Call for Young Performers

[Anna Balint]

Call for Young Performers: 
Dancers, Actors, Performance Artists and/or Musicians

To participate in
Video/Performance Workshop

At Polli Talu Arts Center, Estonia
Aug 26 - Sept 16, 2001

The three-week long workshop is designed for young 
performers (dancers,
actors, performance artists and/or musicians) from Eastern 
and Central
Europe, as well as Central Asia, who are interested in 
incorporating video
in their live performances.  In an intensive working period
director/performer Kyle deCamp will teach a daily physical 
warm up followed
by a performance workshop, exploring ways of developing 
original material
for the stage, drawing from movement, spoken text and/or 
music.  Video
artists Tomiyo Sasaki and Ernest Gusella will teach the 
basics of video,
from camera work to postproduction.  By the end of the 
workshop the
participants are asked to create individual performance 
pieces that
integrate live performance and video elements. These multi-
media works will
receive their premiere performance for local audiences at 
Polli Talu Arts
Center.

Kyle deCamp is an accomplished actress, dancer and creator 
of original
cross-genre performance works. She is a compelling 
performer who has
collaborated with New York's avant-garde choreographers, 
theatre directors
and composers.  Tours of her own productions have taken her 
across North
America and Europe.  She has taught at numerous colleges 
and universities in
the USA.

Video artists Tomiyo Sasaki and Ernest Gusella are partners 
in life and art.
As world travelers and internationally acclaimed video 
artists, each in
their own right, their work is in the permanent collections 
of The Museum of
Modern Art, New York; Pompidou Center, Paris, France; 
Stadtische Galerie im
Lenbachhaus, Munich and Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin, 
Germany; The
Spiral Gallery, Tokyo, Japan and Center for Contemporary 
Art, Montreal,
Canada. Their fellowships and travel grants have taken them 
India, Japan,
Canada, Switzerland and The Netherlands.  Teaching credits 
include
universities on many continents.

The three American artists will be available not only in 
their capacity as
individual teachers in their respective specialties, but 
also work together
as a team to oversee and help with the assembly of each 
participant's work.

All three teachers will bring samples of video/performances 
on video to show
and discuss in sessions scheduled for the evenings.  Two 
studios will be
available at all times.

Participants will be encouraged to keep journals to 
document their creative
process.  The day after the public performances will be 
utilized to give
final feedback on the actual performances, reflect on the 
entire workshop
and write an evaluation paper on the experience.  A 
questionnaire will be
provided for that purpose.  

The workshop will take place at Polli Talu Arts Center, a 
newly established
international arts center located 150 km from the capital 
Tallinn near the
Baltic Sea.  Polli Talu (meaning "Polli's farm") is a turn 
of the century
traditional Estonian farm complex consisting of five log 
buildings.  In the
place of the old hay barn stands a brand-new dance studio 
with a sprung
wooden dance floor (8m x 12m), ideal for any movement and 
performance work.
The former stable has been transformed into a spacious 6m x 
9m art studio
and will serve as the video laboratory for the workshop at 
hand. The
storehouse has been remodelled to house guests, providing 
rooms with 1, 2, 4
and 5 beds.  Dining room and toilet/shower are located in 
the main house.
Polli Talu Arts Center provides artists from around the 
world with
facilities and conditions conducive to creative work.

Participants are expected to be able to communicate freely 
in English, be at
least 18 years of age and have a minimum of 3 years stage 
experience. No
prior video experience is necessary.  Participation is 
limited to ten
performers.

Important:  All participants are required to bring their 
own camera and tape
stock.
Digital editing equipment will be provided.

The workshop is a project of the Culture Link Program of 
the Open Society
Institute and stipends for participants will cover travel 
expenses, housing
and vegetarian meals.  

If you are interested in participating in the 
Video/Performance Workshop,
please request an application form by e-mail from:  
pollitalu at yahoo.com.  

Deadline for the submission of application forms is April 
1, 2002.

Participants will be notified in June 2002.
If you have further questions, please contact:
Marika Blossfeldt, Artistic Director, Polli Talu Arts 
Center,
pollitalu at yahoo.com