Hello everyone it has been a long time since I blogged; I actually came on here to delete the blog because I felt it was no longer relevant and I did not want it coming up as No.2 on google when my name is searched. As you can see quite the contrary to deleting the blog I am adding to it! This blog was created for a research degree I decided to study alongside working as a professional performer. I chose to do the degree in Performing Arts and Education to further my knowledge in this area. I focused my study on how attending classes in the arts can change you as a person and which ways of teaching/study are most successful. I always knew I would one day fully commit to teaching and I did not want to be a dancer that just does so because it is a natural progression. Teaching is a passion, it is not your right because you can dance/act/sing  to teach others how to. I wanted to be informed, responsible and excellent at teaching and I am passionate about providing fun for everyone in the arts. The research degree was a way for me to develop, delve and discover my teaching techniques, attitudes and mantra.

I took the time to read my past posts before deleting the blog and I felt proud. My studies have the potential to help others, be it professionals needing guidance or parents to understand the importance of the arts, therefore I do not feel it should disappear. This blog stands alongside 2 years of hard work, as I was told to create the blog to share my findings with the wider community I felt it was not relevant to me. After reading past works I am proud to say I could not be more wrong. Yes some of the writing could be better, I could have posted more about my findings (and I might in the future) and it could be more interesting in parts however re-reading I hold my hands up and say some of the posts deserve to be read by a wider community.

If you are a parent/student deciding which performing arts classes to attend or if they are worth attending at all I urge you to consider the teaching style, and remember technique is not everything. Consider emotional aspects and the effects certain classes could have, try to balance this. If you do regimented ballet technique class balance this with a drama class. If you are a teacher think about your students individuality, dare to move away from the way you were taught and experiment with ways to gain the best from your pupils as performers and in daily life. The arts are expressive, never forget this. 

Veganism

I thought I would share these videos (click on title of this post) Because it is something I feel strongly about and think everyone should be aware of why to be vegan. After all the research and findings the main question really is 'why are you not vegan'?

Follow up post!!!

Follow up to earlier post

In my final project and previous post named 'agony and ecstacy' I talked about Deanes teaching and how if he taught in a different way he may get better results. I found this article which proves what I said is true:-
sweet-natured Daria a victim of domineering choreographer Derek Deane, reacting with graceful dignity to his barrage of destructive criticism. ‘God almighty, look at her! Absolutely dreadful. It wastes my time talking to her… I can’t be bothered!’ he ranted. It was like Black Swan, except that this was real life. We flinched for Daria, so beautiful and vulnerable in the lead role as Odette-Odile, facing the diminuendo of her career, as she was torn to shreds by Deane, the former artistic director of ENB – and described by one critic as a cross between Diaghilev and Simon Cowell. It made for compelling viewing, but it left a nasty taste.
And no one was more shocked than Czech-born Daria – now two weeks away from her 40th birthday – when she saw herself on screen. Meeting her at ENB’s headquarters in Kensington, West London, where she’s rehearsing, I raise the question of Deane’s bully-boy tactics, half expecting her to shrug it off, to say something diplomatic and self-effacing. But this wasn’t the first time they had clashed. When Daria, who is married to British stage technician Ian Comer, had her daughter Sabina ten years ago, Deane – who had been planning to choreograph Sleeping Beauty for her – was furious with her for the timing of her pregnancy, she claims.
Seeing herself on television being shouted at by Deane – during rehearsals for his spectacular in-the-round production of Swan Lake with 60 swans at London’s Royal Albert Hall last June – opened Daria’s eyes. ‘When I saw it from outside, I thought, “You know what? He will never speak to me like this ever again.” Some days it doesn’t upset you. But some days, if you’re feeling more fragile…many times I end up crying.
‘He achieves [results] because we’re all scared. But he makes a scar on people for the rest of their lives. There’s a different way to make dancers work hard and look amazing and still go home happy, but he doesn’t know how to do that. You know what, I’m not less than he is. He’s a choreographer. I’m a prima ballerina. I’d like to see how he’d react if I said, “This is s*** choreography and I have to dance it.”’

