16-17 Learning Guide: Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity by UMS (University Musical Society)

2016-17 UMS LEARNING GUIDE

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Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity & Understanding Islam Workshop

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Table of Contents

AT TEND

THE DETAILS

06 LEARN 07 Why? 09 Artist 13 Art Form 17 Performance

UNDERSTANDING ISLAM

CONNECT

20 Foreword: Framing Your Day 21 Overview 22 Presenters 24 The Workshop Agenda 25 Islam – The History and Practice 27 Islam – Culture 28 Resources

30 Being an Audience Member 33 Arts Online 35 Recommended Reading 39 Writing About Live Performance 42 About UMS 44 Credits and Sponsors

february 17

U M S S C H O O L D AY P E R F O R M A N C E

Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity Friday, February 17 // 11 am Power Center

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Attend Coming to your E-mail Inbox! Map and Driving Directions Logistical Details (drop-off/pick-up locations) Venue Information

UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122

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The Details ACCESSIBILIT Y We aim to maximize accessibility at our performances and below are details regarding this performance’s points of accessibility. If you have further questions, e-mail umsyouth@umich.edu or call 734.615.0122. The following services are available to audience members: • Wheelchair, companion, or other special seating • Courtesy wheelchairs • Hearing Impaired Support Systems

VENUE ADDRESS Power Center, 121 Fletcher St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER 734.764.2538 ARRIVAL TIME Between 10:30-10:50 am TICKETS We do not use paper tickets for School Day Performances. We hold school reservations at the door and seat groups upon arrival.

PARKING There is handicapped parking very close to the Power Center on Fletcher Street and in the parking structure behind the Power Center on Palmer Drive. The first three levels of the Palmer Drive structure have five parking spots on each level next to each elevator. There are a total of 15 parking spaces in the garage. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILIT Y The Power Center is wheelchair accessible and has 12 seats for audience members with special needs. BATHROOMS ADA Compliant toilets are available in the green room (east corner) of the Power Center for both men and women. ENTRY The front doors are not powered; however, there will be an usher at that door opening it for all patrons.

FOOD No food or drinks (including school lunches) are allowed in the theater.

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Learn Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity Ping Chong + Company

UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122

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Why?

Ping Chong + Company produces theatrical works addressing the important cultural and civic issues of our times, striving to reach the widest audiences with the greatest level of artistic innovation and social integrity. The company was founded in 1975 by leading theatrical innovator Ping Chong with a mission to create works of theater and art that explore the intersections of race, culture, history, art, media, and technology in the modern world. Beyond Sacred is an interview-based, documentary theater performance that explores the diverse experiences of young Muslim New Yorkers. The stories vary in many ways, but they share the common experience of coming of age in post-9/11

U M S E D U C AT I O N A R T I S T I C S TAT E M E N T

New York City. The participants are not actors and share their personal stories in this performance. The participants represent a wide range of people in the Muslim community, from those who identify as culturally Muslim to those who are devout in religious practice. The goal of Beyond Sacred is to use theater and personal testimony to foster greater understanding between Muslim and non-Muslim communities throughout the United States. UMS is excited to include this important work in our School Day Performance series. We trust it will provide a productive opportunity for participants to engage in examination of these often sensitive and politically-charged issues.

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Why?

ONLINE: CONNECTING TO THE PERFORMANCE

There must be a new paradigm of connectedness, of inclusion, of sharing, of belonging, of respect, of responsibility, of sacredness because with every passing day in our brave new world we are losing more and more of our connection to ourselves, to each other, to the past, to our rich histories, and to the earth itself which nurtures Watch this video to learn of the evolution and inspiration of Ping Chongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theatrical work.

us. Because without this sense of connection there can be no respect for life on this planet.

PING CHONG [TED TALK 2011]

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Artist

BIOGRAPHY OF PING CHONG Ping Chong is an interdisciplinary artist whose innovative work spans theater, dance, film, multimedia, and installation art. His pieces deal primarily with themes of cultural identity, social justice, race, immigration, and “the other.” Chong was born in Toronto in 1946 and grew up as a first-generation American in New York City’s Chinatown. He began his performance career in the 1970s as a member of Meredith Monk’s pioneering interdisciplinary theater company. Their collaborations, including The Travelogue Series and The Games, blend elements of movement, music, and theater without emphasizing a single specific genre. Chong created his first independent production, Lazarus, in 1972. Set in modern New York City, it equates the Biblical character’s alienation after returning from the dead with contemporary cultural alienation. This work is an early example of Chong’s signature integration of theater, film projection, puppetry, and recorded sound. In 1975, he founded the Fiji Theater Company, now called Ping Chong & Company.

Chong’s important pieces of the 1980s include Nuit Blanche, Kind Ness, and Snow. These works frequently feature nonlinear storytelling that ties different characters together through shared experiences. Chong began his continuous production of the Undesirable Elements series in 1992. His 2014 piece Collidescope: Adventures in Pre- and Post-Racial America addresses race by weaving through real and imagined events in American history from the Civil War to the killing of Trayvon Martin. Ping Chong & Company also offers workshops and trainings for arts educators from around the world. Chong has received many of the most important awards in the arts, including a 2014 National Medal of Arts from President Obama, six different fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and two Obie awards for stage direction.

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Artist

ONLINE

Getting to know Ping Chong.

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Artist

ONLINE

Getting to know Ping Chong + Company and the beginning of the Undesirable Elements series.

Visit the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website: Ping Chong + Company.

photographer: Kevin Kennedy

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Artist

ONLINE

Read about their work in the community.

