Jump Rope

FYI: Here is a link to the CBS News spot that Coach Dion mentioned (about the team I used to be on!):

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3551563n

I will put some of today's photos up soon.

For Class on Thursday, Nov. 29

For class on Thursday, you will need to have finished reading the Schechner textbook and two of the three articles that I passed out in class on Nov. 8. You will also need to have added 4 new del.icio.us posts (if you have been keeping up with these you should have 52 links by this week). Please post at least two thoughtful comments regarding the readings by class on Thurs. You may want to consider some of the following:

•Present the conceptual strengths and weaknesses of one of the articles that you read. How has the author persuaded you or failed to persuade you? How does this article inform or build on issues from the textbook?

•What artist do you think has successfully managed issues of globalization, hybridity, intercultural fluidity? In what way?

•How might some of the various investigatory perspectives discussed apply differently to intentionally artistic performances, political actions, residual objects, global events, etc?

•Evaluate your reading in the light of the conclusion to an inquiry into performance studies.

•How might the use or inclusion of a culturally laden object influence the message or perception of actions otherwise free of such connotations? Name examples.

Don't Forget that we will be having the Just Jump! demonstration and workshop during class this Thursday. Your last 4-page paper will be due in class on Dec. 6, and if you have not talked to me about your final paper/project, you need to do so ASAP.

The Last Thanksgiving

I have an idea for a proposed performance for Thanksgiving. The biggest hindering factor of this is that you have to have enough people to do this, at least 14. The performance would be based on improvisation (so acting), history…ish and food! The family can make any food they want, it has nothing to do with what food there is but the making of the food is part of the performance. Basically you take The Last Supper painting and duplicate it. There has to be enough people to play all the disciples and of course Jesus. There also needs to be people to document the performance, be means of pictures and maybe video. If there is still extra people about then they can be the audience and they get to suggest things later. Each person who is a disciple or Jesus has to do some background searching for information on the character that they will be portraying before the meal. Once each person knows who they are and how they are, the group sets the table in character. Before eating the group has to have their picture taken by someone who is not in the group and it has to look like The Last Supper painting. Once that is done eating can begin but still in terms of characters. Once the eating is finished, if there are extra people, then full on performances can be done. After food is put away the extra people will sit down and make suggestions for a scene, example they are on the moon trying to make fine wine, but they are still in their characters. This can go on as long as they want it to and do as many scenes as they want. If there are not extra people then after the picture is done with so can their performance be done. For documentation and just for keepsake they can film the performance if they want but that one picture at least must be taken.

In Lieu of Class: Thanksgiving Special

Since we are not holding class this Thursday, take the time to research, analyze and compile a Thanksgiving special. This can be an actual performance, a proposed performance, a critique of Thanksgiving traditions, or a treatment of a relevant performance. You may want to consider any of the following: Williamsburg and/or Plimoth Plantation reenactment villages; performances by artists who have addressed some of the implicit issues of the holiday and its version of history (like the Gomez-Pena and Coco Fusco pieces mentioned in your text); the history of holiday's origins (who proposed and initiated Thanksgiving, when, and why. . .); family or community manifestations of the holiday and the accompanying social implications; or this project Christopher and I did a couple of years ago.

You should post your Thanksgiving Special as an entry on the blog. This could be in the form of an explanation, images of your performance, an essay, etc. Your entry needs to be posted on the blog by Saturday, Nov. 17.

Also, remember that you have a 4-page paper due by 5pm Thurs. (Nov. 15) by email.

We Own You

I will be responding to the “Fresh Air” radio thing we heard in class. I would have to say that I had some problems with the interview, mostly based on information. I am going to guess that the guy who wrote seven books or whatever knows what he is talking about and has proof to back up the claims he makes but it wasn’t there in the interview. The interview lacked any evidence and it could have been just some guy saying some things that he thinks are taking place. Going on the assumption that the claims he made are very true, non-biased and has proof to prove their validity is how I will respond. I think a lot of good points were made during that interview, especially comparing the two different cultures. Showing how cultures differ is essential before talking about their working conditions. The fact that he explained what their (Chinese) culture is like and how they react to these factories and working conditions I would say is a plus to having any understanding. For Americans, at least some of us, working 12 to 18 hour days would be nuts, while others of us to that. For Americans making 130 a month would be crazy, but that is not compared to making only 100 a year before the factories. With that information we could adjust it to fit our wages and cost of living, which he did do. He compared minimum wage here compared to working in the factory and let me tell you from personal experience, I think I might rather work in the factory. Now I do not know all the ins and outs of the factories, like do they really have to stay there if they work there, but comparing how much money they make in one month being more then they make in one year it is good for them. Now of course these corporations could easily pay the workers more but then they would lose profits. There is no difference here in the United States. Wal-Mart for example could easily pay their workers more money with the billions they are raking in from unjust ways of labor and benefits, but do they? No, of course not, then they wouldn’t make profits. Now are we globalizing or corrupting China by doing this or being helpful? A little of both, these people are getting shelter, food and money (lots of money in comparison) but we are also giving them pollution and harsh working environments with the potential of slavery like work. On the surface it seems good but I think in the long run it will backfire in some way, either with pulling the factories out for someplace that can go even faster and cheaper thus causing a depression maybe or by the workers having a “uprising” if you will and getting better jobs or starting their own thing.

Samuri? Run!!!

The clip on race walking was an example of intercultural performance. The race walker was in Japan, a culture which is not his own, himself being of Latin origins. He was perhaps ignorant of Japanese culture in many respects. The most obvious was his ignorance of the Samuri warrior as being a part of Japanese history and not a present day reality. He ran from the Samuri as if in actual danger. It would be like running from steel clad Knights in Europe, or from Native Americans brandishing bow and arrows here. Had he known Samuri do not exist, he likely would not have ran, but laughed or fought back at the costumed attackers. Through this performance the race walker learned two valuable things. He learned that Samuri do not exist, and he learned how ignorant of Japanese culture he was. By staging this event, the Japanese television show created a funny situation, while also providing valuable information and highlighting the ignorance of others regarding their culture.