Program in Educational Theatre

Theatre Practices
Course Book

Puerto Rico Study Abroad

San Juan, Puerto Rico
Dr. Philip Taylor, Director
January 3-16, 2010

E17.2151 Theatre Practices: Leaders in Educational Theatre

 PUERTO RICO INTERSESSION COURSEBOOK

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION……………………………………. 2

SAFETY………………………………………………. 3

COURSE OUTLINE…………………………………. 5

TEXTS AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS……….. 8

DAILY SCHEDULE…………………………………. 9

ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTATION…………..……. 13

ACCOMMODATIONS……………………………… 15

FIELD TRIPS………………………………………... 16

STUDENT BIOGRAPHIES…………………….…... 20

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES………………………… 26

POLICIES……………………………………………. 30

1
 INTRODUCTION

DEP ARTM ENT OF M USIC AND PER FORM ING ARTS PROFESS IONS
Program in Educational Theatre

Welcome to the 2010 January Intersession Course, Theatre Practices, to be located for the
fifth year in Puerto Rico.

This immersion experience in the Caribbean grew from the program‘s desire to explore how
theatre arts generate community identity in the Latin-American context. As many of you would
know, the Program in Educational Theatre has established longstanding study abroad efforts in
England and Ireland where we have collaborated with Europe‘s leading innovators in drama
education and the applied theatre. In recent times, we have broadened our global offerings with
courses in Brazil, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The faculty views this development as richly
contributing to cultural exchange, and especially how this exchange enables our students to
develop an aesthetic identity informed by the diverse international agenda in community art.

We could not think of a more vibrant location than the Caribbean to study given the centrality of
arts activity to the way of life. The fact too that the Puerto Rican community in New York is so
large provides further dimension to the need to understand our cultural legacy and inheritance.
Of course, the fact that we are in sunny San Juan during the New York winter is a great incentive
to study in PR.

Over the next 10 days you will participate in a rich array of activity which will transform your
own understanding of aesthetic education. Students will work with many of the preeminent
artist-educators in the Caribbean including the legendary Rosa Luisa Marquez who has pioneered
a number of important movements in community-engaged theatre. As well, Antonio Martorell,
one of the more influential visual artists in Latin-American will host us in gorgeous Ponce where
we will travel for the important Three Kings Holiday event. You will also work with many
community activists and artists whose identity is shaped by their cultural productivity.

We are delighted to welcome Julian Boal to our San Juan course for the first time. The theatre of
the oppressed techniques, as pioneered by his father Augusto Boal, have had such a major impact
in the international arts community, especially in the Caribbean. As this movement has
significantly informed the curriculum of NYU Program in Educational Theatre, we are indeed
grateful that Julian has travelled all the way from France to work with us.

I do know that you will find your studies this January tremendously rewarding. I am delighted
you have made the trip and I look forward to our studies together.

Philip Taylor, PhD

Director, NYU Program in Educational Theatre

2
 SAFETY
Emergency Contacts for Students
Theatre Practices, Puerto Rico

Emergency Services in Puerto Rico

Life-Threatening Emergency: 911
Police: 787-343-2020; Ambulance: 787-343-2222

Dr. Philip Taylor, Office (212) 998-5769, Cell in PR: (347)853-3848

Caribe Hilton (787)721-0303
G.A. Rocio Lopez Cell: (805)264-7859

Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs Staff


Erich Dietrich, Director (212)998-5263

Daniel Young, Assistant Director (212)998-5091



NYU Department of Public Safety 24/7 number (212)998-2222

By joining our global programs you have demonstrated that you are a risk taker of the very best kind! We
hope that you will continue to challenge yourself and take advantage of the opportunities that present
themselves to you while abroad. Remember that you play an important role in maintaining your own
health and safety. Pay attention to your surroundings, keep your head on straight, and don‘t place yourself
in situations that could be potentially dangerous. Prior to travel, you should do careful research on your
destination country. Read about the political system, culture, language, and history to better prepare
yourself for a safe and fulfilling study abroad experience.

Security Precautions and Procedures: Student Guidelines

The Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs at New York University is committed to the
safety, security and well being of its study abroad participants. While efforts are made to ensure the safety
of participants, it is necessary to note that each participant is the primary person responsible for his or her
own safety and security. The following outlines the responsibilities of participants, procedures in the
event of an emergency, and recommended codes of conduct.*

Prior to departure:
Familiarize yourself with the terms of participation, codes of conduct, host-country law, and
emergency procedures.
Educate yourself about host-country conditions and customs that may present health and/or safety
risks.

While abroad:
Upon arrival, provide family and staff with emergency contact information.
Comply with terms of participation, codes of conduct, and host-country law.
Express any concerns about local conditions to program staff.
Familiarize yourself with the procedures for obtaining emergency health and law enforcement
services in the host country.
Follow the program policies for keeping program staff informed of your whereabouts (e.g. travel
plans).
Act responsibly.

3
 In the event of terrorism, political unrest, war, or natural disaster:
Report your whereabouts: contact your on-site faculty member immediately.
Return to your host family or other living quarters and await contact from program staff or local
authorities. Follow their instructions: Specific response plans will vary according to the situation at
hand.
Avoid congregating in groups of Americans or foreigners and try to avoid places known to be
frequented by foreigners.
NYU has a tracking system, which is used in the event of an emergency situation. This system alerts
university administrators of all students in a particular location, based on registration information.
NYU administrators will then begin contacting students abroad to ensure their safety.

NYU Traveler
NYU Traveler is a web-based system that allows NYU to keep track of students and faculty when
traveling outside NYC. The Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs will upload program
dates, housing and emergency contact information. Students are encouraged and welcome to update
individual records for side trips to other cities during the length of your program. For example, a student
studying in London can inform NYU of travel plans to a vicinity for an event. Students can access the
NYU Traveler login page, while home or abroad, through Albert or through a link located on the
Academics page of home.nyu.edu. The service will be available on December 1 2009.

Any person traveling to a foreign country or city should be careful, regardless of location. ―Street smarts‖
are useful everywhere. Standard safety precautions include always knowing your destination,
traveling in groups and with maps, using a money belt, and not keeping valuable items in purses or
backpacks. You should always keep your eyes wide open, look confident and in control. That said, it is
also important not to become paranoid so that your time abroad is spent in fear.

Safety Tips

Never be alone. Always be with at least one other member of the NYU group.
When travelling, carry your valuable documents on your body and pack photocopies of them
in a separate piece of luggage.
If you are not in transit, leave your valuable safely at home or in the safe at the hotel.
Walk in groups whenever possible.
Be respectful and polite to those you meet. Remember you are a guest in someone else‘s
country.

Your Program must be notified of your whereabouts at all times.

For more information about safety in your particular destination country, refer to the U.S. Consular
Information Sheets at http://travel.state.gov and at the Center for Global Education Student Handbook at
www.studentsabroad.com.

4
 COURSE OUTLINE
E17.2151 Theatre Practices
Applied Drama and Community Engagement
Special Intersession Course – Puerto Rico
January 2010

Professor Philip Taylor

Telephone: (212)998-5868
Email: pt15@nyu.edu

OBJECTIVES

This course interrogates broad questions about dramatic praxis in multi-cultural settings. Radical
approaches to applied theatre in Latin America will be considered. Students will develop a
vocabulary of theatrical skills for use in the implementation and integration of dramatic
strategies into community based work. They will study the impact of theatre of the oppressed in
the Caribbean, and explore the community arts movement in Puerto Rico.