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Art Form

T H E AT E R

GLOSSARY Actor: The actors are the people who tell the stories onstage! This person’s job is to convey a written character in a believable way and to accurately represent the director’s vision. Director: The director is the person in charge of the “vision” for any particular show. All of the elements of a piece of theatre come together under the director’s supervision; the director is in charge of lighting, sound, set, costumes, and often works with the actors on how to interpret the script. Producer: The producer is in charge of the financial and managerial aspects of the show you see; they raise the funds and often hire the creative team. Playwright: The playwright writes the scripts that will soon be made into fully-fledged productions. However, a playwright will sometimes work for years on a single piece. Stage Manager: Stage managers provide their directors with organizational support throughout the rehearsal process. During the run of the show, they are in charge backstage, calling light cues, and making sure that actors are at their places. Smaller productions will only have a single stage manager, while bigger productions may hire an entire team.

Stagehands: These people do much of the heavy lifting backstage, moving scenery and props before or during the performance. Lighting Designer: The lighting designer works with the creative team and reads the script closely to create the correct time of day and atmosphere for the performance. They must keep in mind visibility of any given character on stage, cost, and of course, safety. Costume Designer: The costume designer is in charge of what people wear onstage. Costumes are distinctive forms of dress that reflect gender, class, ethnicity, profession, activity, and nationality. The costume can give us clues as to where the character lives, how they make their money, or how they see themselves. Wigs and makeup work with costumers to assist in creating this complete vision for the character. Company: The company is comprised of the entire cast, crew, and creative team. A company is all staff associated with a single show. Cast: The actors or players in the performance. Blocking: Any movement by the characters onstage. Blocking is carefully planned to advance the plot and create meaningful relationships between the

characters. The director must keep lighting in mind while blocking the actors. Dialogue: This is the conversation between characters, or the spoken lines in a play. Proscenium: A traditional theater venue with an arch that separates the audience and the action on stage. Set: The scenery and props that are designed and placed on stage to create the environment of the play. Upstage: Upstage is toward the back of the theater. A movement “upstage” is also a movement away from the audience. Downstage: This is the part of the stage that is closest to the audience. A movement “downstage” in traditional theatre would be to approach the audience. Stage Left: Left as seen from the actors’ point of view. If you are an audience member, stage left will be on the right side of the stage as you are facing it. Stage Right: Right as seen from the actors’ point of view. If you are an audience member, stage right will be on the left side of the stage as you are facing it.

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Art Form

W H AT A R E T H E B A S I C S O F S T O R Y T E L L I N G S T R U C T U R E ?

CLIMAX The climax is the point of greatest interest in a narrative. It is the culmination of events that have occurred during the rising action, and is the main dramatic event in a story. This is also called the “crisis.” RISING ACTION The rising action is a series of events that build tension or suspense in the narrative. This action leads to the climax.

FALLING ACTION Falling action occurs after the conflict of the climax has been resolved, and leads to the resolution.

INCITING INCIDENT The inciting incident is the decision or event that sets the plot in motion. EXPOSITION Exposition occurs at the beginning of the story. It is used to establish the world in which the narrative is set, and the routine that will inevitably be interrupted during the piece. This is also called the “stasis.”

RESOLUTION The resolution is typically the end of the narrative. It occurs after the crisis has been resolved, and routine has been reestablished.

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Art Form

T I M E L I N E H I S T O R Y O F T H E T H E AT E R

Theater is a collaborative art form that attempts to recreate the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience. Live performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance. Modern Western theater originated largely from ancient Greek drama and has evolved to include many subgenres and related art forms including musical theater, opera, and ballet.

458 BCE

1510

c. 1550

c. 1560

Oresteia by Aeschylus

Everyman by unknown

Wakefield Mystery Plays by various authors

Commedia dell’arte established

One of the first dramatic trilogies, which is a large work comprising three separate plays, the Oresteia tells the bloody story of the family of Agamemnon, King of Argos.

Though the identity of its author is unknown, Everyman remains one of the most popular examples of the medieval morality play, in which the protagonist is met by personifications of various moral attributes who try to steer him towards a virtuous and Godly life.

Medieval mystery plays focused on the representation of Bible stories. They presented subjects such as the Creation, Adam and Eve, the murder of Abel, and the last judgement. Mystery plays were often performed in cycles that could last several days, and plays were grouped into compilations based on where they were performed.

Translated to “theater of the professional,” Commedia dell’arte originated in Northern Italy and was a form of theater characterized by improvised dialogue and a cast of stock characters. Productions were based on set sketches, or scenarios, with which actors could take liberties to inject social commentary, political insults, and bawdy humor.

c. 1600

1895

1896

1934

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

The Seagull by Anton Chekhov

The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman

This play dramatizes the romantic and artistic conflicts between four characters. Chekhov created a cast of diverse, fully developed characters and wrote dialogue full of subtext, or ideas and emotions not explicitly communicated but that are implicit in the characters’ thoughts and actions.

This controversial drama depicts the story of two women who run a school for girls. After a malicious youngster starts a rumor that the two teachers are having an affair, it quickly escalates into a scandal and ends in tragedy. In 1952, during the midst of the McCarthy era, copies of this play were removed from overseas US libraries, and Hellman was “blacklisted” in Hollywood.

Shakespeare’s most famous work tells the tragic story of Prince Hamlet wreaking revenge upon his uncle Claudius for the murder of his father, King Hamlet. The play inspired numerous writers and has been produced live and in film for over 400 years.

Regarded as Wilde’s masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists lead fictitious double-lives. The play uses humor to make subtle satire of Victorian conventions.

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Art Form

T I M E L I N E H I S T O R Y O F T H E T H E AT E R

Continued.

1948

1949

1959

1976

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Rhinocéros by Eugene Ionesco

Subtitled “a tragicomedy in two acts,” Beckett’s play presents two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who spend the entirety of the play waiting for someone named Godot, who never arrives. The play deals with the subject of despair and surviving in an uncomprehending and incomprehensible world.

