Linda L. Lang, University of Regina: What School Teachers can teach Theatre Artists: A Top Ten List

This paper subverts a familiar textual metaphor from popular culture to confront hegemonic traditions that privilege the knowledge construction practices of theatre artists over the pedagogic/tacit k[now]ing of school-based educators.  Using data drawn from the researcher’s ethnographic and action research combined with readings from theatrical and pedagogical texts the presenter will draw upon educational drama principles to explore theatre practices that reinforce traditional hierarchies.  Research suggests that traditional Eurocentric perspectives support knowledge “ownership” that stands in dialectic opposition to emergent/organic dramatic expressions from culturally diverse traditions.  The school, with its own theatre traditions and conventions, often stands in contrapuntal relationship to professional and/or academic theatre culture[s].