This course interrogates broad questions about drama and its practice in educational and applied
settings. Recent radical approaches to applied theatre will be considered, especially those shaped
by Freire and Boal in the Latin-American context. Its principal objective is to introduce students
to the power of applied drama in the Caribbean. It aims to give students a background for more
specific studies in drama and its implementation, and examines the way in which drama provides
contexts for developing change.

Key questions which identify the key learning objectives to be addressed for this subject are:

What is the role of applied drama in the 21st century?

How does our work in Puerto Rico inform a social justice agenda?
How is my own aesthetic vision informed by my participation in the course?
What is the relationship between drama education and applied community arts?

Further information, http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/study_abroad/programs/Theatre_Practices

CONTENT

Educators and teaching artists require knowledge of the dynamic which occurs when a group
creates a fictional world and engages in dramatic action which extends and changes their
understanding of events, people and relationships. This knowledge exists as tacit and learnt
understandings. This course provides opportunities for students to engage in a dialogue on the
drama process, to reflect on their learning, and then to evaluate their personal responses to
structured drama and community-based events. As this occurs, students are introduced to ideas
which power drama in education, and, to the theoretical and conceptual bases which underpin the
strategies and leadership styles appropriate for different community groups.

5
Informing the above is the understanding that drama is an artform which demands that students
are well-grounded in the construct and delivery of artistic experience. Students will consider the
relationship of drama to the other artforms and ways that teaching artists develop and share their
own artistry.

This course builds skills, knowledge and understanding in the content area and pedagogy of
drama and community arts. It enhances the professional and personal skills of educators
committed to drama in education.

The content includes:

(a) The application of the elements of drama: Extending the students' understanding
of the elements of drama, e.g. the human context, focus, tension, contrast, symbol,
ritual, time and place in drama when used in the playing and playmaking modes.

(b) Application to teaching artistry:

Planning drama experiences; recognizing the teacher's goals and the
students' goals, devising tasks, developing and managing dramatic action,
intervention and teacher-in-role.
Managing drama experiences; managing dramatic action in practice,
developing competencies to manipulate the action where necessary.
Reflecting on and in drama experience –
Evaluating drama curriculum and the teacher's delivery of it.

In January 2010, the course content specifically focuses on innovative community arts programs.
We will take advantage of Julian Boal‘s special visit to Puerto Rico. Julian is a leading Theatre
of the Oppressed practitioner based in France. The program will be acknowledging the lifetime
contribution of his father‘s work in the Caribbean.

6
ASSESSMENT

1. Participation Weighting 25%

Attend all classes punctually and contribute actively and constructively to the seminars.
Demonstrate competence in basic dramatic techniques (where appropriate).
Complete all assigned tasks as outlined, especially participatory and reading assignments.
Contribute to a strong sense of community
Presentational skill
Working as a cooperative ensemble member
Ability to reflect in and on action
Peer and group assessment where appropriate

2. Community Theatre Portfolio and Logbook Weighting 75%

Students keep a documented record of their experience in the Caribbean and the connections
they are making to the development of drama in education within their own professional
context. This record should include written log entries outlining the students‘ learning,
artifacts students collect which demonstrate their learning, analyses of the reading and other
materials. Alternate assessments are possible such as the construction of a travel log which
can be posted on blog spot or some other site. Do give some thought as to how you would
prefer to set this portfolio out in an engaging, practical and accessible manner.

Possible Table of Contents for Logbook

A. An Opening Statement describing what students hope to achieve from their

Caribbean experience.* DUE Jan 3rd.
 *This is a mandatory, 2-3 pages, double-spaced, to be hand-
delivered to Dr. Philip Taylor in San Juan at the opening
Orientation.
B. Extracts from Log Book which reveal the development in students‘ learning.
C. Students‘ responses to the Key Course Questions (page 3).
D. Essay on the Caribbean Community Theatre Course and how it has shaped
students‘ understanding.
E. The contribution of Freire, Boal and other authors to students‘ knowledge of
community arts in the Caribbean.
F. A Closing Statement on your own progress and development during this course.
G. Appendices: Artifacts (materials, resources, pictures, documents, pretexts, other
information than you collect while in PR that have made an impact upon you and
which you have referenced above).
H. Bibliographic List

DUE DATE:
This Portfolio should be delivered no later than February 1, 5.00pm to the Program in
Educational Theatre Office. Include a large padded self-addressed envelope for timely
return. Late delivery of assignments will be penalized.

7
ADMINISTRATION

Assignments must be handed in on the due date. Only substantial medical conditions
(medical certificate stating specific condition) or exceptional personal circumstances
(confirmed in writing by an appropriate person) will be considered for an extension of the
deadline, provided notification is made before the due date. Late assignments will be
penalised.

All written assignments must be legible. Assignments should be word processed and
single sided. You should leave room for tutor comment.

You must keep a copy of all assignments to be submitted.

Written assignments must be in appropriate style-syntax, spelling, grammar and structure.

TEXTS AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS

These books have been ordered by the NYU Bookstore.

Required Reading:

Boal, A. (1985) Theatre of the Oppressed New York: Theatre Communications.

Cohen-Cruz, J. & Schutzamn, M. (2006) A Boal Companion New York: Routledge.

Freire, P. (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed NY: Continuum

Prentki, T. & Preston, S. (2008) The Applied Theatre Reader. London: Routledge.

Rohd, M. (1998) Theatre for Community Conflict and Dialogue: The Hope Is Vital Training
Manual Portsmouth: Heinemann.

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 DAILY SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES – Puerto Rico 2010

Sunday, January 3 – Saturday, January 16

(Do anticipate changes)

Sunday January 3

Arrivals

6:00pm Opening Reception at the hotel, Caribe Hilton

1 San Geronimo Street, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
Tel: 787-721-0303 Fax: 787-724-6992
Dr. Taylor Cell Contact: 347-853-3848
G.A. Rocío López Cell Contact: 805-264-7859

Monday January 4

9:00am Students will travel to Libreria la Tertulia bookstore

Avenida Ponce de Leon 1002, Rio Piedras
Tel: 787-765-1148 Fax: 787-765-1207

10:00am Welcome and Orientation

Dr. Philip Taylor, Program in Ed Theatre

11:00am History of Puerto Rico

Fernando Pico

12:00pm Puerto Rican Theater Foundations

Dr. Lowell Fiet

1:00pm Lunch on your own at Libreria la Tertulia

2:00 – 4:00pm Performance: Grupo de Teatro Yerbabruja

Theater presentation by Deborah Hunt

4:00pm Trip to Old San Juan

Escorted by Philip Taylor and Javier Cardona

6:00pm Group Dinner at El Jibarito, Old San Juan

8:30pm Return to hotel/Pack overnight bag for following day

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Tuesday January 5 Overnight field trip to Cayey
Bring small overnight bag, limited space on bus

9:00am Depart hotel to University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus

Bring water, snacks

11:00am Conference / Guided Tour at the Pio Lopez Martinez Museum

by Humberto Figueroa and Antonio Martorell,
The marriage of theatre and visual arts

1:00pm Lunch

2:00 – 4:00pm Workshop: ―Transforming Spaces‖

By Antonio Martorell and Rosa Luisa Marquez

4:00 -6:00pm Dance Workshop: Bomba

By Jessica Gaspar

6:00 – 8:00pm Pizza and live traditional Puerto Rican music

By Luis Rodriguez

For those fearless ones: Hang out and watch the stars

Wednesday January 6

9:00am Depart for fieldtrip to Three Kings Festival in Juana Diaz

Bus will stop in at fast food for breakfast

Morning in Juana Diaz

1:00pm Lunch at Antonio Martorell‘s Art Gallery in Ponce

6:00pm Return to San Juan

Thursday January 7

Morning free

1:00pm Make your own plans to travel to theatre

Teatro Yerbabruja
1104 Calle Brumbaugh, Rio Piedras, PR 00925

2:00 – 5:00pm Workshop: Mask Making

With Deborah Hunt

10
Friday January 8

10:00am – 1:00pm Workshop:

