Finished!

Finally, after all these months I have finished my final module! It has been much more time consuming than anticipated but it is done now and I eagerly await the results! My two folders have gone off with the postman and I pray they make it on time, but with Royal Mail you never know!

The final printout of my work was hard to commit to because I know in the back of my mind I can always improve something or there will be a mistake somewhere in my text, but it had to be sent off so I just have to cross my fingers and hope I did my best.

Now for the slideshow............then I can truly say I have done it all!

Critical Reflection of Learning Across BAPP Course

Critical Reflection of Learning Across BAPP Course

Research is a process undertaken to find/provide knowledge of a subject and answer to a question, Spencer, A (2010). I discovered what this truly meant whilst conducting this project and throughout my degree course. The course has introduced me to the world of research, writing styles, practice and planning and helped me create some extremely helpful business tools.

The first module helped me to enhance my business by creating C.V’s, advertisements and making me question everything I did. I found this module extremely helpful in letting me discover areas of which I was passionate. Therefore when I came to the second module I already had a number of ideas about what to construct my research project on. The discovery of Kolb’s learning cycle, allowed me to keep my work on track and help me realise what my next step was to be. I helped myself by choosing a research area I am passionate about, because if I was not I feel my dislike for the written side of the project would have over-shadowed the want to research and I would not have given the findings the presentation deserved.

The planning and final modules have improved my knowledge of the dance education models. I used to teach the way I had been taught, taking techniques from a number of teachers and moulding them together to create my own style. I now know it is important to diversify knowledge as much as possible for younger students so they can learn other areas of the arts they like and understand dance is more than a regimented syllabus. I have been introduced to more ways of teaching dance and drama in order to develop more skills, such as the professional model (Autard-Smith,J 1994). By deciding upon research methods and finding dance is naturally a qualitative subject my ideas about dance examinations have been questioned. Before my enquiries about how best to conduct dance research I viewed dance competitions and examinations necessary as a way of proving skills. However I now feel they go against the natural production of a dance and can be unnecessarily degrading due to personal preference. The trinity national diploma does not use a number scale in order to grade its partakers; this is beneficial because it allows movement for individual creativity and style. I discovered that people have been theorising for centuries, such as Aristotle, about the importance of drama in dance in order for it to be successful. However found little research about how studying drama can improve a dancer. I find this strange considering how much ‘perform’ was shouted at me throughout my training. I hope my study will encourage dancers and teachers to include drama in their dance curricula.

The support I received from my tutor has allowed me finish this project and she has encouraged me to always aim a little higher. Without the support network that the blogs and my tutor provided I would have felt overwhelmed and probably given up, but being able to look on a blog and see others are struggling with the same thing, or being able to post a question allowed me to always find a reason to continue. I entered this project wanting a degree for the future, but I discovered things about myself; including passions, learning type and a better way to conduct my career.

Agony and Ecstacy

I watched this programme and I felt it linked so well with what my study wanted to show and how I am feeling about my injury! Just wanted to share this series about the English National Ballet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/z8tp8/- link to episode 1 (which I have quoted in my project)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/zj0vc/ - this is the link to episode 2

I hope you enjoy!

Summary of Findings

The research project I conducted was named A study of the relationship between dancing and acting, with focus on how practical acting study affects dancers aesthetic presentation and career. I am pleased to report that the connection between the two arts was found in regards to how acting lessons can improve a dancer.

The results clearly show that a dancer who studies acting is not only given a bigger range of career opportunities and a well-rounded training to encompass a give a dance the ability to give a full performance beyond technique; but they are better equipped to deal with emotions. The dancing world needs people who are well developed emotionally in order for them to know how to express choreographic stories, deal with the pressures of intense training and critique, and be able to adapt to their lifestyle if/when they cannot dance. If a dancer does not learn to express themselves several negative things can develop within their being, such as, depression or an eating disorder.

Vocational dance schools are including drama lessons as a larger part of the curriculum however I feel they need to explain the reasons for this so they understand how it can help their dancing, meaning the commitment and effort in the drama lessons will be improved and lessons will not be passed up on so pupils can spend more time developing their dance technique.

The results of the research show that studying drama has an extremely positive effect on the aesthetic presentation of a dancer, but more importantly on the emotional development of a person. Thus meaning they are able to see themselves as more than a dancer but as a person capable of achieving anything they want to.

Positives:

· Gain better emotional development equalling in less chance of depression or eating disorder

· Learn to express and act so can give expressive performance with face and body not just create choreographic shapes.

· Allows dancers to take a break from constant strife for perfection and build their confidence, meaning dancers can come back to the rehearsal room rejuvenated.

· Learn breathing techniques which help stamina and movements

· Release tensions

· Allows dancer to become a double threat meaning they have more job opportunities.

Negatives:

· Takes up more time – extracting time from rehearsals or free time.

Recommendations:

· Vocational dance training to incorporate/include dance lessons and explain to pupils reasoning behind it.

· Dance teachers to play drama games and get pupils to think of characterisation in order to develop a rounded performance/dancer.

· Musical Theatre classes to start with drama in order to get dancers thinking as full performers not just technicians

· Vocational training colleges to start day with acting to allow pupils to relax, build confidence, think about emotions and wake up their minds so they can think about what they are doing. Most dance colleges start the day with ballet class as it is basis to all dance techniques, however if pupils minds are not awake and they do not know who to express themselves the class becomes nothing more than running through the motions without any progress being made except warmer muscles.

Broadening a dancers world.

Recently I have had to stop dancing due to an old injury re-occurring. I am receiving treatment but due to the nature of the injury and poor physio treatment previously I have to come to terms with the fact I may never be able to dance professionally again. I am faced with the harsh reality that for the time being I am no longer a 'dancer.'

