Interested in awakening your creative side? Take a course in Chinese Calligraphy or Suzuki this Summer!

THA 130A – SUZUKI

The purpose of this course is to examine the training techniques of Japanese theater director Tadashi Suzuki. A major figure of the Postmodern Theatre revolution in Japan in the decades following World War II, Suzuki has created a unique, multi-faceted method for training actors that has been acclaimed by theater directors worldwide and has been adopted by training programs and theater companies across the United States.

Following Suzuki’s premise that “culture is the body”, students will be asked to examine their own
physical presence through a series of exercises developed by Suzuki and members of his acting company: developing breathing techniques for control and ease; developing the ‘total-body voice’; awakening the actor consciousness; and developing a heightened awareness of ensemble.

View the full Suzuki course syllabus here.

FA 178a – Seminar on Chinese Calligraphy: History and Practice

This seminar examines the art and history of Chinese calligraphy. The goal is to introduce students of different Chinese-language levels (not limited to native-speakers) to canonical works of calligraphy as well as the enthusiasm and creativity these works have generated through the ages. From anonymous oracle bones and stone inscriptions to famed masterpieces, such as Wang Xizhi’s “Lanting Pavilion Preface,” and from original renderings to copies of others’ compositions, this course showcases the kaleidoscopic range that makes calligraphy a visuallinguistic art form beyond “words.” The multifaceted functions of stylized writing—such as for political, religious, and expressive purposes—will also be explored.

Students will also engage in hands-on study through copying and creating calligraphy. We will discuss and reflect on calligraphy aesthetics through the ages, and students will gain a better appreciation of art from concept to product.

View the full Calligraphy course syllabus here.

Session 2 Regular Registration Deadline is Friday, June 28!

Explore all of our summer course offerings and register today!

If you have questions you can always email us at summerschool@brandeis.edu.