‘Undisciplined Discipline: Performer Training for a New Generation. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training

Undisciplined Discipline seeks to develop diverse and inclusive performer training practices. Informed by radical pedagogies and queer theory, the project explores the dynamics between trainer, trainee, and space, challenging hegemonic approaches to performer training, and querying traditional master/student power dynamics. The project began as a dialogue between two practitioners regarding how we create and communicate rules and expectations to our students in our roles as performer trainers; and thus how we, along with our students might challenge hierarchy and potentially exclusionary forms of training. In the spirit of reflexive and transparent practice, we wrote a manifesto to speak directly to our students and peers, making explicit our proposal to make changes in our field. The manifesto below is a performative text. It is playful and provocative and is written to be performed. The italic font and traditional font illustrate where different authors are speaking and the bold font indicates where authors are speaking simultaneously.