Considered one of the greatest plays of the 20th century, Death of a Salesman explores the nature of reality, illusion, and the American Dream through each of its main characters. The play uses flashbacks to present the main character’s memory juxtaposed with reality.

This post-war avant-garde play is often included in the “Theater of the Absurd” movement. In the play, the central character watches in horror as the people around turn one-by-one into rhinoceroses. The play explores themes of conformity, mass culture, mob mentality, and morality, and it is often read as a response to the rise of Communism, Fascism, and Nazism in the years preceding WWII.

Einstein on the Beach by Robert Wilson & Philip Glass

197 7

1979

1983

2015

Fefu and her Friends by Maria Irene Fornes

Cloud Nine by Caryl Churchill

Fences by August Wilson

This two-act comedy ultimately preaches a message of love and acceptance through a story about sexual repression, using Churchill’s own feminist and political ideals.

This “slice-of-life” piece expertly renders the struggles and triumphs of an AfricanAmerican family in the 1950s. Fences is the sixth play in Wilson’s famed ten-part Pittsburgh Cycle. The play won the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, source material by Alison Bechdel

Known for its solely female cast, Fefu and her Friends was written by CubanAmerican playwright Maria Irene Fornes. The piece was revolutionary in its exploration of unorthodox staging methods. The scenes were divided into seven rooms, and the audience was led in groups from room to room.

This 20th-century masterwork of theater, music, and dance uses a series of powerful recurrent images as its main storytelling device, which are juxtaposed with abstract dance sequences and short scenes called “knee plays.” This “opera” breaks all of the rules of traditional opera, and it takes almost five hours to perform.

This revolutionary musical is inspired by Alison Bechdel’s 2006 graphic novel of the same name. The story details Alison’s own journey into adulthood, her father’s tragic death, and her discoveries about her own sexuality. It is the first Broadway show with a lesbian protagonist, and won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Musical.

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Performance

Watch excerpts from the performance of Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity

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Performance Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity Friday, February 17 // 11 am Power Center Ping Chong + Company creates theater that crosses boundaries of identity, community, and form. Beyond Scared: Voices of Muslim Identity is an interview-based theater production that explores the diverse experiences of young Muslim New Yorkers. The five participants are different in many ways and come from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, but they share the common experience of coming of age in a post-9/11 New York City, at a time of increasing Islamophobia. The goal of this performance is to use theater and personal testimony to foster greater understanding between Muslim and non-Muslim communities throughout the United States. This production contains strong language. Pre-and post-show workshops offered.

WORKSHOP: UNDERSTANDING ISLAM Saturday, February 11 // 9 am Various locations in Ann Arbor and Dearborn

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Understanding Islam Overview Presenters The Workshop Agenda Islam – The History and Practice Islam – Culture Resources

UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122

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Foreword: Framing Your Day by Terri Park, UMS Education Coordinator

As of 2010 there were 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, roughly 23% of the global population. While it is currently the world’s second-largest religion, after Christianity, Islam is the fastest growing major religious group worldwide. As one consequence of this continuing dramatic growth, “Islamophobia” has emerged as an issue with serious social and political repercussions. The migration of Muslims from Syria and Iraq, in addition to the violent actions of extremist groups, has brought Muslims and Islam to the forefront of political debate across Europe, Asia, and the United States. At the same time, knowledge about Islam is often limited among those increasingly coming into contact with its practitioners, with many holding negative and hateful views towards Muslims. Both social and broadcast media often seem filled with stories and news accounts of a violent, polarized world. In this context the need for dialogue and understanding is even more crucial. The purpose of this day-long workshop is to explore the historic cultural traditions of Islam around the globe, to analyze the similarities and differences in religious and cultural practices of Muslims across continents, and to establish an open space for questions and dialogue, all with the hope of creating an understanding, appreciation, and acceptance of one another. With small steps, we can begin the process of eliminating ignorance and misunderstanding one conversation at a time.

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Overview

THE WORKSHOP

OVERVIEW Since September 11, 2001, Islam has been at the center of many debates on religious freedom and cultural diversity. Tensions around religious identity make the need for dialogue and understanding more important than ever. In connection with UMSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School Day Performance of Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity, this workshop will explore the people, history, traditions, and art of Islam. UMS will partner with community leaders, artists, and scholars to guide participants in understanding the diverse societies of the Islamic world. We will explore the rich culture of Islam in Dearborn as well as right here in Ann Arbor.

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Presenters

JAYE STARR – INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM Jaye Starr is graduate student at Hartford Seminary pursing an M.A. in Islamic Studies & Christian-Muslim Relations and a G.C. in Chaplaincy. She is involved in several local interfaith initiatives, worships at the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor, and is a member of the Association of Muslim Chaplains. In the past she has worked as an international humanitarian law educator with the American Red Cross’ high school education program and a Red Cross refugee caseworker. She also has domestic and international experience with disaster relief, conflict transformation, non-violent communication, and peace building, as well as community organizing in rural America. NIHAD DUKHAN – CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHOP Mr. Dukhan has a studied and trained in the art of Islamic calligraphy for over 20 years. He was certified as a master of Arabic and Islamic calligraphy in Thuluth and Naskh styles from Istanbul grand master calligrapher Hasan Celebi in 2009. He has also studied in Taliq style from master calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya in 2013 and has continued advanced training under guidance of master calligraphers Davud Bektaş in Jeli Sülüs style and Mustafa Parıldar in Jeli Talik style, Istanbul, Turkey. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

