Final Presentations

 

Having come to the end of this BA course, I found preparing for the presentation was a great way to consolidate my findings and draw together a picture of the progression I've made throughout the course and the impact it's had upon my daily practise. 

Putting my journey of the inquiry process together, explaining how I collected the data and my analysis, summarised my findings nicely. I also showed my maze (the artefact) I created and explained about the process of ideas behind creating it. To finish, I reflected back upon how my BA journey as a whole and how it has developed me as a professional concluded my twenty minute presentation. 

I feel despite having come to an end of this course, there are still many more ideas and questions that have arisen not only from my proposal but also now that I have a more analytical way of processing my daily practise My findings have opened up more pathways that have the potential to be explored, so although this is the end for now, it is the beginning of other directions and possibilities for exploration. 

Well done to everyone who has completed their presentations today and good luck to the rest of the module three students in tomorrow's slots. 

I would advise those students who aren't in module three to also watch the presentations. I felt that without having watched the module three presentations in module two, I would have been a bit lost on what to talk about and where your inquiry has the potential to take you. 

Bye for now.

Supervision Skype with Helen

Today I had a Skype call with Helen to talk through my essay draft so far. 

I am feeling confident with the way my essay is shaping and finding that as I write my review I am learning more and more about my inquiry topic and how it relates to my own personal practise so closely. I am able to explore and consolidate my learning through writing this essay and I feel this is helping me to develop as a professional. 

In terms of having my review down on paper, I am at the point where I need to consolidate my essay to make it clear what each part is talking about. I find that sometimes when I write it can be waffly so I need to ensure my points and clear and precise. 

Helen was very helpful in ensuring my that I am on the right track and just need to keep working on it to refine the details. This has given me confidence to keep improving, not only on my work but also by looking at how this process has changed my perception. I feel that for me, my inquiry has altered the way I perceive inequality within the performance industry and will make me reflect on experiences in a different light. 

Now I am also focusing on making my artefact for module three. I am creating a maze to represent how the pathway to a successful career isn't a straight line. I have learnt that there are many obstacles in order to reach your goals wether that's gender or other factors such as age, height, body type etc. I am enjoying this process as it is a creative way to show my findings. 

It will be interesting to hear how everyone else feels they are developing from reviewing their process. Please comment below. 

Module three Skype call - 17th November

 

In this evenings Skype call we looked at the notion of analysis in relation to our inquiries. This includes looking at reflection in relation to our information that we have gathered through our data collection and through literature. 

We discussed our struggles with grouping the data and finding key themes. It was evident that we all had managed to find lots of themes relating to our topic and collected data but selecting the few to talk about in our essay was the challenge. I personally have found that choosing themes that I have personal experiences of have been easier to explore. This way, it has also been more beneficial for me to analyse as I can relate my findings to my own personal daily practise. It was interesting that some of my peers found that they had 3 or 4 clear themes whereas others (myself included) have found lots of emerging themes. This suggests that everyone has different findings and sees data in an individual way. 

We then discussed relationships in terms of our findings. Helen suggested that instead of comparing things, sometimes it is better to look at the way things link and how they are similar. It is key to also link both literature and ethical considerations to our analysis of data to see how they connect. We agreed that relating to our own experiences is the most important even when discussing the relationships between two other aspects. 

Themes that have been found are often very large for many of us and finding the key points within a theme can be difficult to pull out and include only the most relevant information. A lot of us are passionate about our topics and want to include everything so cutting it down can be challenging. Personally, I have also found that it is better to just focus on a few topics and go in-depth into those rather than looking at lots of little themes and trying to talk about them all. 

Helen answered a question regarding the format of writing - she stated that the essay should be written in 1st person. The essay is about our personal practise so should be written from our point of view. We must just be aware that not every sentence beings with 'I'. 

It was also stated that we must ensure that the analysis looks at the data and then is reflected upon within the analysis section as opposed to just relaying the gathered data. 

Questions that are taken from our reflection as we carry out our inquiry are a starting point. This BAPP can lead us to explore further wether that is through further study or just development within our own personal practise. 

If anyone has any questions regarding this Skype call or anything I have written, please comment below.

Researching further literature

 

Hello all,

I am currently in the process of completing my write up regarding my inquiry research. The research report requires an element of further study into literature. I have found it helpful to expand my knowledge by reading books and looking into other studies carried out in the same subject area. 

On top of this I enjoy watching TED talks, I have found they are a great source of gaining interesting perspectives and learning new things. My topic is based around inequality and I am going to share two that I have found helpful lately. 

Please take and watch and comment your thoughts...

https://www.ted.com/talks/trevor_copp_and_jeff_fox_ballroom_dance_that_breaks_gender_roles?language=en

https://www.ted.com/talks/london_school_of_bollywood_being_non_binary_in_bollywood

Would be great to hear how everyone is getting on.

I hope everyone is staying safe in these difficult times, we must keep strong.

Interviews and Focus Groups complete

 

Hello all,

Today I have completed my last interview. In the end I decided to do two interviews and one small focus group. I found alongside collecting information from artefacts this has given me more than enough information to analyse. 

