Sunday 23 March 2014

Body and discourse

Here's another post to share http://www.goethe.de/kue/tut/tre/en9956955.htm

Dancing and thinking.....

Something to share for a Sunday morning. I came across this as a direct result of reading Mary's blog and it got me thinking again about my thoughts around the subject of the body in Module 2. Its intersting how even thought I am in the research process where research reflecting back and capturing ideas takes me. Also reflecting on Adesola's blog again about starting, starting again and so on I wonder where I am in the triad of three... Ideas for sunday which is making me think again and reflect.... http://www.goethe.de/kue/tut/tre/en8820849.htm

Sunday 16 March 2014

Workshop - working from the inside out

I recently attended a CPD workshop a few weeks ago, which looked at contemporary dance styles for teachers of GCSE/BTEC/ A Level, dance in the modern dance styles of Graham and Limon. I had a particular interest in attending because I teach Horton a modern dance style developed at the time of Martha Graham and Jose Limon. The different being that Horton was developed on the west cost of America and the others on the east coast in what was considered the modern dance mecca at the time in the 1930s 40s, and 50s. Alvin Ailey studied and danced in Lester Horton’s company and after Lester Horton died in 1953, Ailey took and developed his legacy in the form of a company and choreographic works, which include Ailey’s signature piece “Revelations”. Revelations contains both influences of Graham and Horton technique. The technique is codified and forms part of the technical and choreographic training of dancers at the Ailey school and company. Doing this course was relevant as it links to my inquiry about modern dance technique and young people in the 21st century. What was interesting was how the workshop facilitators talked about the movement principles of the techniques of Graham and Limon, which is not as dated as people might expect. A long time ago I was told that the Horton technique was considered out of date and old fashioned! This statement was in reference to a class I taught at a school and subsequent repertory that resulted. Whilst the comment was unhelpful the implication was that it wasn’t trendy enough and would not engage the school. There was agreement that these modern dance styles are very relevant and can be utilized in the teaching of technique through performance. Susan Sentler and Nina Atkinson who led the workshop both shared and worked on some choreography from the repertoires of both Graham and Limon and it was revelatory and also affirming how as with most dance styles the choreography dictated the style and substance of the techniques. It got me thinking about Horton’s early works which if you look at it in historical context was appropriate for the time and to some looks a little dated but in looking closely at the movement concepts it was very much up to date and adaptable for today’s dancer. I could see the relevance of the technique both in terms of its form and function. Also really interesting was the use of somatic practice incorporated into the study exploration and experience of a modern dance technique to support the understanding teaching and learning of a codified modern dance style. Both Nina and Susan adopt this approach and to very good effect. We went back to basics and worked from the inside out. I cam across a couple of clips of the restaging of one of Horton’s earlier pieces “The Beloved” (1948). The first I viewed as a performance reconstruction from a notated score and the other clip an embodied reconstruction from ex Horton dancer and company member Bella Lewitzky. Although choreographed by Horton she collaborated on this piece. Bella was his muse for the development of many of his choreographic works and also for the development of the technical form of Horton. What I loved when watching both pieces was the performance aspect and how as a teacher I could use sections of choreography as a study and focus on the movement principles in order to get my students to understand style and technique and develop different ways of learning and educating the body. Reflecting on the workshop made me realize how little relationship my students have with the past history of modern dance in order to understand where it came from and then inform the future. Not having this relationship or embodied knowledge sets up a big challenge for me teaching modern dance. However I felt inspired looking at it from purely a movement perspective which I hope with the right language encourage my students to compare, contrast and make links with movement in their own lives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZZ8RP8cTcs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sncN5sq0ONY

Saturday 15 March 2014

Some thoughts...

