Contemporary Performance Practices: Training
| Module title | Contemporary Performance Practices: Training |
|---|---|
| Module code | DRAM167 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 45 |
| Module staff | Professor Konstantinos Thomaidis (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
The module introduces you to contemporary performance practices and skills. Its primary focus is on performer training, but principles and techniques taught are foundational to a range of theatre practices (devising, composition, dramaturgy, applied theatre). It is divided into several blocks, each one exploring an aspect of technique (body, voice, space, ensemble). You will develop and apply skills mainly through practical workshops. Through seminars, screenings, individual tasks and projects, you will also develop these practices further and understand them in their historical and social contexts. You will also be introduced to the foundations of practice-research, self-reflexive writing and training documentation.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module aims to:
• Introduce you to a range of international contemporary performance practices
• Develop specific practical skills in performance, devising and techniques
• Give you the opportunity to explore these practices through your own work
• Enhance your employability through knowledge of new performance skills and skills for creating a written or digital portfolio of work
• Support you in shaping your own approach to self-reflexive, practice-based research
Through a series of practical workshops, you will explore key international practices: for example, Frantic Assembly physical theatre, yoga, Japanese Butoh and Body Weather practices, Viewpoints, Meyerhold’s biomechanics, Grotowski-based exercises, Anna Halprin’s site-specific composition, speech training for Shakespeare, polyphonic singing, theatre games or kalaripayattu.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate in-depth embodied understanding of a range of international contemporary performance practices
- 2. Synthesise advanced practices learnt into a piece of performance, including a training demonstration
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Showcase advanced familiarity with new forms of performance and apply this to performance-making
- 4. Reflect, in significant detail, on process and performance through a portfolio
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate enhanced knowledge of advanced physical and vocal skills, performance and/or facilitation
- 6. Demonstrate enhanced critical and creative skills through the development of a portfolio
Syllabus plan
While the content may vary from year to year, the module covers some or all of the following topics:
• Introduction to a range of performance practices through staff-led workshops and self-directed sessions
• Rehearsals for final performance/training demonstration
• Presentation of final performance/training demonstration
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | 351 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 99 | Skills-building sessions, practical workshops, lectures and seminars |
| Guided independent study | 100 | Fulfilment of set tasks: self-directed sessions |
| Guided independent study | 101 | Preparation for summative performance |
| Guided independent study | 75 | Preparation for summative portfolio |
| Guided independent study | 75 | Academic research: reading, writing reflective logbook, research related to projects |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft of group performance/training demonstration | Approx. 20 minutes (as a group) | 1-3, 5 | Oral (by tutor and peers) |
| Self-reflexive journal entries | 600 words or equivalent | 4, 6 | Individual written feedback by tutor; Group oral feedback by tutor and peers |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process into performance | 60 | Continuous including performance involving 20 mins per group member | 1-3, 5 | Written |
| Written and digital portfolio | 40 | 3500 words or equivalent | 4, 6 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process into Performance (Continuous including performance 20 mins per group member) | Process into performance (Continuous including individual 20 minute performance, could be recorded). (60%) | 1-3, 5 | Written |
| Written and digital portfolio (3500 words or equivalent) | Written or digital portfolio (3500 words or equivalent) (40%) | 4, 6 | Written |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further literature review. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will count for 100% of the final mark and will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
- Balakrishnan, P. (2003) Kalarippayattu: History and Methods of Practising the Martial Art of Kerala (Poorna Publications)
- Bogart, A. and Landau, T. (2005) The Viewpoints Book (London: Nick Hern)
- Daboo, J. (2025) Jatinder Verma (London: Routledge)
- Graham, S. and Hogget, S. (2014) The Frantic Assembly Book of Devising Theatre (London: Routledge)
- Grotowski, J. (1975) Towards a Poor Theatre (London: Methuen)
- Fraleigh, S. and Nakamura, T. (2006) Hijikata Tatsumi and Ohno Kazuo (London: Routledge)
- Hawkes, T. (2004) Shakespeare in the Present (London: Routledge)
- Hodge, A. ed. (2010) Actor Training (London: Routledge)
- Lei, D. and McIvor, C., eds (2020) The Methuen Handbook of Interculturalism and Performance (London: Bloomsbury)
- Pitches, J. (2018) Vsevolod Meyerhold (London: Routledge)
- Pitches, J. and Aquilina, S. eds (2023) The Routledge Companion to Vsevolod Meyerhold (London, Routledge)
- Posner, Dassia, Claudia Orenstein and John Bell (2014) Puppetry and Material Performance (London and New York: Routledge)
- Schutzman, Cohen, C. (2006) A Boal Companion: Dialogues on Theatre and Cultural Politics (London: Routledge)
- Shears, L. (2024) Queering and Cripping the ‘Yoga Body’: Teaching, Practice and Embodiment (London: Routledge)
- Stone, J.W. (2010) Crossing Gender in Shakespeare (London: Routledge)
- Tufnell, M. and Crickmay, C. (1993) Body, Space, Image (London: Dance Books)
- Whitfield, P. ed. (2022) Inclusivity and Equality in Performance Training Teaching and Learning for Neuro and Physical Diversity (London: Routledge)
- Worth, L. and Poynor, H. (2004) Anna Halprin (London: Routledge)
- Zarrilli, P. (2009) Psychophysical Acting: An Intercultural Approach After Stanislavsky (NYC: Routledge)
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
• ELE –
• Digital Theatre+
• Exeter Digital Archives
• Theatre, Dance and Performance Training Blog
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
• DVD of documents and video-excerpts of AHRC British Asian theatre project
| Credit value | 45 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 22.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 28/03/2025 |
