“My Neruda Workshop”
Chilean Pablo Neruda is one of the greatest poets of the Spanish world…also one of the major poets of all times.
Upcoming in April 26, 27,28, 2013: “My Neruda”, an intensive voice/movement workshop for experienced dancers, actors, performers who wish to inspire their creations in the work of this great poet. Conducted by Chilean/ Canadian choreographer Sebastian Mena and Chilean/Canadian director/actor/writer Lina de Guevara.
During the workshop participants will be guided in the creation of their own solo piece, based on a Pablo Neruda poem and using the methodology created by De Guevara and Mena.
Registration limited to 12. At registration each participant will be assigned a Pablo Neruda poem. Before the beginning of the workshop they must read their poem several times and memorize at least ten lines of it. Lines do not have to be in sequence and can be in Spanish, English or both. Participants also should bring a prop related to the poem of their choice. Scroll down for complete information about the workshop and facilitators.
Fee: $250.- At the Dovercourt House. 805 Dovercourt Rd., Toronto, Ont.
416 -505 3193 Dovercourthouse@rogers.com
Some bursaries available.
Dates & Times: Friday , April 26: 6 to 10 PM
Saturday, April 27: 9AM to 6PM
Sunday April 28: 9AM to 6PM Total Hours: 20
Registration & Information: Vanguardia Dance Projects
Norma Araiza
16 Randolph Ave
Toronto Ontario
416-516-5586 x1
vanguardia.danceprojects@gmail.com
For information on the Kitchener, Ontario workshop, April 22, 23, 24, please contact The MTSpace Theatre, phone 519(585 7763) or e-mail info@mtspace.ca
Questions for the participants: Are you familiar with Neruda’s poetry? Do you have a favorite poem you want to work with? If not, we’ll assign a poem to you.
Would you prefer a love poem, a poem about Nature, about Spain, Latin America, a surrealistic poem, a political or philosophical one, ? You can work in English or Spanish or both.
“My connection with Pablo Neruda” by Lina de Guevara
I grew up with Pablo Neruda’s poetry. When I was a theatre student in Chile in the sixties his presence and his work were an important influence in our artistic world. One of my first acting jobs was in Neruda’s only play, “Fulgor y Muerte de Joaquín Murieta”, a big production premiered by my alma mater, the Instituto del Teatro de la Universidad de Chile.
Living in Toronto in 1971/72 I discovered that Neruda was not well known in North America. I wanted to share this literary giant I was so proud of, but most of the translations of his work at that time were inaccurate and clumsy. Luckily I met a Neruda specialist: University of Toronto professor Keith Ellis—who shared my feelings about the translations, and we embarked in the task of translating many of his poems and prose texts into English. I then prepared and directed a staged reading titled “The lives of the poet”—the life of Neruda expressed through a compilation of his poetry and prose. Members of the U.of T.’s Alumnae Drama Club performed the reading that opened one week after Pablo Neruda was awarded the Nobel Prize of Literature, and was a great success. Later CBC broadcast a radio version of “The lives of the poet”.
The process of compiling, translating, rehearsing and finally producing this reading lasted for many months, and consolidated my love and my knowledge of Pablo Neruda’s work. Throughout my life as a theatre artist, his poetry has helped me to define my identity; it has been present as inspiration, reference and background; and is a source of beauty, surprising images and thoughts. His poetry encompasses all aspects of life, it inspires us to extend our creativity, explore new forms of expression, and is valuable and deeply meaningful for any artist.
“What Neruda means to me” by Sebastian Mena.
My relationship to Neruda comes from far back: since my first memories of being a child. I remember, like every good Chilean family did, we had a plaque set on our wall with the face and the words of our prized national treasure, Mr. Neruda. He wore a grey cap that set his iconic image apart. Since I was young I thought that plaque on our wall was a photo of my grandfather, they had a similar facial structure and my grandfather also wore a grey cap that was just like the one Pablo had in this photo. That was my first encounter with the poet. It wasn’t until my early twenties that I began to comprehend the potency and depth of the poet. In my twenties I began to read Pablo’s poems to help me understand where I was from. Being born a first generation Canadian Chilean, I was hungry to understand the roots of my origins, my blood, my eyes and skin. So I dove into everything Latin and more specifically Chilean. It was the words of the poet that helped me understand the makings of my motherland and its people and even myself. Now the poet’s words are a source of pride and inspiration. I use his words and rhythms as source material for creation in my form of expression: dance. His work is universal, human and magic following from source. I have found that to create work inspired by a genius is fulfilling and rich. The exploration of our art form through his poems reveal the depths of the human spirit and soul within each and every one of us. I am honored to work from his poems and wish to share and help connect people to this man of countless words and adoration of life, love and land: Nobel prize winning poet Pablo Neruda.
Lina and myself are so convinced of the power and magic behind the poet’s poems and his ability to express the human experience through words, that we believe him to be what Picasso was to painting, Einstein to science, and Mozart to music. He is the Latin American Shakespeare, documenter and poet of life. Neruda captures a depth and range of human emotion and expression that often leaves us in awe and speechless in his grasp. He is truth; the strength in vulnerability, the mother earth foundation of this work.
2 Videos
From the “My Neruda”in Victoria workshop conducted by Sebastian Mena, Lina de Guevara and Lynda Raino. July 22 & 23, 2012
Barbara Pogemiller interpreting The heights of Macchu Picchu, canto XII by Pablo Neruda
Alexandra Weaver interpreting América by Pablo Neruda
Description of the “My Neruda” Workshop
Day 1- 4 hours
- Introduction to Neruda
- Introduction to the Moving Meditation technique (derived from the Authentic Movement discipline)
- Voice warm-ups and exercises
- Sharing Circle
Day 2 –8 Hours
- Yoga Warm-up
- Moving Meditation (specific to the poems)
- Sharing Circle
- Lunch (30 min.)
- Afternoon warm-up
- Individual text work. Blocking the solo pieces
- Day Wrap-up
Day 3- 8 hours (id.)
- Yoga warm-up
- Moving Meditation (deepening the work)
- Sharing Circle: Assessing where we are with each piece
- Lunch (30 min.)
- Afternoon warm-up
- Working each poem individually. Further blocking and text work.
- Break.
- Private presentation.