The Choreographic Toolkit
Development and field-testing of a choreography teaching concept
Funded by: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Project Director: Professor Gabriele Klein
Research & Artistic Assistants: Gitta Barthel, M.A., Esther Wagner, Dipl.-Theaterwiss.
Project term: 9/2008 – 2/2011
Research objective
The project is aimed at developing a Choreographic Toolkit concretely useful in artistic practice both within and outside school contexts. The tools provided are designed to facilitate working in a choreographic setting with individuals inexperienced with dance. The Choreographic Toolkit is designed around such considerations as the target group’s profile and relationship with dance, motivation, theme selection and thematic execution through dance and choreography, improvisation, style and stage design.
Research process
The Choreographic Toolkit is the product of nearly three years of research conducted as an exploratory pilot study at two specially selected (school and non-school) Hamburg organisations. The Choreographic Toolkit ultimate design is based on its effectiveness as observed in practice, and founded upon expertise in contemporary choreography within specific institutional, intercultural and movement-, gender- and age-specific contexts. To realise this design, theory meetings are held in the course of the project with several internationally prominent choreographers experienced in teaching, to outline and discuss choreography and teaching concepts.
Research product
The Choreographic Toolkit provides practical choreographic foundations for adaptation and implementation in specific contexts; plans are to promote it nationwide, offering it to relevant cultural educational institutions (youth art academies, continuing teacher education programmes etc.). Introductory courses on using the Choreographic Toolkit are held as part of continuing education seminars.
The Choreographic Toolkit is available for retail purchase (transcript, Bielefeld).
Further information:
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Klein, Dr. Gitta Barthel
Universität Hamburg
FB Bewegungswissenschaft
Mollerstr. 10
D-20148 Hamburg
Tel: +49 40 42838-7847, Fax: +49 40 42838-6986
gabriele.klein@uni-hamburg.de(gitta.barthel"AT"uni-hamburg.de)