For anyone who loves to dance and has set about making a career as a professional dancer can imagine injury is not something easily dealt with. I feel like I am no longer myself, I am a dancer and now I can't do that, I have no idea who I am. My research looks at dancers way of study and if they should study drama, because of my current situation I am able to look at this now from a different angle, one that Buckroyd, J. (2000) tries to home in on in her book 'The student dancer' - you have to understand that being a dancer is your job, it does not define you, a banker would not say that banking was all they are because it is not, so as a dancer you have to learn who you are besides dancing. Wider academic learning is required in order for a person in dance training to become more than a dancer. A dancer who studies drama is more than a dancer they are an actress as well so can pursue that area of work if chosen to.

My acting training has allowed me to find a great job. The interviews involved role playing which I believe I was good at due to my improvisation skills learnt in drama training. The day to day job requires lots of quick thinking (also improvisation based) and the ability to mould the way I am and the way I speak in order to make clients warm to me more and be able to sell. If I had not allowed myself to branch my study into other areas rather than dance I may still be unemployed.

The training provided at vocational colleges does not give pupils enough opportunity to realise who they are beside dancing and does not promote enough career options and give preparation about how to cope and what to do if you do not get a dance job, what other areas of performing arts are out there and what to do if/when you can no longer dance. I seriously hope career lessons are brought in to the professional training vocational colleges because many do not get jobs, many do not know the options available and many do get injured.

I have been lucky that I have found a job I enjoy, but it does not get rid of the pain I am feeling due to the fact that for the for-see-able future I cannot dance and the possible end of a professional dance career. Many people are/have been in the same position as me, it is a state of mourning – however we are not prepared for this, nor understand what it is exactly we are mourning.

Jean-Georges Noverre

My whole research idea came from reading a statement about Jean-Georges Noverre's views on dance. Letters on Dancing and Ballets was first published in 1760, and this composition is still considered to have no literary equal.

His views that dancing had to be linked to acting in order to be successful appears to have been taken on board by the dance industry in the, however the structure of dancers lessons seem very similar to the ones before he wrote his book. Vocational training still focuses on pure dance technique – surely if dancers are going to be successful they need to be able to act in order to portray the emotion behind what they are doing, therefore shouldn’t dancers have to learn to act?

It is crazy to think that ideas formed in the 18^th century are still extremely relevant and that despite be well respected people have not fully explored the potential of what Noverre claims to be true. When searching literature to help my study I found it extremely difficult to find research directly linking to mine. Does having drama lessons help you improve as a dancer did not seem like a unique subject matter at the time of creation but after a basic literature search I realized it was an area greatly overlooked and I felt a need to research it. It seemed a crime not to further Noverre’s findings and see how relevant they were in the today’s world.

I am pleased to say after months of research Noverre’s theory that acting is needed to make dance successful still holds true, and it crosses over in to the need for dancers to study acting, not just for a piece of choreography to have a story. More often than not the physical preparations for a dance role are promoted over the artistic content, when in fact it is the acting of a dancer that sets one apart from the other when they our of a high professional level. When watching Agony and Ecstasy: A Year with English National Ballet, it is clear to see that choreographer Derek Deane is striving to get the emotional content from his dancers, and he states that, phenomenal physical technique is very impressive but it’s not the whole package (Deane 2010) Yet at no point are the dancers given acting lessons/or even a minute to focus on and help draw out this content, as is the way in which ballet rehearsals are structured. The reasoning given for why one prima ballerina is preferable to the other is the fact that ‘(she)..is so much more expressive physically’. Yet in watching the rehearsals it is clear to see that it is not the dance physicality that is different it is the acting through dance that sets them apart. Who knows if Deane had used different language to describe the fact he wants more acting rather than saying ‘you need to give me more’ if the ballerina would have understood better and become a better performer, because it appears that she is confused what he means with physical execution such as lifting the leg higher and being stronger.

BBC4 – Agony and Ecstacy: A Year with English National Ballet, episode 1. Aired March 2010

Extension

After speaking with my tutor Paula last night I feel less stressed and more aware of what I need to do. I have opted to hand in my project in May for a number of reasons:

I am behind on my writing because:

a) my computer died (it had been having a hard time for a while!) losing some of my work and having to wait for my hard drive to be ripped out so I could recover some meant I lost over a week of writing time. I though

b) for some reason I thought I had to hand in the final draft on 6^th January 2011 and the project to be marked on 20^th Feb, where the 20^th Feb came from I am not sure but it was in my diary! Lesson learnt – recheck dates!

c) If I rush now to get it finished I will not feel I achieved my best and it is not fair to expect Paula to mark my late hand in of drafts when she is very busy herself.

d) Due to my travels throughout the project I was unable to conduct some research till November and therefore I was unable to hand drafts in when suggested.

e) Due to late research taking I have not had the chance to see fully the impact and implications of my research findings.

f) Due to spending most of the research time in Dubai and Rhodes I have not been able to access library resources easily or consistently which has slowed down my literature search and development process.

I spoke with Paula for approximately an hour about when I should complete, what I need to do, important aspects to include in the project and what I have learnt from my research. My thoughts were made clear and Paula helped me to clarify what to do with them. I appreciate the time Paula gave me, especially on a Sunday evening when I am sure there are a million other things she could/needs to be doing. My study expectations and needs are now understandable. Plus I know the name of the ‘waiting for godot’ author – Samuel Beckett!

Now I have an extension, despite the major downside that I have work to do till May, I feel it will benefit my course study and research project dramatically because I will be able to let thoughts marinade in my head and have more checking time for what I have written. I will also be able to enjoy Christmas and have the time to work more so I can earn more money to enjoy Christmas with, because I know my family and friends will appreciate being able to go out with me instead of watching me write!