Performing Through Social Media

This study backs up what we were talking about re: performing on social media platforms as a potential job candidate:

What does this say about the potential for performers to be forced into this role, even if they are unwilling/unaware? Does this give more validation to looking at the world through the lens of all communication being performances?

Code of Conduct

In giving critique:

• Be nice
• Be honest
• Be respectful
• Critique the work not the person
• Unless indicated otherwise assume traditional audience expectations
• Be specific, especially with negative critiques
• If possible give room for improvement/a different solution
• Identify your own personal/cultural biases
• Be flexible/open-minded
• Personal experiences stay in the room
• Hugs (when appropriate)

In receiving critique

• Understand the critique is of the work not of you
• Detach emotionally (when possible)
• Be nice
• Don't reject someone else's critique
• Feel free to defend your work if you feel strongly
• Go down with your ship
• No disclaimers

Precognition Performance - by Kate Hoyt

Since a few of you expressed interest in my work, here is a recording of one of the performances I designed called Precognition. The idea was to experience communication through movement, which is thought to be at a more fundamental level in human cognition than verbal communication, thus achieving a state that comes "before" cognition. Hopefully we will have time to watch this and discuss in class today!

Prompts for Tomorrow's Class

A few things about this week's reading:

• The Youngblood reading, you may notice, can get a little intense with obscure references. Don't worry about these references, but if something piques your interest feel free to look it up!
• Please take note of any questions you have on the reading, as we will be breaking into groups and each group will be responsible for posing at least one question to the class on the reading.
• Additionally, each of these groups will be responsible for presenting a response to one of the following prompts (I will assign these prompts in class tomorrow):
1. Why do we study performance theory? Why does it matter?
2. What do Pelias and Shaffer mean when they say all performances are dramatic?
3. What defines aesthetic text?
4. What limits does the book place on performances that will be considered and how can we rethink those limits on: relationships between performers? The number of performers? The medium/media? The setting?
5. What do Pelias and Shaffer mean by defining performance as a transactional process? Who/what are the different agents that participate in this transaction?
6. Why does Salter say technology is integral to the history of performance?
7. Why does Salter say performance is integral to the history of technology?
8. How does Salter define performance?  
9. How does Youngblood define ecology, and how does this definition relate to performance?

Please keep these questions in mind as you go over your reading. See you tomorrow!

Storyteller Ira Glass on Doing Creative Work

Ira Glass here is talking about creative writing, but the same can be said for performance, or pretty much any creative endeavor:

The Power of Vulnerability: Why Performance Studies Matters

Brene Brown studies Social Work, but her research has significant implications for the answer to "Why do we study Performance?" It also speaks to how we look at performance, not as meaning "to pretend" or "to put up facade" but rather "to show oneself," "to communicate beyond the written word." In other words, to be vulnerable. Worth a listen (or two).