THE WORKSHOP

DR. SAMER MAHDY – PANEL DISCUSSION MODERATOR Dr. Samer Mahdy Ali is Associate Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan. He is author of Arabic Literary Salons in the Islamic Middle Ages and co-editor of The CALICO Journal: Special Issue on Hebrew and Arabic. His publications have appeared in the Encyclopedia of Islam, The Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Al-Qantara, The Journal of Arabic Literature, and The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women. His research has earned seven national and international awards, including five Fulbright Awards. At U-M, he teaches The Arabian Nights, Arab Women Poets, and Islamic Law, and Classical Arabic Poetry. He is currently working on a book about the poet al-Mutanabbi (10th century) and approaches to peace and nonviolent in Islamic cultures. Before entering academia, he taught kindergarten for two years in Chicago. He enjoys hiking, global travel and has visited more than 20 countries. TALIA GANGOO – PANELIST Talia Gangoo is a Ph.D. candidate in Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan, where she specializes in the study of Sufism, or the mystical dimension of Islam. Her research investigates questions at the nexus of religious studies, philosophy, and anthropology. She is particularly interested in the role of holy beings, spiritual intermediaries, and saints across the world’s religions and belief systems. In her dissertation, she examines the metaphysical ideas, spiritual practices, and material culture of a contemporary Sufi order whose devotees span the globe. Talia worked as a researcher at the University of Michigan Museum of Art where she studied and wrote about Central African objects that were used by spiritual mediums and diviners, and she encourages everyone to explore the UMMA’s outstanding collection.

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Presenters

THE WORKSHOP

Continued. BRYON MAXEY – PANELIST Bryon is a University of Michigan graduate student at the Center for Middle East and North African Studies, focusing on the history of Islamic Education in Africa and the Americas. A longtime student of history, Bryon finds inspiration in the narratives of his family and the history of his community, where accounts of resilience, pride, and triumph serve as successful models for overcoming past — and present — indignities and injustices. His professional and academic career includes multi-faceted experiences as both a multi-faith community organizer and educator. Bryon is an active member of the Detroit and the University of Michigan (U-M) Muslim communities, having served on the board of the Muslim Center of Detroit and having played a key role in the launch of U-M’s Digital Islamic Studies Curriculum (DISC) and the IKHLAS Research Initiative. ELLEN MYERS – PANELIST Ellen Myers is a first year master’s student in Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Michigan. Ellen’s research interests aim to explore the ways in which young Indonesian Muslims are navigating their expression of identity and Islamic piety through social media. Furthermore, Ellen is interested in how their online presence interacts within both the public and private sphere of their lives. Ellen received her bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan in anthropology. Upon completion of her degree, Ellen taught English in Indonesia as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. As an undergraduate, Ellen was selected to travel to Indonesia for the United States/Indonesia Pilot Program at the University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta. Through this program, she worked with Indonesian Muslim students to learn about religious pluralism, multiculturalism, and democracy between the United States and Indonesia.

CHAPLAIN MOHAMMED ISHTIAQ – PANELIST Chaplain Ishtiaq was born and raised in Bradford, England. He was blessed with the opportunity to study at M’ahad al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus, Syria, where he spent 5 years. Chaplain Ishtiaq was then blessed with the opportunity to spend over six months in the illuminated city of Tarim, Hadramaut (Yemen) where he studied Dawah with notable teachers such as Shaykh Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Shaykh ‘Umar Hussain al-Khateeb and Shaykh Habib Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Aydrus. On returning from his studies, Chaplain Ishtiaq was appointed as the Imam of Madni Jamia Masjid (Bradford) in 2009. He moved to Michigen in July 2010. He taught at the IAGD Hifz Program from 2011 to 2013. He also served as the Director of Quran and Islamic Studies at Huda School, Franklin and the principle of the IAGD Weekend School from 2013 to 2016. Currently he is the Muslim Chaplain at the University of Michigan.

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The Workshop Agenda

THE WORKSHOP

MORNING

AFTERNOON

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

RETURN TO ANN ARBOR (LUNCH ON THE BUS)

BUS TRIP AROUND ANN ARBOR AND DEARBORN ISLAM AROUND THE WORLD INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM 101

UNIVERSIT Y OF MICHIGAN MUSEUM OF ART

PANEL DISCUSSION

PRESENTED BY JAYE STARR

PRESENTERS: PROFESSOR SAMER ALI, BRYON MAXEY, ELLEN MYERS, CHAPLAIN MOHAMMED ISHTIAQ, AND TALIA GANGOO

VISIT ISLAMIC CENTER OF AMERICA DEARBORN

ART ACTIVIT Y

HOST: EID ALAWAN

*LECTURE ON ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY *HANDS-ON ART-MAKING ACTIVIT Y *VIEWING ISLAMIC ART COLLECTION PRESENTED BY NIHAD DUKHAN REFLECTION AND WRAP UP

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Islam - The History and Practice

ABOUT ISLAM

to Medina in 622. After the prophet’s death ten years later, his followers established a powerful army that spread Islam by conquering present day Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, and Iran from the Byzantine and Sasanian empires. By the 8th century, the Arab empire encompassed a vast, cosmopolitan trading network that stretched from North Africa through the Middle East to Spain. The period between the 9th and 13th centuries was a time of enormous artistic, scientific, and intellectual growth in the Islamic world. Although the empire declined in the early 19th century, Islam continues to spread throughout the world, primarily through migration. Today, Islam is the world’s fastest-growing and second largest religion and accounts for 1.3 billion followers, about 23% of the global population. PRACTICES AND BELIEFS

EARLY HISTORY Muslims believe that God (“Allah”) revealed Islam to the Prophet Mohamed in the year 610 C.E. in the city of Mecca (in present-day Saudi Arabia). His revelations were collected and written down in the Qu’ran (literally translated from Arabic as “recitation”). Islamic beliefs and practices also arose from the religious and cultural traditions of Judaism, Christianity and the Bedouin tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. Mecca’s leaders disagreed with Mohamed’s vision of a religion based on faith in a single God, and exiled Mohamed and his followers

Because Islam is practiced in many different countries worldwide, there is significant diversity and variation among the beliefs, religious practices, and behaviors of Muslims from different places and cultures. Most observant Muslims share some practices such as following the five pillars of Islam and recognizing certain holidays. There are two widely celebrated holidays on the Muslim calendar: Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which recognizes Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son in submission to God. Both holidays commonly involve prayer, religious services, and fasting. The shared pillars of Islam are: declaring the faith, praying five times daily, donating a portion of one’s income to charity, fasting in daylight hours during the month of Ramadan, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime.