The issue I am struggling with now is collating my information that I have gathered. I am trying to find common topics and themes to put information together. I feel the main reason I am finding this hard is the fact that everyone has their own personal experiences and it has been great to hear such a variety of points of view and opinions but it is making it more difficult now as I am looking for similarities to create subheadings within the broadness of my question. If anyone who is completing module three now has any suggestions on how they grouped/ looked at their data, this would be very helpful. 

Having looked at literature that refers to collecting and grouping data, I have discovered that creating an abridged transcript has been easiest for gathering the spoken information which has make it quicker to pint point key ideas given. 

I am thinking of putting my key ideas that have been presented in the interviews and within literature into a form of mind map as a clear way of presenting my data before analyzing it. I am unsure if this is the best approach to take but it will allow me to find connections, similarities and differences and to present my data all in one place. 

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. If you are a fellow module three student it would be great to hear your way or ideas of grouping data. 

Module Three Skype - 29th Sept 6pm

In this evenings Skype discussion we talked about where we all are in terms of carrying out our inquiry. 

We agreed that COVID-19 has altered the way we collect data in terms of not being able to carry out interviews in person. Additionally, many of us stated how we are working full time now whereas before lockdown we had more time to focus on the degree work. 

I asked how everyone found writing the questions for the focus groups/ interviews. It was stated that the broader the question the more of a response was given by participants. Adesola suggested that a great way of asking a question was to state "I experienced this..., what's your experience been...". This makes the participants feel comfortable in sharing their experiences after hearing yours, also this makes it more personal. 

Again we spoke about the importance of keeping a reflective journal. Not only for our personal development but also for information from interviews and notes that have been made throughout the data collection. This makes it easier to collate information and link it to themes, literature and own experiences. Many people have focused on themes and collecting data in categories.

Ethically, we looked at how things have changed. COVID again has caused issues in terms of recognising and appreciating where participants are working within their practise and their own privileges. Everyone has had a different impact due to this pandemic and questions that were at first going to be asked may now be more sensitive than before. This may lead to creating a different procedure towards asking certain questions. Additionally, a negative cloud may overhang certain responses because of the arts being so effected. There must be a consideration of participants emotions and distress in this time. 

This call was great to see how everyone is getting along with their inquiry. I found it useful in terms of finding out how everyone is collecting and storing their data. Thank you to all who attended. 

Questioning and reflection - Skype Call 23rd Sept 9pm

To begin we all introduced ourselves - stated what module we are on, what we are currently doing and what we would like to discuss in the call. 

I suggested looking at how COVID-19 is affecting daily practise and if this is having an impact on planning or carrying out the inquiry. Helen offered to start a blog post regarding this topic as it could create a large conversation and will give the opportunity to give people a space to offer their experiences.

We then discussed the idea of questioning, looking at what questions are good for, how we structure them and what are their intentions? A few tips were given from module three students about interview questions. These included starting with broader questions to warm up a focus group or ease into an interview and then semi-structuring the questions more to create a deeper understanding around more specific topics. Overall the notion of questioning others is to gain information and gather different views and experiences. 

We then looked at what is it to question without the purpose of getting a direct answer. By asking ourselves questions we challenge our assumptions. This can help us to analyse our own practise and its relevance and then further open up to different views and ideas. Avoiding assumptions also allows us to avoid bias. We are all learning by questioning so avoiding a narrow pathway is crucial in order to open up space for more knowledge. 

In relation to my inquiry, I have found it crucial to look beyond my immediate subject area and find out more by asking questions on the broader topic of my inquiry. Although I am studying inequality in relation to dance, I am finding it important to increase my knowledge on inequality in general. I'm currently seeking answers through feminist literature from authors from various backgrounds-  not specifically dance as such. This knowledge this will allow myself to have more background information on the inquiry topic which can help shape my understanding. 

The idea of reflection was then discussed. Reflection can be done by questioning actions or can create personal questions. I mentioned how useful keeping a reflective journal can be and that I have found it significant in monitoring progress in terms of knowledge and thoughts. It is essential to constantly question yourself even if, like myself, you are in the process of questioning others. This can allow time to look at and analyse our personal processes and focus on developmental aspects as well as manageability. 

From this discussion it has highlighted to me how important it is to focus on the journey of learning throughout this course. I can get hung up on meeting deadlines and focusing on the work at hand instead of taking a step back to see progress and reflect on how I have developed from what I have learnt.

Please comment below if you missed this Skype and have any further questions regarding the discussion. It would be great to hear if anyone has specific questions they ask themselves which they use to reflect on often. I find it useful to ask myself 'how has this impacted my learning?' after reading literature or watching a video as it focuses my thoughts and guides my future research.

Module Three Begins...

 

Hello everyone. 

New term, new ideas! 

I have had a one-to-one tutorial with Helen this week and it has focused my mind before starting with module three. After discussing my intentions and visions I can already see new paths and different ideas forming regarding my inquiry proposal. I am excited to start researching and exploring further into the topic of inequality in dance. 

I have noticed immediately that I am focusing too much on specific genders within my proposal. Looking at feminism, I have previously felt that it is essential to look at genders in terms of their different responses. After reflection, gender is not key in my inquiry and I believe I am conforming too much to the cut-dry definitions of gender- male and female. Inequality can happen to anyone and I want to examine how diverse it can be. This means my research will be more all-inclusive and encompass a wider range of perspectives. 

