This paper presentation critically examines the role of subversive temporalities in a postgraduate physical performance course at Rhodes University Drama Department developed over several years. It asserts the essentiality of time as a conceptual pillar in performance-making, particularly within the framework of decolonial education and speculative worlding. While discussions and experimentations of space and place are prevalent in performing arts curricula, it is argued that temporalities remain comparatively underexplored in terms of their radical potential for learning. This research contends that creative worlding through performance necessitates not only spatial engagement but also a profound interrogation of temporal constructs.
By analysing the impact of durational performance as a pedagogical strategy, the paper reflects on three key learning encounters facilitated through collaboration with the durational performance platform, the Live Art Arcade, curated by performance artist Gavin Krastin. These performance encounters, conceptualised by the author in conversation with the student performers, invite students to engage with time in transformative ways, challenging the “regime of time-discipline” (Shalson, 2012:100) that often dominates our daily temporal experiences. Through critical reflection on the creation and sharing of these works, the paper reveals the benefits and insights gained from reimagining performance time, ultimately advocating for a more nuanced understanding of temporality in artistic education.
Dr. Alan Parker is a South African choreographer, performer, dramaturg, lecturer and researcher. He holds a PhD in Theatre and Performance from the University of Cape Town, with a specialised focus in Live Art, Interdisciplinary and Public Art. Alan has presented a wide range of work at various festivals and platforms, including the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, the Dance Umbrella in Johannesburg and the Live Art Festival in Cape Town. Alan has previously been a Live Art Fellow at the University of Cape Town’s prestigious Institute for the Creative Arts and, since 2019, has been the resident dramaturg for the live Art Arcade, a non-profit company focused on the mentorship of early and mid-career artists working in live art and performance art. Alan also currently heads the Network for Embodied Research in Africa (NERA), a body-based research and community building initiative, established at Rhodes University in 2022.