14th May Submissions...

Quick post guys, is anyone including a contents page in their Critical Review? The format suggested in the Handbook says we should include a Title Page, then our Introduction, Evaluation and so on. What's everyone else thinking?

Filming Experience - Professional Artefact

I wanted to share some reflections on the experience I have had today in organising a group of dancers to get together, openly discuss what Dance means to them, and share ideas on how we can creatively and collaboratively express this through filming some audio visual material.

Admittedly, I have not envisaged today's session being such a learning curve. Discovery of what Dance means to others has been inspiring, and similarly to what I experienced with collecting data at a community based organisation in which I freelance for and am gaining teaching experience at, it has really caused me to identify with why I Dance, and what it means to me. It has challenged the way I think about my practise, I have become aware that if we understand better what Dance can offer us as individuals, as teachers, we can develop our skills to make Dance more available to all walks of life.

I am very gratefully already receiving positive feedback from the session, so I feel reassured that the participants have equally gained from the experience. Through breaking down my project, why I'm doing it, who it's aimed at etc, I have been able to clarify in my own mind my progress. But by explaining to a different community to which I undertook data collecting, I have explaining my findings through giving this new group of dancers the experience of collaboratively sharing creative ideas, and filming material that represents what Dance means to us as a whole.

I had initially panicked that so many insightful ideas were being thrown out within the room, how was I going to be able to remember them all once I had left. There would be no way of re creating that atmosphere again, so I wasn't keen on having to organise a secondary session to clarify on anything I had missed. I was pleased with my decision to actually get each participant to contribute to page of field notes during the session. That way, each individual could volunteer a specific theme they felt they wanted to represent, why they choose that theme, why they choose the coloured scarf to represent the theme, and why they chose to enter and exit the dance space as they did. It also meant I could be part of the piece myself, I felt more involved with the community, and with the inquiry provoking a route of self - discovery into what Dance means to me, I realised it was important that I contributed to the Professional Artefact too. I also now have clear notes to be able to refer back too, which are also helping me in constructing some text to support the filmed material.

It's perhaps not very easy to read, but below are the field notes the whole community created as a result of this afternoons session. Getting others involved in documenting what took place, the how and why's has given much greater depth to any reflections I can make solely on my own.

I have decided to sleep on the days experience before beginning to write up the explanatory text, but overall, a an inspiration learning curve!

Where is everyone else up to at the moment?

Professional Artefact - Audio- visual material.

Having just read a post from Nicole, I have been introduced to another programme to create a presentation. 'Prezi', available at www.prezi.com. Thanks for this Nicole. No doubt most of us are already familiar with Powerpoint, and Flickr too. My Artefact, as it stands, is not a presentation so to speak, but a single video evidencing creative representation of my findings through the use of movement from bodies within a community of Dancers. Because I am not wanting to upload  lots of images aswell, I am unsure as to which programme will be the most effective to use. Having just checked out the website Nicole suggested, the example 'Prezi's' demonstrate a fairly simple but methodical presentation format. I am also inclined to try it and learn a new skill! The site has example presentations which very concisely demonstrate how to construct presentations too, and Prezis have a plus in that you can watch them on line or offline. Has anyone else got any other suggestions?

Learning Curve - Professional Artefact

So having already had a few ideas for my Artefact (see previous blog), I experienced a huge learning curve within my practise this evening.

As it stands, I intent to incorporate a media based approach, and film willing participants in a way that represents what I found about what Dance means to a specific community, and communicates this in a way that reaches others within the Dance sector effectively

The specific Dance community I based my research on, and gathered data from aren't actually going to be used for the specific artefact itself, within the time constraints of our projects I was unable to get adequate time with participants from within the organisation. This however I feel has been a benefit in disguise, by asking participants from within my own professional dance practise after classes this evening, generally people were enthused about taking part, and sharing their experiences in Dance. By explaining to them the purpose for enquiry, and summing up my main findings, it has clarified in my mind what I have gained and learnt from the project as a whole. So by communicating the whole process to others who didn't even know I have been researching what Dance means to a specific community, insights of my learning have developed even more so. I still intend to show the Artefact to the original Dance community the findings were based on however, hopefully they can learn as much from it as I can. In a way, if the new group of participants perhaps suggest new ideas on their own Dance experiences, another route for future research can be created. I wonder if the meaning of Dance varies from one specific community practise to another perhaps?