―Creating plays collectively using Boal‘s Image Theater
Techniques‖ with Maritza Perez and youth theatre group

1:00pm Lunch (on your own)

2:00 – 3:30pm Introduction to Theatre of the Oppressed in the Caribbean and the
legacy of Augusto Boal
By Rosa Luisa Marquez and Philip Taylor

4:00 – 6:00pm Workshop: Building Trust

Rosa Luisa Marquez

Evening At your leisure in Rio Piedras or return to hotel

Saturday January 9 Free day

Sunday January 10

Morning free

1:00 – 6:00pm Workshop: Participatory Theatre at UPR, Rio Piedras

With Julian Boal, #1

Monday January 11

10:00 -12:00pm Workshop: Physical Theatre

With Javier Cardona

1:00 – 6:00pm Workshop with Julian Boal, #2

Tuesday January 12

Rehearsals; and Morning tutorials with Philip Taylor

1:00 – 6:00pm Workshop with Julian Boal, #3

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Wednesday January 13

Rehearsals; and Morning tutorials with Philip Taylor

1:00 – 6:00pm Workshop with Julian Boal, #4

Thursday January 14

9:00am – 4:00pm Group rehearsal / Set up for performance

4:00pm Forum theatre performance Jokered by Julian Boal

6:00pm Fiesta and live music!

Friday January 15 Course Evaluation and Conclusions

With Philip Taylor and staff

Saturday, January 16 Departures

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 ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTATION

Check-In Date: January 3, 2010

Program Dates: January 4 – 15, 2010
Check-Out Date: January 16, 2010

TRANSPORTATION
From Airport
The Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, San Juan PR

Buses
The buses run regularly the 7 mile distance from the airport to the Caribe Hilton, but
we strongly recommend that you take a taxi with all of the luggage you will be
carrying. Bus fares are 75 cents.

Taxi
Taxis are available from the first level of each terminal (journey time to San Juan -
30-45 minutes). Puerto Rico has both ordinary taxis and taxis turisticos which have a
special knowledge of tourist areas; these are painted white with a logo and charge set
rates depending on zones. They are generally about $20 from the airport to the Caribe
Hilton, and can fit up to 5 individuals per cab. Therefore, we strongly recommend
that you get in touch with other program participants to arrange traveling together for
cost efficiency.

Getting Around Town

You will be taking public transportation to your classes, and you may also enjoy walking in Old
San Juan. Additionally, there is a free tourist trolley that stops at the Parada bus stop signs.

Taxis
There are two types of taxis in San Juan. The white taxis with the Sentry Box logo and Taxi
Turístico label charge set rates from the airport to certain destinations. The rates are $8 to $20.
Taxis cost $1.75 for the initial hire, plus $.10 for every 1/19th of a mile thereafter. There is an
additional charge of $1 for each piece of luggage.
13
Buses
The public buses, publicos or guaguas, run in the daytime. The A5, B40, C45 and B21 routes run
from along the Old San Juan-Condado-Isla Verde corridor. The stops are indicated by the
magenta, orange and white parada signs and fares are $.75. For information on bus routes, call
(787) 729-1512.

Tren Urbano
The first phase of the Tren Urbano system started in 2005. This rapid transit rail system connects
the central business district to residential and employment areas in greater San Juan. Fares on the
Tren Urbano are $1.50- $1.75.

OTHER
Climate
Temperatures in Puerto Rico average 82° F with constant mild winds. The U.S. Weather Bureau
has never measured temperatures in San Juan above 97°F or below 68°F. A sweater is usually
necessary in the hills away from the coast. Sayings have it that Puerto Ricans never go to the
beach in a month with an ‗R‘ in it (September through April), though you can always find plenty
of tourists there because of the mild temperatures.

Money and Banking

Please remember to take extra caution with your money. Puerto Rico is a relatively safe area, but
petty crime is not uncommon. Be alert, careful, and sensible.

It takes some time to figure out what things cost and to budget your spending needs. It‘s better to
be frugal in the beginning and be sure you have enough money to be comfortable during the
second week of the program – especially if you are planning on traveling. When considering how
to budget your money or how much money to bring, keep in mind these costs: local
transportation (buses and taxis), food and beverages, sightseeing, travel, souvenirs, everyday
items, and emergencies. You do not need to change money in Puerto Rico as they use American
currency.

ATMs
Contact your bank to find out the names of affiliated ATM networks or actual ATM locations in
your country and to assure that your card is valid for international use. You should also find out
if there are any associated fees.

Phone and Internet

If you have computer access, you can make calls with Skype, an Internet-based calling service
that calls anywhere around the world for between 2 and 7 cents per minute. All you need to do is
set up a free account and add money as you go. Create an account at http://www.skype.com/

Electrical Devices
Voltage in Puerto Rico is the same as mainland United States.

14
 ACCOMODATIONS

Housing

You will be staying at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan located at Los Rosales Street
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901. For more information you can visit their website at
www.hiltoncaribbean.com/sanjuan/. For any inquiries they can be reached at (787) 721-0303.

Caribe Hilton
Los Rosales Street
San Geronimo Grounds
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
Telephone: +1 787 721 0303
Fax: +1 787 725 8849

Amenities/ Hotel Facilities

The hotel offers a secluded beach, oceanfront swimming pools, restaurants, Olas Spa and Fitness
Center, tennis courts, a Bird Sanctuary, tropical gardens, Starbucks, and free Wi-Fi in public
areas. Individual guest rooms offer amenities that include internet access (you must pay
separately for this and Wi-Fi is not offered), small refrigerators, 24 hour housekeeping, and a
safe for your valuables.

Meals

Meals are not included in your Housing & Activities fee. However we will be hosting a
Welcome Reception dinner on January 3rd in honor of your arrival and the commencement of the
program. Additionally, there will be a final dinner at a local restaurant at the end of the program.
Please note that while breakfast at the hotel is not included in your housing & activities fee, it is
available for individual purchase from the hotel.

Classroom Facilities

Classes will be held at the Teatro Estudio Yerbabruja and the University of Puerto Rico campus
in San Juan and Cayey.

TeatroEstudio Yerbabruja University of Puerto Rico University of Puerto Rico

1104 Calle Brumbaugh Rio Piedras Campus Cayey Campus
Rio Piedras, PR 00925 San Juan, PR 00925 205 Antonio R Barcelo Ave
Cayey, PR 00736

15
 PUERTO RICO & FIELD TRIPS
Information compiled from Wikipedia.com and Welcome.topuertorico.org

Puerto Rico is officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (in Spanish, "Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto
Rico" — literally Associated Free State of Puerto Rico), and is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the
United States. Puerto Rico is located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea east of the Dominican Republic and west of
the Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is composed of an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a
number of smaller islands, the largest of which are Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. Puerto Ricans often call the island
Borinquen, from Borikén, its indigenous Taíno name. The terms boricua and borincano derive from Borikén and
Borinquen respectively, and are commonly used to identify someone of Puerto Rican heritage. The island is also
popularly known as "La Isla del Encanto", which translated means "The Island of Enchantment."