In rehearsal last month in West London for ENB's Strictly Gershwin

Daria and Vadim in rehearsal for ENB’s revival of Strictly Gershwin

There has been a metamorphosis since the ‘old ballerina’ allowed herself to be browbeaten and humiliated in front of the cameras only a year ago. The partnership viewers saw unfolding on screen with Vadim Muntagirov, a 21-year-old Russian straight out of ballet school, has taken off to ravishing effect, and Daria and Vadim are being applauded as a new Fonteyn and Nureyev. (‘All nonsense,’ says the down-to-earth Daria. ‘The only thing that’s the same is the age difference!’ She was dancing professionally before Vadim was born.)
She is sitting beside me on the floor, hair swept back in a ponytail, looking much younger than she did a year ago. I have been watching her and Vadim in the sauna-like heat of the studio during an hour-long rehearsal of Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky pas de deux, and am utterly entranced. (They are working with Ivan Dinev from the company’s ballet school, who is as gentle and supportive as Derek Deane is belligerent.) Daria, a wisp of chiffon tied around her waist, has the shy vivacity of a young girl as she looks into Vadim’s eyes – ‘It should look like you’re going to kiss each other,’ says Dinev – then leaps with absolute trust into his arms.
‘It’s very rare to find that partner to whom you’re connected emotionally as well as physically’
They practise the catch, until Daria laughs. ‘It is pain-free,’ she says. Perfect. There’s not a hint of the self-deprecating cynicism of a year ago, when she shrugged:‘After 20 years you think the critics will suddenly think I’m a star? I don’t think so.’ It’s not that she feels younger now, she says, because she didn’t feel old. If anything, dancing gets easier; not physically easier – ‘I get more pain’ – but there’s a confidence that comes with maturity. What Vadim has given her is inspiration. She waited
20 years for this, the partner who is ‘the one’, the soul mate. That’s why their on-stage chemistry has such a potent romantic appeal.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1393524/Real-life-Black-Swan-The-dramas-prima-ballerina-Daria-Klimentov.html#ixzz1ORTYd4gL

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!

Skype

If Skype did not exist my phone bill would be huge! I have used Skype to talk to my tutor (Paula Nottingham) at every stage through my work based learning, due to the fact that I have been in numerous different countries throughout the process. Not only is the free Skype to Skype calling beneficial but the fact you can use video really makes a difference in the understanding of what one is saying and it gives the call a more personal feel.

The ability to share screens on Skype is great to it means during a chat you can show people clearly what is going on, for example I have used it when designing advertising for my company and been able to edit the posters whilst gaining the feedback. This helps to save time and memory space!

Skype is the middleman between my family, friends, colleagues, university and me. If I could not use it I certainly would not have the relationships I do with these people. It saves money, time, memory and allows you to interact with someone in more ways than voice even if they are the other side of the world!

Google Docs

Google Docs is an online folder in which documents can be saved and shared. During my production of my research project I continuously updated and saved drafts of my work. This proved helpful when my computer decided to die and I lost everything on it, including my project work. However because of Google docs when I got access to another computer I was able to access the last copy of the work I had saved, unfortunately this did not include the work I had just written when my computer bid me farewell, so I was not entirely left to work from scratch again. Due to my computer dying I was able to realise the importance and helpfulness of using an application such as Google docs, without it I may not have been able to recover my work and would have been put seriously behind meaning I couldn’t not complete the project for the deadline.

When I first was told to use Google docs I was dubious. I did not like the idea of sharing my work for all to see, judge, comment or change. However I soon realized with each document posted you could chose your own privacy settings. I therefore would save some work to Google docs for only me to see, and other drafts for certain people to have editing ability, and others for everyone to see but no-one able to edit. Doing this allowed me to gain constructive criticism from my peers and tutor which I would otherwise not have gained, which in turn allowed me to improve upon my project writing and development.

Google docs could be easier to use, because the tool in which you select people to be able to view or edit your work does not accept the email address unless it is saved in your Google address book. This meant it was more time consuming for me to use as all my email addresses are saved in my main user account which is hotmail, and being technologically illiterate it took me a while to understand and get to grips with this and how to make it work.

In conclusion Google docs are helpful and I feel a vital tool for anyone writing anything, because you never know when your computer may die or where you might lose your USB memory stick. It allows you to receive easy to view annotations which may prove vital to your works development and it means you can easily share improvements with people that need to know them, e.g. your university tutor. I am pleased I was made aware of this application and will certainly be using it long after I have finished this current research project.

Survey Time

Hi everyone!

Please please please help me with my research and do my survey! It wont take you long and doesn't require too much brain power!

click on the link below and it should send you to it.....

free online surveys

Thank You xxxxx

Delicious

Delicious, the social bookmarking site has been extremely advantageous to my project progress. I was struggling with finding appropriate literature to support my theses, then I went on delicious and typed in ‘tags’ for the categories I wanted to search, and suddenly I was presented with a basis to start searching for more literature. The ability to create a network also makes it easier to find websites/literature. Adding people to my network with similar interests to me meant that I could easily search through their bookmarks and find interesting links to work that relate to mine. For example through Rosina Andrews delicious bookmarks I found a number of articles that helped me with research for my project and literature review. In appreciation for finding useful bookmarks through Rosina’s delicious I used the ‘inbox’ tool and sent Rosina links to articles I have found and tagged which I thought may help her.

