Animation

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STAGE ANIMATION

With themes: Puppetry as a modern art at the crossroads of scenic genres, or as traditional craft Puppet theatre as a part of a larger phenomenon and/or theatrical genre

Time: 29.-30.10.2009 Place: The Centre for Practise as Research in Theatre, Tampere, Finland

Organizers:

University of Tampere: The Centre for Practise as Research in Theatre University of Tampere: Arts Department / Theatre and Drama Research Doctoral School of Performing Arts EST Along with the arrangements: UNIMA Finland

For whom: For everyone interested. Targeted especially to students and researchers of theatre. The language of the conference is English. No registration fees.

Significance: The first scientific event of stage animation ever held in Finland.

Objectives: The conference will offer the field of research in question, young in Finland, an opportunity of a high level presentation. The notion of stage animation is not well known in Finland and understanding puppet theatre is often restricted only to a narrow sector of the whole genre. Acknowledging the significance of tradition, the conference tries to extend and diversify the idea of this art form of which – in its different manifestations – an inanimate object becoming animate(d) is characteristic.

All the presentations (scientific, artistic) will be documented and, as far as possible, published with the speakers’ / performers’ permission. The experiences of the organizing parties and the participants’ feedback will be utilized in developing artistic and scientific research of stage animation further.

Programme: The conference will consist of lectures, a film and two demonstrations. Six (6) of the speakers belong to the Research Commission of the International UNIMA, thus representing Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia, Russia and Finland out of the total 13 member countries of the commission. On Thursday stress will be laid on the first of the main two themes (Puppetry as a modern art at the crossroads of scenic genres, or as traditional craft) and the day will culminate in an artistic documentary film that presents the lives and life-style of the last authentic comedians-puppeteers in the Central European region. The theme of Friday (Puppet theatre as a part of a larger phenomenon and/or theatrical genre) will include two demonstrations in which both in- and outdoor spaces will be animated using light among other means. The animators of the yard will be the students of Tampere university / MAIPR (Master’s Programme in International Performance Research) together with the students of Tampere Polytechnic.

The moderators of the conference are Ph.L. Outi Lahtinen from Tampere University / Arts Department and professor Esa Kirkkopelto from Theatre Academy (Helsinki).

WELCOME!

Enrolments: on the 23th of October at the latest.

For enrolment and further information please contact:

Katriina Andrianov MA, doctoral student University of Tampere / Arts Department, Theatre and Drama Research Member of UNIMA Research Commission katriina.andrianov@kolumbus.fi +358 40 586 1967