Puerto Rico
Capital: San Juan (and largest city)
Population: July 2007 estimate 3,994,259
2000 census 3,913,055
Density: 438/km sq
21st in the world, 2nd in the U.S.
1,115 square miles
Official languages: Spanish and English
Sovereignty: United States
-Cession from Dec 10, 1898 from Kingdom of Spain
Presidential Head of State: Barack Obama
Current Governor: Luis Fortuño

On July 25, 1898, during the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States with a landing
at Guánica. As an outcome of the war, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, along with Cuba, the Philippines, and Guam to the
U.S. under the Treaty of Paris. Puerto Rico began the 20th century under the military rule of the U.S. with officials,
including the governor, appointed by the President of the United States. The Foraker Act of 1900 gave Puerto Rico a
certain amount of popular government, including a popularly elected House of Representatives. In 1917, the Jones
Act granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship and provided for a popularly elected Senate to complete a bicameral
Legislative Assembly. As a result of their new U.S. citizenship, many Puerto Ricans were drafted into World War I
and all subsequent wars with U.S. participation in which a national military draft was in effect. Natural disasters,
including a major earthquake, a tsunami and several hurricanes, and the Great Depression impoverished the island
during the first few decades under U.S. rule. Some political leaders, like Pedro Albizu Campos who led the Puerto
Rican Nationalist Party, demanded change. On March 21, 1937, a march was organized in the southern city of Ponce
by the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party which turned into a bloody event when the Insular Police ("a force somewhat
resembling the National Guard of the U.S. state" and which answered to the U.S.-appointed governor Blanton
Winship opened fire upon, what a U.S. Congressman and others reported were, unarmed and defenseless cadets and
bystanders alike, killing 19 and badly wounding over 200 more, many in their backs while running away. An ACLU
report declared it a massacre and it has since been known as the Ponce massacre.

The internal governance changed during the latter years of the Roosevelt–Truman administrations, as a form of
compromise led by Luis Muñoz Marín and others. It culminated with the appointment by President Truman in 1946
of the first Puerto Rican-born governor, Jesús T. Piñero. On June 11, 1948, Piñero, signed the "Ley de la Mordaza"
(Gag Law) or Law 53 as it was officially known, passed by the Puerto Rican legislature which made it illegal to
display the Puerto Rican Flag, sing patriotic songs, talk of independence and to fight for the liberation of the island.
It resembled the anti-communist Smith Law passed in the United States.

In 1947, the U.S. granted Puerto Ricans the right to democratically elect their own governor. Luis Muñoz Marín was
elected during the 1948 general elections, becoming the first popularly elected governor of Puerto Rico. In 1950, the
U.S. Congress approved Public Law 600 (P.L. 81-600) which allowed for a democratic referendum in Puerto Rico to
determine whether Puerto Ricans desired to draft their own local constitution. This Act left unchanged all the
articles under the Jones Act of 1917 that regulated the relationships between Puerto Rico and the United States.

16
Today, Puerto Rico has a republican form of government, subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current
powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution
Puerto Rico's head of state is the President of the United States. The government of Puerto Rico, based on the formal
republican system, is composed of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is
headed by the Governor, currently Luis Fortuño.

San Juan is the capital and largest municipality in Puerto Rico. As of the 2000 census, it has a population of
433,733. San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521, who called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico ("Rich Port
City"). Puerto Rico's capital is the second oldest European-established city in the Americas, after Santo Domingo, in
the Dominican Republic. Several historical buildings are located in San Juan; among the most notable are the city's
former defensive forts, Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristobál, and La Fortaleza, the oldest executive
mansion in continuous use in the Americas.

During the Spanish colonial times most of the urban population resided in what is now known as Old San Juan. This
sector is located on the western half of a small island called the Isleta de San Juan, which is connected to the
mainland by two bridges and a causeway. The small island, which comprises an area of 47 mi² (122 km²), also hosts
the working class neighborhood of Puerta de Tierra and most of Puerto Rico's central government buildings,
including the Commonwealth's Capitol.

Old San Juan

This is a 465-year-old neighborhood originally conceived as a military stronghold. Its 7-square-block area has
evolved into a charming residential and commercial district. The streets here are paved with cobbles of adoquine, a
blue stone cast from furnace slag; they were brought over a ballast on Spanish ships and time and moisture have lent
them their characteristic color. The city includes more than 400 carefully restored 16th- and 17th-century Spanish
colonial buildings. The Old San Juan attracts many tourists, who also enjoy the gambling casinos, fine beaches, and
tropical climate. More tourists visit San Juan each year than any other spot in the Caribbean.

Historical/Cultural Points of Interest

Plaza de San Jose Casa de los Contrafuertes (House of Buttresses)
Plaza del Quinto Centenario (Quincentennial Square) Museum of Colonial Architecture
Plaza de Armas (arms square) Museum of the Puerto Rican Family
Plaza de Colon (Columbus square) Museo de Nuestra Raiz Africana (African Heritage Museum)
Plazuela de la Rogativa (plaza of the procession) Casa del Libro (House of the Book)
Plaza de Hostos La Princesa (the princess)
Parque de las Palomas (pigeon park) Paseo de la Princesa (promenade of the princess)
Muñoz Rivera Park Centro Nacional de Artes Populares y Artesanias (Popular
El Morro (fort) Arts and Crafts Center)
Castillo de San Cristobal (San Cristobal Fort) University of Puerto Rico
Fuerte San Geronimo (San Geronimo Fort)
Santa Elena Battery
La Fortaleza, Palacio de Santa Catalina
Alcaldia (San Juan‘s City Hall)
El Capitolio (Capitol Building of Puerto Rico)
Catedral de San Juan (San Juan Cathedral)
Iglesia de San Jose (San Jose Church)
Capilla del Cristo (Cristo Chapel)
Teatro Tapia (Tapia Theater)
Centro de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Center)
Escuela de Artes Plasticas (School of Fine Arts)
San Juan Museum of Art and History
Pabro Casals Museum
Casa de los Dos Zaguanes (House of the Two Foyers)
Museo del Indio (House of the Indian
Asilo de Beneficiencia (Home of the Poor)
Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Institute of Puerto Rican
Culture)
Casa Blanca (White House)
Casa Rosada (Pink House)
Ruinas de Caparra (Caparra Ruins)
Museum of the Conquest and Colonization of Puerto Rico
Cuartel de Ballaja (Ballaja Barracks or Ballaja Quarters)
Museo de Doña Fela (Felisa Rincon de Gautier Museum)
Museum of Contemporary Puerto Rican Art
Sacred Heart University

17
FIELD TRIPS

Cayey

CAYEY is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range. Cayey is host
to one of the main campuses of the University of Puerto Rico. The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is
the only liberal arts college in Puerto Rico. Cayey is known as "La Ciudad del Torito" (town of the little
bull) and "La Ciudad de las Brumas" (city of the fog). Cayey was founded on August 17, 1773 by Juan
Mata Vázquez, who became its first mayor. It is said that Cayey derives its name from the Taino Indian
word for "a place of waters". Cayey is famous for its two twin peaks known as "Las Tetas de Cayey," (the
teats of Cayey), nicknamed for their similarity to a female body part, which were formed by volcanic
activity. The surrounding areas produce sugar, tobacco, and poultry. Cigars and clothing are also
manufactured.

In Cayey, we will stay at the University of Puerto campus and participate in cultural workshops (see
schedule Jan 5th).
JUANA DIAZ is known as as "La Ciudad del Mabí" (mabí city) and "La Ciudad de los Reyes y los
Poetas" (city of kings and poets). Juana Díaz is located in the southern coast of the island, south of
Villalba; east of Ponce. Juana Díaz produces sugar cane and beige marble--one of the finest marbles in the
world. Juana Diaz is notoriously known for its Holy Kings monument, Three Kings Museum, and Three
Kings Festival on January 5th and 6th of each year.
In Juana Diaz, we will spend the morning of January 6th at the
Three Kings Festival (see schedule Jan 6th).
Three Kings Festival – This religious and cultural event began
in 1884. It celebrates the visit of the Three Kings (Three
Wisemen) to baby Jesus. Every year on January 6 people of all
ages come to town to celebrate Three Kings Day. The main
event is a parade down Comercio Street to the town's plaza
where a big altar is set-up for the celebration of the Holy
Eucharist. The Eucharist begins with an act of the Prophets
announcing the coming of a messiah. The prophecies are
followed by the sighting of three kings by the shepherds. The
holy mass follows and at the end the Three Kings find and adore
baby Jesus. If you can, come dressed as shepherds and be part of
the celebration.

