Exercise heart

Chan and Living

Lecturers: The Dharma Drum Sangha and the schloars

Place: Degui Academy - Dharma Drum University, Taipei, Taiwan

Introduction:

Could the difficult times in life lead to a new possibility? The “Chan and Living” series bring new perspectives to reflect on the patterns and potential of life.

The Series of Topics:

Learning Chan’s wisdom for transcend adversity

Learning Chan’s wisdom for changing mental state

Mind Power Development

Seeing a World of Beauty Through Chan

Living Our Life in the Diamond Sutra

Chan and Reflections of Life

Chan and Spiritual Healing

Aesthetics can be a philosophical reflection and exploration,

but it can also be seen as the intrinsic driving energy for life,

and it can also be the manifestation of cultural education.

The sense and perception of aesthetic awareness and feelings come from a profound and potential culture base,

and thus it constructs in each person’s life a unique inner capability.

However, the beauty of life has to be interpreted through culture,

so this course uses a cultural perspective.

The Playback 'form' as developed by Fox and Salas utilises component theatrical forms or pieces, developed from its sources in improvisational theatre, storytelling, and psychodrama. These components include:

•  the 'Conductor'︰ a key role combining elements of a Master of Ceremonies, Theatre  Director, Interviewer and Group  therapy leader
•  vignettes
•  oppositional pairs 
•  the 'oracle'

In a playback event, someone in the audience tells a moment or story from their life, chooses the actors to play the different roles, and then all those present watch the enactment, as the story "comes to life" with artistic shape and nuance. The re-creation of stories is often non-naturalistic; actors often use metaphor, narration, chorus, genre, movement and song.

Playback performers tend to specialise in one of several roles - conductor, actor, or musician. Some companies also have members who specialise in other roles, such as lighting. For audiences, the active performers can seem preternaturally gifted, as they create their performances without a script or score. Indeed in some playback performances the actors are chosen for their various roles, wait some moments while the musician improvises an introduction, and then begin performing without any consultation among themselves prior to beginning the story.

The role of conductor, by contrast, can seem relatively easy, involving as it does conversing with the audience as a group or individually, and generally involving no acting. However, it is recognised within the community of playback performers as perhaps the most difficult role to fill successfully.