One thing myself and Helen did discuss were ideal terms to use when addressing participants in relation to keeping my research neutral. When I carry out my focus groups I will create an open forum in which I will address all participants as 'performing artists' as opposed to 'female performers' or 'male performers'. This allows all participants to openly express their views without having a gender label. I am unsure how this will effect my analysis but I believe it's essential to hear every response in a neural manor and without any preconceived presumptions. I plan to keep my research ethical throughout. It will be interesting to hear how others in module three are ensuring ethical considerations are applied within their proposal. Please comment below. 

Within these first few weeks of the module, I will focus on reading more into feminism, not just in a performance based setting, but at feminism in general. If anyone reading my blog has any recommendations on feminist literature I would appreciate your suggestions. It would be great to hear from others regarding their inquiry and if there are any connections that we can discuss or share knowledge on. 

Good luck to all starting module three as well as those who are new or returning to the course. 

Module Two Reflection

Module two completed. Being in lockdown has meant that this has been my main focus for the past few weeks. Although I am glad I have submitted my work, it was giving me focus and distraction from the current reality. I hope everyone is staying strong and positive. I have attached a thought that I had when reflecting on my module two topic of feminism...


As my topic bases on the ideas of feminism, I have actually just began questioning whether or not I can class myself as a feminist? The gender roles in dance are so cut-dry, you either perform as the male or the female in many cases (obviously there are exceptions where the gender of the dancer does not matter). Throughout my training and in my daily practise, I have upheld training as a female dancer, doing pointe, and dancing as the female role. I have always applied for jobs as a 'female dancer' with there only being the two options. So this has made me question why have I conformed to such non-inclusive roles throughout my career. The fact that I class myself as a female is irrelevant to the fact that in general dance does not give individuals the option to decide how they want to identify. Dance is based on your physicality therefore if a male wanted to identify as a female or somewhere in-between, it would not be accepted purely for the aesthetics of traditional dance.


It would be interesting to hear anyone's opinions to this reflection I had.

Skype Call 3rd April- Module Two

Hello all,

We initially started the conversation by all sharing where we were on our individual inquiries. This gave me reassurance as everyone else is still working on their inquiry plan and literature reviews, tweaking and altering them. We all agreed we were unsure on what to put in our critical reflection but because we all had little to say on this Adesola suggested we discuss topics we had more opinions and experience on.

Firstly Alison explained about her mock interview that she had done with her friend. Her conclusion was that no matter whether the interview goes well or not, the information that is given is useful no matter how much was given. Try and find the positives and reflect on the responses. It was interesting to hear Alison's experience with her mock interview, it has inspired me to also carry one out because I could tell that she had learnt so much from doing so.

We discussed the use of video verses audio recording interviews. Recording the conversations can allow us as interviewers to study the body language but also can effect the responses from the participants. Notes could be written down about the body language however, but couldn't be looked back on. A reflective journal was mentioned to help when interviewing as it allows us to note down how we feel throughout the conversations. This can be used in conjunction when analysing the interviews, giving our own personal thoughts on how the responses effect our views in relation to our chosen topics.

The discussion of how we will display and analyse our data was mentioned. It was interesting to hear how people are planning on making it visual, for example using charts and graphs, but for others it being qualitative makes it hard. We also discussed what the data we collect will show. Serina mentioned that the absence of data can be powerful because it can highlight what people aren't too sure on that initially we may have thought would be very topical. Additionally, the idea of collecting our data is to enhance ourselves as professionals in our own personal practise and reflect on where we stand on this topic.

Finally, we discussed how and if we had mentioned the current situation of COVID-19 in our inquiry proposal in terms of how this effects how we carry out data. For some individuals, they have planned on carrying out observations which is probably the most effected form of data collections as interviews can be held via Web 2.0. YouTube is an option, but this is a harder way of looking at the class, not physically being there. For myself personally, it doesn't effect my dad collection method as I am using focus groups and interviews, they will just need to be carried out through the internet.

Overall, it was interesting to hear how everyone is getting on with their data collection and ideas for analysis. We went round and all mentioned why we found the discussion important. For me, the key part of the conversation and that what related to my current position in the module, was the discussion on how everyone is collecting and reflecting on data. I need to decide how I am going to reflect on my own data. The idea of the reflective journal was a highlight for me. This idea would allow myself to make notes and note down our own feelings that I can look back on. I will look into this...

An important point that was mentioned also was how important it is to notice the absence of data, this highlights what our participants know and don't know and what opinions they have on what topics. Adesola stated a key idea, 'absences as data not absence of data'.

Thank you for reading my blog post, I hope it is useful for those who did not attend the session.

Progress Report

I have found that making myself lists of jobs to do each day has given me a focus, no matter how small they may seem. Today I was able to tick off 'Approved MORE form' as my ethics application was accepted. For the last few weeks, I have been focusing on writing my inquiry proposal alongside filling this form out so I feel that this is an achievement as it has now been submitted.

I have found it helpful to fill out my MORE forms alongside writing my proposal as it has given me guidance as to what is important to mention when writing out the study. Additionally, when changes have been made in the MORE forms, it makes it easier to alter the proposal to match up as it is important to follow the forms when carrying out the study in module three to avoid creating ethical errors.

