Papers by Nikole Lauren Pascetta
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Narrative in Performance, 2019
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My study explores the process of settlement for Newcomer-to-Canada youth (NTCY) who are engaged i... more My study explores the process of settlement for Newcomer-to-Canada youth (NTCY) who are engaged in English-language learning (ELL) of mainstream education. I propose the inclusion of a modified physical theatre technique to ELL curricula to demonstrate how a body-based supplemental to learning can assist in improving students’ language acquisition and proficiency. This recognizes the embodied aspect of students’ settlement and integration as a necessary firststep in meaning making processes of traditional language-learning practices. Foundational to this thesis is an exploration of the Neutral Mask (NM), an actors training tool developed by French physical theatre pedagogue Jacques Lecoq. A student of Lecoq (19901992), I understand NM as a transformative learning experience; it shapes the autoethnographic narrative of this study. My research considers the relationship between the body and verbal speech in English-language learning, as mediated by the mask. An acting tool at the hear...
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In the broad spectrum of performance studies and methods it could be agreed that training in the ... more In the broad spectrum of performance studies and methods it could be agreed that training in the highly stylized techniques of clown and bouffon requires a great degree of skill. Conversely, for the audience often an extension of the clowning/bouffon-esque 'play' (jeu), it requires a willingness and degree of compliance. As two dramaturgical tools used to voice and mirror the views of peripheral social characters, clown and bouffon embody the absurd, melancholic, dark and sometimes cruel sides of society. The mastery of their performance lies in treading the fine line between tasteful and tasteless provocative play in their interpretive efforts to critically reflect social life. This study examines the two comic genres of clown and bouffon, particular to the pedagogies of Jacques Lecoq and Philippe Gaulier, to consider the limits of performance that dictate good taste from bad taste (le bon goût du mauvais goût) in the lampooning play of society and social issues. In an effort to examine the complex level of the performers jeu the study juxtaposes the humanness of Lecoq's Chaplin-esque clown with a Bhaktinian carnivalivistic view of Gaulier's grotesque bouffon. For the actor in the improvisatory play of clown and bouffon, making tasteful choices runs the risk of projecting dimwitted, trite, emblematic characters, whereas a raw, aggressive performance that deviates too far from shared or common aesthetic values and standards (in good taste) can be met with shock and repulsion. Galvanized by Friedrich von Schiller's claim that theatre, as of moral institution, plays a didactic and influential role in society, I draw from the applied 'play' of these physical theatre foundations to consider the paradox of what these fringe characters can—in their distaste—tastefully offer contemporary issues of the day.
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Nikole_Pascetta@edu.yorku.ca Jacques Lecoq and This Theatre Called my Body: An Autoethnography on... more Nikole_Pascetta@edu.yorku.ca Jacques Lecoq and This Theatre Called my Body: An Autoethnography on Collective Creation, Social Awareness and Thematic Storytelling. " Funny Sketches of a Formidable Life " (Croquis Marrant d'une Vie Redoutée) is a collectively devised performance piece that examines disparities of social power and wealth. Developed by the France-based physical theatre company Théâtre de la Jacquerie, the piece questions the authority of the corporate elite, called les Gris (the Grays), whose angular movements and monochromatic wardrobe reflect their social control over less privileged workers. Using body-based devising techniques informed by the pedagogy of Jacques Lecoq, the piece compiles thematic sketches that satirically buffoon structural power and the hierarchy of intra-organizational decision making. Immediately after graduating from the Lecoq School, I was invited to join La Jacquerie as part of its international ensemble. Befitting the material, the company's namesake comes from a fourteenth-century revolt (the Jacquerie of France) between nobles and peasants. This essay is an autoethnographic writing performance, which narrates my experiences as the lone North American in the company. This essay explores how the foundations of my mask, clown, bouffon and commedia dell'arte training culminated in the embodied storytelling of social capital and mobility. Through the theatre of my body, I demonstrate how the dislocation of my Anglo-Canadian voice, in the context of a Euro-centric collective, revealed common cultural behaviour, patterns, and practices of shared physical capital, or what Pierre Bourdieu called " habitus. " A global narrative on the widening gap and imbalance of systemic inequality, " Croquis " allowed me to transition from student to professional and develop a voice and identity as both a socially conscious actor and a social actor. Le Coq/ Théâtre de la Jacquerie Nikole Pascetta is a graduate of the Jacques Lecoq Theatre School in Paris, France (1990-1992). Nikole's Ph.D. and MA (York University, Toronto) were informed and shaped by her physically-based performance training. Her research examines the foundations of meaning-making (corporeal consciousness) in the construction of knowledge (epistemology). An artist educator and CAEA/ACTRA professional actor, she was a core member of the France-based repertory company
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SCRIPTING SPACE SENSORILY Exploring Creative Integration for Refugee Identity