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Islam - The History and Practice

SPREAD OF ISLAM Within a century of its founding in 622 C.E., Islam had spread as far and wide as France in the West and China in the East. The original Muslims were of Arab descent, and existing cultures were absorbed into Islam as it spread through Europe and Asia. These cultures included the Persians, Indians, and Chinese.

ABOUT ISLAM

The principle of religious and social reform is central to Islam. As early Muslims interacted with foreign religions and cultures, groups traded influences with each other, and Islam began to evolve. Islam and Greek philosophy combined to create new philosophical schools within Islam.The Indians, Persians, and Sufis contributed elements of mysticism from their cultures. Overall, the vast and rapid spread of Islam broke down early Muslim social ideals like multiple marriages. The 20th and 21st centuries have seen Islam continue to spread throughout the modern world by means of migration, commerce, and technological globalization. A problem facing Muslims today is finding a way of life that balances the spirit of Islam with an increasingly modern world. Many are searching for a path that balances aspects of both modern life and religion. Moreover, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and rising political tensions in the West have complicated contemporary views of Islam.

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Islam – Culture

ABOUT ISLAM

ISLAMIC VISUAL ART Tile and Calligraphy Islamic art includes religious art as well as works created by Muslim artists, and/or artists from the Muslim world. Although there are many different styles of Islamic art, fine art is a unifier among different Muslim cultures and regions. Some Muslims believe that representing man is a form of idolatry forbidden by the Qu’ran. Thus, Islamic art tends to avoid depictions of people, instead revolving around calligraphy and natural and geometric patterns. Calligraphy is one of the most revered types of art and is valued for its ability to relate text and artistic beauty simultaneously. The Arabic alphabet lends itself to ornamental variations that adorn paper, pottery, metalwork, and other objects. Calligraphy text is typically a verse from the Qu’ran or from a poem.

Tile is another highly regarded form of Islamic art. Artists create intricate designs through both mosaics and painted tiles. Tile art frequently involves elaborate geometric patterns formed by small interlocking circles and squares. The Arab empire’s early advances in science and mathematics made these highly intricate geometric designs possible. In addition to these geometric patterns, tile often features calligraphy and vegetal patterns (patterns inspired by nature), sometimes in combination. Brightly colored, glazed tile adorns many important architectural works such as the Hagia Sophia and the Great Mosque of Herat, Afghanistan.

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Resources

ABOUT ISLAM

RESOURCES AND LESSON PLANS FOR TEACHING ABOUT MUSLIMS AND ISLAMOPHOBIA.

Teaching Tolerance Facing History Facing Ourselves Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project Bridge Initiative Exploring Humanitarian Law Michigan State, journals on Islam and course material One God Many Names University of Michigan, K-12 Educational Resources Teach Middle East

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Connect Being an Audience Member Arts Online Writing about Live Performance About UMS Credit and Sponsors

UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122

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Being an audience member

W AT C H I N G A N D L I S T E N I N G

When preparing to attend a live performing arts event, we hope you will think about the concepts of concert conduct and manners. This is not just about saying “please” and “thank you;” rather, it’s like an unspoken agreement you have with everyone else in the performance space, to be thoughtful and considerate in what you do so that everyone can fully engage with the unique and exciting live performance experience. Here’s what we mean: YOUR SURROUNDINGS

• Concert halls and performing arts venues are some of the most grand and beautiful buildings you might ever visit, so be sure to look around while you follow an usher to your group’s seats or once you are in your seat. • UMS Ushers will be stationed throughout the building and are identifiable by their big name badges. They are there to help you be as comfortable as possible and if you have a question (about the performance, about where to go, or about what something is), please ask them, and don’t feel shy, embarrassed, or hesitant in doing so. SHARING THE PERFORMANCE HALL WITH OTHER AUDIENCE MEMBERS

• Consider whether any talking you do during the performance will prevent your seat neighbors or other audience members from hearing. Often in large rock concerts or movie theaters, the sound is turned up so loud that you can talk and not disturb anyone’s listening experience. However, in other concerts and live theater experiences, the sound is unamplified (or just quiet), and the smallest noise could cause your seat neighbor to miss an important line of dialogue or musical phrase. Lights (from a cell phone or music player, for instance) and movements (body wiggling or shaking) may also distract your neighbors’ attention away from the stage, again, causing them to miss important action...and there’s no instant replay in live performance! • At a performance, you are sharing a small physical space with other audience members. So, consider whether you are sharing — the arm rest and the leg room, for instance — in such a way that both you and your neighbors are comfortable.

