The Expanse Workshop
with Steve Wangh
July 4th-July 8th (Artist Talk July 9th)
Application Deadline due May 5th 2022
The Expanse Workshop
New(to)Town Collective’s Expanse Workshop (EW) with Acrobat of the Heart author, Stephen Wangh, offers drama/performing arts teachers, facilitators and instructors a 5-day intensive to delve deeper into their pedagogical and artistic process.
Stephen’s book, The Heart of Teaching (Routledge, 2021) is inspired by his 50 years of working with students and teachers in the performing arts. This workshop -What Teachers Don’t Talk About- invites teachers to examine and deepen their teaching experiences under Stephen’s guidance and with like-minded experienced professional teachers.
Some of the questions participants will work with Wangh in the studio -questions that teachers grapple with often…but rarely talk about- are:
- What do we do when we’re not getting through? How do we handle silent students, fearful students, and students who get “under our skin?”
- How do we handle our personal reactions to students—both positive and negative?
- How are we to deal with questions of cultural appropriation, race and cancel culture?
- What is a “teachable moment,” and how do we find such moments?
- Questioning: Which teacher questions can provoke—or undermine—learning? And which student questions are best left unanswered?
- What forms of feedback are most effective? How the words we say—and the words we don’t say—can stimulate creativity… or generate judgment.
- Power and powerlessness: Freedom and control in the classroom. And how do we handle fear and failure: Our students' and our own?
Stephen’s book, The Heart of Teaching (Routledge, 2021) is inspired by his 50 years of working with students and teachers in the performing arts. This workshop -What Teachers Don’t Talk About- invites teachers to examine and deepen their teaching experiences under Stephen’s guidance and with like-minded experienced professional teachers.
Some of the questions participants will work with Wangh in the studio -questions that teachers grapple with often…but rarely talk about- are:
- What do we do when we’re not getting through? How do we handle silent students, fearful students, and students who get “under our skin?”
- How do we handle our personal reactions to students—both positive and negative?
- How are we to deal with questions of cultural appropriation, race and cancel culture?
- What is a “teachable moment,” and how do we find such moments?
- Questioning: Which teacher questions can provoke—or undermine—learning? And which student questions are best left unanswered?
- What forms of feedback are most effective? How the words we say—and the words we don’t say—can stimulate creativity… or generate judgment.
- Power and powerlessness: Freedom and control in the classroom. And how do we handle fear and failure: Our students' and our own?
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In this workshop Stephen encourages an open discussion of the participants’ own teaching experiences, he responds to each person’s particular pedagogical quandaries and facilitates small group problem-solving conversations. Stephen also situates the questions raised within the contexts of cultural expectations, psychological judgments, and the hidden power dynamics that often subtly undermine our best intentions as teachers. This is not a workshop about what we teach, but about how we teach and about our actual experiences in class. It is a workshop that explores the inner dynamics of teaching, in which to compare notes, ask questions, and unwrap the difficulties and the heartbreak we experience in our classrooms in order to rediscover the joys of teaching.
In addition to expanding a participant’s pedagogy in workshop sessions, there will also be an artist talk hosted at Simon Fraser University’s School of Contemporary Arts about Stephen’s artistic practice in embodied physical performance training such as Grotowski based theatre.
EW’s aim is to provide performing arts artists and teachers training access to an internationally renowned theatre artist.
To find out more about Stephen Wangh click HERE
Eligibility
Performing arts applicants must:
-Participate in the full five-day workshop.
-Have a minimum of 2 years of experience in professional teaching/facilitation and an established pedagogical process;
-Have a history of teaching, facilitation, instruction, directing, choreographic and/or any practice that involves the leading of students or participants.
-Be working with students or performing arts participants that are at least over the age of 12 years of age;
-Be familiar or experienced, but not limited to, in physical and embodied theatre/performing arts training such as Grotowski, Viewpoints, Laban, Suzuki, dance forms/choreography, Alexander Technique, yoga, Lucid Body etc;
-Be a single applicant applying (we are not accepting applications on behalf of artistic companies, groups, or collectives at this time) Know that priority is given to B.C. and Canadian artists (either currently residing in Canada or abroad), but U.S and International performing artists can apply;
-Be prepared to work in person, in an enclosed studio and participating in physical exercises and engage in group dialogue*;
-Must be fully vaccinated, including the most recent vaccination requirement imposed by the Government of BC ie if booster shots are required by July, and willing to show proof of vaccination or show proof of medical exemption.
*We will be adhering to Canadian and BC provincial Public Health Order guidelines set during the time of the workshop. Successful applicants will be informed of our established safety protocols and any updates necessary dependent on shifting PHOs.
