Intertwining Visual Art and Movement
on the Island of Samos
2009 Exploration Seminar in Samos, Greece
THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AND NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. PLEASE CONSIDER ANOTHER EXPLORATION SEMINAR PROGRAM!
Program Directors:
Anne Hayden Stevens, Architecture & School of Art
Stephanie Scopelitis, Interdisciplinary Arts/Sciences
Dates of Instruction: August 31-September 22, 2009
For More information: http://faculty.washington.edu/ahs/samos.html
This interdisciplinary exploration seminar will take place in Samos, Greece. In this seminar, students will live in the town of Pythagorio, exploring ancient sites on the island and neighboring ones through drawing and movement. Rather than looking at ancient sites as passive observers, we will interact with these places, activating the spaces through kinesthetic and aesthetic means. We will document our work in a range of media, including drawing, photography and video. Students interested in dance and performance, drawing, architecture, landscape architecture, painting, photography and film are encouraged to apply.
 Samos was the home of Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher best known for his contribution of the Pythagorean Theorem to mathematics. His philosophical work was focused on spirituality and theories of naturally occurring harmonies. We will look at the ancient proportional harmonies at work in the art and architecture of Greece.
Modern and contemporary American dance re-interpret the aesthetics of ancient Greece and use improvisation and natural movements (like
walking) in the generation of choreography. Through our study of these approaches we will make new art, both temporal and physical, in the sites and landscapes of Samos. Field trips to the phenomenal ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey and the Island of Patmos will provide additional contexts for exploration. The seminar will conclude with an exhibition and sharing of the work generated during the seminar.
 Samos provides the opportunity for students to experience a shift to the rhythm of life on a Greek island and to create within that context. Students will have ample time for individual exploration and study. Studio space will be provided. A typical day might begin with early morning movement on the beach, a trip to a museum or site for drawing work, a quiet period at lunch during the heat of the day, and an afternoon visit to a site to draw, document, and explore. We will have guest lectures on the history of Samos, Greek art, and Pythagoras.
Learning Goals:
- To develop skills in movement/compositional analysis.
- To develop skills in drawing, composition and proportional analysis.
- To stimulate kinesthetic awareness and explore how to use the body as a mode of understanding and expression
- To challenge our own creative boundaries
 Students: Students in the School of Art, The Dance Program, DXARTS, Interdisciplinary Studies and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning are encouraged to apply. Students from all other disciplines are welcome! Due to the cross-disciplinary content of this seminar, it is anticipated that students may have experience in one area (visual art or movement, for example) but not in another. Participants should be open to experimentation, working collaboratively, and daily movement practice.
Preparation for the Seminar: Students will be provided with readings and a series of performances to attend prior to the seminar. Courses taught by Stevens and Scopelitis in the spring quarter of 2009 will also contain content related to the seminar.
 The faculty: Stevens and Scopelitis are interdisciplinary faculty with ongoing teaching and research relationships on the UW Seattle and Bothell campuses. They have been discussing teaching together this way for many years. Stevens is a painter whoteaches drawing and digital media in the Department of Architecture and School of Art. Scopelitis worked professionally as a member of Nikolais Dance Company in New York and has performed internationally. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington. She teaches Interdisciplinary Studies at UW Bothell from the perspective of community engagement, critical theory and the history of performance art and dance.
Course Numbers:
ART350: Arts in Collaboration (VLPA)
 DANCE 490: Special Studies in Dance (VLPA)
BIS 208: Experimenting Through the Arts (VLPA)
ARCH 498: Special Projects
Program Costs:
What's Included:
The Program fee covers 22 nights of lodging in 2-4 person apartments with a kitchenette andbathroom, 3 group meals, 16 days of activities including lectures by local speakers, visits to the island of Patmos and travel, visa and entry fee for Ephesus, Turkey.
Some video cameras, still cameras, printers and projectors will be provided for use during the seminar, but students will be encouraged to bring their own insured equipment.
Expenses not covered are round trip travel to Samos, local transportation, health insurance, meals (except 3 meals included in the program fee), art materials and personal expenses.
More information: http://faculty.washington.edu/ahs/samos.html
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