ACTIONS OF EXTROVERSION
Two-day conference: Drama Schools: Dysfunctions and Perspectives
The aim was to start a public debate on the institutional framework of the drama schools and the current curriculum: to allow all opinions to be expressed; to identify problems; to hear proposals for their resolution and to crystallize the prospects for upgrading.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the country’s drama schools, artists with educational experience, representatives of student associations and the Hellenic Actors Union (HAU), as well as academics from drama schools.
The discussion began with an introduction from a representative of artistic education of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, while the agenda of both days included presentations and round tables with the participation of the directors of other drama schools and teachers of acting, directing, dance and movement.
Thematics
1. Mapping the Landscape – Institutional Framework οf the Higher Schools of Dramatic Art: Problems and Proposals
Contributions of directors of drama schools (in alphabetical order):
Konstantinos Arvanitakis, Athens Conservatoire
Konstantinos Armenis, New Greek Theatre
Pagia Veaki, P. Moustaki-Veaki
Pavlos Danelatos, Andreas Voutsinas
Stavros Dellis, Iasmos
Loukas Thanos, Municipal and Regional Theatre of Patras
Michalis Kalampokis, School of Art Kalvos – Kalampokis
“Athenian Stage” Stavros Karagiannis, Drama School of Piraeus Association
Lakis Lazopoulos, Drama School “Texnon 100”
Panagiotis Mentis (school representative), Melissa Art School
Maximos Moumouris, Iakovos Kambanellis Drama School of Agia Varvara
Kostas Ntalianis, Modern Times Theatre
Mania Papadimitriou, Greek Art Theatre
Karolos Koun Mairi Razi, Prova
Giannis Rigas, Drama School of the National Theatre of Northern Greece
Dimitra Chatoupi, Dilos Drama School
Speeches:
Lydia Koniordou (actress, acting teacher, former minister of Culture and Sports)
Yro Mane (actress, member of the Board of Directors of the National Theatre)
Aris Laskos (actor, director, general secretary of the Hellenic Actors Union)
Eleni Tsakalou (president of the Board of Directors of the Association of Dance, Theatre and Film Schools)
Anastasia Ntentiaeva (representative of the Association of Students of the Drama School of the National Theatre)
Moderators:
Nikos Chatzopoulos (actor, director, acting teacher)
Giannis Panagopoulos (actor, director, PhD candidate in theatre studies, acting professor)
2. Special Issues of Teaching: Acting (Ι)
Acting Teaching Systems
Participating acting teachers:
Stefania Goulioti (actress), Dimitris Imellos (actor), Simos Kakalas (actor – director), Evripidis Laskaridis (actor – director), Andreas Manolikakis (lifelong member of the Actors Studio, professor of acting and directing, former president of the Actors Studio Drama School postgraduate program, Pace University 2006-20), Lena Filippova (director), Kostas Filippoglou (actor – director), Aglaia Pappa (actress), Sofia Paschou (director)
Moderator: Marianna Kalmpari (artistic director of the Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun)
3. Special Issues of Teaching: Acting (II)
From Stage Experience to Teaching
Participating acting teachers:
Akyllas Karazisis (actor – director), Stelios Mainas (actor), Vasilis Mavrogeorgiou (actor – director), Amalia Moutousi (actress), Argyris Xafis (actor – director), Christos Stergioglou (actor)
Moderator: Maria Kechagioglou (actress)
Special Issues of Teaching: Movement
Participating movement teachers:
Fokas Evangelinos (choreographer), Viky Maragkopoulou (dance teacher, former artistic director of the International Dance Festival of Kalamata), Ioanna Toumpakari (dancer – kung fu coach), Amalia Bennett (choreographer), Marianna Kavallieratou (dancer – choreographer)
Moderator:Angeliki Stellatou (dancer – choreographer)
Special Issues of Teaching: Voice
Participating voice teachers:
Aris Vafias (speech and voice teacher), Katerina Kozadinou (voice teacher – Estill Master Training), Rinio Kyriazi (actress – voice teacher), Nikos Panagiotopoulos (phonetics teacher), Spyros Sakkas (lyric singer, voice research teacher), Athina Trevlia (voice therapist – voice trainer)
Moderator:Angelos Triantafyllou (composer)
“Is directing taught?”
