Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - CA 350 D100

Performance as Research I (3)

Class Number: 4286

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Tue, Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    GOLDCORP

  • Prerequisites:

    CA 252 and declared status in the theatre and performance major or honours, or by prior approval.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The first of two courses dedicated to the development of a new work of performance led by a faculty member or visiting artist. Introduces themes and concepts, develops process and materials for a presentation in the subsequent term. Integrates the techniques acquired in context and studio courses. May repeat once for credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

CA 350: Performance as Research I – Monster

What makes a monster? Where do our personal beasties lurk? How do historical and contemporary manifestations of the "monstrous" intersect with our lives?

CA 350 invites students from across the school to embark on a bold creative journey, developing an evening-length performance from the ground up. Under the direction of assistant professor and performance maker James Long, this course transforms the studio into a laboratory for investigating monstrosity in all its forms—from folklore and myth to the creatures we encounter in modern media, politics, and within ourselves.

Through rigorous inquiry and playful experimentation, students will generate original performance vocabularies that challenge, provoke, and reimagine what it means to be monstrous. Working collaboratively, the class will engage in improvisational practice, research presentations, and devising exercises that blur boundaries between the beautiful and the grotesque, the familiar and the uncanny. We will learn how to make together. 

The materials and choreographic seeds developed in CA 350 will culminate in a full-length live performance in Fall 2026 as part of CA 450, offering students the opportunity to see their collaborative creative research realized on stage.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Collaborative Practice and Ensemble Building: Students will develop skills in collaborative creation, learning to contribute meaningfully to group processes and navigate the interpersonal dynamics of ensemble-based performance making.

Creative Construction and Devising Methodology: Students will generate original performance material through structured improvisation and devising techniques, building  personal and group vocabularies rooted in the concept of the monstrous.

Research as Creative Practice: Students will investigate historical, cultural, and contemporary manifestations of monstrosity and translate this research into embodied performance material.

Structural and Compositional Thinking: Students will apply principles of performance structure to shape raw creative material into coherent dramaturgical frameworks.

Critical Reflection and Artistic Risk-Taking: Students will cultivate a reflective practice that embraces experimentation and failure as essential components of creative research.

Grading

  • Attendance and General Participation 20%
  • Four Short Research and Performance Projects at 15% each 60%
  • Final Performance Presentation 20%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All readings will be provided by instructor and fellow students. 

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.