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This presentation draws attention to the embodied implications of English language for non-Englis... more This presentation draws attention to the embodied implications of English language for non-English speaking students in the learning experience (Freire, 1970/2009). It calls into question the heavy reliance placed upon language learning as the dominant method for successfully integrating ethnic minorities into mainstream society. Observed from a Canadian immigration perspective, this traces teaching methods at the high school level as a way to historically examine how English language has been designed to promote minority students' socialization. The study argues that measures developed and put into place decades ago, emphasizing and correlating social integration with language acquisition and proficiency, can no longer sustain the needs facing 'newcomers' arriving from non-western countries. The discussion does not seek to criticize current programming in place. On the contrary, it shines a light on the great lengths and resourceful measures education has gone to responsibly ensure equality for students new to English. Well into the 21 st century, the objective is to assist teachers and further equip schools by innovating new pedagogical strategies. With the rise of global migration, forced migration and relocation of displaced persons, the research considers the widening gap between cultural diversity. The last 20 years has seen significant growth and development in English language learning (ELL) education. There has also been a great deal of critical research concerning authority and power at work, e.g. the hegemony of English strategies, the notion of alterity in linguistic practice, and the 'Canadianizing' of difference through unintended outcomes of the hidden curriculum (McLaren, 1998/2006). Are cultural parameters, influenced by ELL informing narratives of representation—thus emphasizing the symbolic performance of social roles? Conceiving of the body as the site of meaning making, the study discusses an applied pilot project located in a mainstream ELL classroom in Toronto, Canada. Using a cross-section of qualitative research methods, the projects purpose was to explore and examine language learning and its relationship with the body and self-identity, to examine whether marginality and (in/visible) difference maintain their imprints through linguistic practice (Hastings and Manning, 2004). Canada speaks of immigration through a 'settlement' purview. It has refined settlement practices through the advancements of services, agencies, and processes of integration. Equally, exclusionary terminology such as immigrant, foreigner and outsider has been replaced by the more non-discriminatory sounding 'newcomer'. Settlement and newcomer suggest inclusivity, softening the 'us/them' marginalization inferred by processes of immigration, and stigmas attached to subordinate social identifications (Graham and Slee, 2006). In keeping with the changing lexicon of immigration, this study seeks to revision the structural paradox of ELL and tension between its cognitive approach to socio-intercultural competence and development of critical thinking skills—at the risk of inadvertently unsettling the body as it distances from its country-of-origin mother tongue.
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"What is called the magic of the artist resides in his ability to transfer these values from one ... more "What is called the magic of the artist resides in his ability to transfer these values from one field of experience to another, to attach them to the objects of our common life and by imaginative insight make these objects poignant and momentous." – John Dewey.
Performing artists and art makers are often called upon to apply and extend their creative skills beyond the studio, theatre or concert hall and into traditional spaces of learning. In the attempt to put Dewey’s pragmatism into practice we may say lies a hope that the values of the artists ‘magic’ will transfer across fields of study towards creating more innovative and inclusive learning strategies. In these ‘out-ofcontext’ learning environments, teaching the creative process—beyond its original performance purpose and intent—invariably alters the art and subsequently the (art) learning experience.
United by body-perspectives of the dancer, singer and actor’s instrument, this panel examines the teaching experiences of five artists who endeavored to move their respective arts practice into academic learning contexts. As performers and educators we are interested in discussing the promise our respective body-based art forms can offer traditional learning practices across disciplines—and address the creative tensions engendered along the way. What becomes of the de-contextualized art form? What is lost/gained - in the transfer of learning? From teaching backgrounds in the social sciences and the humanities, we identify shared crossroads met in our attempts to cultivate poignant and momentous learning possibilities while remaining true to our art.
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‘Play’: to play, playing. Go play! Want to play? She can play. Play it again. A good play. A dumb... more ‘Play’: to play, playing. Go play! Want to play? She can play. Play it again. A good play. A dumb play. A bad play. Foul play. Make a play. It’s child’s play. Rest and play. All work … no play!
This study examines the structure of play as a paradigm for integrating culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students immigrating to Canada with limited prior learning assessed at the English Learning Development (ELD) and Literacy Enrichment and Academic Readiness for Newcomers (LEARN) levels.
Broadly speaking, the word play is synonymous with recreation, something done or planned outside of the ‘regular’. Play connotes a sense of leisurely freedom, an allowance or relief from more thoughtful and serious non-play related activities. Even the word has a play-like sound to it, ppuh-lay-yae, requiring very little effort in its pronunciation—a flatulent pop that playfully escapes the mouth. Other languages share equally jocular sounding words: jouer, giocare, jugar, toque, spielen … yet, what all these different ‘play’ translations have in common is an epistemic foundation based on a shared set of rules—even in the seemingly rulelessness—act and practice of play. In order for A to understand B’s purpose, intent and/or objective during play, both A and B rely on a basic understanding.