I did a literature search by reading books and photocopying pages, to find the literature I want at anytime requires a lot more searching and organisation in order to make the search for it easier than using delicious. In fact I bookmarked the books I have hard copies of on delicious so that I can search through them more easily.

When presented with the fact I had to use internet sites to fulfil my project criteria I was not happy, part in due to my techno-phobe nature and lack of knowledge, and also because I already had a set way in which to organise my work/findings. However I am extremely grateful that I have been forced to get to grips with delicious because it has been helpful to the nth degree!

If you want to go to the site just click on the title of this post, my username is simply; Alys Spencer.

Ballet: Aria Alekzander 2010

I have posted this because I feel it is a very honest,clear and easy to understand opinion of a professional dancer! It also has a comment about how important drama is to dance, which is what my project is about.

new module

So after a few weeks off from doing work-based learning work I have finally picked up the new handbook and made a start.

Google docs is still alien to me, I am trying to get to grips with it, however a few of my documents will not convert and therefore it is not really being of any help.

I also created an account with Yahoo so that i can use delicious.
alysgspencer@yahoo.com
My delicious name is quite simply Alys Spencer so add me to your delicious network!


I watched the youtube video Danielle Stacey posted and it allowed me to make much more sense of the application than just reading the handbook did! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeBmvDpVbWc

Delicious seems a very helpful site and I am looking forward to easily being able to find reference material! I have saved one bookmark already about 'Terms of reference' because when I was reading the handbook this term had me a little confused therefore I thought it might help others if I made a bookmark explaining it.

Fingers crossed the module does not prove too difficult, but i have already noticed how well prepared the last module as left me for this one.

learning blog

Entry 5

After deciding on my topic it took me a long time to actually get started on the proposal. This was because I had no idea what a proposal actually entailed! I read examples of proposals I found through Athens, Middlesex online library. I read research books. I pondered and pondered. I read the handbook provided and finally broke down what I was expected to do – I separated it in to 13 sections and wrote them out on post-its (as I have found post-its somehow help me think!) I then started writing. Upon examination I decided I could research proposals forever, but everyone has their own writing and development style and I needed to find mine.

What needs to be in a research proposal?
1. Introduction – title, why? Context.
2. Aim – What want to find?
3. Target Audience – Who will it help? Why?
4. Objectives – Why doing research? Constraints of topic chose.
5. Research Techniques – What to use?
6. Methodology – Why using certain techniques?
7. Participant – who will you research?
8. Worker-researcher role – how do I fit in?
9. Feasibility - Action plan, resources needed and how to gain them.
10. Strengths and weaknesses – identify good and bad
11. Reflection – what have I learnt?
12. Appendices – added extras to help research and proposal understanding
13. Bibliography – collection of references

By breaking the points of what needed to be included in my proposal I started developing each bit at a time. I soon realised that writing each point in consecutive order was not going to work most efficiently – feasibility needed to be addressed before methodology could be created, and my role as a worker-researcher needed to be considered before aims could be pin pointed. After thoughts about each point, I slowly developed each section, finding they all intertwined and each part could only be strengthened by knowledge of another.

By doing secondary research I have been able to develop a hypothesis. I did not understand why secondary research needed to be found now for development of the research proposal, but now I do! It has helped me create a concise research statement and realise what areas need more research so I can hone in on them with my research questions.

I am actually beginning to enjoy developing my proposal now! I have stopped feeling confused and am impressed at all the new things I am discovering.

By developing my research dictionary I have learnt research methods and terms and could then access them to help chose my research methods.

While writing my proposal I became aware of the ethical implications that constrict everything that happens.


Critical Commentary on Learning in this Module

This module has 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. However through development of my research proposal I have discovered the regulated teaching models which have been constructed to wholly develop a dancer. 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 I.D.T.A syllabus.

I have also 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. My ideas, about following examination syllabus work, have been seriously re-considered, and I feel it may not benefit my pupils as I previously believed due to my experiences.

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 I have found little to no research about how studying drama can improve a dancer. I find this strange considering how much ‘perform’ was shouted at me throughout my training, when in fact I had no idea how because all I was taught is pure dance technique. I hope my study will encourage dancers and teachers to include drama in their dance timetables if my study proves that there is a direct positive connection between the two art forms.
The module has introduced me to the world of research, learning research terminology, practice and planning. I now feel confident that I will be able to do the procedures that will allow me to answer my research hypothesis accurately and concisely.