Professional Artefact Ideas

Although analysis of the data I have been collecting throughout the inquiry process, I have been thinking about possible ideas for my Professional Artefact,

So far, because my inquiry is one involving dancers and dance artists, I am thinking along the lines of something fairly creative. Within the community I am focusing on, ( Ludus Dance - a community based Dance organisation in Lancaster), its users and clients would not lean towards communicating through written page after page of block text. I want to share my research project as a whole with the professional and community dance communities,the process AND the analysis. It seems Dancers tend to communicate through ways other than words, so using one artistic flair and including movement, colour, music, or creative dance related imagery seems logical. In terms of knowing my audience, upon reflection of Ludus as one of my current workplaces, having an audio-visual element to the artefact will most likely appeal to the people who use it. This also will mean the communication I wish to share can reach their on line community via their own website if necessary.

Analysis is suggested there most definitely re - occurring themes to what Dance means to Ludus users, some of these themes are dependant on certain factors, the context of the dance activity its self for example. My artefact needs to show the connection between these themes, but also the connection between each of the users that create the 'community' itself. It seems ones meaning can also constantly develop/change, so somehow representing the idea that every individuals experience of dance is important, and that the meaning of Dance has no solid frameworks on structures that people have to fit in with/to is key.

At the moment my idea is to have recorded material of various Ludus users each connected to each other physically, each person represents one idea as to what Dance's means in this community. They can each then move as they desire, intermingling, but remaining linked in someway (using colourful ribbons to hold between each others hands maybe). Although thinking initially to have the dancers stand in a circle obviously represents the unity within the community, a circular shape is closed, and does not allow for new people (i.e new meaning) to enter this community. Encouraging all walks of life to enage with Dance at Ludus has been a huge theme in my analysis, so perhaps having more of an open ended structure would more accurately represent how my understanding into the meaning for Dance has constantly developed, and taken new direction as the enquiry process has gone along.

The image below takes a similar direction, what do you think? If any of you are dancers, would you feel the same about seeing something creative and visual rather than a leaflet, or text document?

        

Dance Uk- some interesting facts and figures!

Hey guys,

Been looking into evidence of the recent boom in dance media events and compeitions, found some interesting facts from the DanceUK website (DanceUK, 1982).....

Dance and Media:

The Target Group Index (TGI), found that

-'audiences for dance have grown by 13.7% over the last six months'

-'when show on television, dance reaches audiences of 100's of 1,000's'

-'Dance is now the fastest growing Art Form, 13% of the population are now attending dance performances'

-'Strictly Come Dancing is now watched by 10.5 million people'

-According to a survey taken by Barclays, '1 in 10 people last year took up dancing because of the 'Darran Gough Effect'

Also found these facts on learning Dance quite interesting too,

Dance and Education:

-' The numbers of those taking GCSE Dance has increased from 2,752 in 1990 to 6,469 in 2000 (an increase of 235%). In June 2008, 17,855 candidates were entered into GCSE Performing Arts: Dance (source: AQA). On the other hand, those studying dance at AS and A level has increased from 352 in 1990 to 808 in 2000 (an increase of 229%)'.

- 'The number of students taking GCSE dance has increased from 7,003 in 2001, 15,730 in 2005 to 18,866 in 2007' (The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance www.aqa.org.uk/index.php)

- 'The number of pupils choosing dance has risen 83% in four years, according to research by the Arts Council. A third of those are boys (http://www.theguardian.co.uk// 14th March 2009'

Source - (Dance UK, 1982)

Interview Reflections

Interview Reflections

Today I have spent the day with Ludus Dance troupe, a community based Dance organisation in Lancaster. Whilst conducting interviews, making observations, filming dancers at work and collaborating chorographical ideas, my understanding into what dance means to Ludus users has developed even more.

Whilst still ‘thinking’ about how best to structure the analysis of my findings, and composing a format with recognised themes and structures, I have made some initial reflections upon the interview process themselves.

 The reflection process have highlighted areas in which my interview preparation lacked a little, and revealed a few ways in which I could have perhaps conducted myself more efficiently or more professionally.

Although initially I had only one officially organised interview, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to talk with members of two dance troupes, one community based and one semi-professional Youth Dance Troupe.

Reflections:

Importance of Setting/Environment – although given the option to use a quiet, uninterrupted office to conduct interviews, I was pleased with the decision to stay in the dance studio itself.  My interpretations were that the respondents felt this was most appropriate, it was a comfortable, recognisable space for them, imposing at atmosphere to speak freely. Casual and friendly approach to the interview – sat on the floor, over lunch time break, this relaxed feel I felt helped to ease the flow of conversation.

Making respondents feeling they are in control  of the conversations direction– not wanting to force answers from respondents, I explained what I was hoping to research, and all students were given the option to contribute or not. Initially, only a few tentative students volunteered, but the nature in which we were speaking with one another meant a gradual migration to the group.