• As an audience member, you are also part of the performance. Any enthusiasm you might have for the performance may help the performers perform better. So, if you like what you are seeing, make sure they know it! Maybe clap, hoot and holler, or stand up and cheer. However, when expressing your own personal enjoyment of the performance, consider whether your fellow audience members will be able to see or hear what’s happening on stage or whether they will miss something because of the sound and movement you are making. Given this consideration, it’s often best to wait until a pause in the performance (a pause of sound, movement, or energy) or to wait until the performer(s) bow to the audience to share your enthusiasm with them. • Out of respect for the performer(s), if you do not like some part of the performance, please do not boo or shout anything derogatory. Remember, a lot of hard work went in to creating the performance you are watching and it takes great courage for the performer to share his or her art with you. SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS

• An important part of any performing arts experience is sharing it with others. This can include whispering to your seat neighbor during the performance, talking to your friends about what you liked and didn’t like on the bus back to school, or telling your family about the performance when you get home.

Special thanks to Emily Barkakati for her role in developing this resource.

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Being an audience member

RULES AND TOOLS

We share the following “Rules and Tools” to help audience members at UMS School Day Performances connect with the performance and environment around them. As a general suggestion, we encourage audience members to Notice, Feel, and Interpret.

If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.

1. BE PRESENT.

Being bored means you’re not engaging. In the performance, you might feel any of the following: happy sorrow pain horror inspiration confused pride content joy sad beauty enlightened The beauty of live performance is the connection between the audience and artist and the energy they share and pass between each other. Have you ever given a presentation and spoken better because people in the room were smiling at you? You have an ability to affect the performance as an audience member and we encourage you to use it during the performance. 2. INTERPRET: YOU CAN CHOOSE WHAT IT MEANS.

JOHN CAGE, COMPOSER

Sometimes an artist will share what the performance is supposed to mean or share the performance’s story. Sometimes there won’t be a story or any meaning beyond creating movement or sound. Either way, feel empowered choosing what the performance means to you or imagine your own story...you can change your mind at any point too. 3. CHECK YOUR OWN EMOTIONS & FEELINGS.

(Renowned composer John Cage is simply saying sometimes it takes a little longer than expected to find a point of personal interest in a performance, so don’t give up the search too quick.)

Ask yourself: How am I feeling? Am I tired, sore, in a bad mood, sad, upset, sick, etc.? These feelings and emotions can affect how you perceive the performance. Be open to letting the performance improve your condition or make you think differently or more deeply about your condition. BE PRESENT

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Being an audience member QUESTIONS

RULES AND TOOLS

CONNECTING TO OTHER ART FORMS

The following questions are used during TalkOut* and can help audience members connect with or reflect on a performance: • How does this performance relate to where I live? • What does this performance remind me of? • What moment in the performance will I remember? • What question will I ask my teacher back at school? *For more information about TalkOut, visit http://bit.ly/18rzBzh. ELEMENTS

At any point during a performance, you should feel empowered to notice or focus on any element of the performance — on stage or off stage. SPACE:

venue/building, stage, distance between objects LIGHTING:

location of light, use of darkness, color of light, movement of light, light in the audience SOUND:

sound created by voices or movements of performers or audience members, the location of sound (behind the audience or off stage), use of musical instruments or recorded music MOVEMENT:

movement of performers, images, objects, or audience members; speed, size, or shape of movements PEOPLE : performers or audience members, the number of people, type and am

Unrecorded Artist, North Africa Leaf from a manuscript of the Qur’an in Maghribi script, 12th century (?) ink with touches of red, ochre, and green on paper Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Milton B. Freudenheim in memory of Otto F. Ege, 1987/1.195.2

Ping Chong + Company crosses boundaries of identity, community, and form as does this Qur’anic manuscript page. The style of the calligraphy reflects the place it was made, North Africa. But the language, Arabic, the sacred language of the Qur’an, reflects the place of origin of Islam. The message of the Qur’an is the message of Ping Chong: inclusion and understanding among Muslim and non-Muslim communities. BE PRESENT

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Arts Online:Explore and Discover

SEARCH LIKE A DETECTIVE

Consider the following suggestions and ideas when searching for information online.

TRIANGULATE AND FORM OPINIONS SLOWLY

SEEK OUT IDENTIFIABLE SOURCES

When looking for information online:

Reputable articles, journals, or magazines should cite an author whose identity can be verified and cite a list of sources, either throughout the piece or in a bibliography.

SE ARC H , S E A R C H AGA I N , A N D T H E N SEAR CH AGA I N

T H E N C O M PA R E I N FO R M AT I O N F R OM YOUR SE ARC H E S

T H E N SE A R C H O N E M O R E T I M E B ASED ON WH AT YO U ’VE D I S C OV E R E D I N YO UR C O M PAR ISON

CHECK THE DATE Consider whether the content is old or outdated. Has the site been maintained?

LOOK FOR BIAS Is the site or its author’s objective to sell you something? Is the site’s content overly positive or negative? Does the site’s content lean toward only one viewpoint? Does the site’s content clearly omit facts? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then the site might not represent a reliable information source.

BEWARE Sites with an abundance of advertising, especially ads that look cheap, are neon and blinking, or constantly pop up on the screen. Sites with grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. Note: Good looking sites don’t necessarily have fair, unbiased, or accurate information (for instance, sites for political candidates are often beautiful, but contain information that ONLY portrays their candidate positively).

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Arts Online: Explore and Discover

SITES WE SUGGEST

GO TO THE SOURCE

LESSON PLAN SOURCES

If searching for information about an artist or organization, first try visiting their homepage where they are likely to post information, links, and media they approve.

The following sites have a variety of standards-based lesson plans for teachers and interactive learning resources for families that celebrate an art form, connect the arts to the full range of non-arts subjects, or offer cultural context for the global arts.

For instance: Wynton Marsalis - WyntonMarsalis.org Hubbard Street Dance Chicago - HubbardStreetDance.com UMS - UMS.org RELIABLE SITES (GENERALLY):

PBS ArtsEdge.org pbslearningmedia.org ARTSEDGE

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EDSITEMENT

education.nationalgeographic.com

edsitement.neh.gov

.EDU

educational institutions .GOV

government (particularly good for statistics and reports)

THREE ‘GO TO’ SITES

The following sites are consistently good and reliable sources of information about arts and culture.

