Ivaylo Dimitrov

Ivaylo Dimitrov

1. Report about T.T.T. 2013 Budapest

           TTT Budapest meeting was something that I was not expected to be like. What I mean is that it went beyond the ideas that I had about how this type of collective work of exchange should function . The way the that TTT meeting was structured created an open space of shearing ideas ,exchange of knowledge and experience in a very open  and freely way without any competition and whit the support to each one of us within the group.  We were invited to participate into an open structure that respected the quality of diversity in the group. Gathering together teachers ,performers whit different  background and life but whit common in questioning - teaching ,art, life  brought us to the topic - How to create an “Opened learning structure “.An important question for me ,and to others as I saw .We were looking of a method for personal development, based on trust and respect, allowing that student, and teacher to have their own responsibility in this dialog of teaching-learning. We shared the idea of teacher being facilitator of the process rather of dictator and student accept learner being very often a teacher to the teacher. We discussed a tools, ideas , methods that would bring “expandable knowledge” that brakes the borders and allow going into the zone of unknown ,through the horizontal way of sharing process. What are the limits and how far to go depends on flexibility of both sides I think.

   From  the discussion  how to create a better educational program  came up  this issue is  related to the question of creating a“ better  teacher ’’.An important qualities of the teacher were revealed as following values:

 –flexibility and ability to constantly learn and staying in mode of change

-ability to bring grace in the space –“classroom”,  stage,home

- patiants and understanding that the learning process is time investment in both sides student and teacher

-taking risk and facing challanges

- maturity to releate art with life / life with art

 -diversity and interdisciplinarity in the context of Contemporary art

 -ability to manage politics within eductional institutions

-acknowleding the difference between “art of teaching” (pedagogy) and “teaching art” (teacher as an active artist)

     TTT was also an open Lab for collective experiment about questions that we had .Looking to find connections between pedagogy-creation-performance-life we tried out a various scores, improvisations, games and teaching sessions .And I loved this process of sharing very much. We put ourselves as a teachers in performative mode trough some scores, playing both sides of  teacher and student , that allowed us to questen the roles that we often  play being in position of teacher in our environment and institutions. I also had opportunity to lead a short teaching session in the frame of ‘’10 minutes teaching propositions for each one of the group’’ and a 30 min warm up-class. I proposed ideas that were also my own research  about time perception and  somatic approach  into dance training .This process  was great enrichment for me because I could  practice my teaching method in new environment .I could  shear also  my artistic material whit colleagues from another country  and  receive a constructive feedback.

     The possibility of exchanging knowledge and practices ,dancing together, reflection and feedback were part of the “Opened learning structure” that have  catalyzed my learning process. The TTT meeting  was very interesting and challenging as a process  whit  it’s own  group dynamic flow  formed by discussions, feedbacks ,performative states  and the essence of what everybody are. The group become as a mirror to me in a very graceful way. I have learned a bit better how to put questions into my own work and to communicate them to the others . My experience in the group dynamic itself became a teacher parallel to the issues and topics we were attracted to .

       The process has strength  me to revisit and challenge  my aims and values as a teacher ,as an artist -creator and educator ,as a human being.

This was great experience.

2. Pedagogical statement

I am an independent artist in a field of contemporary dance and theater .I have worked both as a performer and choreographer/director.

My background is from theater and subsequently a have found the field of Contemporary dance. By series of workshops, regular classes and few short-period educational programs in contemporary dance, as well the chance to work whit some established choreographers I have followed my desire to learn and discover my path.  All that put me in a long process of studying and formed an important issue for me- To learn how to learn.

 In parallel with my artistic development I have started teaching non-professionals and students. Since 2004 I work in National Academy of Theater and Film Arts, Sofia as teacher of dancers and actors for Movement theater .My subject is “Dance and movement improvisation”.

The guide line in my teaching have become shearing the experience I have rather than authority presenting the knowledge which is related whit the position of power . To learn how to learn and Who am I in this time-frame of the class, are questions I am trying to bring as a support to the work. Spontaneity, taking a risk, defining the inner truth are welcome strategies to find a pleasure of being in a study and performing mode as well as the freedom in intimacy and collective work. In the classes I combine practices of Dance and Contact improvisation, contemporary dance, somatic studies and theater in order to access real life stream and flow of energy. Here are some topics from the training program:

-Contact improvisation- form of improvisation, whose structure is shearing physical contact whit the partner whit the interaction of physical forces and gravity. It is a frame that requires dynamic awareness rather than learning patterns of form.

-Somatic practice –understanding of the connection mind- body systems, defining different body qualities and using this as sours for dancing and improvising.

-Contemporary dance-a variety of principles for dancing in relation whit the gravity, changing level , floor work, sensation and perception of the movement, breathing, rhythms ,dynamics, effortlessness, space and time connections, form etc.

-Theater practice-understanding of an intention, goal, motive for the action, inner action, physical action, organic presence, event, conflict, dramaturgy

-Performance- creating pieces using different tools of composition, choices, inputs, relations, transition from studying and research process into performing.