Application deadline: January 5
Pratt Institute
Office of Admissions
200 Willoughby Ave
Brooklyn, New York 11205
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Pratt Institute’s MFA in Performance and Performance Studies is directed by poet, performer and scholar Dr. Tracie Morris, with renowned avant-garde artist Jennifer Miller spearheading the performance practice aspect of the program.
MFA in Performance and Performance Studies
Performance Studies explores the concept of performance, also known as “performativity.” Unlike its manifestations, such as performance art, the performance of the self in everyday life, and performance in commercial environments, performance studies explores the idea of performance in a “big picture” way through its specific applications in artistic and non-artistic fields.
The MFA in Performance and Performance Studies provides students with an in-depth knowledge of the essential aspects shared by a diverse range of performance practices that have, until recently, mostly been studied separately. These include traditional forms such as ritual and drama, hybrid forms and performance art in multiple media, and performance as a vital dimension of social practice in everyday life and work.
Pratt’s new MFA program emphasizes performance practice in multiple relationships with performance theory, while offering students a preferred credential, the terminal MFA. The MFA will open career doors and paths for new practitioners and thinkers in ways that the typical MA in Performance Studies cannot. This MFA is also well-suited for working practitioners who would prefer not to pursue a doctorate at this time. The program will enroll students who are new to the field of performance and theory as well as established artists who have been searching for an accredited institutional program that understands the needs of professionals in the field. This combination of artists promises to bring fresh energy and deep knowledge of the field together for an enriching experience. Artists and others interested in developing expertise in the field of performance increasingly require a terminal degree to teach and/or reignite, refine, and expand their skill sets.
The program includes an emphasis on community-engaged performance practice and theory, both deepening and expanding the kinds of performance opportunities students will be able to explore, and taking advantage of the vibrant and diverse communities and performance landscapes of Brooklyn and New York City.
Curriculum: view the classes
Faculty highlights
Tracie Morris is a poet who has worked extensively as a page-based writer, sound poet, critic, scholar, bandleader, actor and multimedia performer. Her sound installations have been presented at the Whitney Biennial, MoMA, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ronald Feldman Gallery, and The Silent Barn, among others. She leads her own eponymous band and is a lead singer for Elliott Sharp’s group, Terraplane. She has an MFA in Poetry from Hunter College and a PhD in Performance Studies from New York University.
Jennifer Miller is a playwright, performer and the director and founder of Circus Amok. She has been working with alternative circus forms, theater, and dance, and for over 20 years. She is the recipient of the 2008 Ethyl Eichelberger Award. Her work with Circus Amok was awarded a “Bessie” (a New York Dance and Performance Award) in 1995 and an OBIE in 2000.
An Ideal campus location
A 25-acre beautifully landscaped campus, located in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn, the art capital of New York, makes Pratt an ideal choice for graduate study. Pratt’s campus was ranked among the top ten in the country by Architectural Digest for the best architecture.
Apply now! View admissions requirements
Scholarships: Graduate scholarships are available to incoming domestic and international students based on merit and are awarded upon acceptance.
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Pratt Institute is ranked among the top schools by BusinessWeek and fifth in the world out of 50 art and design colleges by QS World University Rankings by Subject. Top ranked programs, a distinguished faculty of professional writers, historians, critics, artists and designers, and an ideally located campus in Brooklyn make Pratt and excellent choice for graduate study.
