Since the outbreak of the epidemic a year and a half ago, hundreds (if not thousands) of things have happened, undoubtedly a lot of bad things; However, such an extreme global situation has also forced us to get the best of us, resulting in good and great ideas.
One of these great ideas has recently come to fruition. It is POPA (Platform for Performing Arts), the world’s first international performing arts knowledge platform.
Born in Argentina, under the supervision of Eloísa Cantón and Bruno Pedemonti, POPA “arrives” in Mexico, with the support of Best Theater and Morris Gilbert. And I say “up” like this in quotation marks, because by its nature “site” is nowhere paradoxically and at the same time everywhere.
POPA is a training, meeting, and reference place for the performing arts community. They serve – in the words of their creators – “to connect, learn and engage in conversations that improve our profession and our knowledge. To stay active, no matter where in the world we are, and to train with great professionals, without limits.”
This platform is the virtual equivalent of a graduate center in some of the great theatrical capitals of the world (New York, London…) because it includes courses taught by some of the most famous creators of performing arts in the whole world, available with a simple click of the computer.
These are master’s courses in which some of the world’s leading performing arts figures share their knowledge, experience, and inspiration. They are unpublished courses containing unique materials, such as plans, images, models, animations and videos exclusive to national and international productions.
Courses are taught by active theater artists from ten countries (Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, United States, Mexico, United Kingdom and Switzerland).
For easy access, all activities are available On demand (The user can refer to them at any time), and simultaneous meetings between trainer and participants are included, to exchange ideas, resolve doubts and promote projects.
Considering the type of audience that will be reached, the courses are available in three languages: Spanish, Portuguese and English.
Some typical buttons for the main courses, already available at POPA, are: Stage Management: From Theater to the Olympics, taught jointly by Sam Hunter & Julia Whittle, who was responsible as production stage manager and Olympic-related presentations The opening and closing ceremonies in London, Vancouver and Beijing Turin and Athens.
Tools to be a Technical Supervisor, taught by Nils Luno, who has been a technical producer for The Walt Disney Company on music shows around the world and has been responsible for world tour companies such as Holiday On Ice and Blue Man Group.
Management Lab, led by Nick Evans, Associate Director of Billy Elliot In London, co-director of rock of ages and tour Jesus Christ is a star from the UK and Australia, before being taken out in Mexico. Was responsible as resident director of the international tour of Hey Mom!
A contemporary circus innovation, taught by Charlotte Mooney, founder and co-artistic director of Ockham’s Razor, one of the most important circus companies on the contemporary scene, winner of the Total Theater and Jackson’s Lane Award for Best Circus.
Like these, dozens of courses of the same high level are available in POPA, which can be accessed through www.popa.global
Hugo Hernandez
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