Education / Methodology
Curriculum
I.
Inclusive Theater - Methodology
A project summary
Partners
- Rampa Presentina (Italy)
- Shoshin (Romania)
Full Material
I.
Active Roma Rural Women
A project summary
The aim of this complex initiative was to empower Roma women living in rural areas by strengthening their social awareness and active citizenship. The elements of the project have been part of our methodological toolkit for years, and based on feedback, they have proven to be empowering and inspiring for various marginalized groups. Within the framework of the current initiative, we sought to create opportunities for predominantly—though not exclusively, in order to ensure inclusivity—Roma women living in three rural settlements.
As a first step, a theatre performance and a related facilitated discussion were held at each location. At all three sites, we performed our production entitled “Chameleon Girl.”
As a second step, a Roma Heroes Workshop was organized in each settlement. We have been running this non-formal workshop for seven years for various target groups both in Hungary and abroad, and the methodology has already been adapted by several of our European partners.
The third element was also a workshop. During the “I Am the Hero” workshop, participants developed individual and group action plans based on their own strengths and interests. It was important that primarily the same 20 participants who had taken part in the previous workshop joined this one as well, since they had already shared views and personal stories and had experienced collective success together.
Based on the outcomes of the project and the feedback from those involved, we can conclude that in all three settlements we successfully implemented a meaningful, empowering program series that inspired civic engagement. We would like to thank the German Marshall Fund for its support, all of our colleagues and partners for their dedicated work, and the women of Örkény, Pilis, and Törökszentmiklós for daring to dream—and for making those dreams come true.
Local partners
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Valamit Mindenkiért Egyesület
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Csepp a tengerben Alapítvány
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Ipolyi Közművelődési Központ, Törökszentmiklós
Full Material
II.
Roma Heroes – Educational Methodology
Aims
- To draw attention to the values of Roma dramatic literature.
- To provide insight into the lives of Roma communities living in different European countries.
- To explore the stories, decisions, challenges, and activism of dramatic heroes.
As a result of the workshop, participants get to know one another better, as well as different Roma communities. Their communication and debate skills develop, they become more open to differing perspectives, and their cooperation skills improve.
Structure
The session consists of two parts:
- First part: Participants work with the analysis and discussion of selected works and heroes. Initially, the group discusses in general terms what makes a hero a hero for each person, and then, through the dramas, they get to know the heroes of the plays. Together, they analyze the most important narratives: challenge, agency, decision, action, and impact.
- Second part: The focus shifts to participants’ own heroes and heroic acts. Participants share the stories of their personal heroes and their own acts of courage or agency. Based on the stories and themes that the group finds most engaging, they create and present collective works (e.g., a theatrical scene, a visual artwork, or a piece of writing) to one another.
Presentation
III.
ROMA THEATRICAL DIVERSITY – For an Inclusive Europe
Workshops
- The Unity and Healing through Theatre workshop by Mihaela Drăgan was held first in Bucharest. In this workshop, Mihaela Drăgan defined herself and her artistic practice as that of a Roma futurist theatre-maker. She primarily spoke about the principles and ethics that can make theatre safer for everyone, regardless of ethnic background, gender, or sexual orientation. The workshop addressed contemporary Roma theatre, responsibility in the arts, cultural appropriation, the representation and self-representation of minorities in contemporary theatre, as well as other recurring topics within political theatre.
- Encounter with the Commedia dell’Arte Mask, led by Claudio De Maglio, took place in Rome. The workshop focused on the fundamentals necessary to activate the expressive code of the mask and on bringing to life the characters of commedia dell’arte—a noble tradition originating in 16th-century Italy that went on to conquer all of Europe. Through his session, participants experienced how each character embodies a human type and a precise social category that can still be recognized in contemporary society.
- The Minority Theatre (Self-)Representation workshop was a joint project by Illés Márton, Rodrigó Balog (Independent Theatre Hungary), Noémi Herczog (Theatre Journal), and the Asian-American Performers Action Coalition (USA). The workshop focused on the importance, tools, and aspects of (self-)representation of minorities in theatre, aiming to support the work of artists, academics, and critics from diverse backgrounds and to promote inclusion through their professional practice.
Downloadable material
IV.
ROMA HEROES ON THE STREETS OF EUROPE
Menjünk a szabadba! Vigyük a roma hősöket az utcára!
Roma Heroes on the Streets of European Cities is a collection of essays presenting artistic, non-formal, and educational practices. It brings together the case study “We Are ’56!” – Historical Memory in the Street by Independent Theatre Hungary, as well as original case studies by our partner organizations: Giuvlipen, AAIÚN Producciones, and Rampa Prenestina.
RoHeSEC
Four Roma theatres working in the fields of art and education in Budapest, Rome, Bucharest, and Seville brought theatre into the streets of their cities.
We collected stories that highlighted the important role of Roma communities in the past and present of our cities. Based on these stories, we wrote plays and created performances, which were presented in public spaces, alongside related reflective workshops.