When looking into the ethical procedures for data collection, I have noticed that the Equality Act in particular plays an important role in my research. Obviously for my study, I will be ensuring that I do not breech any rights or protection laws to enforce equality between all my participants. However, my topic of study questions the enforcement of this law within the performance industry. Although I will be obliging by this law, I want to discover if this is the case for working professionals and if they feel to what extent the law has been broken by. In particular, I am looking at how the roles that females have within performance, being quite traditional, lead to unwanted behaviours from co-workers, directors and teachers.

I have attached a link to a video that explains clearly the definition of discrimination within the Equality Act... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZOf92bIGM4&feature=emb_rel_end.
I think this creates a clear understanding of where the lines are to be drawn in terms of what is and isn't appropriate in the workplace.

Today has been successful in completing the MORE forms, onwards and upwards for the proposal submission. I can now put more focus on the literature review and on improving areas of the study plan.

I would appreciate any comments from those of you who have submitted their MORE forms and how they feel towards respecting the Equality Act.

Thank you for reading, stay safe and happy!

Skype Call Module Two / 20th March

Todays skype call had a module two focus and we had to each explain our proposals and discuss where our inquiry would take us in terms of collecting data and finding information to analyse. Each of us had one minute in which to explain our proposal to each other and then we all had the opportunity to ask three questions on how we are going to carry out the proposal.

Serina discussed her ideas on mental health and how there is limited support for dancers in particular when comparing to sportsmen and athletes. I found it interesting because there are so many comparisons to athletes and dancers physically. It was asked whether she will focus on looking at points that effect these such as economic disadvantages or if the support simply isn't out there in terms of training or people who can help dancers in particular with their mental health. She compared injuries, athletes, Jessica Ennis in particular got support and recovered from an injury and went on to win gold. Dancers however are told that 'the show must go on' and there is less of a focus on recovering from injury.

Alison then presented her proposal, focusing on freelance workers in the industry and how they can progress professionally. She discussed how freelances focus on teaching instead of focusing on themselves individually and achieving in their personal career.

I then explained my proposal... My inquiry focuses on the physical properties of both genders and how this effects the enforcement of feminism within the performance industry. Looking at the anatomical differences of male and females, men are built stronger and females are naturally more flexible. This creates roles within dance, males for lifting and females for decoration. I am also looking at the sexism within objectify females for their body shape and the ability of pointe shoes etc. Not only am I going to look at these issues but also the positives of being a female in the entertainment industry and how it can empower us and promote femininity.

I stated how I am going to try and arrange focus groups with males and females separately so I can get the opinions from both gender perspectives. This then presented the question of non-binary and transgender individuals and where they fall in my proposal. Obviously as an ethical consideration I would need to encompass all genders and include the option to speak to people who identify in a different way from the social norms. Adesola suggested that when collecting data, instead of assuming individuals are a certain gender, I ask individuals how they identify and then can clasp my participants according to their preferences. This way I can still have focus groups split into genders but still be mindful and not make assumptions.

Thomas spoke about his inquiry of comedy in theatre. The view is on popularity of slapstick in theatre and how has comedy and theatre changed since the millennium. He has prepared some interviews with professionals as well as audience feedback of those who are coming out of watching the comedy shows and why they are watching them. He discussed live harvesting as a way of getting his answers, this needs consent so holds some ethical considerations.

We also discussed the positives of using semi structured interviews as they allow extra information to be added by the interviewee instead of just simply asking closed questions in a structured interview. We cannot rely solely on getting answers from other people as well. Literature is a very important part of finding answers in our inquiry. It expands the range of perspectives. There is also a potential that we interview people who are close to us and have similar views- maybe try to interview people out of our social and working networks.


If anyone has any questions or quires about what was discussed in the skype session, please feel free to comment. It would also be interesting to hear if anyone has any other opinions on my proposal and design of my inquiry or of anyone else's mentioned above and I can forward the comment to them.

Thank you for reading my blog, I wish everyone health during this difficult time. I am finding that attending skype calls and focusing on my degree is giving me a purpose during this time of uncertainty.

Coronavirus impact on the entertainment industry...

Obviously this outbreak has caused crisis globally on so many levels. It has effected everyone's lives in various ways from safety and health concerns to economic issues.

I am going to discuss the issues it has caused specifically to those working in the performance industry. Firstly, every performance needs an audience and currently the public are not allowed to gather in a large group. Many theatres have closed due to this fact already. Additionally, most dancers are self employed meaning if they are unable to work because their contracts are cancelled which means they will not receive money until the pandemic is over (which is an unknown amount of time, potentially months). Another major problem is that many performance contracts are abroad or on sea. With ports and airports on lockdown, people are unable to travel leaving hotels and cruise ships empty.

For me personally, I have been effected in many ways already. I was meant to begin a cruise contract in May which was cancelled. Instead I managed to get a job that began last Sunday in Rhodes working as a dancer touring hotels. However, due to the closure of hotels, I had no choice but to return home after only 24 hours of being in Greece. Luckily I was still able to return home safely as my flights hadn't been cancelled. Currently, I am now in self isolation due to the amount of travel I have undergone in such a sort amount of time. I am also left unemployed until things begin to clear across the world. Luckily for me, I am living with my parents so don't have the pressure of paying rent but I know that is not the case for many individuals.

