85122 - The Italian Contemporary Performance Scene (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of the theoretical and critical reflections on the performing arts in Italy from the second half of the twentieth century to the first decade of the new millennium, with a particular focus on mise-en-scène and dance. Students will be capable of autonomously analysing critical, theoretical and poetic texts regarding the performing arts and will have acquired a series of tools for understanding pertinent iconographic and video documents.

Course contents

What is performance? How does it embody the contemporary culture? Finally, when does it foster cooperation, co-creation and critical discourse?

The course deals with these issues by presenting relevant case studies from the Italian Performance Scene since the Sixties and Seventies, and from Social and Urban Theatre and Dance.

A participatory practice will also be explored in order to inquire on the features of the performative practices.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site [https://site/] .unibo.it/tudent-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Attendance and Participation Policy (for attending students):

Students are expected to attend classes regularly and to participate actively in the collaborative sessions devoted to the exploration of participatory practices.

Students will be considered attending students only if they attend at least 80% of the course meetings (i.e., a minimum of 12 out of 15 sessions) and actively engage in the collaborative activities conducted throughout the course.

Students who miss up to 20% of the course and wish to maintain their status as attending students are required to make up the missed work by viewing in full all assigned audiovisual materials (including performances, documentaries, and related media) and reviewing all course materials and sources shared for the missed sessions, as posted on the Virtuale platform.

Attendance below 80% will result in the student being assessed according to the requirements established for non-attending students.

Required readings for attending students:

1. Rossella Mazzaglia (ed.), Italian Contemporary Performance: Methodology and case studies, 2026-2027, pp. 200 (reader available on the e-learning course page).
2. Notes/slides from class and extracts from primary sources shared in class.
   

Required readings for non attending students:

1. Rossella Mazzaglia (ed.), Italian Contemporary Performance: Methodology and case studies, 2026-2027, pp. 200 (reader available on the e-learning course page);
2. Slides from class and extracts from primary sources and videos shared in class and available on the Virtuale page;
   
3. One additional book of the student's choice:

• Valentina Valentini, New Theatre in Italy (1963-2013), Routledge, London and New York, 2017.
• Rossella Mazzaglia, Teatri altri. Dallo spazio al paesaggio della scena italiana, Cue Press, Imola, 2024.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures carried out in presence, and seminars. Though the classes will be held according to the published schedule, during the participatory practice, one class might last up to four hours and consequently exceed the regular schedule.

Assessment methods

Students will have to pass an oral exam, based on open questions aimed at testing both their ability in exposing the contents of the program with an appropriate language and their skills in making connections between the aesthetic forms and their cultural background.

Attending students will also be encouraged to share material and have an active co-creative participation in class.

Assessment criteria:

Proper language and the ability to critically speak about the book and reader contents, as well as the capacity to make connections will lead to a good/excellent final grade.

Acceptable language and the ability to resume the books' content will lead to a sufficient/fair grade.

Insufficient linguistic proficiency and fragmentary knowledge of the bibliographical material will lead to a failure in passing the exam.

The active participation in class will contribute to achieving a good grade.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Performances and artistic processes will be discussed in class with reference to a rich audio-visual documentation, primary and critical bibliography.

Office hours

See the website of Rossella Nancy Maria Mazzaglia