Prior to the complexities of wordplay or words at play, this presentation reveals how the reciprocal agreement in/of play begins as an embodied negotiation in the willingness to suspend disbelief—regardless of culture, race or gender.
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Conference Presentations by Nikole Lauren Pascetta
"Italian Comedy was first known as Commedia all' Improvviso. There is a whole field of meaning in... more "Italian Comedy was first known as Commedia all' Improvviso. There is a whole field of meaning in this word. In Italian, all' improvviso means 'all of a sudden'… 'unexpected', and the verb improvviso means to invent something unplanned using everything that is given. It involves creativity, ingenuity, boldness, imagination, risk-taking and playfulness." –Giovanni Fusetti
Representing Britain, Canada and the United States, this presentation seeks to further Commedia dell'Arte research by troubling narratives of class, gender and ethnicity through the improvisatory techniques of mask and play (jeu). Considered the most direct ancestor of modern improv, CdA is best known for its unconventional style of spontaneous physical theatre. Evolved as a response, some historians believe, to social inequities of disempowerment and oppression, this panel parallels contemporary CdA integrations in contexts of cultural practice, praxis and transdisciplinary research. If innovation is born out of necessity, improvisation and ingenuity, what can the improvised jeu of Commedia's street-to-structured theatre performance foundation, its archetypal stock characters' and multilingual communications, offer tokenization and diversity of cultural integration? From academic, pedagogical and practitioner perspectives, we demonstrate how the evolution of this highly stylized communal art form can assist in reshaping and deepening notions of contemporary social identity.
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My research challenges the process of English language learning (ELL) curricula for newcomerto-Ca... more My research challenges the process of English language learning (ELL) curricula for newcomerto-Canada youth in mainstream education. I argue there is a disproportionate focus on acquisition of, and proficiency in, the speaking of English as the measureable determinant that establishes their successful integration. I propose exploring language through the body to expose a critical learning space between present English instruction frameworks and issues of acculturation. As the body becomes further distanced from its country-of-origin mother tongue, I question how new language acquisition affects the body. Faced with the social challenges of integration, my research asks, is the newcomer body being contextualized within appropriate social parameters of the new language. Or rather, is the body inappropriately appropriated to ‘fit into’ the language of the new social situation? If so, do present ELL education structures inadvertently contribute to a bodily othering of self to self – and consequently, a disembodied voice for the new language? The body does not speak, read or write in the traditional Cartesian sense, yet it harbours a rich foundation of meaning-making methods, prior learning, and lived experiences etched and stored within. Addition of students’ physical presence to how language is instructed, allows for a broader engagement of inclusivity in an effort to assist the newcomer in retaining and reclaiming the physical sense of who they are in the process of learning the dominant new language. As newcomer youth prepare to make Canada their home, an exploration of the body in transition identifies a learning space before the language – for the learning.
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Talks by Nikole Lauren Pascetta
International students often choose Canada as their study destination due to our mosaic of cultur... more International students often choose Canada as their study destination due to our mosaic of culture, quality education and strong sense of family values. This rich diversity makes them feel welcome, comfortable and accepted and as a result some students find the prospect of living in Canada after completion of their studies an exciting one. Many are however left with unanswered questions regarding pre and post-graduation settlement-our project offers support in this area.
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Papers by Nikole Lauren Pascetta
Performing artists and art makers are often called upon to apply and extend their creative skills beyond the studio, theatre or concert hall and into traditional spaces of learning. In the attempt to put Dewey’s pragmatism into practice we may say lies a hope that the values of the artists ‘magic’ will transfer across fields of study towards creating more innovative and inclusive learning strategies. In these ‘out-ofcontext’ learning environments, teaching the creative process—beyond its original performance purpose and intent—invariably alters the art and subsequently the (art) learning experience.
United by body-perspectives of the dancer, singer and actor’s instrument, this panel examines the teaching experiences of five artists who endeavored to move their respective arts practice into academic learning contexts. As performers and educators we are interested in discussing the promise our respective body-based art forms can offer traditional learning practices across disciplines—and address the creative tensions engendered along the way. What becomes of the de-contextualized art form? What is lost/gained - in the transfer of learning? From teaching backgrounds in the social sciences and the humanities, we identify shared crossroads met in our attempts to cultivate poignant and momentous learning possibilities while remaining true to our art.
This study examines the structure of play as a paradigm for integrating culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students immigrating to Canada with limited prior learning assessed at the English Learning Development (ELD) and Literacy Enrichment and Academic Readiness for Newcomers (LEARN) levels.