Looking at the situation on a positive note, I now can put my focus into this degree. Fortunately, doing a distance learning course it allows learning and access to gaining qualifications to still occur.

I wish safety and health to all but mostly to my fellow performers. It's a difficult time so stay safe and positive.

Creating an Inquiry

I realise as I start finding a focus for my inquiry that its important to research a topic that holds interest and sparks questions, making me keen to find more information and expand on what I already know. I have had several thoughts already around what topic of discussion I want to develop and am finding it useful to create mind maps around these ideas. This way it shows me which ideas have potential to be expanded upon and gives me areas of thoughts that link to a common factor.

I have also realised that the knowledge I hold is predominantly from experiences I have been through within my practise. Therefore module two is giving me the opportunity to explore findings from other individuals and scholars that have researched my ideas. Putting the two together will allow me to create deeper questions in which I can explore.

Whilst reading through the handbook, I realised I am unsure in what writing a 'Literature Review' actually was asking from me. After having done some research into how to write one, I am more familiar with the term and it is making the idea of starting on it seem a little lighter.
For those fellow module two starters, I found a useful quote that simplified the idea of a literature review, spoken by Dr John Classen, Biological & Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University...

'Existing literature is the story so far. You have to know where you are before you can go forward'.

Welcome back skype... Friday 24th Jan.

Beginning of Module Two...

I attended the welcome back skype call to give myself a refresher before progressing with my degree.

Initially, an introduction was given for the Module One beginners. I also found this useful to remind myself of how the programme runs. There was a discussion on how we build a community of communication through skype calls, contact with supervisors and blog posts. Some individuals from Module Two presented how useful blogs can be as they allow us to present our findings and ideas on our own practise as well as providing a safe space to share and comment on each others ideas.

Helen and Adesola then went on to talk through the uses of UniHub presenting ideas on how to use the resources effectively to enhance our own learning. Adesola suggested that we use the glossary at the back of the handbook and figure out our own views on the language used consistently within the course. This allows us to be in charge of our own work and create a personal response, helping to engage with our practise.

We then presented our thoughts and suggestions for those individuals starting the course. People proposed ideas such as how useful the blogs can be to stay connected, the recourses such as the library can help to provide books that relate directly to the course and also the importance of attending the skype calls to allow yourself to discuss ideas and findings. Using the study plan is also key in keeping your timings and records of progression in your studies.

To finish the skype call, we all introduced ourselves to allow everyone to present their practises and reasons for participation on the course.


Looking at beginning my Module Two, I have read through the handbook and can see that it provides a progression from the first module and expands on the skills I have acquired from analysing my areas of learning. This module allows the creation of our own personal project, giving us a focus that can be linked to a particular interest or aspect of our practise. I also feel that it will allow a strong consideration of ethics which I find interesting specifically in the entertainment industry.

I am really looking forward to beginning this next chapter in my studies and look forward to expanding my knowledge. I am going to create a focus for myself to try and commit to throughout this module. I am going to participate more in blog posts by commenting and getting involved in discussions through this format and also I am going to try and do more research though expanding my reading lists as I feel this is a skill I need to work on which will help me gain knowledge.

Module One Completed

Yesterday was the due date to hand in the Module One work.

I found that from completing this module I was able to explore how my training has lead me to my professional practise. I have analysed my learning and it has made me realise how much I'm still learning everyday in relation to growing as a person and a dancer. Additionally, creating my diagram I was able to collect artefacts relating to my practise that were meaningful to me. I found this task very poignant. This has also given me time to reflect on how I learn and how important it is to consider the way I receive and process information I'm presented with.

Having spent the time working on this module and attending the Re:generations Conference, I have enjoyed my first term as a BAPP student. I look forward to what the rest of the course will bring.

Merry Christmas readers.

Video Footage

After having posted my blogs regarding the Re:Generations conference, I decided to create a video of some of the footage I gathered over the three days. I hope people enjoy reading my blog posts and have managed to gather some information from what I've shared. Watching clips through the digital form of YouTube, not only links to the theme of technology that has been highlighted upon throughout the conference, but also allows you as the readers to have a different perspective on the experience as opposed to simply reading. Hopefully, this will give you an indication into the lively atmosphere I experienced whilst also appreciating the art.

Here I have attached the link...

https://youtu.be/RrihUkbYmeA

Enjoy!

