What's At Hand: Improvisation, Group Facilitation, and 'Agreement' Among Strangers

In this support paper, improvisation artist Jayden Pfeifer reflects on the history, creative process, and theoretical framework at the foundation of what’s at hand: a facilitated improvisation performance that engages the gathered audience as both spectator and participant, and promotes the teacher as co--‐performer. This paper outlines Pfeifer’s background and training as a performance--‐based improviser, teacher and workshop facilitator, and prairie--‐based interdisciplinary artist. Pfeifer’s practice--‐based research utilizes a methodology made up of five skills of improvisation --‐ availability, listening, acceptance, support, expression --‐ and examines those skills as they become activated in relationship to other humans to create Agreement between once--‐strangers. The performance piece what’s at hand engages two fellow improvisation--‐based collaborators in relationship with Pfeifer to develop an approachable and accessible participatory structure, within which non--‐performers can engage in supportive improvisatory acts. Pfeifer’s work seeks to create a safe and welcoming environment, while still encouraging the rigour and risk inherent in live performance. This support paper contextualizes the performance project with reference to literature on self--‐ reflective teaching and participatory improvisatory performance praxis, examined through the lens of scholarship and contemporary practice in the field of Critical Studies in Improvisation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Interdisciplinary Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Pfeifer, Jayden Calvin

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Ricketts, Kathryn
• Caines, Rebecca

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Pridmore, Helen
• Ramsay, Christine

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.82465/3715

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/8489