AKT-ZENT International Theatre Centre becomes World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT

The AKT-ZENT International Theatre Centre in Berlin, which was appointed Research Centre of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) in 2011, is moving ahead: it will become an Institute for research into innovative theatre training methods and pedagogical techniques for professional theatre and their wider application in all areas of society.

This appointment by the ITI and the relaunch recognises the longstanding research excellence of artistic director Dr Jurij Alschitz and his international team of teachers over the last 22 years. The ITI is the Worldwide Organisation for the Performing Arts and works under the patronage of UNESCO.

Looking ahead to the future, the World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT / ITI will be focusing on the concept of the homo creativus, in particular Dr Alschitz’s ideas on the concept of self-education, which go far beyond the usual ‘lifelong learning’ and encourage a complete change of mindset in the training of actors, in particular taking into account the new digital generation.

To this end, the Institute is preparing its first project: the Hybrid Theatre Training Platform (https://hybrid-theatre-training.org), which offers online education with individual feedback and instruction from a teacher in combination with practical onstage tuition. It can be accessed from anywhere in the world, providing training opportunities to many who would otherwise not have access to them. This innovative training platform is a unique offering and with it, the Institute hopes to encourage completely new perspectives on theatre training which encourage practitioners to take responsibility for their own development, and break free of teachers and ‘methods’.

The World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT / ITI plans further innovative research projects into new training and rehearsal methods which will encourage a crucial change of mindset and draw on exciting new technological developments to provide training opportunities worldwide from its base in Berlin.

Christine Schmalor, Programme Director, commented: “The question we ask ourselves is how we can develop a spirit that is at once free and also professional. The World Theatre Training Institute will devote its attention to a whole range of questions surrounding the theatre of the future and shift its focus from the techniques of passing on knowledge to the creation of knowledge. Encounters with the ideas of Dr Jurij Alschitz, online or on-stage, are valuable tools to develop individual artistic practice and for this reason we are excited about our new projects which will further disseminate these ideas in new formats and in new contexts.”

The World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT, under the artistic direction of Dr Jurij Alschitz, works as the Research Centre of the International Theatre Institute and as the lead organisation of the European Association for Theatre Culture. It delivers continuing education, training and research through seminars, masterclasses and laboratories in Berlin, Europe and worldwide through co-operation with its international partners. ARS incognita is the Institute’s own series of publications for professional theatre practitioners. The Institute is based in Berlin.

Christine Schmalor, Programme Director
World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT/ITI
Skalitzer Straße 97
10997 Berlin
+49 (0)30 6128 7274
akt.zent@berlin.de
https://wttl.theatreculture.org

This release was published on openPR.