Day Three - Re:Generations

A common theme of the opening ceremonies has focused our thoughts on positive change of which we should aim to commit to. The speaker presenting the keynote was Amanda Spann who’s work focused on entrepreneurial uses of technology. Having limited knowledge in dance, her views towards the arts were different- how to make money from using our creative skills. She began by suggesting some agreements that we should abide to in order to remain in an optimistic mind frame. ‘I am worthy’ being the first one suggesting that every individual adds value to the world. ‘The world is abundant’ suggests we can find our own audiences and finally ‘Be ready to receive’ implies we should be open to new insights and suggestions. Spann’s work consists of utilising technology to create an impact and therefore change lives. She then spoke about key areas into ways you can change your digital use in order to easily make money in a short amount of time. Firstly, we looked at the popular search engine, YouTube. Owned by Google, it is the second most used search engine, following Google itself and is used by 3 billion web users per month. In order to maximise views, we need to target the particular audience who will be passionate towards what our video is showing, those most likely to respond with employment opportunities. For your video to rise in rankings, the key words you use will determine the popularity of the search, so using words that are less common will optimise your visibility. Spann then went on to discuss the success of AirBnB Experiences. This site has 150 million users and the UK users are the 5^th largest market on the site. Due to the 295% increase in the use of this site in the last year, it has the ability to generate revenue for its sales given from the site. An example that was used which the participants at the conference found shocking, was a silent disco yoga instructor named Emma from California. Her experience offered attendance at this one-hour session cost forty five dollars which she took 5 times a week and had 50 participants per class. From doing the maths, Emma earnt over eleven thousand dollars for working five hours a week. She only had to pay out for the headphones as her participants bring everything else that is required, and it’s taken on a public beach meaning she doesn’t need to pay for rental. This is a clear example of how artist can continue their craft without being cost prohibited. Overall, I found this presentation very informative in relation to dance being promoted and shared through the digital space.

Following on from this, I attended a presentation discussing dance research from two practioners who presented their findings from two different African cultures. Dr S Kwashie Kuwor works at the University of Ghana whereas Aminah Namakula presented findings from within her Ugandan roots. Kuwor began by questioning how we research dance suggesting in African cultures it isn’t just about performing for entertainment but also because of people’s values and virtues surrounding the meaning of dance. This therefore implies we can only give a representation of what dance is, supported by Hall (1997) who states, ‘in every culture, there is always a great diversity of meanings about any topic and more than one way of interpreting or representing it’. Kuwor then went on to suggest the four ways in which African dance has a holistic nature. These include; movement, rhythm, design and kinaesthetic senses. Having multisensory modalities implies the dance comes from inside the dancer’s body as well as the physical gestures. Internal feelings being the purpose for dance becomes problematic when relating information to the digital space as emotions cannot be explained via words or videos. We were left with the thought, ‘who qualifies to digitalise people’s art?’. Questioning this different perspective made me consider why I myself dance and how I would present my work through digital communications.

I was interested to find out, as Namakula spoke, that within the country of Uganda, the key body part your dance focuses on determines whereabouts in the country your roots belong to. Using her drum to create beats, we marched to different rhythmic patterns that she demonstrated using a simple sequence of steps and hip motions. Completing this practical exercise, I found it easier to understand the movements that were being explained as well as getting enjoyment from participating in trying out her traditional African style.




After lunch, I attended three performance based presentations. The first display used a created digital circle to enhance the meanings behind Dr Adesola Akinleye and Harry Fulleylove’s performance. Using the idea of representing black women in the city allowed them to perform a piece where their projections were casting shadows on the wall through digital technologies. Appearing in multicolours on the wall suggests how everyone’s shadow is the same and that it can be controlled by the movements we chose to create. Urban design allows new architecture to be created but places are changed using design tools to create new engagements suggesting they are not reinvented. This idea relates to their performance by showing how the space didn’t changed but instead was filled with their choreography.

Following this, Gesel Mason presented her work on the project, No Boundaries. In 2004, she worked with black choreographers to produce a performance consisting of seven solos ranging from old and new choreography. This project was then repeated in 2017 as she felt she needed to capture important stories created from dance before significant influencers passed. Mason hoped that by getting the footage, it would not only create an archive but also inspire those working on dance history such as scholars and students. Using well known black choreographers was important but also, she gave opportunities to experimental choreographers to gain exposure. Her work supports the notion of using digital technologies by also stating that displaying work through a camera can offer the viewers a different perspective than a live audience can gain with close up camera angles.

Finally, Molly Christie Gonzalez presented her research into the Dunham technique, having been taught by Dunham herself. Gonzalez presented her experiences from attending her classes, saying that Dunham would stop students mid-exercise and ask them to question why they are here, leading them to then continue performing the exercise but with a different perspective. Dunham was passionate about philosophical teaching as well as physical training because she found that giving dancers reasoning behind their movements would made their dance more purposeful.




To end the day, we attended an International Mixed Bill Performance. This consisted of four contrasting performances, each had an individual theme. As like yesterday’s showcase, there were numbers that I personally felt had more of an impact than others, those of which I will comment upon. Axam Dance Theatre Experience from the USA presented a choreography named ‘Sisters’. This piece demonstrated emotions of three female dancers and their journey through happiness to insanity whilst also representing their close relationship shown through their facial expressions and physical closeness. The audience truly felt the emotions portrayed from the dancers, creating a warm atmosphere, also helped by the colourful dresses they wore and bright stage lights. The final piece was choreographed and composed by Zab Maboungou from Canada and cleverly used the music to clearly inspire the creation of the gestures. Having the drums on stage alongside the dancers, not only helps both the dancers and drummers to stay in time but also represented the significance of the rhythms upon the choreography.




To end the conference, Zab Maboungou left us with an insightful quote, ‘Dance is as mysterious as it is common’…




My time at Re:Generations has left me with many new thoughts and ideas around the way I perceive the arts and the creative impact I can allow myself. As well as this I have learnt a lot regarding the African dance culture as well as the impacts the digital age hold upon creatives. I have also been fortunate enough to meet and learn from many dance practitioners throughout the conference and I’m thankful to have been offered this opportunity.