.ORG

organizations (though, only those without a political bias or advocacy agenda) SEARCHING FOR VIDEO

You will find the best videos online when you search for ones posted by the artist or posted by the “generally reliable” sites having the characteristics detailed in this document. Avoid bootleg videos posted by random individuals with no relationship to the artist, as the video might not be representative of the artist’s work.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

THE GUARDIAN

nytimes.com theguardian.com NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO (NPR)

npr.org VISIT UMS

Let us do the work for you! Visit our sites ums.org and umslobby.org for great and engaging videos, blog posts, photos, and web links about artists and art forms.

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Recommended Reading

YO U T H

Continued. DAKHABRAKHA

A FAR CRY WITH ROOMFUL OF TEETH

Ukraine, by Deborah Kent Explore an overview of the culture, people, and history of Ukraine.

Show Me a Story: 40 Craft Projects and Activities to Spark Children’s Storytelling, by Emily K. Neuburger Make playful crafts and try fun activities that encourage storytelling at all ages.

The Kids’ Multicultural Art Book: Art & Craft Experiences from Around the World, by Alexandra M. Terzian Create works of art representing cultures from around the world. What is Punk?, by Eric Morse Discover the revolutionary musical artists’ representative of the punk genre as well as a brief history of the genre’s roots with fun clay illustrations and rhyming text.

The Story of the Orchestra: Listen While You Learn about the Instruments, the Music, and the Composers Who Wrote the Music, by Robert Levine Levine presents mini-biographies of prominent classical composers as well as illustrated pages on each of the orchestra instruments. Sing!, by Joe Raposo Sing along to this illustrated version of the song popularized by the television show “Sesame Street.”

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Writing about Live Performance The following writing exercises were developed by 826michigan, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. For more information about 826michigan and its free programs for students, visit 826michigan.org. A LET TER TO PERFORMERS

AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

Primary Audience: Elementary School Students

Use your observations to help you write a letter to the performer(s). Remember, these artists are real people who want to know what audiences think about their work. This letter is your opportunity to share your impressions with the people who created the art you just experienced.

BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE

Before you attend the performance, make a list of what you already know about the following things: 1. Live Performances 2. The Art Form 3. The Artist(s) 4. Origin of the Art Form or Artist(s) DURING THE PERFORMANCE

To help you organize your observations during the performance, consider the following: I Notice... I Feel... I Wonder...

When starting your letter, be sure to use a greeting like “Dear [performer’s name].” Next, be sure to tell the performer(s) where and when you saw them. Every live performance is different, so it will help them to know which show you are talking about. Then you can use the notes you took about the performance to share your experience with the performer(s). At the end of your letter, be sure to include any other information—about yourself or the performance you saw—that you think the performer(s) would like to know. To finish the letter, include a closing like “Your fan” or “Thank you!” and then sign your name. Your teacher or parent can help you find the best way to get your letter to the performer!

Once the performance is done, write down your notes as soon as possible (either on the bus or back in the classroom) to help you remember your observations of the performance.

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Writing about Live Performance TWO THUMBS UP: WRITING A REVIEW FOR PUBLICATION

AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

Primary Audience: Middle and High School Students

After the performance has concluded—back in class, riding home on the bus, or back at home—think back on what you just saw; it’s like looking at the performance in a rear-view mirror. Take the list of words and thoughts you wrote and compare it with the words you wrote beforehand. Now, remove all the words that came up twice. These words, the most obvious ones that come to mind, are off limits (you can use synonyms), but the remainders will help you remember how you felt about the performance. Take these less obvious words and expand upon them. In the first draft of your review get all of your ideas down on paper. Make sure to include your thoughts on the performance and how they may have changed, stayed the same, or morphed into new feelings. Discuss any preconceptions you may have had and how they changed or stayed the same after viewing the performance.

BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE

Imagine your local newspaper has asked you to write a review of the event you are going to see: this will be your opportunity to write an argument about your opinions and explain your reasoning. Reviewers attempt to sort through the feelings they’re already having in advance of a performance— not to put those feelings aside, but rather so that they are aware of what effect pre-performance opinions may have on the review. Before the performance begins, answer the following questions: • What expectations do I have for the performance? • Do I already have an opinion about what I will experience at the performance? (Additionally, consider the some of the Questions and Elements outlined in the “Being an Audience Member” section of this guide.) DURING THE PERFORMANCE

During the performance, take mental notes about the performance—the key is making a little note of something of interest while being aware of the entirety of the performance. As soon possible after the performance ends, write down (using whatever paper or electronic device is handy) thoughts and words that come to mind related to the performance. Things to consider: • What is striking to me? • Is it vastly different from what I thought it would be? • Has the venue transformed into something else during the performance? How? • Are there images or ideas popping into my head? What are they? • Is there something about the performance I may remember forever? What made it so? • Is the audience quiet and drawn in to what is happening? Are they loud? Are they interacting directly with the performers? Are the performers directly interacting with the audience?

When you’re ready to work on your second draft, read back through your writing and try to identify the main idea of your review—what themes keep coming up? What is the tone? What do you ultimately feel about the performance? Use that main idea to come up with a hook (a bold, attentiongetting statement to set the review in motion and give your readers a sense of what’s to come). Things to consider: Remember – this review will take a stance on the performance based on the ways you’ve interpreted the elements you considered before, during, and after the show. Your teacher, parents, or friends (or a broader audience if you’re writing for a newspaper) are very interested in your thoughts about the performance, and you can pretend they’re on the fence about it—try and persuade them over to your side with your views about the performance. Don’t be afraid to make strong statements—just be sure you can back up your argument with evidence you collected throughout the performance! A cold, play-by-play of exactly what happened isn’t fun to read, and it doesn’t let the readers, who likely didn’t get to see the same performance that you did, use their imaginations to tell the story and fill in some (but not all) of the blanks.