Participating voice teachers:
Viktor Ardittis (director – theatrologist), Cezaris Graužinis (director), Nikos Karathanos (director – actor), Giorgos Koutlis (director – former artistic director at the Experimental Stage of Young Creators of the National Theatre of Greece), Stathis Livathinos (director), Michail Marmarinos (director – actor, artistic director of 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture), Roula Pateraki (director – actress)
Moderator: Argyro Chioti (director)
What Comes After Education? Connection with Theatrical Market
Participating voice teachers:
Giorgos Valais (actor – director), Makis Gazis (casting director), Ileiana Dimadi (theatrologist – dramaturgy manager at the Onassis Foundation), Alexandros Efkleidis (artistic director of the Alternative Stage of the National Opera), Nikos Mavrakis (manager of the TooFarEast production company)
Moderator: Grigoris Ioannidis (theatre critic)
Two-day Conference: The Drama School in the 21st century
Drama School of the National Theatre organized a two-day conference with thematic discussions focused on key issues of theatrical education and of the essential connection with society at the School of Athens “Eirini Papa” (27 & 28/05/2023).
Thematics
1. Presentation of Curricula of Major Drama Schools Abroad and Comparative Study with the Current Program in Greece by the Interdisciplinary Group of the Action “Upgrading the Drama School of the National Theatre”
Speakers:
Tasos Angelopoulos (PhD, theatrologist, director)
Katerina Karra (PhD in Theatre Studies, special educational staff, Department of Theatre Studies, Kapodistrian University of Athens)
Eleni Gouli (PhD in Theatre Studies)
2. Drama School Curriculum
Speakers:
Konstantinos Arvanitakis (director of the Drama School of the Athens Conservatoire)
Dio Kangelari (director of studies of the Drama School of the National Theatre)
Rinio Kyriazi (actress, voice teacher)
Petros Sevastikoglou (theatre and film director, teacher of acting and directing)
Lena Filippova (director, acting teacher)
Argyro Chioti (director)
Representatives of the Students’ Association of the Drama School of the National Theatre
Moderator: Nikos Hatzopoulos (actor, director, acting teacher)
3. Grading of Degrees in Drama Schools – A Twenty-Year Pending Issue
Speakers:
Representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Sports
Angeliki Sgoura (head of the Directorate of Artistic Education)
Vasilis Martsakis (head of the Theatre and Dance Sector)
Argyris Xafis (actor, director, acting teacher)
Nikos Chatzopoulos (actor, director, acting teacher)
Moderator: Pavlina Chatzigeorgiou (representative of Students’ Association of the Drama School of the National Theatre)
4. Theatre Applications in Society: Education, Methods and Practices of Inclusion. Extroversion Issues
1st PANEL:
Speakers:
Stratis Panourgios (director, actor, writer)
Ioanna Valsamidou (dramaturg, performing arts researcher)
Giolanta Markopoulou (director, producer)
Representatives of the Students’ Association of the Drama School of the National Theatre)
Moderator: Tasos Angelopoulos (PhD, theatre scholar, director)
2nd PANEL:
Speakers:
Sofia Vgenopoulou (director, artistic director of the Young People’s Stage of the National Theatre, child psychiatrist)
Eleni Dimopoulou (artistic director of the En Dynami Theatre Group)
Alkistis Kontogianni (professor emeritus of the Department of Theatre Studies, University of Peloponnese)
Ilias Kounelas (actor, director)
Myrto Pigkou-Repousi (assistant professor of theatre in education)
Moderator: Giannis Panagopoulos (actor, director, PhD candidate in Theatre Studies, acting professor)
– Workshop on Inclusion and Accessibility in Theatre Practices by the Liminal group
Educational Trip to the Grotowski Institute in Poland
Students of the Drama School of the National Theatre travelled for the first time to Wroclaw, Poland (September 2022) to participate in a residency organized by the Grotowski Institute. The third-year students of the School attended a series of seminars, masterclasses, presentations and screenings.
Masterclasses:
– Four Centres – Body and Space by Jarosław Fret, founder and artistic director of Teatr ZAR, theatre director and actor, director of the Grotowski Institute and lecturer at the National Academy of Theatre Arts PWST, and his partner Monika Wachowicz
– Martial Partnering by Jakub Gontarski
– Embodied Creation by Aleksandra Kugacz-Semerci and Mertcan Semerci
Seminars:
Melody and Temporhythm of the Text by Davit Baroyan
Presentations:
Microcompositions with Jarosław Fret, Aleksandra Kugacz-Semerci, Mertcan Semerci and Monika Wachowicz
Screenings:
– Anhelli: The Howl, directed by Jarosław Fret, Teatr ZAR, runtime 48΄
– The Constant Prince by Jerzy Grotowski
– Video from Laboratory Theatre, directed by Ferruccio Marotti of Centro Teatro Ateneo, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma, 2005, runtime 48΄ Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma, 2005, runtime 48΄
– Acting Therapy, directed by Pierre Rebotier, Cinopsis 1976