UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Arts and Design Research Incubator (ADRI) announces its spring calendar of events, which includes dialogues, performances and ongoing workshops, all free and open to the public.
“We’re very excited about this semester because it is the most robust calendar we have ever had," said Andrew Belser, director of the ADRI, which provides support for high-impact arts and design research projects. "We curated it in response to the programming, attendance and support we received in the fall. We now have three categories of events — lunchtime dialogues, events that include several performances, and ongoing workshops,”
Spring semester programming begins on Jan. 17 with the first session in the Mindful Movement workshop series, taught by Elisha Clark Halpin, ADRI embedded faculty researcher and associate professor and associate director for instruction, School of Theatre. The series continues on Feb. 7 and March 14.
“Movement is a wonderful way to introduce mindfulness to our lives," explained Halpin. "We can get out of the story that 'I can't meditate' or 'I don't know how to sit still' through a movement practice. The other really important aspect of this time of mindful practice is that it is not about escaping the body or life. We are bringing breath, awareness, and presence to our body and our mind."
Other upcoming events include a guest lecture on “The Blue Collar Brain”; a Story Slam with the theme of “Lessons Learned"; a performance of School of Theatre professor Bill Doan’s play, "Drifting"; and the continuation of the “Mechanisms of Mind” lecture series that began in the fall.
The ADRI will also host a groundbreaking symposium on “Embodied Cognition and Communities of Practice” on March 22, which will be led by noted neuroscientist Michael Anderson, with panelists representing neurology, medicine, music education, art education, dance and architectural design.
“We’re using the occasion to create an approachable gateway for people to integrate embodied cognition into their practice,” stated Belser, noting the usefulness of embodied cognition in understanding how the body, brain and environment work together and how that understanding can relate to any discipline. “This symposium is meant to be pragmatic, rather than just theoretical, helping people shape their practice, whether that be teaching, studio practice, neuroscience, kinesiology, psychology, music, art and design, theatre or dance. I can’t begin to express how essential embodied cognition is to everything we do and experience every day.”
For more information about the ADRI and to view a calendar of upcoming events, visit http://adri.psu.edu or call 814-863-5126.
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at 16 Borland. All events are free and open to the public, but some do require registration, as space is limited.
Connect with the ADRI at www.facebook.com/PennStateADRI.
ADRI Schedule of Events:
DIALOGUES
Tuesday, Jan. 31, noon-1 p.m.
"The Invisible Elephant Project: 1000 voices of the Chronic Commons"
Marina Tsaplina, founder, CEO and creative director, The BETES Organization
Tuesday, Feb. 7, noon-1 p.m.
Preview of 2017 International Conference of Auditory Display (ICAD)
Mark Ballora, associate professor of music technology and conference chair
Tuesday, Feb. 21, noon-1 p.m.
"Integrating Play into Pedagogy: A Research Project"
Sandi Carroll, ADRI research fellow, Carla Zembal-Saul, professor of science education, and Stephanie Velegol, instructor in engineering
Tuesday, March 21, noon-1 p.m.
"The Blue Collar Brain: How Your Mind Really Works"
Michael L. Anderson, associate professor and chair, Department of Psychology, Franklin & Marshall College
Tuesday, April 4, noon-1 p.m.
"Storytelling through the One-Person Play"
Presented by Donal Courtney, Gaiety School of Acting, Dublin, Ireland, and Bill Doan, School of Theatre, Penn State
Tuesday, April 18, noon-1 p.m.
"Changing Mindsets: A New Perspective for Cross-Disciplinary Researchers"
Joe Julian, M.D., artist in residence, School of Visual Arts, lead investigator, Applied Neuroscience, ADRI
Wednesday April 19, noon-1 p.m.
"Unfixed Research: On Letting Others Lead in Arts-Integrative Work"
Kevin Hamilton, professor of art and senior associate dean, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois
ADRI EVENTS
Mechanisms of Mind
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 3:30-5 p.m.
"Right from Wrong: Creating Robots Which Learn How to Behave"
Alan Wagner, assistant professor of aerospace engineering
Wednesday, March 29, 3:30-5 p.m.
Charles Geier, human development and family studies
Friday, April 7, 3:30-5 p.m.
"Origins of Meaning: A Philosophical Perspective"
Dorit Bar-On, Philosophy Department, University of Connecticut
Wednesday, March 22, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Symposium: Embodied Cognition and Communities of Practice
Thursday, March 30, 7-9 p.m.
"Story Slam: Lessons Learned"
Hosted by Pamela Monk, senior lecturer in journalism
Wednesday, April 5, 7:30 p.m.
"God has no country"
Written and performed by Donal Courtney; followed by post-show discussion
Pavilion Theatre
Thursday, April 6, two shows: 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Steel Valley Rhythms
Michele Dunleavy, Choreographer
Thursday, April 20, 5:30 p.m.
"Drifting: A New Play in Development"
Written by William Doan, Directed by Andrew Belser
WORKSHOPS
Mindful Movement Workshops
Jan. 17, Feb. 7, and March 14, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Led by Elisha Clark Halpin, associate director, School of Theatre
Embodied Mindfulness Workshops
Jan. 19 and 21, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Led by Elisha Clark Halpin, associate director, School of Theatre
The Invisible Elephant Project: 1000 voices of the Chronic Commons
Performance & Discussion: Tuesday, Jan. 31, noon - 1 p.m.
Workshop: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 4 to 6 p.m.
Physical Imagining: An interactive workshop to engage the imagination
Saturdays, Feb. 11 and 18, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Hosted by Elisha Clark Halpin, associate director, School of Theatre and led by Natalie Griffith Robichaux, assistant professor, School of Theatre
Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (ATM) Series of 4 Lessons
Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
IN-bodied Integration
March 28, April 4, 11 and 18, 6-8 p.m.
Led by Elisha Clark Halpin, associate director, School of Theatre