I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog posts. If you have any further questions, please comment.

Day Two - Re:Generations

Day 2… Began with reflection of yesterday’s learning over what we individually thought was most important. We were made aware of the differences between external motivation representing short term changes and internal motivation implying the long-term motivations we should strive to change an aspect of how we think, ideally our key learning should be internalised.




The keynote today was given by Dr Thomas F. DeFrantz who spoke about ‘Dancing the Afrofuture’. For me personally, this presentation doesn’t have much relation towards my particular practise, however I did take away some key ideas that were presented which I am going to bullet point below:

·        Cultural divides can determine how individuals communicate through dance.

·        In the US, teaching dance is respected for sustainability of a working dancer. It could be a transitioning job or the dancer’s entire career.

·        The idea of post human critique combines science fiction and fantasy. It suggests humans will turn less human and be more focused on being seen as strands of data to create a whole being.

·        We need to bend the ability of technology- that’s how styles such as hip hop and jazz were created as they bent the classics.

·        Despite religion/ disabilities/ beliefs these don’t determine your choice on what you do with your body. If you want to create art that is entirely up to the individual as they master their thoughts.

The next talk focused on the results of a survey mapping the dance of the African Diaspora (DAD), created by One Dance UK, using survey money to create the results of the map and findings. London was found to be the major hub where most respondents came from. ‘Contemporary’ was the practise dominating the sector with over 50% participants describing their practise in this way. The survey asked what support is most needed within the arts and funding was the biggest desire. It was also said safe spaces were limited, especially for those emerging dancers. There were six emerging themes that were created from the maps results:

1.      Visibility/ Platforms – to increase the understanding of cultural dance.

2.      Sustainability/ Funding – lack of awareness towards the arts.

3.      Marketing/ Promotions – digital communications and offer audience development.

4.      Education/ Training – desire from more engagement, especially with younger individuals.

5.      Legacy/ Archive – being able to create a history of the DAD.

6.      Knowledge/ Networks – creating collaborations.

We were then able to choose one of these themes and attend a more intimate talk around the topic. I decided to go to the education/ training discussion lead by Dr Funmi Adewole because I felt this would be most relevant to my personal practise having just come out of full-time training. Here we talked about how many educational courses in dance simply want to fill numbers due to meeting a certain number of applications for courses to be financed. This has led classes to being overfilled so artists aren’t getting enough attention to perfect their work. We agreed it should maybe be more selective with its applications which would also create a higher standard of artists. Accessibility was highlighted as the centre of the dance world, in the UK particularly, is London making it hard for artists who don’t live near the capital to access resources or jobs. We also spoke about the idea of institutionalised dancers being possibly more successful than technically sound dancers. Having a clear idea of how the industry works could be more important to a dancer entering the competitive industry than actually being a highly skilled dancer in one technique, highlighting how challenging the career can be. The ideas presented here really questioned my own training and made me thankful towards the institution in which I trained in, The Hammond, as I felt I was provided with the essential skills to take on the working world of a dancer.




The most interesting presentation I have attended so far had to be this next one, held by Matthew Wyon from Wolverhampton University who is holding research on injury and physiotherapy on hip hop and break dancers. He commented that although dancing was often low intensity, dancers worked for many hours (more than sportsmen) and had a higher skill range. His research found that performing these specific styles of dance left dancers with similar injuries to those who competed in contact sports. It was picked up that most injuries were due to overload, mainly through difficult choreography or fatigue. A question that was highlighted was whether dancers should push their bodies beyond their boundaries to be able to pull off advanced tricks or if safety should come first. In order to support his finding, Wyon has been using wearable technologies to monitor the science of a dancer whilst they dance. This does come with its limitations however as the equipment does affect the movement range of the dancer, suggesting the accuracy of the results could be lower than ideal. When comparing the results of studying dancers using this wearable technology, the consideration of the dancers training and practise had to be accounted for. For example, ballerinas dance for hours but have major dips in their heart rate as they have breaks throughout the whole show. In comparison, other styles of dance may perform a single dance which could range from half an hour to a few minutes but may be a higher intensity. From his findings, he was able to look closely at the way muscles move which could help in injury prevention as it can explain the reason movements are causing alignment issues. All dancers want to achieve the same movement, for example a double pirouette, however the movement has different effects on different bodies due to postural placement. A selection of dancers were picked and monitored doing a pirouette, all taught by the same teacher. Some pulled of quadruples whereas others only managed one. Each dancer performed it observably different through the computer watching back their turns despite the same instruction. This technology is incredibly useful for dancers as you are able to analyse why a specific movement isn’t working and how it can be improved.

There was only one idea presented by Matthew Wyon that I completely disagreed on. He suggested that dancers should work at 80% and then when coming to performance they have reserved that extra 20% to add on their artistry. I believe in order for dancers to look effortless and to perform to their highest ability, they should consistently be training at 100% in order to be the best artist they can be. I feel this suggestion is quite scientific and in that respect I understand where this idea is coming from, but as a performer myself, I disagree with the notion of not putting your whole energy into your daily practise.