18
PONCE is the second largest city in Puerto Rico outside of the San Juan metropolitan area. Ponce is
often referred to as La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Señorial (The Noble City), and
La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City). The beautiful downtown Plaza de las Delicias is a worthwhile
stop, with lovely fountains, a cathedral and local bench sitting denizens. The unique red and black,
century old wooden firehouse, commonly known as "Parque de Bombas" is a landmark and still in use.
Parque de Bombas originally built in 1882 for an exposition and from 1883 to 1989 it served as
headquarters of the Ponce Fire Corps. In 1990, the firehouse was reopened as a museum, there are
exhibits on the second floor, and the municipal band plays a free concert every Sunday night.

In Ponce, we will visit Antonio Martorell’s Art Gallery (see schedule Jan 6th).

Dance Workshop by Jessica Gaspar, Jan 5th

Bomba is one of the most famous musical styles of Puerto Rico. Although there is some
controversy surrounding its origin, most agree that it is a largely African music. The rhythm and
beat are played by a set of hand drums and a maraca. Dance is an integral part of the music: the
dancers move their bodies to every beat of the drum, making bomba a very wild and rich dance.
Bomba is described to be a challenge between the drummer and the dancer. The dancer produces
a series of gestures to which the primo drummer provides a synchronized beat. Thus, it is the
drummer who attempts to follow the dancer and not the other way around. A single large maraca
usually completes the sound of bomba, though a güiro has commonly been used in orchestral
arrangements. Both of these last two instruments have origins in the Taino culture of the
Caribbean Basin.

Other Attractions in San Juan:

Find additional places of interest at http://www.gotopuertorico.com/puerto-rico-old-san-juan.php.

Travel Resources
* Lonely Planet (Recommended), www.lonelyplanet.com
* Rough Guides, roughguides.com
* Fodor‘s, www.fodors.com
* Frommer‘s, www.frommers.com
* Let‘s Go, www.letsgo.com
* Bradt Travel Guides, www.bradt-travelguides.com
* State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, http://travel.state.gov/
* Tourism Offices World wide, www.towd.com

Nightlife
There are abundant opportunities for entertainment in San Juan. Both the Condado/Santurce areas and
Old San Juan have a bustling nightlife. There are also casinos and sporting events, even baseball. Two
large venues for performances include the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center and the Teatro Tapia y
Rivera. Find a copy of the daily San Juan Star for theater, film, dance, and sporting event listings.

Dining
San Juan offers many choices for dining, from budget restaurants to fine dining in the hotels on Condado
and Isla Verde. The Bienvenidos Magazine is the most informative dining guide. You should also check
tourist guides and websites. You can find all kinds of meals, but you will also find plenty of traditional
Puerto Rican fare. With a strong agricultural and fishing tradition, you will find fresh fruit, vegetables and
juices along with fish at every meal. Tipping follows North American rules. Some restaurants include the
service charge in the bill, but if they don't a 15% tip is expected.

19
STUDENT BIOGRAPHIES
Melinna Bobadilla
Melinna ―Teatrina‖ Bobadilla is an Edutainer-Artivist-Chicana-Capricorn
currently pursuing an MA in Educational Theater at NYU. She teaches social
justice theater workshops at West Brooklyn Community High School, performs
with A.C.E.S (Arte Colectivo en Solidaridad), and is a current board member of
Pedagogy and Theater of the Oppressed Inc. Prior to moving to NYC, Melinna
served as an artistic associate, ensemble member, and educational theater
coordinator at El Teatro Campesino. Her favorite experiences facilitating theater
workshops were at the 2007 Cuban Hip Hop Symposium where she directed and
jokered a Hip Hop Forum Theater piece with a group of break dancers, and with
Teatro East of the River and a group of 16 East Los Angeles youth who wrote the
original show "Ojos Que No Oyen/Eyes that do not Listen." She wants to
continue using teatro to build bridges and burn borders. Educate. Agitate.
Liberate.
Emily Boudreau

Emily C. Boudreau is a MA candidate in the EDTA program from Albany,

NY. She has a BA in English and a BFA in Theatre Performance Studies
from Niagara University.

Rachel Brill

Rachel Brill is a first year Graduate student at the Steinhardt School at

NYU for Educational Theatre. She currently holds a BFA in Theatre from
SUNY Buffalo. Rachel is very enthusiastic about incorporating Theatre
Arts with Education!

Carolyn Burke

Carolyn is a graduate of Syracuse University Drama and a second Year

M.A Candidate in the Program for Educational Theatre. She has recently
been seen in the programs productions of WOYZECK, The Class Project
and THEATRIX! This is her second Study Abroad experience and looks
forward to the opportunity to learn invaluable skills from experts in her
field from all over the world.

20
Chantelle Burley

Chantelle Burley is from London, England. She completed her B.A in

Drama, Education and Applied Theatre at the Central School of Speech
and Drama in 2009. She has worked in America, Brazil and Kosovo as a
drama educator and applied theatre practitioner.

Susan Comer
Susan Comer is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts in Educational Theater and
Communities from New York University. Susan is a native of Raleigh, North
Carolina and a graduate of Northwestern University in Chicago where she studied
music, theater, and dance. Susan was a recipient of the Alma Goudes
Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera's National Council Auditions
in 2006. Susan discovered her call to education when she was hired to direct and
choreograph musical theater productions at the Music Institute of Chicago. She
presently works as a teaching artist with TDF, Broadway Bound Kids, and LEAP.
Susan had the amazing opportunity to study in Brazil with Dr. Taylor this summer
and looks forward to another life-changing experience.
Namibia Donadio

Namibia was born in Panama and raised in New Jersey. Her background is in
acting, singing, and doing political community organizing. Her B.A. is in
History with a Minor in Political Science from Rutgers University. She has been a
student leader and youth organizer for the last few years. She worked for Youth
Services in the City of New Brunswick as a Reading Coordinator for the
P.L.A.Y.S.A.F.E. program for children ages 6-12, and later as an after school
counselour, using drama to implement grammar and reading curriculum. In the
last two years, she was asked on delegations to labor and youth conferences in
Mexico, Lybia and Cuba. She is currently in her first year at New York
University pursuing an M.A. in Educational Theater in Colleges and
Communities.

Teresa Fisher

Teresa Fisher is a doctoral candidate and Steinhardt Doctoral Fellow in the

Program in Educational Theatre. A former mental health counselor and play
therapist, Teresa‘s passion is using theatre to explore obesity and body image,
most especially through Boal‘s Theatre of the Oppressed and Rainbow of Desire
forms. In addition to being an educator, Teresa is a director, actor, stage manager,
dramaturge, producer/administrator, and house manager. She is the
Producer/Administrator for New Plays for Young Audiences, a play development
series housed in the Program in Educational Theatre.

