Discover Chinse Culture Through Creative Drama | ICCI Summer School

Introduction to the program

This 3-credit accredited summer school program aims to cultivate participants’ aesthetic taste and knowledge of classical Chinese art and inspire their creativity through an initiative project. The project-oriented courses are a mixture of theoretical classes, hands-on workshops, on-site visits, and are run by professors and experts from universities and the cultural and creative industry.

The program is designed to introduce participants to the best Chinese cultural practices by providing a precious opportunity for participants to perform Chinese creative drama, and to develop the network of cultural and creative industry contacts in China.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

1. Explore creative drama, and their own inspiration, using Chinese storytelling, music, dance, theater, and some elements of classical Chinese culture.
2. Develop the new perspectives on values, life, and the world offered by several courses on progressive Chinese culture.
3. Acquire a deep, useful familiarity with Chinese culture and drama by participating in hands-on workshops and rich experimental activities.
4. Receive meaningful feedbacks from renown academics and professionals on a goal-driven dramatic performance.

About ICCI- Shanghai Jiao Tong University

USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) is jointly established by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and University of Southern California (USC). Founded in 2015, ICCI is the outcome of the strong partnership between USC and SJTU that was forged more than a decade ago. ICCI serves as a significant part of the global strategy of SJTU as well as a pilot of higher education reform and innovation. Taking creation, innovation, and entrepreneurship as its core, ICCI is designed to foster interdisciplinary future industry leaders with creative spirit and thoughts that meet the needs of market and industry.

Instructors

• Professor Zhou Bin ( Academic Director) – professor and doctoral advisor of USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry, and director at the Institute of International Communication of Chinese Calligraphy Culture.
• Ms. Lu Wanjun (Drama Director) – The Art director of “First Drama” drama studio; the executive producer of Chinese version of world classic musical “Mamma Mia” and “Cats”; the professor of MBA course in French Academy of Art and Culture Management; the tutor of Educational drama of the Beijing Normal University Gaocanxiao project.
• Godwin Kwame Tamakloe – bachelor’s degree in the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon and master’s degree in the Directing Department, the Central Academy of Drama. He is currently a full-time drama teacher at Beijing New Talent Academy.
• Professor  Mu Yilin (Art Director) – a member of the Chinese Art Association, is the representative inheritor of intangible Cultural heritage like traditional Chinese painting ( Bo Painting), as well as the executive director of the Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Association.
• Professor Su Jincheng – the member of the China National Academy of Sculpture, China Literature and Art Critics Association and the Shanghai Artist Association. He is a master of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, as well as a postgraduate supervisor at the College of Fine Arts at the Shanghai University.
• Associate Professor Li Yan – national second-grade actress. She is also an opera figure teacher (opera figure is a fundamental course containing over 300 different types of traditional Chinese opera. It optimizes an actor’s coordination and beauty with the rhythm.) for the Shanghai Theater Academy’s Traditional (Chinese) Opera School.
• Dr. Amarantidou Dimitra – Ph.D. in Chinese philosophy from the East China Normal University. 

Curriculum

Chinese Culture

The culture class takes the classroom teaching and the practice as the main form, supplemented by the art lecture. This module enables students to have a glimpse of the Chinese culture.

1. An introduction to Chinese Philosophy
2. The Aesthetic Attributes in Ancient Chinese Wash Painting
3. The theme of Harmony embodied in Chinese Calligraphy
4. Chinese Opera Figure

Culture Experiencing

By participating various types of cultural and artistic activities, the module helps students to understand thoroughly the Chinese culture. For instance, “woodblock watermark” activity is renowned as the National intangible cultural heritage.

5. Visit silk-silk town
6. Visit Oriental Musical Instrument Museum
7. Experience “woodblock watermark” activity

Creative Drama

Creative drama is an improvisational, non-exhibitional, process-oriented form of drama. Participants develop their skills and knowledge from classic Chinese stories, poems, biographies, legends and world theatre with the coach of supervisors.

8. New Aesthetic interpretation of Shakespeare’s drama
9. Creative Drama Workshop
10. Rehearsal

Course Timetable

Entry Requirements

• Students: overseas, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan undergraduate or postgraduate students.
• Students from non-English speaking countries should provide an English language proficiency certificate. (Either an IELTS no less than 6.0, TOEFL no less than 79 points or TOEIC no less than 800 points. If you are studying a full English taught program, please provide the relevant certificates.)
• Credit: 3 Credits

Required Documents:

1. Scanned copy of student’s passport or id card.
2. ID photo (similar to the passport photo)
3. The resume
4. Motivation letter
5. Language proficiency certificate

Fees:

• Application fee: RMB 400(USD 60)
• Tuition fee: RMB 7500(USD 1130)

Payment deadline: May 29, 2018

The students would be available to choose dormitories based on Xuhui Campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The fee ranges 90-160 RMB /per day.

Accommodation

There are a number of accommodation options for students. For full information see the accommodation page here.

About the Application Process

To apply complete the application form and pay the application fee here. Applications take 4-6 weeks before a decision is given, and students are accepted on a rolling basis. After you have been accepted you will receive your official acceptance letter visa application form. If you have any questions contact us.