The Department of Design, Art and Performance has six disciplines under its umbrella: Music, Theatre and Performance Studies, Dance, Sculpture, Visual Art and Design. ~75 courses are offered to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Almost all the courses are in a Lecture Demonstration format. The curriculum is anchored in Indian schools of thought and are contemporary, global and relevant to the 21st century.
DESIGN
History of design generally lends itself to the evolution of industrial design. One might also think of graphic design, product design or fashion design. The discipline is traditionally seen as creating anything new that is tangible. However, you can also look into the history of designing the intangible — a customer experience, a technique, a service or network. The Design Minor structure touches upon all these aspects from materials which could render insights to product design, to basics of graphic design, the tech indulgence with mechatronics and customer experience with human centric design and design thinking. It also includes the business aspect through the course Business and Service Design. FLAME University’s Design Minor is an umbrella covering all these attributes enabling students to select the direction of their choice. It is a perfect blend of aesthetic and analytical sensibilities.
THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES
Focusing on the students' artistic development specific to their own contexts with grounding in liberal education, Theatre and Performance Studies program enable students to develop a deeper understanding in their area of interest in Theatre and Performance Studies like writing, acting, direction, stage-design or performance studies. Through the progression from basic to advance level of learning; this course work provides students the required infrastructure-support to train them in varied aspects of practice and theory. Students will be benefitted from the opportunities to create and disseminate performances through workshops, residencies and performing arts festivals. Also, they will be encouraged to attend seminars, interact with performing artists, and researchers in order to develop their skills in appreciating and analysing performing arts. This program gives students more time in both the rehearsal room and the classroom. Thus students gain increased practical skills alongside broader base for understanding performance and its place in society. This flagship program would be the first of its kind in India in Theater and Performance Studies, reflecting local, national, and global theater practice and research in the curriculum.
DANCE
“Dance is a form of unsullied joy and entertainment”. – Noble laureate Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
Keeping this in mind, FLAME is committed to the education of cultural leaders who will engage and inspire individuals and society through scholarship and critical thinking through Fine and Performing Arts. Dance education at FLAME challenges the existing practices of training in India in order to offer meaningful and relevant education to aspiring students at the undergraduate level. The program is anchored in the philosophy of liberal education with an inter-disciplinary approach thereby pushing the boundaries of artistic practices.
With a focus on traditional and contemporary dance practices, the dance program provides technical training and strong base for creative work. Practical training with theoretical understanding allows students to develop analytical approach and critical insights into dance practices. Students are enabled to develop a deeper understanding in their areas of interest like technique, performance, choreography and others through experimental and experiential approach in pedagogy.
Through the progression from basic to advance level of learning; this program provides students the required infrastructure-support to train them in varies aspects of practice and theory. Students are encouraged to attend seminars, interact with performing artists and researchers in order to develop their skills in appreciating and analyzing performing arts. Hence, the holistic dance education at FLAME nurtures young inquisitive minds with understanding and appreciation regarding the regional, national and global artistic practices.
SCULPTURE
Initiating Students of Liberal education into creativity, the courses teaching sculpture emphasize on the importance of self-expression dealing with a form, concept and the process. The student works through the process of making art, learning material techniques, and skills, with the understanding of design elements to create a unique form. The form is the process of critical thinking. The three courses, introduction to sculpture, material and processes and expressions in 3 D progress successively towards give hands-on experience of the journey of creativity’.
The course guides each student individually in learning their own strengths and skill to express effectively.
VISUAL ART
The discipline demonstrates the practical use of pencils, color pencils, crayons, poster colors as well as water colors. Simple landscapes with water color as a paint medium whereas 2D paintings with textures for all the other paint medium. This being the practical frame-work, the theory covers an overview of European as well as Indian cave paintings. Cave paintings from Altamira and Lascaux from Spain and France respectively and Ajanta paintings from India; early and high Renaissance paintings in Europe, Razmanama and Raagamala paintings in India.; their characteristics and contributions to the field of visual art. As well as 7 Indian folk art paintings.
This also explores acrylic as a medium of painting. Students are encouraged to observe and study various ‘isms’ of European Art and the ‘schools of art’ in India. Subsequently, based on their understanding, try and create a style of their own. Simultaneously, observe and study the works of various artists who have contributed to visual art and have carved a niche for themselves with their themes and techniques.
MUSIC
FLAME University’s music program has very specific objectives, all of which are toward making FLAME a university of excellence in the teaching and promotion of music, through an interdisciplinary approach. We do this in an environment of trust and faith in order to encourage and nurture individual artistic expression. We aim to encourage innovation and opportunities that challenge the existing norms of teaching music in India.
We strive to encourage and facilitate innovation and learning in music. We aim to do this by providing education, disseminating knowledge and promoting appreciation, through a unique pedagogy and interaction with the arts of other countries and collaborations with arts institutions the world over. Education in music is one of the most creative ways we have to hone the students’ enthusiasm for life and spark their creativity and imaginations.
Grounded in the philosophy of liberal education, inter-disciplinary and applied learning, FLAME University offers a minor in music at the undergraduate level. Through the process of experiential learning, students are enabled to develop sufficient level of understanding in their area(s) of interest in artistic practices. Besides classroom work, our students are benefited from opportunities to attend workshops, seminars, festivals and residencies. Focusing on practice as well as theory in music, our students are provided space and resources to hone individual artistic skills and develop critical thinking.