This page is to give an overview of the themes that came by and got researched and re-worked in the last five years by Carpet Session associated improvisation artists.

Click on the links to bring you to the respective posts that announced the sessions.

Below the list, you can find some more information on how to get involved. General info on the Carpet Sessions is here.

List of Carpet Sessions 2012-2016

   

Interlocking Principles (Balinese kecak rhythms as common ground for improvising interdisciplinary)

 

Objects and Stuff (object theatre, props and puppetry in improvisation)

 

Shadow Carpet (using shadow theatre in improvisation)

 

Structured Improvisation (improvisation scores, plots and structures and what they conjure up)

 

The dreamer and the observer (two aspects/attitudes/archetypes of the interdisciplinary improviser)

 

Time and Duration (taking time, losing time, using time in improvisation performance)

 

Games of Interaction (the world of rule-creating and rule-following in improvisation games)

 

What’s whispering (listening to the more subtle layers of reality while improvising)

 

The secret Life of Phrases (phrasing in improvised music, phrasing in improvised dance)

 

(Dis)connecting the dots (actors/dancers/musicians and the question of ‘readability’ and ‘meaning’)

 

Postponing the end (about endings in improvised pieces, and what happends if you don’t end them)

 

Abundance / Containment (exploring to improvise with a sense of overflowing and a sense of ‘holding’)

 

Everything is looking (improvisation and your relation to the audience as an animist/shamanistic experience)

 

Video in dialogue with the body (how can filmer and performer interact/reflect on each other in performance)

 

Cacaphony of dis/balances (exchange with Hongkong on deconstruction/reconstruction and liminal space)

 

Disconnecting the Dots II (a longer series on the actor/dancer/musician trinity – resulting in this article)

 

Writing on Improvisation (how can we write about improvisation in a satisfying way?)

 

Can I go solo? (about individuality and group processes in improvisation performance)

 

Just here, just now, just doing it (about non-conceptualised improvisation as a practice)

 

Identity (how is identity being formed and transformed in improvisation; and does it matter to be yourself?)

 

Grounds & Grooves (‘being in the groove’ as research focus for improvisation)

 

The speaking body and the speaking bubble (‘talking’ as a mode in interdisciplinary improvisation)

 

Responsibility – the ability to respond (‘talking’ in improvisation as a (felt) huge responsibility)

 

Language ~ fish°hooks (throwing words to catch meaning, and to make every word count)

 

Conversation Balance (a session on being/performing on a(n actual) wobbly platform together)

 

Clowning around (Instant Composition with a red nose)

 

A Wikipedia for Improvisation (a session on how to bring together our discipline’s knowledge )

 

Let’s raise the tone (improvisation driven by the extremities of high energy expression)

 

 

Concerning the future sessions and projects of this platform, here are some concrete questions to all professional improvisers who would like to connect and re-connect:

1. Would you like to use the Carpet Sessions platform this or next season to open up a research question on a particular improvisation/interdisciplinarity aspect that intrigues you? (be a session leader – alone or in collaboration with others)

2. Even if you are not able to work with us in Amsterdam, would you like to contribute to the Improvisation Knowledge Base here on this website with your considerations about the improvisation work you are doing in your own city?

3. Are you interested to support this platform by becoming a ‘carpet studio sharer’? (if you do, you can join all research sessions for free AND you can use the studio for your own projects when it is not used for a Carpet Session)

And last not least, even if any of the above is not for you, but you enjoyed to participate in other people’s sessions and you are looking forward to contribute to the research simply with your presence in the future, it would be lovely if you leave us a small note.

Suggestions how to do things differently, critique as well as praise is all very welcome!

You can use the Contact Page here to send us a message.