Skype 26/02/20 - Communication

I'm finding keeping up with the Blogs so much harder this unit. This unit is a real time consuming monster! I've been around in circles so many times but still seem so far away from where I feel I need to be.



There were many discussions in this Skype but the overriding points I found for me were:

-Why/How does this relate to me? How will this help my practice? 
-Communication


I'm working on two ideas at the moment as I am still struggling to settle

1. Female stereotypes- possibly within Shakespeare
2. The choreography process

I have made some small progress with a literature review..finally. But the problem is moving forward the question does need defining in order to know how to conduct the research.... I'm struggling to narrow ideas down because I have very little communication within our BAPP group and even just talking ideas through can be really helpful. This was also the overriding feature of the Student Voice discussion. That little community between us currently exists.

Following the Skype a number of us stayed on to continue talks further and whilst a lot of this was just confessing that no-one knows, there was the start of a sense of community. Moving forward from this I think once we've all admitted were stuck, if we can try to help each other out to move forward, there could and should be benefits for all. I know I am going to make much more of an effort now to engage with you all... Beware !

A side note- there is now a closed facebook group "BA PP Community facebook"
Please, If your a member of the course feel free to add yourself to this group (I've added everyone I already know which is so few). The page will hopefully help to create a more instant community less formal structure. (This does NOT replace the need for Blogging)

Skype 05/02/20.... My Inquiry and... The BAFTAS?

I attended both Skype sessions on the 5th and in terms of answers I feel not much further along. I feel like I get this unit so much more than module one however i'm equally as stuck in a different way. I can't say I didn't gain anything from the skypes: The two most beneficial points were

1. The inquiry 'question' becomes clearest at the end.
2. Discuss with other people


As well as a performer i'm a qualified gym instructor who also attends lots of gym classes as regular training- keeping match fit as they might say- and as someone who just really enjoys exercise I think my inquiry should be based around this somehow. I've had a look and there's a fair amount of literature on 'dance fitness' and is dance class enough physically to get you to 'match fit' as I put it earlier. But the problem i'm having is that most of the literature makes the same points,of which I generally agree.So in terms of developing a question any further i'm struggling. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Ultimately I think that everyone should develop a program that is specific to them, their physique, their weaknesses, their time schedule and their enjoyment, but this requires so much knowledge that you don't necessarily have access to as someone at the 'start' of their career, and it is much easier to develop as you learn. Maybe there's something about being taught anatomy and an almost scientific approach to dance that is missing within training. But is it missing because its just a huge topic.

The skype chat was a really good way to reflect on Module one and how to approach it and trying to respond to the new Module one starters really made you think back... But I don't know if we were really much help in our advice because I think the overriding message was, 'None of us had a clue either but somehow you get through it' haha. I also felt reluctant giving advice on where to start or how to approach a module when we've not received our grades yet which ultimately means we don't know whether what we did was 'right' any more than them as yet... well I certainly still feel unsure.

In the chat Shaunna said she wanted to look at diversity for her inquiry and that was a topic I really considered and have collated so many thoughts on. I think it's so relevant in modern society but a real danger for being socially judged. People can make such quick and sweeping decisions, just from looking at you, it scares me to write anything about it down.

It upsets me because I feel so passionately about the diversity subjects and I think I could offer different perspectives but fear the judgement that may come with it, for example the big fuss at the moment at both the Oscars and the BAFTAS was there were no female directors up for best director and this is 'non-diverse'... but it's easy to sit there and say, thats not diverse....The question should actually be...'Were there actually any films out this year of the same caliber directed by a female?' (Definitely something to look into) but you can't point a finger without first having that knowledge. And there absolutely might have been, I don't actually know however I have seen comments batted around on social media and in conversation from people who also couldn't answer that question... Is that fair? It's almost a case of innocent until proven guilty, apart from general consensus on it is guilty until proven innocent? I'm definitely interested to see what the BAFTA inquiry into diversity concludes to.  There may be a shortage of female directors, which definitely needs addressing but it isn't something that is going to be changed over night, it will take time....And then on top of it all is the fact that every award is made on opinion, Its not like there's a finish line and the first one to cross wins, because performance is all open to interpretation anyway, so does winning actually mean anything? That's a whole other can of worms and I've already fallen into my usual trap of writing too much.

Also another point, I did feel I could write this without too much hate because I am female but If a male had said the same, I fear they would have been judged differently, and this applies to all sorts of diversity topics like race, sexual preference, self identification etc. (maybe not maybe that's my own sweeping judgement) but that's the point I was trying to make in saying people can make quick and sweeping judgments.

Anyway On other note- I am one of the student voice reps for this year along with Sophie and Stella so if you have anything you want raised in terms of the course, good or bad, please get in tough with one of us! It will all be relayed anonymously.

And if you have any comments on the direction I should take my inquiry or if you just want to add to the wheel of conversation I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks

Starting Module Two

It's been a long time since I've blogged. Did anyone else find that they simply didn't have time to complete the assessment criteria and blog at the same time!? I would just get too absorbed in my blogs and then all of a sudden the day is over. I do think a massive part of this is due to not knowing what direction I was going in so using the blogs to feel like I was making some form of progression.

Anyway... Somehow through a maze of not knowing what an earth I was doing, I managed to hand something in for Module 1 and have provisionally passed. Feels like a massive achievement in itself although i'm still dreading the actual grade.

Module 2-

1) Keep Blogs Shorter
2) Interact more
3) Don't procrastinate

These are my three starting targets.

Having read the handbook multiple times already I have to say I feel I understand the concept of this module much better. YAY! ..However actually doing it and correct seems as daunting and 'new' as Module One all over again... Que 3 months of stress, tears, not enough time and  endless research.... But achievement, hopefully, at the end... If you hadn't already realised, I am a bit of a pessimist!

I am concerned that I haven't yet chosen my inquiry topic and time waits for no-one, but I have begun reading some of the suggested books from the reading list... and some are proving really helpful in breaking the module down into much smaller chunks and explaining the process of creating an inquiry.


I have a couple of ideas batting around but I'm concerned that I can see how a couple of topics could potentially cause offense. Is this a reason not to choose that one? For example research on race within castings. Inspired by watching the BAFTAs and the controversy about diversity.

Also I'm not entirely sure- My first go to when reading the handbook was 'What will help me improve my practice' and i simply thought if I could nail pirouettes and leaps consistently in dance auditions I would get further.... but this seems far to basic to be an inquiry topic, but I know i'm right in saying this is an area that I need to improve on?

What subjects are others of you looking into. There's a lot of teachers on the course so I imagine there will be some interesting thoughts on the way teaching is used/approached?