Iran – Infrastructure, historical and current developments in performative pedagogy

Abstract

Theatre and other forms of art have played an unarguable part in the formation of cultures and civilizations all around the world. There is some proof that performance began even before language was invented by man. In their rituals and traditions, our earliest ancestors used their body to convey messages and performed rituals on different occasions. The history of our culture and civilization is replete with various forms of art and performance narrating the stories of generations. From mothers’ bedtime stories to religious ceremonies, for a wide range of purposes, art in general and performance-based art in particular gave shape and meaning to human’s everyday life experiences. This article will present an overview of the history of performative arts in Iran, how it has come to contribute to foreign language teaching, and outline its limitations and future projections. Performative arts have a rather long history in Iran. In one of the most authoritative books on Iranian Performance Tradition, William O’Beeman (2011) presents the rich “tapestry” of Iranian traditional performance which took root many centuries ago, before Iran came into contact with the West. He believes that those who are not familiar with Iranian culture may be truly surprised to discover ...