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Writing about Live Performance THE SUN IS RED NOISE: POETRY ABOUT PERFORMANCE

AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

Primary audience: Elementary, Middle, High School Students

Younger students: Pick one thing that you heard or saw in the performance and try to describe it in a new way to someone who wasn’t at the performance. Use all five senses in your descriptions. Even if you didn’t smell something, what do you imagine the art could smell like?

In white pleated trousers, peering through green sunshades, looking for the way the sun is red noise, how locusts hiss to replicate the sun. -Elizabeth Alexander, from “Stravinsky in LA”

The poem excerpted above and “Museum Piece,” the poem by Richard Wilbur at the beginning of this guide are examples of ekphrastic poetry. Ekphrastic poetry is written in response to a piece of art, theatrical performance, writing, or music. The poem can be written about art, from the point of view of a character or the artist, or about the experience of viewing/hearing the art. BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE

• Think about the way you describe the music that you like to a friend. How would you describe your favorite song to someone who had never heard it? • How about to someone who could not hear? • List the tools in your poetry toolbox (description, simile, metaphor, and imagery) that will help you describe the art in new ways. DURING THE PERFORMANCE

Keep a record of: • Words and phrases that come to mind in response to performance. • Feelings you had about the art, the stage, the audience, the event. • Images (like colors, ideas, memories, smells) that came to mind while you were listening to the music. • Songs/images/ideas repeated throughout the performance.

Older students: • For five minutes straight (time can be adapted based on age group), write down everything you can remember about the performance you attended. Every detail that comes to mind is an important one. • Take at least three things that you remember and create an image around each of them with using some of the tools in your poetry toolbox. • Use one (or all) of these three images to start your poem about the performance. If it made you feel a certain way (happy, angry, afraid, alone, joyful), use words and images that match that mood to start What kinds of words and images would you use to write a joyful poem? A lonely one? • Can you use repetition in the poem in the same way it was used in the music you heard? If you saw a play, can you use language that reflects what you heard? • Imagine you are the artist who created/composed the work of art on the day you were inspired to create it. What did you see, hear, smell, taste, touch, experience? Write a poem that takes us through that day, using the images you’ve crafted already. Special thanks to Catherine Calabro, Erin Mernoff, Jeremy Peters, David Riva, and Kati Shanks for their roles in developing this resource.

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About UMS UMS EDUCATION AND COMMUNIT Y ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

Beth McNally, 2016 DTE Educator of the Year

Allen Elementary, 2016 DTE School of the Year

STAFF KEN FISCHER UMS President ADAM DESJARDINS Education and Community Engagement Assistant JIM LEIJA Director SHANNON K. FITZSIMONS MOEN Campus Engagement Specialist TERRI PARK Education Coordinator GRACE BYDALEK Intern SEAN MEYERS Intern

One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS is committed to connecting audiences with performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. With a program steeped in music, dance, and theater, UMS contributes to a vibrant cultural community by presenting approximately 60-75 performances and over 100 free educational activities each season. UMS also commissions new work, sponsors artist residencies, and organizes collaborative projects with local, national, and international partners. Learning is core to UMSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission, and it is our joy to provide creative learning experiences for our entire community. Each season, we offer a fun and fascinating lineup of workshops, artist Q&As, conversations, and interactive experiences to draw you in and out of your comfort zone, connect you to interesting people and unexpected ideas, and bring you closer to the heart of the artistic experience. We exist to create a spark in people, young and old alike, exposing them to things they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen before, and leaving them with a lifelong passion for creativity and the performing arts. BE PRESENT

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About UMS

2 0 1 6 - 1 7 S C H O O L D AY P E R F O R M A N C E S

Dorrance Dance Thursday, October 20 // 11 am

Jake Shimabukuro Wednesday, November 16 // 11 am Jake Shimabukuro

Beyond Sacred: Voices of Muslim Identity

Ping Chong + Company Friday, February 17 // 11 am

DakhaBrakha Beyond Sacred

Wednesday, March 29 // 11 am

A Far Cry with Roomful of Teeth Wednesday, April 12 // 11 am

Roomful of Teeth

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Thank You!

CREDITS AND SPONSORS

WRIT TEN & RESEARCHED BY

UMS YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORTERS: ($5,000 OR MORE)

Terri Park, Sean Meyers, Jordan Miller, and Grace Bydalek

Reflects donations to UMS education programs recognized at $5,000 or more, made between July 1, 2015 and May 1, 2016

EDIT E D BY

Terri Park ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

University of Michigan

Pamela Reister (UMMA) and Kayla Coughlin (Ann Arbor District Library)

Anonymous

THE MOSAIC FOUNDATION (of R. & P. Heydon)

Arts Midwest Touring Fund

National Endowment for the Arts

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

New England Foundation for the Arts

Jim and Patsy Donahey

Quincy and Rob Northrup

DTE Energy Foundation

PNC Foundation

David and Jo-Anna Featherman

Mary R. Romig-deYoung Music Appreciation Fund

Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation

Prudence and Amnon Rosenthal K-12 Education

Eugene and Emily Grant Family Foundation

Endowment Fund

David and Phyllis Herzig Endowment Fund

Stout Systems

Richard and Lillian Ives Endowment Fund

Toyota

Mardi Gras Fund

UMS Ambassadors

Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs

University of Michigan Credit Union

Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.

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