practice
11.15 | Tjaša Kosar: Community, the mission of the theatre of the oppressed and humanity in the 21st century
11:45–12:15 | Break
12.15 | Zala Dobovšek: Theatre of the Oppressed and Oppression in Theatre
12.45 | Petra Goljevšček: Non-festival and potential
13.15 | Metka Bahlen Around: Get up, girl
13.45 | Ana Salazar Torrez, Teatro Trono (Bolivia): Decolonization of the body
14.15–14.30 | Closing thoughts
5:00 PM–8:00 PM / JSKD premises
Workshops
Teatro Trono: Decolonization of the Body
About the workshop:
We will be joined by our interesting young guests from Bolivia, the youth theatre group Teatro Trono. Together with professional collaborator Ana Salazar from the COMPA Foundation – Teatro Trono, they will conduct a workshop on the topic of "decolonization of the body", i.e. a way to use theatre techniques to move away from the intellect and head itself, and how to use such methods in school. We will try out practical examples of interesting activities, also useful in the classroom, which were originally developed by this Bolivian organisation.
The Bolivian COMPA Foundation is a project that was developed due to the specific needs of the indigenous population of Bolivia. It promotes processes of empowerment by questioning the relationship between colonization and oppression of individuals (“bound bodies”). The method and philosophy of social work at COMPA are based on the concept of “decolonization of the body”, which aims to strengthen the community, empower local leaders and create well-being for each individual. Methodologically, the concept of “decolonization of the body” has its roots both in Western ideas of freedom and liberation and in progressive artistic approaches, such as the theater of the oppressed and the epic theater of Bertolt Brecht. Philosophically, decolonization of the body is based on the “Cosmovision” of the Andes and the “Buen Vivir” (good living) movement, which seeks a balance between society, the individual and nature.
FRIDAY, 12. 11. 2021
10:00–14:00 / Slovenian Theatre Institute, Mestni trg 17
Presentations of contributions from the thematic section Pedagogical Work and Education
9:40–10:00 | Registration
10.00 | Opening remarks
10.15 | Jana Burger and Metka Bahlen Okoli: Placing the Theatre of the Oppressed in the Context of Theatre Pedagogy
10.45 | Tomaž Podbevšek: Using the Theatre of the Oppressed in Working with Children and Adolescents
11.15 | Adriana Vučković: Theatre of the Oppressed as a Tool in Addressing the Topic: Peer Violence in Elementary School
11:45–12:15 | Break
12.15 | Barbara Polajnar and Urša Adamič (KUD Transformator): Presentation of the book InExActArt: August Boal's Autopoietic Theatre - a manual for working with the method of the theatre of the oppressed
12.45 | Aldo Milohnić: Presentation of the book Theatre of Resistance
13.15 | Matevž Pistotnik: The role of theater in political processes
13.45–14.00 | Closing thoughts
4:00 PM–7:00 PM / JSKD premises
Workshops
Joschka Köck: On building and organizing communities
Linda Raule: Connecting Bodies and Communities
About the workshop: Joschka Köck: On building and organizing communities
Deep organizing is the art of becoming plural in a political struggle that becomes truly inclusive. An organized community is built on specific political goals. In Theatre of the Oppressed workshops, community is built on specific experiences of the body. How can we use Theatre of the Oppressed methods for organizing purposes? What does it mean to fully incorporate organizing perspectives into Theatre of the Oppressed work? In this workshop, we will explore these questions together, drawing from our own experiences and our bodies. We will learn key organizing principles and bring them into our own theatre work.
About the workshop: Linda Raule: Connecting Bodies and Community
After a long period of physical distancing and testing closeness through distance, we will look concretely at our bodies: what has distance done to our bodies and what has changed in connecting with others? How do we build communities that include our bodies? What does contact mean in distance and proximity? We will explore this in contact with others through dance and classical methods of the Theatre of the Oppressed, and in doing so, we will reflect on building physical community as a foundation for political struggle.
Video clips of presentation of papers
Ronald Matthyssen: Creating Community in an Atomized Society – How Theatre of the Oppressed Focuses on Values for Mobilization
Joschka Köck: From community to movement: thoughts from practice
Zala Dobovšek: Theatre of the Oppressed and Oppression in Theatre
Petra Goljevšček: Non-festival and potential
Ana Salazar Torrez, Teatro Trono (Bolivia): Decolonization of the body
Jana Burger and Metka Bahlen Around: Placing the Theatre of the Oppressed in the Context of Theatre Pedagogy
Tomaz Podbevsek: Using the Theatre of the Oppressed in Working with Children and Adolescents
Adriana Vučković: Theatre of the Oppressed as a Tool in Addressing the Topic: Peer Violence in Elementary School
Aldo Milohnić: Presentation of the book Theatre of Resistance
Matevž Pistotnik: The role of theater in political processes
Co-organizer: Slovenian Theatre Institute
The project is co-financed by: JSKD and MOL – Youth Office
*You will need a valid certificate of PCT status to attend the conference. Please come to the event healthy, wear a mask, and generally follow the recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health.
