The Film Workshop
In the 2nd study year two thematic blocks occupy an important place in the curriculum. The Film Workshop takes place in the first semester and provides the students with platform to create a 3 minutes long film. The workshop is between 5 and 6 weeks long. An external guest – filmmaker - and ATD staff member co-teach the course. The external guest brings in their artistic frame of reference, teach basic Film Theory and artistically support students in concept development and editing phase of their films. The ATD staff is in charge of technical part of the course (film editing software and technique), light, camera operating and film production and organization. The Film Block ends with a public presentation of the films on the premises of the ID-Lab at the Academy.
Thinking Through Gender block
One of the seminal blocks within SNDO curriculum is the Thinking through gender: gender and postcolonial critique where in the course of 5-6 weeks students start to critically examine and explore the questions pertaining to body, performance and choreography considering artistic, ethical, political, social and other implications of working with(in).
The approach in the last years has shifted towards an intersectional understanding of questions around gender and every year we chose for an additional lens through which the questions around gender get focused and sharpened. Last editions were on voice, on gaze and on touch. These get explored through the intensive programme consisted of morning training; mid-day is reserved for gender theory and afternoons for artistic workshops with guests whose work and practice address the notions relevant for the block.
Guest teachers and artists change depending on the thematic frame and have so far included artists, theoreticians and practitioners such as Erin Manning, Joy Mariama Smith, Kim Chi, Trajal Harrel, Fannie Sosa, Mijke van der Drift and Malik Nashad Sharpe, Tami T, Trevor Jowett, etc.