21
Thomas Hecht

Thom Hecht is a dance educator and scholar, with a research emphasis on

educational historiography. His graduate degrees include: M.Phil. in
Contemporary Dance from the London Contemporary Dance School at The Place
(London); M.A. in Performance Practices and Research from the Central School
of Speech and Drama (London); M.A. in Fashion History and Theory from the
London College of Fashion (London). Since 2008, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in
Dance with a double-doctoral minor in Higher Education and Women's Studies at
Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX, where he is currently completing his
doctoral coursework. In addition, Thom is an American Ballet Theater® certified
ballet teacher (primary to level 3), focused on combining his dance training with
social entrepreneurship by organizing and leading community dance projects for
rural and displaced children in Africa.
Jonathan Jones

Jonathan Jones is currently the Graduate Fellow for the Program in Educational
Theatre. He was a teacher of Theatre and English at North Hollywood High
School where he directed productions of West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors,
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Grease, The Laramie Project, Bye Bye Birdie,
Dorothy Rides the Rainbow, Elsewhere in Elsinore, and Julius Caesar. In 2008,
he received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to attend the
Teaching Shakespeare Institute at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington,
DC. Jonathan is a graduate of the Gallatin School of Individualized Study and he
completed the EDTC master‘s program and served as the Program Assistant for
the Study Abroad Program in London in 2004.

Lindsay Krause

Lindsay graduated from the University of Arizona in 2004 with a BA in Political

Science and a minor in Theatre Arts. Prior to entering the EDTA program at
NYU, she worked at Seattle Repertory Theatre and Seattle Children‘s Theatre as
both a fundraiser and a teaching artist. Lindsay‘s artistic background includes
training in musical theatre, dance, and vocal performance.

Sasha Lauren Lakind

Sasha Lakind was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She went to
boarding school at Interlochen Arts Academy in northern MI and majored in
Theater. Sasha also has a BA in Contemporary Performance from The Royal
Scottish Academy in Glasgow. She likes long walks on the beach... but walks
through the bustling streets of Manhattan are wonderful too.

22
Rocío López

This Chicana Latina artivist lives for arts programming and filmmaking to create
voice and engage youth in social justice dialogue. A Cali-native, she got her B.A.
in Latin American Studies at UCLA, where she founded the Latin@ Cultural
Night -an annual musical play written by students addressing immigration themes
and showcasing Latin American music and dance. As an arts educator, she uses
Theatre of the Oppressed techniques and pedagogy to engage youth in creating
murals, theatre and film as a means for voice and empowerment. Rocío has
worked as an Arts Educator for MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and
Educational Fund) and other community agencies and has created pilot programs:
CREATE! Civil Rights Education and Arts Toward Empowerment, as well as The
Third ACT! Youth Arts Academy. She is also a Parent Facilitator for PIQE (Parent
Institute for Quality Education. Rocío is currently pursuing a Masters in
Educational Theatre at NYU. In her spare time, she loves to sing, dance salsa, and
produce telenovela spoofs with friends.
Kyla McHale

Kyla F. McHale is in her final semester as a Master‘s candidate at NYU where

she is studying Educational Theatre for Colleges and Communities and a graduate
of Muhlenberg College, where she received a BA in Performance and
Performance studies. This summer she had an amazing experience in Brazil
where she studied at the Centro de Teatro Oprimido (Center for Theatre of the
Oppressed) with the fabulous jokers: Julian Boal, Barbara Santos, and Geo
Britto. Kyla is a performer, puppeteer, teaching artist, and director. In these roles
she has had the opportunity to study and perform with Tim Miller, Peter
Schumann, Martina Plag, and other change inspiring theatre makers. She is
excited to continue to explore the possibilities of theatre, particularly how theatre
can be a vehicle for transformation.
Mary Corinne Miller

Mary Corinne Miller is a graduate student in the Educational Theater program at

NYU Steinhardt. She is the owner and Artistic Director of Saratoga Student
Stages, a children‘s theater school in Saratoga Springs, NY, which she founded in
2004. She has also worked as a teaching artist at the Children‘s Theater Company
and John Robert Powers School in NYC and the Schuylerville and Caroline Street
elementary schools in Saratoga, NY. Corinne is excited to be embarking on her
second study abroad program with the NYU Educational Theater department,
after having studied Theater of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro this past summer.
Megan Morrison

Megan Morrison is a Graduate Student in the Education Theatre department at

New York University with a focus on Applied Theatre. She has been involved in
performance studies since the age of five and completed her undergraduate
studies at UC Santa Cruz in the theatre department. After graduation Megan
appeared on various Los Angeles stages working as an actor and a dancer. She
also worked as a teaching artist and began to develop arts-based programming for
underserved youth and communities throughout Southern California. Megan is
currently dedicating to folding her passion for movement, theatre and eastern
philosophy together in order to develop transformational tool which empower
local and global communities alike.

23
Heidy Perez Cordero

Heidy M. Pérez Cordero is a M.A. candidate in the Educational Theatre in

Colleges and Communities Program at New York University. Heidy holds a
bachelor‘s degree in Education with a concentration in Theatre from the
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus. As a big believer of social justice,
she became part of ―Los Teatreros Ambulantes de Río Piedras‖ directed by Rosa
Luisa Márquez. Passionate about educating children through drama, Heidy will
explore early childhood education during her practicum next semester in Eagle‘s
Wing Child Care and Education Programs at University of Wisconsin.

Thomas Rothacker

Tom is an actor and director and will be graduating from the Education Theatre
program at NYU this Spring, 2010. He has worked frequently Off and Off-Off
Broadway with companies and venues such as The Rapscallion Theatre
Collective, Theatre Row, The Tank, Horse Trade, American Theatre of Actors
and Theatre for the New City. Tom hopes to continue his career as a Teaching
Artist and teach in Community Colleges.

Sara Simons

Sara Simons began pursuing her PhD study in Educational Theatre this past fall as
a Steinhardt Doctoral Fellow. Prior to coming to NYU, she taught as an adjunct
at a technical college in Boston and worked in the education department at
Planned Parenthood, writing sex education curriculum for middle school and high
school students. Sara earned her MA in Theatre Education from Emerson College
and her BA in Women‘s Studies and Theatre from Wellesley College. Sara is
excited to be stage-managing Sonia Flew this spring. When not wearing a headset
or making lists, Sara works part-time as a research assistant at the Center for
Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies at NYU.

Kelly Thomas

Kelly Anne Thomas is a senior at NYU in the Steinhardt School's

Educational Theatre Program. She is a director/ writer for theatre and also
works as a teaching artist. She is interested in theatre work in "non-
traditonal settings" and the highlight of her educational journey thus far has
been her work with the Hip Hop Education Initiative at NYU. In the future
Kelly plans to country-hop teaching theatre and eventually develop art and
social justice curriculum for youth programs.

24
Abraham Velazquez

Abraham graduated from New York University with a B.Sc. in

Communications and a Concentration in Graphics, and is currently
working towards his M.S. in Educational Theatre in Colleges &
Communities. From an early age, this South Bronx native has been
recognized in NYC as a fierce battle mc, a conscious and profound poetry
writer, and a creative visual artist. The proud Afro Taino is a member of
the Peace Poets. Together, they teach workshops internationally and in
New York City focusing on Hip Hop Theatre and performance poetry.
Abraham Velazquez was broadcast by BronxNet, Urban Latino Magazine
TV and NBC as a positive Latino role model and educator. His short film,
The First Stone, received acclaim at the Chelsea Art Museum, the DIYDS
Youth Media Festival, and the Urban Visionaries Youth Film Festival.
Pa'lante, Siempre Pa'lante!

Claudia Walters

Claudia Walters is in her 2nd semester of the Educational Theatre Program

at NYU. After graduation, she wishes to work in arts in education
programs in New York, London, and her home town of Chicago. She is
extremely excited to be a part of this winter session's Puerto Rico program
and to learn how this will enhance of knowledge of theatre practices.