Audio Equipment – thankful to have recorded all responses, as a single researcher feeling the importance of maintaining eye contact, I couldn’t possibly have written field notes that were accurate enough for a well rounded analysis. The audio device was passed between respondents, so people were free to contribute when they felt they wanted to. This also meant I have the data in its rawest form to refer to. Rather than risking evaluating my interpretations of their answers, I can now quote exactly what was said, as well as referring to notes I made on body language, conversational flow, tone of voice, facial expression etc.

Number of Respondents - Although having lots of bodies willing to share their experiences, the situation almost turned into a focus group, all be in unintentionally. Had I had time to plan prior, I may have considered speaking in slightly smaller groups. On the other hand, perhaps the conversation was so fluid due to it being inclusive of everyone from the word go.

Consideration of Age – with speaking to some younger clients of Ludus (18/19), I sensed there may have been an element of them saying ‘what they wanted me to hear’. For future, I would need to explore ways in which to ensure they feel able to express their OWN opinions, regardless of the researchers experience in the topics being explored. In an inquiry of this nature, and with my position as a researcher and a trained dancer myself, this is something I shall have to factor into my analysis.

Unforeseen Time Constraints – my main interview for the day had been scheduled for an hour at the end of the day, unfortunately things overran, and we were left with very little time. The respondent needed to be out of the building by a certain time, so that struck out the factor of interviewing in a familiar space. They were also under time constraints that life brings (family commitments/car parking ticket etc) Respondent proposed conducting interview over a drink -  the atmosphere of being in a pub threw me as bit with regards to maintain a professional and fairly formal approach!  My concern for getting planned questions answered under the time constraints meant it was more difficult to flow with where the conversation was heading. As researchers, adaptability is crucial, hopefully a skill one learns through experiences like this one. Although consideration of the appropriate environment for an interview is important, sometimes circumstances will not allow for it. Getting a successful interview it seems lies with the ability of the research to adapt to where they find themselves, and still manage to get the best out of the individual circumstances.

A personal reflection was how I felt my competency for explaining my role/my purpose of being there/the purpose of the project improved from the beginning to the end of the day. My confidence in explaining what I hope to achieve in providing accurate, ethical researched information for the professional dance sector grew, as did my ability to truthfully re iterate my limits and limited capability as a single researcher.

Profession Audience and Career Implications

I am currently 'in limbo' with my interviewing as my final interview could not be conducted until this weekend, this has however meant the questions I intend to ask have really evolved from spending time finding new and interesting literary articles.

Mina suggested I looked at various reports on the Dance Uk website, browsing the sites homepage has really stimulated my approach to how my professional artifact could benefit and map out a possible route for how my career can continue to develop.

The research I am doing into the meaning of dance has been so revealing, and is fuelling my passion for the subject more than ever. Although at the moment my work involves both performing dance and teaching, I couldn't answer if someone where to ask 'what exactly do you want to do with your career'? Is anyone else in this situation?

I feel the enquiry process itself is linking to my professional practise as it stands right now, but mainly through the communication of a professional artifact, it could help to sculpt and shape insight into potential future roles.

Learning about what Dance means to others, I am sharing in experiences I had never even contemplated before, even with my dance back ground and experience. But how can I communicate to my audience what I have found?!

Possible ideas, leaflets, video clips, images, posters......

Re-calling on past events I have taken part in, how about Flash Mobs? Although I am not wanting to promote Dance as a product so to speak, my research into their purpose suggests these are effective at drawing attention to something with the element of fun and surprise.

Here's a great example, what I noticed was the range of participants, age's, professions etc. Despite the participants being so diverse, somehow Dance, Music, and the element of surprise has brought that whole population together for that moment.

Is there a way I can capture this for my Professional Artefact? As a work in progress perhaps?

Along similar lines, another report on the Dance UK website contains information on how such an organisation goes about campaigning to raise Dances profile.

In this particular report, various famous dancers have got together, with contributions from many dance schools and professional organisations to create a manifesto to get the governments attention on how to change legislation to create conditions dance needs to flourish further.

Although I am by no means attempting to achieve this sort of impact, simply acknowledge the way in which the manifesto itself draws ones attention is really effective.

The link to see it is below, it has lots on information for the whole of the dance industry, lots of you may find some parts useful.

Dance UK Link

New Facebook SIG

Although I was unable to be at the last campus session, I have found posts from Laura, Adesola and Paula relly helpful.

Really wish I could have been there to be able to talk through where I am, and have others opinions on the direction I am heading. I have found even talking things our loud with my family, or peers, or fellow professionals often helps me to see where gaps in the enquiry lie, what is clear, what is more of a 'grey area etc'.

