What does it mean to embody “vira” – courage as cultivation of energy and bodily expansion – in Kutiyattam theatre (India)? 

How does it feel to work on “yugen” – subtlety, nuance and grace grounded in powerful inner depth – in Noh theatre (Japan)? 

What does it mean to embody and express emotions across cultures and contexts? 

Dr Giorgia Ciampi’s immersion in the traditional forms at ITI led her to challenge prevalent western assumptions regarding the universality of certain ‘basic’ emotions. She began to question the limiting nature of the concept of emotion when describing the forms of feeling experienced during her time at Intercultural Theatre Institute. She will share more about the philosophical idea of "affectivity" (Colombetti, 2014) in connection to the philosophies and concepts that underlie the Kutiyattam and Noh training systems. Further exploration is made into how actors practise affectivity; by "blending the elements" of their body and mind to present an appealing experience to the audience in Kutiyattam, and by conjuring the moon to enable the audience to perceive its radiance in Noh. Immersion in these culturally specific approaches to affectivity equips actors with an intercultural affective competence that can be applied in their contemporary work. This proficiency improves communication surrounding affectivity across various performance cultures and contexts.

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Asian Intercultural Conference 2023

UEN Charity/CPE No: 200818680E | CPE Registration Period: 13 Jul 2020 to 12 Jul 2024

Intercultural Theatre Institute Ltd is supported by the National Arts Council for the period from 1 Apr 2021 to 31 Mar 2024