Ritual and Performance: Theory and Practice

STA00

Winter 2004

Room: MANDE 201B

Thursday 3:30 to 5:20

Professor: Ricardo Dominguez

Email: rrdominguez@ucsd.edu

Class Description:

Ritual and Performance will explore contemporary theories of ritual practice and performance. We will attempt to see to what degree performance can enter the domain of ritual, or ritual can become performance. The class will view the work of artists, from Joseph Beuys to Digital Rituals, who have or are using ritual as part of their work or for the development of their work. As symbolic actions, both ritual and performance can be studied not only for the manifestation of meanings but for the effects they have on lives of their participants as transformative events or by establishing social limits. For some ritual and performance also spills out into the patterned interactions of everyday life, such as etiquette and the performance of ordinary daily roles. Recently, digital spaces, such as the Internet, have become a new ground for thinking out the question of ritual and performance. Can this new space become a zone for unimagined ceremonies to effect meaningful transformations?

Grading Policies

Final Grade Evaluation:

25% Assignments ≠ 1 Notebook Diary & One Midterm ≠ a 5 page essay (MLA Style).    

50% Attendance and Participation

25% Final Exam - Take home essay ≠ a 10 page essay (MLA Style).

Or you can create a short Performance Ritual for the Midterm and a longer work for the Final.

Attendance:

You will be expected to attend every class. If you have more than 2 unexcused absences, your final grade will drop 1/2 a letter for every additional unexcused absence.  Two unexcused lateness will be considered an absence.

Reading List

Each student is required to read 4 books. Books available at Groundwork Books.

Turner, Victor ≥From Ritual to Theatre≤

Schechner, Richard ≥Performance Theory≤

Bell, Catherine ≥Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice≤

≥Wetware≤

Class Structure:

Thursday, Jan 6th - Introduction

Start to Read: From Ritual to Theatre

Thursday, Jan 13th ≠ Ritual Space

Continue to Read: From Ritual to Theatre

Thursday, Jan 20th ≠ Ritual Space

-  NO CLASS -

Finish Reading: From Ritual to Theatre

Thursday, Jan 27th ≠ Ritual States

Start to Read: Performance Theory (Chapter One)

Thursday, Feb 3rd ≠ Ritual Sounds

Continue to Read: Performance Theory (Chapter Three)

Thursday, Feb 10th - Ritual Objects

MID TERM DUE ≠ A 5 page essay or a short Performance.

Start to Read: Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice

Thursday, Feb 17th - Ritual Gestures

Finish Reading: Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice

Thursday, March 4th - Ritual Bodies

Read: Wetware (Chapter One)

Thursday, March 11th - Ritual Networks

Read: Wetware (Chapter 4)