Page 141 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: The Arts, 2010

ensemble. A group of actors who perform together.
flashback and flash forward. Conventions used to provide different perspectives on the action in a drama by showing events from an earlier or later time. A flashback might be used to explain the causes of an action in the present,
a flash forward to show an action in the light of its imagined or actual outcome.
focus or emphasis. See elements of drama.
form. (1) The compositional structure that shapes a drama, as opposed to its theme or content.
(2) A broad category of drama that may include within it a number of styles (e.g., puppetry is
a form, and different styles of puppetry are characterized by the use of glove puppets or marionettes or shadow puppets; dance drama is a form, and there are different styles of dance drama around the world, such as Kathakali of India and wayang topeng of Bali and Java).
forum theatre. An approach to creating drama works that enables a group to consider a range of options or possible outcomes for a dramatic conflict or complication. A small subgroup uses improvisation to explore a dramatic situation while the rest of the group observes. All mem- bers of the full group participate in creating
the scene – through discussion, by stopping the scene to make suggestions, or by taking over a role. The objective is to shape an authentic scene that fits the dramatic context and is satisfying to the whole group. This approach is central
to Augusto Boal’s theatre of the oppressed. See also theatre of the oppressed.
freeze-frame image. A convention in which students pose to make an image or tableau that communicates an idea or a theme or that depicts a moment in time. Also called a group sculpture or tableau. See also tableau.
games/warm-ups. Activities that help develop a group’s readiness for intensive drama work. Such activities can promote group cooperation, trust, risk taking, and listening.
genres. The categories into which dramas and other literary works can be grouped. Examples include: thriller, comedy, action, horror, docu- drama, melodrama.
gesture. A movement of the body or limbs used to express or emphasize a thought, emotion,
or idea.
Greek theatre. Theatre that evolved from reli- gious rituals and flourished from approximately 600 BCE to 200 BCE in Athens, Greece, and that made important contributions to acting, tragedy, comedy, and the architecture and terminology of theatre. Dramatists of the period include Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Menander.
guided imagery. A convention used to help a group visualize the setting for a drama. The teacher or a student uses descriptive language to create a picture of the physical setting and/or historical context in which the action takes place.
hot seating. A convention in which students allow themselves to be questioned by the rest of the group. The questioners may speak as themselves or in role (e.g., as reporters).
improvisation. An unscripted, unrehearsed drama spontaneously created by a student or students in response to a prompt or an artefact.
inner and outer circle. A convention used for ensemble sharing of contrasting perspectives related to a drama. Students gather in two circles: an inner circle representing one character in the drama and an outer circle representing a second character. (1) In role: Students as characters describe their reactions and state of mind at a particular point in the drama. (2) Out of role: Students share personal reflections with one another as they are given prompts. Students may speak spontaneously or read from a short passage. Typically, the teacher orchestrates the sharing (e.g., by tapping a student on the shoul- der when it is that student’s turn to speak), so that the contrasting points of view are high- lighted for dramatic effect.
GLOSSARY
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