All of this was realized with the participation of contemporary Roma creators and trainers, who were not only implementers but also planners of the artistic and educational initiatives.
Downloadable Materials
Other case study
V.
THEATRE BELONGS TO EVERYONE
– community theatre methodology
The methodology presented below introduces the key elements of our toolkit and approach through the processes, results, experiences, and impacts of the works created by the groups. We hope that the conclusions, lessons learned, and good practices drawn from this work will not only support our own team’s practice, but will also be inspiring and practically useful for other theatre and informal education and youth organizations, initiatives, teams, and professionals.
“For us, theatre is not just one of the arts, but a reflection of democracy. The active heroes of dramatic literature respond to challenges through decision-making and action, thereby shaping their own fate and that of their environment—just like active citizens do in everyday life. They provide a model for how we might live our lives and how we might shape our shared world.”
Downloadable material
In the document below, we share the various methodologies used during the workshops as open-source materials, so that artists, social workers, academics, educators, and anyone wishing to work through artistic expression, performance, and theatre may use them freely.
VI.
(Roma) Heroes in Theatre, Education, and Everyday Life
A projekt célja egy nemzetközi szinten is használható Roma Hősök oktatási módszertan fejlesztése. A Roma Hősök foglalkozások hozzásegítik a fiatalokat ahhoz, hogy a roma drámák, drámai hősök és közösségek sokszínűségét, kihívásait és értékeit is megismerjék. Megvitassák, saját környezetükben és magukban is felfedezzék a hőst.
Our Roma Heroes methodology was developed jointly with our partners.
Partners
- Rampa Presentina (Italy)
- The Roma Actors Association – Giuvlipen (Romania)
- para La I+D Independiente Del Teatro Profesional En Andalucía (Spanyolország)
The shared methodology draws on the tools and perspectives of non-formal education, attitude-shaping, arts education, and Roma drama alike. Case studies from the individual partner countries present the methods and outcomes of contemporary trainer training programs and the workshops implemented by these trainers. During the workshops, we have the opportunity to collaborate with young people and to introduce them to the values of Roma theatre, the Roma dramatic heroes living around them, as well as their own heroes and heroic acts. All of this develops their creative and cooperative skills, modes of self-expression, and critical thinking.
Within the methodology, we outline the historical and social contexts of the partner countries involved in the project, as well as the specific target groups addressed in our work. As part of the study, we highlight the opportunities inherent in theatre—particularly the genre of storytelling—and explain how the principle of “gamification” we employ can improve group dynamics and strengthen young people.
Downloadable Materials
VII.
THEATRE IN THE TIME OF CORONA
– we have published our latest publication
When the period of restrictions began in Hungary, our theatre planned a staged reading for World Theatre Day (27 March 2020). We intended to present “Kosovo, mon Amour” by Ruzdija Sejdovic and Jovan Nikolic.
How does hatred affect society? How can we stand up for our identity and values? The play explores these questions. Independent Theatre Hungary has paid tribute to World Theatre Day for many years. Adapting to the current situation, we made the performance available in a new format: a video compilation recorded on mobile phones and filmed in the actors’ own living spaces.
Online work on an international level – the performance “European Family”
International theatre productions are usually very expensive. In addition to the basic costs of creating a performance, travel, accommodation, and per diem expenses must also be covered. In our experimental case, we aimed to collaborate without traveling to each other.
“European Family” – Quarantine affects different members of a Roma family in different locations. They can only stay in touch via video chat, facing their losses and challenges in isolation, as well as the hidden conflicts and secrets between them. At one point, it seems that only a miracle can help. The performance was created based on real stories, drawing on the personal experiences of Roma people living in different parts of Europe who were forced into quarantine. The participating artists shaped the performance by enriching it with their own experiences, making use of the possibilities of the internet and working from their own homes—providing a strong example of how physical boundaries can be bridged in the name of love for theatre.
Outdoor productions
As theatres were closed but outdoor activities were permitted in the spring of 2020, our company moved into open-air spaces. We were the first theatre in Hungary to create a touring outdoor theatre production.
"Village Day” – Lápos could be any village in Hungary today: inhabited by people struggling for daily survival—better or worse off, but undeniably lovable. On the day of the annually organized village festival, urban poverty tourists arrive, and beyond the modest but inventive celebration, participants of the gastronomic theatre performance encounter real human tragedies. What chances does a Roma woman raising her child alone have here, without job opportunities? Where is hope when even the best intentions turn the people who matter most to us against us? What does it take to choose the path of ruthlessness when there seems to be no way out? Where is the boundary between humanity and inhumanity? Visitors strolling on the lush slopes of Gellért Hill receive answers to such questions while also tasting the village’s special culinary delicacies.
Downloadable material
In the document below, we share the various methodologies used during the workshops as open-source materials, so that artists, social workers, academics, educators, and anyone wishing to work through artistic expression, performance, and theatre may use them freely.