25
 FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES
Philip Taylor, Ph.D.

Director and associate professor in educational theatre, New York University.

B.Ed. 1980, Rusden State College (Australia); MA 1988, Ph.D. 1992, New
York University; has been Director of the Program in Educational Theatre
since 2003. His research interests are in the fields of applied theatre and
process drama, qualitative research, reflective praxis and educational inquiry.
His book Applied Theatre: Creating Transformative Encounters in the
Community describes how theatre can empower individuals and communities
to effect change. Dr Taylor established the International Institute in Drama in
Education Research Institute (IDIERI) which has met in Australia, Canada,
England, Jamaica, and the United States. He was inaugural director of the first
centre in Australia dedicated to applied theatre research, Centre for Applied
Theatre Research, Griffith University, 1997-2001, and was foundation editor of
Applied Theate Researcher. His book Researching Drama and Arts Education:
Paradigms and Possibilities (Falmer) has been a standard text on research
design used by many graduate students worldwide. Dr Taylor has given
keynote addresses across the globe, most recently in Japan and China, and is a
frequent workshop presenter worldwide. At NYU he established a new
scholarly periodical, Arts Praxis, and is excited by his forthcoming book
Theatre behind Bars: can the arts rehabilitate?

Antonio Martorell

Puerto Rican printmaker, painter, draughtsman, illustrator and performance

artist of Spanish birth. He studied in Spain in 1961-2 under Julio Martin Caro
and with Lorenzo Homar at the graphic arts workshop of the Instituto de
Cultura Puertorrique?a (1962-5). He inherited a social and political
commitment from Puerto Rican artists working in the 1950s, but introduced wit
and irony to his satirical treatment of political themes in prints, posters and
illustrations. From the late 1960s, for instance, he produced portfolios of
woodcuts in which he combined texts and images as a way of commenting on
social and political events.

Dr. Fernando Pico

Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. Professor of History at the

University of Puerto Rico. Author of the most important textbook on
Puerto Rican History: Historia general de Puerto Rico (General History
of Puerto Rico). He dedicated himself to the study and documentation of
micro-history: cane workers, slavery, prisoners, town histories, etc. and
is also a writer of fiction. Dr. Pico has been Chaplain of several prisons
in Puerto Rico where he has been instrumental in developing a program
of university studies for inmates.

26
Deborah Hunt

Maskmaker, puppeteer and performance artist with over 30 years experience in

the creation and presentation of original theatre works. International touring as
performer and pedagogue (New Zealand, USA, England, Mexico, Central
America, Puerto Rico, British Windward Islands, Argentina, Denmark,
Norway, Belgrade, Venezuela, Cuba, Spain, Singapore, Australia, Italy).
Working bilingually since 1985. Born in New Zealand, residing in Puerto Rico
since 1990. Deborah Hunt is an expert in manipulation and creation of masks
with twenty-five years of experience working with puppet theatre. Deborah has
also studied ancient Greek and history, English, contortionism, capoeira,
classical ballet, contemporary dance, pantomime and fire works. She is co-
founder and artistic director of Toporojo, a theatre company which worked in
New Mexico from 1985 to 1988 and a member of the well-known research
theatre group Red Mole Enterprises in New Zealand from 1976 to 1984. She
has published La Maestria de Máscaras: Manual de la Fabricación de Máscaras,
Fabricando Títeres: Un Manual, Deborah Hunt: Mask Work 95/96 and
Windows/Vitrinas 97/98. Originally from New Zealand, Deborah moved to
Puerto Rico in 1990 where she lives now and works, also touring and teaching
abroad. Her productions receive the support of New Zealand Art Council, NEA
and Puerto Rico Cultural Institute.
Javier Cardona

Javier Cardona is a performing artist and educator originally from Puerto Rico,
who began his performing and arts and education career with Los Teatreros
Ambulantes de Cayey, directed by Rosa Luisa Márquez and the visual artist
Antonio Martorell. He has studied and worked with contemporary theater and
dance masters such as Peter Schumann, Bread and Puppet Theater; Osvaldo
Dragún, Escuela Internacional de Teatro de América Latina y el Caribe;
Augusto Boal, Theater of the Oppressed; Miguel Rubio, Yuyachkani; Viveca
Vázquez, Taller de Otra Cosa; Sally Silvers and Jennifer Monson,
Birdbrain.His own artistic work, which is primarily concerned with issues of
race, gender and identity, has been presented throughout the Caribbean, Latin
America, and the United States. Javier‘s performative artwork forms part of the
collection of the Hemispheric Institute Digital Video Library, based in New
York City. Experienced in the use of the arts as an aesthetic form and a
dialogical medium for human reflection and social action, Javier currently
works as the Arts & Education Director for Rehabilitation Through the Arts, a
non-governmental arts in education initiative inside New York State prisons. In
addition, he works in The New Victory Theater’s education department as a
teaching-artist. Javier holds a Masters in Educational Theater from New York
University.

Julian Boal

Julian Boal is a freelance workshop leader. He has led workshops, either alone
or as Augusto Boal's asssistant, in more than 25 countries. He is one of the
founding memebers of GTO-Paris, groups that works principally on the
oppressions dues to the relationship between bosses and workers. He is also the
author of Images of a Popular Theatre.

27
Dr. Lowell Fiet

Lowell Fiet (PhD Theatre, Wisconsin 1973) has taught at Michigan State
University (1973-76), the University of Oregon (1976-78), and at the
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras since 1978. Widely published in
the field of Caribbean theatre, drama, and performance, he is also the
founding editor of Sargasso (since 1983) and the author of El teatro
puertorriqueño reimaginado (2004) and Caballeros, vejigantes, locas y
viejos: Santiago Apóstol y los performeros afropuertorriqueños (2007).
He directed the experimental group Taller de Imágenes (1987-1995), the
Caribbean 2000 Research Center (1995-1999), writes theatre criticism
(since 1992) for the weekly newspaper Claridad, and leads the
independent theatre-in-education project másTaller (mas[k] Worshop).
He currently chairs the Interdisciplinary Studies Program in Humanities
and the ―Art, where and for whom?‖ institutional grant at UPR.

Maritza Pérez Otero

An educator and ―Teatrera” (Theater Person), Maritza has developed and

designed a tutoring system integrating the arts and education for middle and
high school students since 1980. Her theater work as an actress and script
writer begins in 1972 with Anamú, a theater of the streets group dedicated to
perform short plays in low income communities about topical themes of the
moment: the lack of rice, the rescue of lands, the migration problems, etc. From
1979 to 1985 she formed part of a dance-theater group called Pisotón as an
actress, singer, writer and later on as the director. In 1995 she create Proyecto
Talleres, a non-profit artistic and educational organization where she offer
courses in theater and studies techniques to young people at high schools,
housing projects, community centers and universities. Maritza had been also a
Public High School Spanish Teacher, an Academic Director of a Montessori
Middle School, the Creative Director of Badillo Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising
Agency, has designed the remedial Courses for High School Spanish, English
and Mathematics for the ―Summer for Excell‖ Program of the Departament of
Education and the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. She designed and
directed the theater project of the Proyecto de Comunicación de WIPR-TV (the
government public TV station) for marginated comunities in Puerto Rico,
called ―special communities‖, from 2003 to 2005. Maritza Pérez Otero has a
BA in High School Education from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
and Graduate Studies in Hispano American Literature (MA) from the National
Autonomous University of México (UNAM), México City.

