Emil's Reflection and Insights
I do admit that I am a self-proclaimed fan of theater; however, I prefer Broadway productions and stage performances originating from the West. My favorites include Rent, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, and many others. My exposure to Asian theater was limited to required screenings of productions by Dulaang UP, reports and documentaries about Asian theater forms in my CIS classes, and that one-time event where I attended a Noh training program in the university. Sad to say, I'm not that fully exposed to Asian theater.
Thankfully, and with much serendipity, I was able to explore the mysterious, elegant, and vast world of Asian theater through a course that I originally wasn't supposed to take -- Theater 162. From the elegant and religiously meaningful dances of India or the awe-inspiring and meticulous theater forms of Japan to the lesser known forms, yet not less distinguished, of countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia, I was able to learn a multitude of things that go beyond simple assumptions and unformed beliefs. Most importantly, I learned that though modern times prove to be challenging for the preservation of traditional theater forms, when applied together with such cohesion and with aesthetic principles, these forms can surely be breathtakingly impressive, much like in what I saw in Adarna, which showcased puppet and shadow theater. Lastly, I also learned to simple appreciate these Asian theater forms as valuable vessels of a country's culture -- pieces of performance art that should be respected and made known to each coming generation.
As a final note, I believe, as an Educ student and a future teacher, I can apply what I've learned in teaching my future students the value of performance art, and art in general; that it deserves a place in a world that insists that only science and technology can provide positive changes in our society.
Thankfully, and with much serendipity, I was able to explore the mysterious, elegant, and vast world of Asian theater through a course that I originally wasn't supposed to take -- Theater 162. From the elegant and religiously meaningful dances of India or the awe-inspiring and meticulous theater forms of Japan to the lesser known forms, yet not less distinguished, of countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia, I was able to learn a multitude of things that go beyond simple assumptions and unformed beliefs. Most importantly, I learned that though modern times prove to be challenging for the preservation of traditional theater forms, when applied together with such cohesion and with aesthetic principles, these forms can surely be breathtakingly impressive, much like in what I saw in Adarna, which showcased puppet and shadow theater. Lastly, I also learned to simple appreciate these Asian theater forms as valuable vessels of a country's culture -- pieces of performance art that should be respected and made known to each coming generation.
As a final note, I believe, as an Educ student and a future teacher, I can apply what I've learned in teaching my future students the value of performance art, and art in general; that it deserves a place in a world that insists that only science and technology can provide positive changes in our society.
Brian's Reflection and Insights
My main exposure to the world of theater has always been that of the West's; exposure to Asian theatrical performances were scarce in my life, mostly from watching plays by Dulaang UP. Not to mention that I didn't read that much Eastern literature, as compared to Western literature, which meant that should you give me a play based on Asian text, I'll be hard-pressed to understand it.
I saw taking Theater 162 (which was also my first Theater class in UP) as an opportunity to start catching up with the tradition of Asian theater that I've being missing out on. I brought with me minimal knowledge and background about Asian theater, so I expected, once again, to be hard-pressed to understand the lessons. Turns out I was proven wrong: Asian theater, while I'm not saying is a walk in the park, is definitely accessible even to someone like me, and a thousand percent more interesting than I had expected. What really struck me is how, by studying theater history, forms, and characteristics of certain countries, I was able to learn and create inferences simultaneously about their cultures as well, drawing from all the information I've gathered in reports, workshops (and this course gave me my first theater workshops), and self-research. Also, exploring the different theater forms of different Asian cultures really got me interested in what Asian theatrical culture has to offer. Placing them side-by-side with Western theater forms, I've learned distinct differences between both like the dynamics of music, singing, dialogue, and dancing; the large influence of religion and tradition with themes and forms; and the paraphernalia being utilized.
Taking this class really helped me develop my, I think, once underdeveloped (but presently and rapidly developing) appreciation of Asian culture--more so the theatrical aspect of various cultures. A valuable insight I've perhaps gleamed is that theater is the product of historical, cultural, social, political, and artistic processes; thus, making theater one of the most important things to look at in understanding a particular culture. But more than that, after participating in activities such as taking the theater workshops, watching plays and movies, and even attending an exhibit, I'm now closer to understanding a particular (maybe a bit overly cheesy) thought that popped up in my head--that theater is life. What was that saying again? "All the world's a stage..."?
While I can't confess to perfectly remembering every single thing I've studied and researched for this class, nor that I am obsessed with Asian theater already, I can guarantee one thing: I will continue learning more about Asian theater beyond the course, for my interest has been piqued, greatly.
I saw taking Theater 162 (which was also my first Theater class in UP) as an opportunity to start catching up with the tradition of Asian theater that I've being missing out on. I brought with me minimal knowledge and background about Asian theater, so I expected, once again, to be hard-pressed to understand the lessons. Turns out I was proven wrong: Asian theater, while I'm not saying is a walk in the park, is definitely accessible even to someone like me, and a thousand percent more interesting than I had expected. What really struck me is how, by studying theater history, forms, and characteristics of certain countries, I was able to learn and create inferences simultaneously about their cultures as well, drawing from all the information I've gathered in reports, workshops (and this course gave me my first theater workshops), and self-research. Also, exploring the different theater forms of different Asian cultures really got me interested in what Asian theatrical culture has to offer. Placing them side-by-side with Western theater forms, I've learned distinct differences between both like the dynamics of music, singing, dialogue, and dancing; the large influence of religion and tradition with themes and forms; and the paraphernalia being utilized.
Taking this class really helped me develop my, I think, once underdeveloped (but presently and rapidly developing) appreciation of Asian culture--more so the theatrical aspect of various cultures. A valuable insight I've perhaps gleamed is that theater is the product of historical, cultural, social, political, and artistic processes; thus, making theater one of the most important things to look at in understanding a particular culture. But more than that, after participating in activities such as taking the theater workshops, watching plays and movies, and even attending an exhibit, I'm now closer to understanding a particular (maybe a bit overly cheesy) thought that popped up in my head--that theater is life. What was that saying again? "All the world's a stage..."?
While I can't confess to perfectly remembering every single thing I've studied and researched for this class, nor that I am obsessed with Asian theater already, I can guarantee one thing: I will continue learning more about Asian theater beyond the course, for my interest has been piqued, greatly.