The area of study is a logical progression for me if I wish to improve my teaching and performing skill knowledge. I realise the importance of researching a topic that is personally interesting and valuable, because if it was not I would feel no desire to put in the work needed to succeed in discovering the tasks answer, and it would not benefit me or my place of work. I look forward to completing my project.

References

Bell, J (1999), Doing Your Research Project, Open Universtiy Press, 3rd Edition.

Nottingham, P., 2010, personal email sent to myself Spencer, A.

Autard-Smith, J (1994), The Art of Dance in Education,2nd Edition.

Pilot Survey

I have created a short survey for my research. I would really love it if you would take part, it will only take two minutes!

I found the website from Danielle Stacey - so thank you Danielle!

If you can give me any feedback about it that would be great, do not feel obliged to though I am happy if you just take part in the survey!

Just click post title or URL to find it.
Thank You!

learning blog entry 4

After much deliberation I decided I was going to research my third idea; how drama can develop a dancer. I had decided to look at the physical benefits of dance but after an email from my tutor I re-assessed my choice. Below is the section that made me question my topic choice.

Paula Nottingham
In option 1. health and dance - sounds up in the air now- this has had research done before - it might be something you reference RATHER than research yourself.
2. teaching and performing - yes, we discussed this - you have to be prepared to do both - other professionals as well - how do you manage it? Think up some Research Questions that might focus this topic.
3. yes interesting - how would you find out about that with your data sources? do you work with people who have had one or the other? how does this impact on your work?

I posted my three topic ideas on the blog and received comments about how interesting idea 3 would be. This made me consider this idea more, as I realised it was of interest to a wider community.

Idea 3 – how drama can affect the level of a dancer, is the topic I found most interesting and thought would be most beneficial for what I want to achieve. Paula’s comments about referencing rather than researching made me suddenly realise the difference between these two things. Before I thought that I could not do a topic if it had no other direct research I could use, however I realised I ‘need’ to do the research and other studies can just help me enforce my findings therefore they do not need to be perfectly linked.

I realised the importance of discussion with others, and how people can help to guide you towards a decision you are finding difficult. I discovered that someone does not need to tell you what to do, but by gaining their view can help me realise what my opinion is.

Learning Blog Entry 3

In order to completely understand what is being asked of me I have gone through the handbook and written each activity on a separate post-it, with the page number on it for quick referencing, and stuck them all on a large piece of paper. This has enabled me to produce an action plan because I can now clearly see everything that needs to be completed.

I did activity 3 – I found answering set questions was very helpful. This is because you cannot brush over a point just because it might not suit the current idea. It brought up some interesting points. I also made brainstorms with ideas and found this really got my brain thinking critically about what research topics may work.

I am currently working in Dubai as a teacher mainly however when we actually have to do the proposed project I will be working as a performer in Greece, a country in which I currently have no teaching connections. This change in careers mid-project has made the whole ‘topic’ decision a lot tougher, because I have had to really question my resources and role as a worker-researcher.

Here is a list of the research ideas I have come up with - I have found it very hard to really get myself thinking as a researcher and to come up with ideas that I will be able to do whilst in Greece, but that still hold an element of education (because education is why I wanted to do the degree.)
Here in Dubai I do not really have anyone I can discuss ideas with (This is another reason I have found the topic choosing so difficult.)
I have brainstormed and asked myself the appropriate 'research' questions about all of them.

1. What are the Physical/Health repercussions of a dance education? - I originally thought to focus this on 5-8year olds but being in Greece I thought it would be best to focus on adults because I could then study the dancers and non-dancers on the resort. I thought this may be too researched already though? Should I stick to the child idea as it is more researched?

2. How can teaching and performing benefit one another? - the title for this is not so clear yet, because if I choose it I don' know whether to focus it more from a teaching or performing benefactor point of view? I would be the centre of this as I am a teacher and performer and thought I could look at people who do both compared to just perform/teach.

3. Do those who study drama and dance become more skilled dancers than those just studying dance? - I am interested in this topic and feel it will benefit my work most of all, however I think it may be hard to do whilst in Greece (but if I get ground work in place now it may be ok?!) and I don't think there is much research on this topic already.

These ideas have all mainly come out of the question 'benefits for children doing performing arts.' I realised this topic was too vague and extremely researched already.

A question I keep asking myself is: If I do these topics, will all of them allow me the right to put education (or something of that nature) in my degree title? I want education in my degree title because I am doing this degree to enhance my teaching career.