Workshop Details
-Workshop rate: sliding scale from $400-$1000 (Class valued at $1000 CAD)
-Workshop sessions will be in person at the Woodward’s Building in Vancouver, BC. Unfortunately, no online participation option is available;
-Five (5) workshop sessions (full days, approx. 6 hrs including appropriate breaks), from July 4th - 8th, 2022;
-Participants must secure their own accommodation or means of travel if they’re coming from out of the Greater Vancouver lower mainland area;
-Attendance to Stephen Wangh’s artist talk on July 9th, 2022 is not mandatory, but strongly attendance strongly encouraged;
-Some participants may be given the option to teach a short session of their practice to the cohort for Stephen to watch and offer advice. Teaching spots are limited, see application details for more information;
-Unfortunately we are not able to offer ASL interpretation or Sighted Guide for the Expanse Workshop. Although we will have ASL interpretation for the Artist Talk and the Training Jam (both on July 9th). If you have any further questions or concerns about access needs feel free to contact us.
How to Apply
The deadline of applications is for MAY 5th, 2022
Please submit the following as part of your application:
- Complete the Google application form (Link Below)
- In PDF form, attach a two-page MAX letter of intent outlining: Your experience in teaching/facilitating in the performing arts. How would the Expanse Workshop with Stephen Wangh help extend your pedagogy and artistic practice? What are pedagogical questions you’re most interested in exploring with Stephen Wangh?
- In PDF form, your CV + Bio (2 pages MAX)
In addition to expanding a participant’s pedagogy in workshop sessions, there will also be an artist talk hosted at Simon Fraser University’s School of Contemporary Arts about Stephen’s artistic practice in embodied physical performance training such as Grotowski based theatre.
EW’s aim is to provide performing arts artists and teachers training access to an internationally renowned theatre artist.
To find out more about Stephen Wangh click HERE
Eligibility
Performing arts applicants must:
-Participate in the full five-day workshop.
-Have a minimum of 2 years of experience in professional teaching/facilitation and an established pedagogical process;
-Have a history of teaching, facilitation, instruction, directing, choreographic and/or any practice that involves the leading of students or participants.
-Be working with students or performing arts participants that are at least over the age of 12 years of age;
-Be familiar or experienced, but not limited to, in physical and embodied theatre/performing arts training such as Grotowski, Viewpoints, Laban, Suzuki, dance forms/choreography, Alexander Technique, yoga, Lucid Body etc;
-Be a single applicant applying (we are not accepting applications on behalf of artistic companies, groups, or collectives at this time) Know that priority is given to B.C. and Canadian artists (either currently residing in Canada or abroad), but U.S and International performing artists can apply;
-Be prepared to work in person, in an enclosed studio and participating in physical exercises and engage in group dialogue*;
-Must be fully vaccinated, including the most recent vaccination requirement imposed by the Government of BC ie if booster shots are required by July, and willing to show proof of vaccination or show proof of medical exemption.
*We will be adhering to Canadian and BC provincial Public Health Order guidelines set during the time of the workshop. Successful applicants will be informed of our established safety protocols and any updates necessary dependent on shifting PHOs.
Workshop Details
-Workshop rate: sliding scale from $400-$1000 (Class valued at $1000 CAD)
-Workshop sessions will be in person at the Woodward’s Building in Vancouver, BC. Unfortunately, no online participation option is available;
-Five (5) workshop sessions (full days, approx. 6 hrs including appropriate breaks), from July 4th - 8th, 2022;
-Participants must secure their own accommodation or means of travel if they’re coming from out of the Greater Vancouver lower mainland area;
-Attendance to Stephen Wangh’s artist talk on July 9th, 2022 is not mandatory, but strongly attendance strongly encouraged;
-Some participants may be given the option to teach a short session of their practice to the cohort for Stephen to watch and offer advice. Teaching spots are limited, see application details for more information;
-Unfortunately we are not able to offer ASL interpretation or Sighted Guide for the Expanse Workshop. Although we will have ASL interpretation for the Artist Talk and the Training Jam (both on July 9th). If you have any further questions or concerns about access needs feel free to contact us.
How to Apply
The deadline of applications is for MAY 5th, 2022
Please submit the following as part of your application:
- Complete the Google application form (Link Below)
- In PDF form, attach a two-page MAX letter of intent outlining: Your experience in teaching/facilitating in the performing arts. How would the Expanse Workshop with Stephen Wangh help extend your pedagogy and artistic practice? What are pedagogical questions you’re most interested in exploring with Stephen Wangh?
- In PDF form, your CV + Bio (2 pages MAX)
New(To)Town Collective is dedicated to reducing barriers for folks in applications if they can. If submitting a Word (download here), video or audio recording application is required, please feel free to submit that application to newtotowncollective@gmail.com. Two scholarship positions are available, more details on our application form.
If you are uncertain about your eligibility or have questions about the program, please contact us with the same email address noted above.
If you are uncertain about your eligibility or have questions about the program, please contact us with the same email address noted above.