In Skype meeting with Helen some time ago it was a great opportunity as always to catch up and still stay connected to a community of learners. The meeting gave me the chance to reignite the belief I had in my research inquiry and at the same time become grounded in my ideas for some type of theory and preferred methodology as a tool develop themes as they evolve. At the heart of this process I am at the centre and the approach I am taking is an ethnographic stance. In “Ethnography in the performing arts – a student guide” – (Dr Simone Krüger 2008) I have found an apt description, which encapsulates the type of methodology I am undertaking. Definition: Ethnographic research qualitative research is located within the interpretive paradigm that generates knowledge from people’s shared understandings and negotiation within a historical and social context. The researcher is involved and subjective, that is, informed by his/her personal experience in interaction with the people studied. The goal of the interpretive paradigm is the comparison of results to similar or dissimilar processes and phenomena; and the development of workable and shared understandings regarding regularities in human behaviour in specific settings. I was reminded when embarking on this process to review my module two work and reflect on the questions which begun this process. My question for the research from module 2 started as a hunch. By following my hunch and designing the question It’s interesting to see now where this hunch is taken me and what the many possibilities or implications are. From an ethnographic stance I am finding that as I dig deep I am not really finding answers se but essences or more questions. As I am discovering then ask a further question, what is written about all of this from the critical review perspective. Its almost as if I am on an archeological dig so deep that I need a theory to back me up so that I can use the theory to climb out of my dig and get some air! I am also finding that as I uncover yet more layers. Also despite the subjective nature of the research the thing I have begun to struggle with is separating my opinions from what I have found and interpreting what I see or experience. I suppose this will be the case for most undergoing a piece of academic research but I am reminded how important it is to interpret what is found and discovered and back it up with critical theory. I really do believe that whatever the outcome of the research and more importantly the process it is not the end. In ethnography the time it takes to gather data and to do the field work is quite long to get a sample of ideas and findings. However for me I only have this term so I consider this the appetizer! I may see this experience as the beginning of something more longer term. As a novice researcher from an ethnographic stance I’ll still be learning as a life long student. In my teaching mode I find that I am involved in the whole process of learning not only for the students I work with but for myself also and in this case find it incredibly difficult to step out of my scenario and look objectively. I was and am a part of the research. I am reminded by Dr Simone Krüger that in ethnographic research the purpose of this method is to “seek to answer questions without reference to trying to solve any problems” Hopal In Skype meeting with Helen some time ago it was a great opportunity as always to catch up and still stay connected to a community of learners. The meeting gave me the chance to reignite the belief I had in my research inquiry and at the same time become grounded in my ideas for some type of theory and preferred methodology as a tool develop themes as they evolve. At the heart of this process I am at the centre and the approach I am taking is an ethnographic stance. In “Ethnography in the performing arts – a student guide” – (Dr Simone Krüger 2008) I have found an apt description, which encapsulates the type of methodology I am undertaking. Definition: Ethnographic research qualitative research is located within the interpretive paradigm that generates knowledge from people’s shared understandings and negotiation within a historical and social context. The researcher is involved and subjective, that is, informed by his/her personal experience in interaction with the people studied. The goal of the interpretive paradigm is the comparison of results to similar or dissimilar processes and phenomena; and the development of workable and shared understandings regarding regularities in human behaviour in specific settings. I was reminded when embarking on this process to review my module two work and reflect on the questions which begun this process. My question for the research from module 2 started as a hunch. By following my hunch and designing the question It’s interesting to see now where this hunch is taken me and what the many possibilities or implications are. From an ethnographic stance I am finding that as I dig deep I am not really finding answers se but essences or more questions. As I am discovering then ask a further question, what is written about all of this from the critical review perspective. Its almost as if I am on an archeological dig so deep that I need a theory to back me up so that I can use the theory to climb out of my dig and get some air! I am also finding that as I uncover yet more layers. Also despite the subjective nature of the research the thing I have begun to struggle with is separating my opinions from what I have found and interpreting what I see or experience. I suppose this will be the case for most undergoing a piece of academic research but I am reminded how important it is to interpret what is found and discovered and back it up with critical theory. I really do believe that whatever the outcome of the research and more importantly the process it is not the end. In ethnography the time it takes to gather data and to do the field work is quite long to get a sample of ideas and findings. However for me I only have this term so I consider this the appetizer! I may see this experience as the beginning of something more longer term. As a novice researcher from an ethnographic stance I’ll still be learning as a life long student. In my teaching mode I find that I am involved in the whole process of learning not only for the students I work with but for myself also and in this case find it incredibly difficult to step out of my scenario and look objectively. I was and am a part of the research. I am reminded by Dr Simone Krüger that in ethnographic research the purpose of this method is to “seek to answer questions without reference to trying to solve any problems” Hopal