THPERF 377Indigenous Performance in Context

This course introduces students to the knowledge systems and performance history woven into the practices of First Peoples on Turtle Island and beyond. Through examination of performance genres ranging from Longhouse, Renewal, and Powwow ceremonies to Western theatre, pop music, and Wild West shows, students will gain understanding of the current Indigenous performance landscape through discussion and critique of design and production history as well as contemporary script analysis. This course engages students in Indigenous Ways of Knowing and helps them develop alternative approaches to research with particular attention to sustainable and holistic practices of performance making and design presentation. The class content will pay particular attention to traditions of the host nations (Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe) when possible.