28
Dr. Rosa Luisa Marquez

Born in Puerto Rico in 1947 Márquez has a Bachelor‘s Degree from the
University of Puerto Rico, an M.A. from New York University and Ph.D. from
Michigan State University. Doctor Márquez is a Full Professor of Theater and
Drama at the University of Puerto Rico where she teaches: Introduction to
Theatre, Theater Games, Socio-drama, Theatre History, Latin American and
Post-Brechtian Theatre and stages plays. Trained in street theater, founder of
Anamú Theater Collective, constant apprentice to Peter Schumann of the Bread
and Puppet Theater and Augusto Boal of the Theater of the Oppressed, of
Grupo Yuyachkani of Peru and Grupo Malayerba from Ecuador, she has
developed her own theatrical language in collaboration with Puerto Rican
graphic artist Antonio Martorell. They both conceived and directed the
Teatreros Ambulantes, a student theatre project that performed in communities,
schools and alternate spaces from 1986-1990. Her projects have traveled
extensively through North and South America and the Caribbean. Winner of
the Puerto Rican Drama Critics Circle Award for Theatrical Creativity, 1990
and Best Production Award for her staging of Jardín de pulpos, 1996, for the
University of Puerto Rico‘s Traveling Theatre Company and for her Caribbean
version of Waiting for Godot, 1997. Actress and director, dramatist, radio and
TV producer and announcer, she published her first book on her own
methodology: Brincos y saltos: el juego como disciplina teatral. (Leaps and
Bounds: Games as Theatrical Discipline). Artist in Residence at MIT's Music
and Theatre Department from 1992-1993, she established bridges between
diverse groups and theatres in the US and Latin America; since 1989 she has
been a Member of the Board of Directors of the International School of Theatre
of Latin America and the Caribbean headed by Argentinean playwright
Osvaldo Dragún.

Teatro Estudio Yerbabruja

An experimental theatre space created (literally) by actors in 1990 in the heart

of Rio Piedras. At the time it opened it was the only non-commercial
independent theatre venue in San Juan. It is the base for the theater company
Maskhunt and is also used by newly emerging independent companies for
classes, rehearsals and performances.

Grupo Iyawo

An emerging Puerto Rican musical group, committed to the exploration and

fusion of an array of musical genres, from ―nueva trova‖ to Afro-Caribbean
beats, blending diverse popular and folkloric rhythms with original lyrics.

29
 POLICIES

Student Conduct Status

Membership in a global campus community requires mutual respect, consideration, and concern
for the well being of others, as well as a significant degree of personal integrity and maturity.
Students who have been determined through a University student conduct process to have
engaged in behavior disruptive to the University community or antithetical to these qualities may
be precluded from participation in an NYU Steinhardt Study Abroad Program. Information
concerning student conduct actions is made available to NYU Steinhardt Study Abroad
Admissions and will be considered in reviewing a student's application, and determining a
student's continued eligibility, to participate in an NYU Steinhardt Study Abroad Program.

Students who have been placed on University disciplinary probation or on deferred suspension
from University housing are ineligible to participate in an NYU Steinhardt Study Abroad
Program during the period of their probation and/or deferred status. Students who have been
suspended, withdrawn or dismissed from the University, or who have been dismissed or
suspended from University housing, are ineligible to participate in an NYU Steinhardt study
abroad program. Should a student's admission to an NYU Steinhardt Study Abroad Program be
revoked as a result of disciplinary action or conduct violation, New York University will not be
responsible for refunding any expenses incurred in preparation for the intended semester abroad.

Visitors Policy
No family member, friend, or significant other may join the program or stay with the student in
the housing the university provides, unless she/he enrolls as a student in the program. There are
no exceptions. If a relative or friend wants to visit the country while the program is in operation,
then the visitor needs to arrange for her/his own daily activities and housing. A registered student
may choose to move out of the on-site housing for the brief period of the visit, but must clear this
with the faculty director before doing so. A relative or friend not attending the program may not
stay in the group accommodations. If relatives and friends chose to visit they are strongly
encouraged to do so before the academic program begins or after it is completed.

Health Policy
NYU Steinhardt's Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs is committed to the health
and safety of all our program participants. Participants must complete a medical history form
prior to departure. This information will be kept confidential and used only by Student Health
Center and Global Programs staff.

NYU Student Health Center staff will review health forms. We strongly encourage all students to
fully disclose their medical history so that we can prepare them properly for their experience, and
make necessary accommodations. In some cases, NYU Student Health Center staff will contact
students to discuss how a medical condition may affect the student's experience in a particular
program.

In addition, we recommend that students have a general physical done well in advance of
departure to identify and address any conditions that may impact your study abroad experience.
Physicals can be obtained free of charge or at minimal cost at the Student Health Center.
Students should make sure that all of their routine immunizations are up to date. In cases where
specific immunizations are required for travel, our office will alert participants. Study abroad

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participants are also encouraged to contact their health insurance provider to learn details about
international coverage.

If students who plan to attend a study abroad program require academic/housing

accommodations or special services because of a disability, they should contact the Moses
Center to request accommodations. Students must be registered with the Moses Center to request
accommodations, whether they are NYU students or students from another institution. The
Moses Center will work with a student and the NYU Steinhardt Office of Academic Initiatives
and Global Programs to arrange approved accommodations. Students with disabilities planning
to study abroad are urged to obtain information in advance regarding the specific programs and
facilities, so that adequate planning for reasonable accommodations can take place.

Staying in Non-NYU Housing Abroad

The Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs recommends that students stay in
university provided housing for a variety of important reasons. Safety and costs are taken into
account and students often find it to be both socially and academically rewarding to stay with
other students in the program. The Global Programs Office will make exceptions when a student
wishes to stay with immediate family members who live in the nearby area. If students wish to
stay with family, it is very required that they still participate in all program related activities,
some of which may occur in the evening, and students should ensure that they will have safe and
regular transportation to and from the group's hotel and classroom space.

A written request must be submitted to the Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs
(steinhardt.global@nyu.edu) as well as the academic program Director at least six weeks in
advance of the program start date. Students must also share emergency contact information
abroad, including their address and telephone number with the Office of Academic Initiatives
and Global Programs as well as the academic program Director

NYU Policy on Alcohol, Drug Use, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination

Alcohol and Drug Use

Please visit www.nyu.edu/public.safety/policies and download and read the Alcohol and Drug
Use Policy Statement. You are responsible for understanding this information. Please keep in
mind that being alert and being sober are keys to personal safety.

Sexual Harassment
Please visit www.nyu.edu/public.safety/policies and download and read the Sexual Assault and
Harassment Policy Statement. You are responsible for understanding this information.

Discrimination and Harassment

Please visit www.nyu.edu/public.safety/policies and download and read the Anti-Harassment
Policy Statement. You are responsible for understanding this information.

International Laws
Faculty, staff, and students should be aware that in addition to the university sanctions, all
program participants are subject to the local laws of the host country, which may specify fines or
imprisonment for conviction of offenses. When appropriate or necessary, NYU will cooperate
fully with international law enforcement agencies. Inform yourself on the laws of host country,
particularly in regards to controlled substances.

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Immediate Suspension
If in the opinion of the Program's Faculty Director, a student's behavior presents an imminent
threat to the student's physical or emotional health, safety, or well-being, or the health, safety, or
well-being of others, the maintenance of public order, or the effective continuation of the
educational process, the director may immediately suspend the student from the program prior to
any formal disciplinary proceeding. The director shall promptly advise the Dean of the school in
which the student is enrolled, and the designated representative from the Office of Academic
Initiatives and Global Programs. The student will be responsible for returning and for making
alternative housing arrangements on his/her own and at his/her own cost. The student will not be
able to take a grade of Incomplete in the course, nor will he/she receive any refund for the
course. Typically, the grade entered the transcript will be F.

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