To end the day we were all able to watch an International Mixed Bill Showcase. This contained six performances in total that showed off the African culture through the very core of the conference, dance. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the artists contrasting performances, however only a few stuck in my mind. A dancer named Nafisah Baba showed off two solos. Her incredibly sound technique which appeared to come from ballet/ contemporary allowed her performance to hold great control and flow. Her movements look effortless leaving the audience amazed at the stunning choreography she was able to perform. From the USA, Juel D. Lane and Munir Zakee created an unusual duo of having the DJ on stage alongside the dancer. This allowed the dancer to have more control over the music. The reason this choreography was so interesting was the relation to the sound and how different genres of music were used to express the dancer’s emotions, also enhanced by the fact the dancer had a stocking covering his face so the audience couldn’t physically see his expression. I found this very creative and individual which is why it has stuck in my mind as a memorable piece, highlighting the importance of music to support dance in general.  




Final day of Re:Generations tomorrow- I’m excited to see what is left to explore as well as consolidate my findings throughout this journey of seeking new knowledge towards a different culture.

Day One - Re:Generations

The day began with an interactive opening ceremony. We chanted ‘I- yeh-ooh’ as we followed Dr H Patten and Peter Badejo up the stairs to the Aldridge Studio for the welcoming speech. We were told to celebrate ourselves as individuals as well as appreciating the presence of those around us. Karen Gallagher encouraged us to adopt the ‘power pose’ suggesting that how we hold our bodies impacts our minds, a scientific finding. Gallagher continued then to express the issues with the use of technologies in terms of the goldilocks effect. This suggest that anything we post on social media or even through texts and emails, we can edit our language to the way we want to be perceived by the reader. In relation to dance, through digital viewing, people can copy techniques even if they don’t fully understand the language and meaning behind the movements. This is problematic because they don’t understand the deeper and philosophical reasoning for behind basic techniques. Despite these negatives, there are many advantages to having dance accessible though technology. Although it can’t replace live performance, it can facilitate resources for those who can’t access it.


I then attended a talk, ‘Using the Digital Age to Tell the Human Stories of Dance’. The first half of this discussion was taken by Adesola Akinleye alongside Gonzalo Preciado-Azanza who was able to be there with us via skype call. They spoke about how choreographers use technologies to create work that stretches out beyond the ability of the human body. With a focus on Bill T Jones, Adesola and Gonzalo explained how many of his dancers had experienced trauma which made him look at the meaning of living. In order to make his ideas more effective, Jones used new technologies of lights, set design, sound and costume in order to enhance the dancer’s body. This offered a medium between dance and science. Teaming together, Adesola and Gonzalo used digital communications to create a short dance piece. They used algorithms which they suggested only worked because of their shared understanding of similar cultural interpretations in relation to their dance techniques. I found this so interesting as it challenged the future of dance by showing how collaborations can work in order to create art. The distance between them was used to their advantage as it was a clear theme of the piece.


After lunch, I attended a discussion about the visibility and representation of dance on screen. Susannah Simonds spoke about the company Marquee TV which is a platform on which viewers can access full performances and recordings of arts through paying a subscription. Having arts on demand takes them out of the theatre and puts it on screen, making it very accessible. It additionally creates opportunities for artists, choreographers and filmmakers. Archives can be created which can be used for learning, linking the need for arts to stay a part of the national curriculum. For this to be ensured, resources need to be easily available for both teachers and students so work can be analysed as well as enjoyed. This led onto a presentation by Ghislaine Boddington who works for Body-Data-Space. This looks at the physical self and relates it to our data selves suggesting we have a physical connectiveness through technology. Specifically, digital intimacy was touched upon which I found interesting as a digital dancer named ‘Orla’ was created and involved within live performances. Having a virtual presence on stage creates another level to the art that can’t be shown by dancers alone. Fascinated by the link, I would normally associate technology outside of the performance space but this really shows how there is no restrictions on theatre and it is becoming more and more creative with a mixture of professions all collaborating to produce diverse work.


To end the day, I took part in an Interconnective Training masterclass took by Robert Solomon. This technique focused on movements coming from the core as well as our kinaesthetic perceptions. We started by feeling tension in upper body parts including hands, elbows, shoulders, neck and face, driven by holding in our core, then comparing the feeling with trying to engage these body parts without core activation. This highlighted the importance of using our centre in order to produce powerful movements. Following this, we were taught some floor barre exercises. This focused on our legs and feet. Using extensions and plié as well as ankle mobility, we performed a series of motions that enhanced our turn out. I felt these exercises worked on hip rotation as well as being strengthening. To finish, we leant a short routine that focused on direction and transference of weight. Challenges came when we were asked to perform it double the speed and then with a partner performing it to opposite sides. To finish, Solomon spoke about the importance of the dance space and how it can impact out creative processes, containing energy in the studio space. I found this masterclass gave me a different outlook towards ways of working, in particular the importance of using strength gained from core control.


Answering Chani Allott’s quire, I have found that practitioners within the industry are more open now to using digital forms to enhance performances. This is changing traditions and it is becoming a norm to investigate the use and opportunities technology can create within the arts. This link between dance and technology is important to advance the ability of the human body to create pieces of art that exceed historical expectations.


If anyone has any more questions and quires that they would like me to investigate, please comment below and I will try to answer them within the next two days.