Arts in the Classroom
I read this article in the New York Times about the death of Merce Cunningham, a celebrated dancer and choreographer, whose company has performed at Notre Dame . With the flourishing of Notre Dame’s wonderful, state-of-the art DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts in the past few years, I’ve been increasingly interested in integrating the arts in the teaching of the humanities and law. Anna Thompson, the Director of the Center, has been great about reaching out to the faculty to build bridges, to bring arts into the classroom.
I think most faculty have some idea of how to bring film into the classroom. Nonetheless, the course I took on bringing film into the classroom taught me to move beyond plot lines into camera angles, film theory, etc.
But integrating dance strikes me as important, but even more challenging, for those of us who live in our heads. Words are our stock in trade–dance asks us to pay attention to motion, movement, physicality, beauty, gracefulness. How does one bridge the gap between words and motion?
Any ideas how to do this? Kathy, I think your expertise in liturgy might be helpful here, if you’re reading.
Cathy, my sense is that gesture in the Liturgy is a lost art. Think of all the random gestures that have no basis in the GIRM that are now the stock in trade of a Sunday Mass. The Holding of Hands. The Turning Off of the Lapel Microphone.
Gestures in the Roman Rite are well-defined. Like the entire Rite, they should be dignified but with a certain forward momentum. Eastern liturgies go around, and backwards as well as forwards. The Roman Rite has one direction: forward!
I believe that for the laity, the gesture that should be most in use is the physical-emotional-mental-spiritual gesture of singing. “Let all my being bless His holy Name”–this happens preeminently in the act that requires thought and breath: the act of singing.
Thanks, Kathy–I guess what I was asking is how do you teach what gesture is, what gesture means, to a community that is not illiterate, but “ilgesterate” –to coin a word.
It strikes me that teaching Catholic liturgy and teaching dance have something in common (and I don’t mean liturgical dance!). Movement, procession, robes, colors, matter. Not merely words.
Moreover, the liturgy is one place where words and movement, where word and symbol are integrated, ideally, they support and complement each other.
So how do you get people to pay attention to physical movement?
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Cathy, I suppose gesture could be taught in words, perhaps by going through the General Instruction in an adult ed. class. But that wouldn’t be my preferred method. It seems to me that gestures optimally are “caught” rather than taught, and that parish life should itself be the teacher.
In my opinion, learning religious gestures should happen as naturally as learning to cook in grandma’s kitchen.
However, I can recommend a Dominican resource to you, St. Dominic’s teaching on the Nine Ways of Prayer. Perhaps you have seen it before, but if not it should be google-able.
In a sense, a courtroom proceeding and a liturgical celebration (even incorporating dance :-)) aren’t entirely mutually exclusive.
Both are public events, incorporating ritual and even spectacle and with important significance and meaning to the community. The “all rise” from the bailiff while the judge enters is certainly a ritualized entrance procession; if we could arrange for Her Honor to be accompanied by music as she walks over to the bench, the parallel would be striking. (Possibly at some time in history, magistrates were actually accompanied by a fanfare or some such at their entrances?)
A trial, like a liturgical celebration, has a prescribed outline, a public venue, canons of dress and behavior, well-defined roles, tradition and custom are taken very seriously, and so on. Etymologically, I believe the word “liturgy” itself is related to public gatherings of the community for great public works (perhaps, in places like Athens, directly related to law-making).
Knowing little on this subject. I do note however, the differences on how the lay Eucharistic ministers at different parishes either amble, hurry, or move gracefully to and from the altar . some training would add dignity. a video of what’s right would be useful and an easy teaching tool..
“Moreover, the liturgy is one place where words and movement, where word and symbol are integrated, ideally, they support and complement each other.
“So how do you get people to pay attention to physical movement?”
I don’t know if it is a cause or effect – perhaps both – but the loss of liturgical discipline in our culture seems linked to an impoverished sense of public celebration, even public behavior, on a wider scale. People dress, talk and behave much more casually – a critic would say, “coarsely” – than was the case just a couple of generations ago.
“People dress, talk and behave much more casually – a critic would say, “coarsely” – than was the case just a couple of generations ago.”
One reason that comment came to mind is I’m trying to decide what to wear to my xth year high school reunion this weekend. A suit and tie strikes me as being overdressed. It’s trickier than it used to be!
Come to think of it, my favorite writer on “gesture” in the broad sense is the Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion reporter Robin Givhan.
Prof. Kaveny – years ago I spent considerable time as a team in both a high school and college setting to reinvigorate and educate the students to participate, take ownership for, and be responsible (proud) of their own liturgies. It was hard work; had to be consistent and almost daily emphasis put on liturgy with quality; and always praising/reinforcing students who bagan to take ownership.
We used music as the key to unlocking the liturgical door…..we had students who had talent; students who wanted to learn, compose, sing, cantor, etc. We found out that we had to start from the basics – what is eucharist? what is an assembly? why gather? then, move to how. But, we were successful and it resulted in students themselves creating art works for liturgy; creating music, their own style of gestures, their own prayers to support the church’s liturgies, etc.
We invited a number of liturgists and musicians to help educate, excite, and support our efforts. Found that one of the most important resources was Fr. Robert Hovda – here is an excerpt from one of his works with others: http://books.google.com/books?id=36xZHWxYsAkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0
He had an excellent way of starting with the basic liturgical questions and moving this into full and active participation. The link refers to three main points – start with music; incorporate silence; keep it welcoming and simple.
His best work was “Strong, Loving, and Wise”. I was lucky enough to be exposed to him and Gabe Huck at the consortium in Chicago – CTU & JSTC.