Although Facebook did let us down in the past, the discussions that were developing were really useful. Sharing in SIG's is a part of whats assessed for Module three too, so I have set up another page for us to discuss whatever we feel we need too, without getting too distracted by facebook chat of course!  Please find the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Middlesex-University-BAPP-Page/268455089898820

or alternatively, add me on Facebook, and the link is on my profile.

Sophia Emma Douglas

To what extend does someone BECOME a 'Dancer'

I have recently read an interesting post from Daisuke's blog, he was questioning teaching its self. Do we have good teachers, or good students?

This relates to part of my inquiry I am currently exploring. When researching into what Dance means to my specific community at Ludus Dance, one of the questions provoking very interesting responses is asking to what extent does someone become a dancer? It is a case of their movements being very natural, therefor they are naturally a 'dancer', or are they a 'dancer' because they have a combination of secure technique, knowledge of steps and repotoire, and the ability to listen and move to music ryhmically?! Or is it a combination of both elements?

My latest interview respondant raised an interesting arugment to this question, she commented that in the ideal world, she could whole heartedly say a dancer is

'anyone willing to move and explore their body, creating and expressing emotion or messages through movemet'

Her thoughts on when someone becomes a dancer were

'as soon as they move the body to explore and express communicating a message'

We both agreed however, that being a 'dancer' is still a very broad term, and that although everyone has the ability to a degree, the definition of a 'dancer' must have to change somewhat as a dancer dancing for enjoyment, to a dancer needing to use dance to create a sustainable financial income.

Exploring this a little further, I produced a simple table consrtucted of both her and my ideas of how having to earn money from dance as a professional careea may alter the meaning of being a 'dancer'.

Dance for Enjoyment

Professional Dancer

-          Movement, use of the body -          Discovery of new steps/new skills -          Development of skills e.g. co-ordination -          Feeling free to move in a way that stimulates feeling good -          Being creative - movements, choreography -          Not afraid to explore ‘creativity’ -          Exploring how the body moves/works -          Use of the body as an expressive vehicle -          Communication of emotion, a message, feeling -          Experiencing the pleasure of moving to music -          Not restricted to technical boundaries -          Sometimes oblivious to movements aesthetic appeal -          Movements performed for oneself personal benefit -          Movements possibly performed for an audience

-          Extensive professional training -          Professional experience -          Solid technical ability -          Ability to perform to required standard for long periods of time -          Evidence of professional artist development -          Knowledge of the discipline – syllabus, repertoire -          Ability to create new choreography -          Passionately performing other peoples choreography -          Professional dancer ‘status’ – exams, medals, qualifications etc. -          Performing to meet standards to employees -          Level of expectancy for paying audience

The more interviews I intend to conduct, the more interesting it will be to see how this table may need to be added too or altered perhaps.....Does anyone have any thoughts on it so far?

Does the meaning of Dance change according to the situation they are involved with it in?

A final thought,  how many times have we experienced watching a performance but been intently stuck on one particular dancer? Your opinion may differ from the next audience member, and we cannot exacly pin oint why exactly our eye is drawn to them. When we say they have a 'natural girf', what do we actually mean? Does it even matter?

In todays boom in dance media competitions and events, should there be some common ground?

Please feel free to share any thoughs, I'd really love to develop this element of my project, so any ideas of thoughts you wish to share would be really helpful!

Reflecting on my first Interview

Interview Reflections:

With making a decision to focus on interviews, and cutting data collection through questionnaires and surveys, I spent some time researching how to make the most of them. Although it is sometimes suggested that interviews can be very time consuming, whilst reading the weekly ‘LOOK’ magazine recently, I thought about how these journalists and interviewees must have found a way to collect the data they need fairly quickly to meet the demands of the weekly criteria. So, if efficiently prepared, surely interviews need not be hugely time consuming. I found an idea from a book I am reviewing that suggested that the time spend organising and undertaking interviews tends to be time well in vested, most of it goes into the effort to ‘understanding the issues of the research’ (R S. Weiss, 1995), which is primarily the underlying foundations of my inquiry anyway.

I thought about WHY I am interviewing:

-to gain deeper insight of personal experiences

-how these experiences affected thoughts and feelings

-developing an awareness of what Dance means to someone other than myself, trying to develop a way of reflecting on a familiar activity almost as unfamiliar

-gaining depth and a greater coherence of the material each respondent provides

- to develop my interviewing skills for future use – personal development

I thought about choosing respondents appropriately:

-Two main categories of potential respondents, firstly, those who are uniquely able to be informative because they are experts in their field. Secondly, people who represent and display what happens within a certain community or populations. I wanted to focus on looking at gathering data that could potentially contrast in dynamics and content, but, with Ludus Dance being a relatively small community, I am already constricted to a certain extent.

