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"Reclamation" is my work featured at Kislap sa N(G)ayon 2020, staged in a domestic space with limited resources in terms of production design and creative team. During the pandemic, the history of the derogatory expression "Yawa Ka" spawned an attention in the Philippine social media (see link attached), that gave me an idea to explore about this concept.

For my thesis, I am collaborating with Janina Garciso to re-choreograph this piece now that we are back in the physical setting. Reclamation is now re-titled "Gahum Sang Bayhana" Power of Women.

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Tresha Amando's "Reclamation" |   Kislap sa N(G)ayon 2020

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Dramaturgy and Concept: Tresha M. Amando

Choreography: Janina Garciso

Stage Manager: Maricris Dela Cruz

Set Design: Woman Cyvonnie Pascual

Performer: Yna Mae Arbiol,

Lights Design: Melvin Labutap

Set Design:

Technical Director:

Staff/Crew: Joshua De Puyart, Jerover Cabilla

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As part of an independent study at ASU with composer Daniel Bernard Roumain I have been encouraged to publicly post some of my thoughts and discoveries related to Dramaturgy for dance. While the title of dramaturg may be foreign to many, it is a title I feel closely aligns with what I would like to dedicate myself to in part over the next few years. The text I have been using as source material is Katherine Profeta's book "Dramaturgy in motion: At work on dance and movement performance", which primarily chronicles her thoughts and experiences over the past 18 years a dramaturg for American (Minnesotan) choreographer Ralph Lemon. It beautifully illustrates both her understanding of dramaturgy in a larger context and specific examples of her transformational moments.

To begin, what is a dramaturg and what is dramaturgy? The act of dramaturgy, it can be said, is something that has occurred since the beginning of performance as it is, on a very basic level, to write, critique, evaluate, and imagine. In more modern contexts it is usually a person brought in to help the lead artistic voice complete and nurture his/her work. The person is often involved with the lead artist over a long period of time as the each collaboration is unique and often takes years to develop. While perhaps apparently similar to an assistant director, the focus of the dramaturg is primarily on the development of the form and content of the show and not on helping to direct the performers themselves.

In a theatrical context, the first instance of someone officially using the title of dramaturg came under theater director/writer Bertolt Brecht. Later, American theatrical dramaturg Mark Bly, not associated directly with Brecht, wrote that "I question" was the best possible definition of his work as a dramaturg. The history of dramaturgy in theater is extensive and for another time. For now, I would like to focus on the role of dramaturg in a dance setting, which first occurred when the famous Pina Bausch began to collaborate with Raimund Hoghe in 1979. While dramaturgical dance history is not my focus either, the questions I am interested in come from that lineage and its application over the past 40 years.

Even before Profeta's book, I was aware that the dramaturg, as more commonly seen in the European dance scene, was present during the creative process in order to act as a sort of sounding board/researcher/devil's advocate for the choreographer. In other words, someone they trust by his/her side during vulnerable stages of creation. The image of the lone genius working alone has generally gone out of fashion in previous decades and it is now often accepted that more than one strong voice in the room often strengthens the product. However, hierarchical structures still exist and are often expected in dance setting where a single choreographer is encouraged to make a name for his/her self and at the end of the day someone has to make the final decision. This, to my understanding, is where a dramaturg becomes especially useful. As someone who doesn't have to make the final decision, is on the side of the performers and the choreographer, and is trusted to ask the right questions throughout the process, the dramaturg is simply there to make things better.

Upon reading Profeta's book I was struck by much more complexity than I first imagined. She states, in an attempt to define her job, that she acts as a "researcher, editor, questioner, catalyst, historian, archivist, literary manager, outside eye, inside eye, advocate for the audience, advocate for anything but the audience, witness, midwife, gadfly, friend, and even amateur shrink" (p.14). Not an easy job list, but one I am excited by and believe I am well suited for. Profeta later goes on to describe, and supports with sociological studies, the importance of dissent in any sort of creative problem solving. This becomes another important, delicate role of the dramaturg. Asking challenging questions of myself and whatever production I am involved with has been a virtue and a vice for as long as I can remember. I am reminded of a few specific performances that nearly drove me mad because I was discouraged from asking questions as a performer that I felt were essential to the success of the show. To me, being in a position where such questions have a place and are not taken personally is essential in any successful creative process. As Profeta proclaims, "The goal is to enter into an encounter through the frank negotiation of inevitable similarity and difference [of opinions]; from there the motion springs." P 20

This brief introduction to dramaturgy only skims the surface of what the job entails, but hopefully in the following posts I can go further into the rich detail of how a dramaturg fits into a creative process. I have so many questions.

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As part of an independent study at ASU with composer Daniel Bernard Roumain I have been encouraged to publicly post some of my thoughts and discoveries related to Dramaturgy for dance. While the title of dramaturg may be foreign to many, it is a title I feel closely aligns with what I would like to...