A few weeks ago I traveled to a conference on theater and conflict in connection with my work on IREX’s youth theater programs. Put on by the all-volunteer organization Theatre Without Borders [20], Acting Together on the World Stage drew a vibrant international crowd of performers, directors, playwrights, teachers and others who believe in the power of theater to change individuals, communities, and the world.
The conference was fully subscribed, making it clear that a community of practitioners using theater to address conflict has formed, and a movement is growing. Among the inspiring projects I heard about were stilt-walking workshops in Afghanistan [21] and “twinning” youth theatre groups in different countries [22]. I caught several amazing performances from Serbia, Belarus, Sudan and the United States - but one that really impressed me is Buckworld One, which uses hip-hop dance, poetry and video to explore themes of discrimination, civil rights and violence, and is performed by a group of young people from the Inland Empire in the Los Angeles area.
The group’s dance style, called “getting buck” or “krumping,” [23] is intensely physical and expressive (when the performers made their entrance, dancing through the aisle, I felt like I was inside a mortal combat video game. Rickerby Hinds, a playwright and professor at the University of California – Riverside, developed the piece after going to krumping sessions and “seeing guys telling stories with their bodies. The narrative was already there.”
Many of the dancers see krumping as a positive outlet in their lives and a way to identify and express themselves constructively in communities touched by urban violence. The Buckworld cast has been affected personally, and the performance includes a moving tribute to a young dancer who was tragically shot at a party.
A conference participant from Palestine said “the victims of today are the soldiers of tomorrow.” Art can be a transformative force for healing – and for turning would-be soldiers into ambassadors for peace. While reading up about Buckworld One, I came across a UC-Riverside Magazine [24]article [24] with quotes from drama therapist Craig Haen, which I think are worth repeating. “Artistic creation by its very nature stands in direct opposition to the destruction that pervades the lives of many young people,” writes Haen. “Instead of being trapped in the rigid definitions that society has provided for them, the cast members begin to develop a new role: that of artist. By stepping onto a stage and having their artistic work witnessed by others, they feel transcendent, effective and validated. The resulting sense of purpose is powerful and lasting, staying with them long after the production ends.”
I recently received an update from my Youth Theater for Peace [25] colleagues in Kyrgyzstan with some comments from our theater camp participants. As Haen writes, they’ve changed after being on stage: “Before we came to camp, we weren’t interested in the problems of society. We thought it wasn’t our job, but now our worldview is different. Everything is in our hands.”
What do you think about using the arts for community dialogue and conflict transformation? How have you been changed by performances you’ve watched or acted in?
Susie Armitage [26] is a Program Officer at IREX.
*Photo Source [27]