My chosen respondents were firstly Ludus Dance’s Artistic Director, and secondly, a Ludus user who is a trained professional dancer, and a weekly attendee to various classes offered at Ludus. She is also branching out and establishing herself as Freelance Artist in her own right.

Yesterday I took an interview with the professional dancer. Although we are already familiar through meeting at ‘Pro Class’, we have not developed a relationship that could affect the data collected. If I had had a well established friendship with the respondent already, there would be the possibility of not taking into account critical analysis. I could risk avoiding any interpretation of a negative nature. I felt in the best position to be able to interview with no pre – conceptions, but comfortable in my adequate knowledge of the subject we were discussing.

Reflections after the interview:

-Straight away I gave a brief overview of the project outlines, and the potentially confidentially issues were addressed straight away. (Use of pseudonyms) I also used this as an opportunity to clarify anything on the consent form that wasn’t clear.

-I felt it was important to set a friendly but business like tone. This way I felt comfortable when and when not to contribute in order to probe a bit deeper into her thoughts and ideas.

-Respondent said she had commitments later that day, so would only be able to offer 45mins for the interview. Although this panicked me slightly, I feel I was lucky she mentioned this at the start rather than having to cut interview short half way through. I had to be decisive over which questions were of less importance should we run out of time to discuss them all.

-Being ‘adaptable’ was a key factor throughout, I did tend to follow the semi – structured approach of my questions, but often answers provoked new questions not previously thought about. On one occasion I was asked if I could re-phrase a question so it could be understood better. Also, I decided to re-phrase a question after the respondent answered in a way which didn’t answer what I was trying to ask. Finally, I did have to cut some questions, partly due to time constrains, but also because sometimes when an answer went in one direction, the question I had planned next seemed in appropriate and wouldn’t be logically flowing with where the conversation was flowing.

Because the respondent spoke so freely, and was very happy to share fairly sensitive personal insight, I was glad of the semi – structured approach I had taken. I felt if I had kept to a more informal approach, without any format of structured questions previously prepared, it would have been very easy to drift off at different tangents. The questions I had prepared, all though they were adapted a bit here and there, kept a sense of focus of the real purpose of the interview.

-Interview lasted approx 45 mins, on reflection, this was fairly ideal. We are working individuals, so finding time to fit the interview in with work and other commitments, as well as being able to find a quiet place where you can concentrate fully on the other person in the conversations can sometimes be difficult.

-This interview was over the phone, as due to the distance between us, we were unable to meet face to face. I had some pre- conceptions I would struggle without being able to make eye contact, would this result in a lack of mutual respect for one another?! It was pleasantly surprising to feel comfortable to just ask for clarification on anything to ensure my understanding of responses was absolutely accurate. Perhaps the need for face to face interactions isn’t always 100% necessary when you and the respondent have already met. This may be different if you were speaking for the first time however.

-The main difficulty I experienced was juggling scribing notes whilst the respondent was talking. Had the interview have been recorded, I could have re-played the audio if I missed anything. The pace of her speech was much faster than what I managed to document, so perhaps thinking about being more efficient in taking note would have helped me here.

My next interview is planned for next week; I am interested to see how much the experience is different.

Reflecting Upon Observations

Last night was my first official ‘Observation’ session, planning how best to make this session beneficial has been a process of gathering data, mainly from literature and allowing myself time to contextualise what I have read. From there, deciding the best approach to take to be fully prepared before the Observations take place......

I came across a suggestion from my literature that indentified with the benefits of researching not only the specific research topic itself, but also identifying with some closely linked topics. In pursuit of the aim of my enquiry to explore the meaning of Dance, it seemed obvious to spend some time researching dance related topics. This specific part of my inquiry focuses on exploration into whether Dance can, or does, contribute to or affect the state of ones mental and physical well being. I decided to observe two different forms of movement classes, offered at the specific community my project is designed around (Ludus Dance in Lancaster). On Monday’s specifically tailored ‘Health and Well Being’ days, both Yoga and ‘Dance Fit’ classes are available to its users, I hoped that by expanding my substantive frame into dance in its wider form, my research would reflect a more informed analysis of the set of topics the project explores.

This then identified a potential problem, WHAT was it exactly that I was going to observe, and HOW was I going to be able to make accurate recordings of it. Furthermore, HOW was I going to come to some sort of analysis once the observations had been made.