Broadly speaking, the word play is synonymous with recreation, something done or planned outside of the ‘regular’. Play connotes a sense of leisurely freedom, an allowance or relief from more thoughtful and serious non-play related activities. Even the word has a play-like sound to it, ppuh-lay-yae, requiring very little effort in its pronunciation—a flatulent pop that playfully escapes the mouth. Other languages share equally jocular sounding words: jouer, giocare, jugar, toque, spielen … yet, what all these different ‘play’ translations have in common is an epistemic foundation based on a shared set of rules—even in the seemingly rulelessness—act and practice of play. In order for A to understand B’s purpose, intent and/or objective during play, both A and B rely on a basic understanding.
Prior to the complexities of wordplay or words at play, this presentation reveals how the reciprocal agreement in/of play begins as an embodied negotiation in the willingness to suspend disbelief—regardless of culture, race or gender.
Conference Presentations by Nikole Lauren Pascetta
Representing Britain, Canada and the United States, this presentation seeks to further Commedia dell'Arte research by troubling narratives of class, gender and ethnicity through the improvisatory techniques of mask and play (jeu). Considered the most direct ancestor of modern improv, CdA is best known for its unconventional style of spontaneous physical theatre. Evolved as a response, some historians believe, to social inequities of disempowerment and oppression, this panel parallels contemporary CdA integrations in contexts of cultural practice, praxis and transdisciplinary research. If innovation is born out of necessity, improvisation and ingenuity, what can the improvised jeu of Commedia's street-to-structured theatre performance foundation, its archetypal stock characters' and multilingual communications, offer tokenization and diversity of cultural integration? From academic, pedagogical and practitioner perspectives, we demonstrate how the evolution of this highly stylized communal art form can assist in reshaping and deepening notions of contemporary social identity.
Talks by Nikole Lauren Pascetta
Performing artists and art makers are often called upon to apply and extend their creative skills beyond the studio, theatre or concert hall and into traditional spaces of learning. In the attempt to put Dewey’s pragmatism into practice we may say lies a hope that the values of the artists ‘magic’ will transfer across fields of study towards creating more innovative and inclusive learning strategies. In these ‘out-ofcontext’ learning environments, teaching the creative process—beyond its original performance purpose and intent—invariably alters the art and subsequently the (art) learning experience.
United by body-perspectives of the dancer, singer and actor’s instrument, this panel examines the teaching experiences of five artists who endeavored to move their respective arts practice into academic learning contexts. As performers and educators we are interested in discussing the promise our respective body-based art forms can offer traditional learning practices across disciplines—and address the creative tensions engendered along the way. What becomes of the de-contextualized art form? What is lost/gained - in the transfer of learning? From teaching backgrounds in the social sciences and the humanities, we identify shared crossroads met in our attempts to cultivate poignant and momentous learning possibilities while remaining true to our art.
This study examines the structure of play as a paradigm for integrating culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students immigrating to Canada with limited prior learning assessed at the English Learning Development (ELD) and Literacy Enrichment and Academic Readiness for Newcomers (LEARN) levels.
Broadly speaking, the word play is synonymous with recreation, something done or planned outside of the ‘regular’. Play connotes a sense of leisurely freedom, an allowance or relief from more thoughtful and serious non-play related activities. Even the word has a play-like sound to it, ppuh-lay-yae, requiring very little effort in its pronunciation—a flatulent pop that playfully escapes the mouth. Other languages share equally jocular sounding words: jouer, giocare, jugar, toque, spielen … yet, what all these different ‘play’ translations have in common is an epistemic foundation based on a shared set of rules—even in the seemingly rulelessness—act and practice of play. In order for A to understand B’s purpose, intent and/or objective during play, both A and B rely on a basic understanding.
Prior to the complexities of wordplay or words at play, this presentation reveals how the reciprocal agreement in/of play begins as an embodied negotiation in the willingness to suspend disbelief—regardless of culture, race or gender.
Representing Britain, Canada and the United States, this presentation seeks to further Commedia dell'Arte research by troubling narratives of class, gender and ethnicity through the improvisatory techniques of mask and play (jeu). Considered the most direct ancestor of modern improv, CdA is best known for its unconventional style of spontaneous physical theatre. Evolved as a response, some historians believe, to social inequities of disempowerment and oppression, this panel parallels contemporary CdA integrations in contexts of cultural practice, praxis and transdisciplinary research. If innovation is born out of necessity, improvisation and ingenuity, what can the improvised jeu of Commedia's street-to-structured theatre performance foundation, its archetypal stock characters' and multilingual communications, offer tokenization and diversity of cultural integration? From academic, pedagogical and practitioner perspectives, we demonstrate how the evolution of this highly stylized communal art form can assist in reshaping and deepening notions of contemporary social identity.