Moving Spaces: Mapping the Drama Room as Heterotopia

Abstract

This article is aimed at exploring the political characteristics of the drama space, which reflects, juxtaposes, and opposes particular sites in a participant’s everyday life, such as the school. By putting spatial theories to work, this article investigates the drama space belonging to an all-girls community group in Sweden, participation in which is voluntary and where the artistic work produced relies on a democratic process, with the girls’ input being vital. I conceptualise the drama room as a heterotopia that functions as an exclusive and excluding space as a well as a space of resistance. Based on interviews with the girls, this ethnographic study challenges the conventional notion that applied drama is only an interrelational matter between the drama participants. By examining the drama room’s role as the ‘other place’ in the girls’ everyday lives while being connected to ‘everyday’ places, this article demonstrates the drama room as an important space for the girls to have agency, there and elsewhere. When placing space and place in the foreground, a ‘dramaspaceknowledge’ emerges, the influence of which stretches beyond the drama room. This article argues that the girls’ dramaspaceknowledge is utilised when creating a performance and while challenging structures and norms elsewhere, such as in their schools and communities.

Troubling aesthetics: mapping vulnerability as a generative force in community theatre

“…By creating these kinds of spaces where the participants in a creative way can deconstruct the everyday, I argue that the drama room can be a powerful platform when generating resistance out of vulnerability. The interconnectedness with the town supports the process as the heterotopic drama room paradoxically also is a secluded and safe space (Szatek 2020).…”

“…There is now a move away from the notion of safe space and instead explore spatial concepts such as 'third space' (Soja 1996) or 'heterotopia' (Foucault and Miskowiec 1986) when trying to capture the multitude of spaces created in the drama room (e.g. Szatek 2020;Rodricks 2015;Greenwood 2010;Woodson 2015;Busby 2021;Kitchen 2018). The idea of heterotopia allows for an exploration of how the drama room is a complex space as it is both secluded from and firmly inter-connected with local context.…”

“…In my research, I found that the theatre practice is embedded and entangled with local structures while at the same time being an isolated safe space exclusively for the girls involved, aged 13-17. To highlight this particular function of the drama room I have chosen to conceptualise it as a heterotopia as explored in Szatek (2020). By mapping the drama room as heterotopia its political aspects were accentuated while also exploring how the drama room is simultaneously produced by and producing a multitude of spaces.…”

“…Alya fears she will become too exposed in the performance, even though the story has several fictional layers and the protection of role. The heterotopic character of the drama space with its interconnectedness with the everyday that, up to now, has been a connection producing knowledges and agency (Szatek 2020) is now a risky connection producing potestas.…”

Didactic-Artistic Tools and Artistic Works Demonstration Contribution to Students’ Artistic Skills Development

“…De Backer et al (2012) in their study showed that the arts' work presentation is related to development and improvement of art skills; meanwhile, Mateos and Sedeño (2018) indicated the connection between artistic presentation and artistic progress. Art students develop more improvement and abilities in their drawing competencies by asking to show a big amount of artwork, artistic activity, emotional expression, and knowledge construction (Zourntos, 2013;Hlawacz, 2013;Szatek, 2020); meantime, Chung and Li (2017) indicated that including playful and functional components into artistic works' expressions influences the art knowledge and skills. Maureen (2019) showed that artistic performances, set through a social content lens make visible every artistic work; and De La Cruz (2017) found out that between the art demonstration attitude and art instruction competency of the art teacher was found a good correlation.…”