I identified with the fact that I cannot attempt to observe and analysis physical change purely on one evenings observations, nor attempt to read people’s minds. Also, I challenged the different ways in which I actively approach this observation. Keeping my role as a ‘researcher’ totally hidden seemed inappropriate; such secrecy seemed to potentially raise an ethical issue. Was it fair to for the participants to share confidential thoughts with me as a fellow participant, for me to document them without them knowing? Also, in a class designed for 50years +, keeping my identity hidden was almost impossible! Establishing I wanted to make my identity known then provoked the question, to what level do I participate? I came up with three possible options to this issue, to participate fully, to sit and watch, or to combine a bit of both. Thinking about all three options, I decided the first was most appropriate. Participant observation allows me as the research to fully experience what is being taught, and I would feel much less obvious as an outsider. This would increase the degree of comfort within the class both from me, and from the other participants, and in a way creates a more intimate interaction between us all. I did question my own personal dance technique, knowing this could affect the researcher/participant relationship. If my own skill was much less than theirs, would I struggle to gain their respect? If it were obviously greater, would I be seen as a ‘show off’? Finally, after discussing gaining ethical consent to officially observe with the teaching faculty at Ludus, it was decided between us my technique was at a level appropriate to participate fully, but that teachers should feel free to correct me when they felt appropriate with their level of professional teaching knowledge.

The foundation for my inquiry is to share others experiences of dance, taking care not to inflict my own assumptions on participants or on my analysis of data. Realising I would need to make some quite extensive field notes of my observation reflections, considering my ‘interpretational’ skills was important. Although striving to remain neutral and wanting to avoid jumping to premature conclusions, my analysis will acknowledge that to a certain extend the researchers personal responses have to become a part of the findings. Ultimately, what I know I can do it to acknowledge my interpretation of the classes, their setting (general mood/tone before after and during), I can make note of what was said throughout the classes, both from the teachers and their participants, and note any physical expressions of emotion (perhaps smiles for enjoyment, tears for unhappiness, perspiration for physically challenging etc)

This lead me to research another related topic, Movement Analysis. I read an explanation of this term written by Penelope Hanstein;

‘On a basic level, movement analysis permits a synthesis of the results of the detailed observations with contextual knowledge, which then furthers the process of interpreting and evaluating the dancer’.

My inquiry does require movement analysis, but only on this basic level, directed more specifically to basic behavioural movement analysis. Research lead me to three main systems of movement analysis, (1) Word Descriptions, (2) Single – use systems, (3) Complex Analytical Systems. Although researching each system was interesting, the latter two were too complex for the purpose of my inquiry. My goal is just to give a sense of the actions witnessed within a broader sense of dance movement, and the descript language I use will suit the needs of my project more efficiently, without the use of systematic methods of classification on elaborate frameworks such as Laban Movement Analysis or Labanotation. My research does not require such specific technical or specialized vocabulary. Also, because this analysis does require my interpretation, I cannot develop a unique system of explanation for my observations. In conclusion, simple word descriptions on mood/tone/feeling/comments passes etc will contribute efficiently to helping me identify and analysis what dance means to Ludus dance users.

In an attempt to conclude all my thoughts (and thank goodness for my learning diary), I came up with a set of factors to think about before hand as to what observations I can make. This really helped me to focus on getting the most beneficial data. Some main points of interest are briefly summarised below:

Dance Fit Class Observations:

Class of mixed participants, large age/ability range

Instant welcomeing of me as a ‘newcomer’

Team moral throughout – verbal communication of working as a team to ‘keep going’

Often participants did not perform steps correctly, this was either laughed off, or disgreegarded completely.

Comments from Participants:

‘I care less for what I look like in these studio mirrors; I feel like I’m dancing therefore I am a dancer, even if that ends when I step out the Ludus building’!

‘I performed this Salsa sequence at a party at the weekend you know’!

Comments from the teacher:

‘I can see the physical changes in your bodies since last term, muscle tone has definitely increased’

‘Remember at the beginning of term when you couldn’t manage to keep dancing throughout this whole song’

‘Feel the movements, let the dancing take over’

Physical Noticing:

Smiles all round!

Perspiration – evidence of participants working hard!

A ‘fit of giggles’ among the class during the cool down – release of endorphins, the ‘feel good factor’ evident

A quietness and obvious focus during the stretching at the end of the class.

Yoga Class Observations:

Comments from the instructor:

‘It’s about working from the inside out’

‘Use the movements as dance medicine, pick the one that suits your health needs best’

‘Feel your self  - confidence increase now you become familiar with your own body, only you know what is best for you’

‘In cultivating an a awareness of where your tensions or eases are, realise the potential of the human body as a dance machine’

Comments from participants:

(Comments were noted during the class, and afterward outside the Yoga studio)

Feeling ‘revitalized’

Feeling  ‘empowered, I appreciate my body so much more now I realise what I do it to it with everyday wear and tear!’

‘It’s my escapism, I love getting away from the kids for an hour to identify solely with where I’m at that day’

Noted physical behaviours/expressions:

Eye were often closed, my interpretation being as a way to either help relax and focus, or as a result of being relaxed and focused.

A participant yawned during the warm up, when asked ‘are you tired’? She disagreed and instead explained she was simply relaxed enough to be able to yawn without embarrassment.

Points that stuck out to me:

Through interpretation physical observations, as well as recording verbal comments during and after the class, I have been able to analysis to a certain degree what it is about Yoga specifically that Ludus users feel during practising it:

-          The initial warming up and massaging of the body seems to create a sense of appreciation for the human body as a machine. Almost a way of realising its potential, this in turn may positively affect how one feels about one’s body. I really did identify with how Yoga aims to cultivate this self- respect, regardless of body shape or size.

-          Participants pointed out experiencing a sense of ownership over the movements. Yoga requires you to move in a way that works best for you. It seems to be very individual, and its practise focuses on your needs as an individual.

-          Bodily tensions/ease are recognised and worked with, rather than against.  All Yoga poses are adaptable, so participants really can work to the degree most beneficial for them.

-          There seemed to be a sense of ‘being kind to ones self’, cultivating awareness of how each body part functions. The focus is to use the movements to work with it, enhancing its capabilities further.

-          A few of the participants took part in both Yoga and Dance Fit, a few comments were passed about the buzz they feel from moving at a high intensity in contrast to a slower, controlled pace straight afterwards. Does this simulate life perhaps, periods of rushing around, and periods of relaxation?

The Ballerina Project

Whilst browsing the Internet with Literature reviewing in mind, I decided to 'google' a link a friend had mentioned to me recently. Although not directly related to the BAPP Course, her advise has pointed me to a really interesting project in New York. 'The Ballerina Project' is a collection of photography which grew from the idea of New York being a city full of creativity and opportunity. Looking at the collection of pictures, which stems over 10 years worth now, the project adresses some very topical issues ranging from the record rainfall and bad weather in Boston, to the increase in diagnosed Eating Disorders within the dance industry.

My inquiry into what dance means and feels to those partaking in it has caused me think on many different levels about sharing others experience and interpretation of dance performance, not simply my perception of it. Related to this, I have been exploring some theories about where Dance may fall and its role in society. There is one particular photograph taken during the recent economic recession, showing a ballerina gracefully poised over an empty fridge - I thought it was a innovtive way of highlighting the topic issues in todays society. Perhaps dance can do this after all!

The link to the project is below, there is a blog to read too if anyone is interested further....

Ballerina Project

Interviewing Techniques

Just thought I would share the link again to my delicious account, my adviser Adesola introduced me to a book I have found really useful,

 'Learning From Strangers - The Art and Method of Qualitative Interviews and Sudies', Robert S. Weiss.

My interviews are being arranged and taking place shortly, this piece of literature has helped finalise on the best approach to take with each respondent, hope others find it usefull too!

Sophie's Delicious Account Link

Questionnaires....

Is anyone intending to construct questionnaires or surveys as part of thier project?

I am researching what dance means to the users of a local dance community called Ludus Dance, it is key for me to remain fairly sensitive, and un assuming as possible throughout all my research and data collection processes, I am wanting to learn their experiences, not influence them with mine or gain inaccurate data by people answering in a way they think they 'should' answer. Wanting to consider opinions from a sample of Ludus's variety of users (professional dancers, youth dancers, dance therapy class students etc), does anyone have any thoughts on the best way to ensure the questionnaires themselves are actually filled out? Perhaps some of you are experiencing making the same decisions..... Does leaving forms in a reception area seem appropriate, will they been seen, is this intrusive to their 'space', will they be returned efficiently? Having other teachers hand them out would ensure they get to clients effectively, but may look like I can't be bothered to do it myself! Does the fact that people may choose to ignore them become a factor of my analysis? Maintaining anonymity seems like one of the most important factors here, perhaps suggesting a place for them to be left once filled in would be effective? Would love to share thoughts with anyone potentially facing similar issues......

Thoughs on beginning Module 3....

Welcome back officially everyone!

Wanted to thank Adesola, Paula and Laura for their very useful blogs on what I missed at the Campus Session yesterday.

A few things really jumped out at me, firstly, it seems when we feel (like I do at the moment) a little overwhelmed a the amount of in depth work required for the next deadline, taking some time to identify where exactly we are in the stages of our projects can be a useful tool. Personally, I am mulling over the feedback received, wondering where my plan lacks depth perhaps, if there are parts of it that actually are not as beneficial as first thought etc. For example, at the moment, I am planning on analysing 5 different forms of data, reevaluating this, I am cutting some bits out as it seems doubtful to accurately review, analysis and interpret anything valuable from so many 'findings'. Has anyone else considered how much data they are hoping to get, and, if so, how they intend to start to draw it all together?

Also, addressing how far we are in terms of our Literature Reviewing seems pretty crucial. I have found various key texts, and now trying to focus on how I can draw together the information they are serving me with and linking in to analysing my data, as well as considerations as to how they may influence and shape my questionnaires and interview questions.

Finally, having regular shared commentary on discussions with one another.....it is always such a great help to collaborate opinions, especially if the topics we are researching are along similar lines. Hope we can keep this up, such a shame we lost the facebook discussion group last term......

In case anyone hasn't seen it, Paula has posted notes from the Campus session via slideshare, thanks again Paula!

http://paulanottingham.blogspot.com/2012/02/1st-campus-session-module-3-7212.html

I intend to now establish some action plan points to discuss with my adviser about the part of my plan that need to me amended, hopefully we can all help each other out as much as possible along the way too!

Critical Reflection and Summary: Portfolio

When developing a set of questions relating to my professional practice, initially potential questions flowed with relative ease(Appendix A). They were however general and open, which meant research being too – debatable and immeasurable. How was I going to utilize my knowledge to get maximum output out of appropriate choice of tools to find questions seeking researched answers that would facilitate further professional development and define a beneficial line of enquiry? Mapping my professional knowledge was a useful stepping stone, (Appendix B) Special Interest Groups’ then effectively collaborated opinions thus provoking the intent to let questions develop, rather than trying to find the answers (Appendix C)  Blogging a proposed question, then receiving feedback on that question allowed further development into the inquiry topic. From this, I felt a more critical understanding of the type of question needed, and how the construction of the question evokes different types of answers. Feedback received has highlighted how useful and valid the views of other practitioners within the BAPP network are. Establishing professionals contributions were particularly significant (Appendix D), input from those in professions other than dance allowed me to gain an entirely different point of view (Appendix E). Only then was I able to re evaluate my question by thinking about how it may be interpreted differently, and how someone viewing the question other than myself may understand it.  (Appendix F) I realized the values one may hold are limited depending on the level of previous professional experience. Sharing opinions (through SIG’s, Facebook and Skype) adds depth to your own critical voice.

This module has highlighted how working ethically combines adhering to rules of an organization and using one’s own set of morals and values to approach daily conduct. Reviewing codes of conduct from my workplace and official online resources made me appreciate how in depth such codes can be (Appendix G)Blogging on these regulations exposed numerous similarities, and highlighted elements that my assumptions had not previously considered. (Appendix H) It seems stepping out of my professional environment and documenting thoughts can increase my understanding of the way I learn, more so than when being consumed in the professional environment itself.  Recognizing my power position as a teacher/researcher had determined how I conduct an ethical enquiry, avoiding potential ethical issues lies in the skill of recognizing ‘my position as an insider, and trying to maintain objectivity as much as possible’ , and that my 'insider knowledge' gives me a distinctive position (Costley et al. 2010). Similarly to Stephanie, I do however consider this a positive element in my ability to interpret information as a researcher with practitioner experience in the dance industry. (Appendix I)

Blogs have highlighted how personal morals and professional ethics within the workplace can often conflict (Appendix J)and the consequences of a world without ethics (Appendix K). Now a wear of this, I intend to improve my ability at facilitating ethical professionalism for future professional practice.

Piloting tools and discussing their advantages and limitations gave me a deeper understanding as to how my questions may be understood and interpreted, and which tools will be most effective at gathering valid data. The information I seek is of a personal nature, practising and reviewing pilots has exposed the importance of remaining sensitive and ‘Valuing each contribution’ (Costley et al. 2010). Interviewing a member of Ludus Dance highlighted the importance of creating a format where the flow of conversation content is adaptable to gather the most effective data. (Appendix L) Completing colleague’s pilot questionnaires/surveys informed me much preparation and organization is needed to utilize this tool, (Appendix M) (Appendix N)But, questionnaires are key to my inquiry (Appendix O) because they provide ‘quantitative data, but can also produce answers and responses of a qualitative nature too’ (Black, (2002).  (Appendix P)  Hitchcock suggests that Observations facilitate means to ‘gather field notes which can be contextualised by background notes and are often supplemented by gathering data by other methods such as interviews to produce the most informed data’ (Hitchcock, 1989: 67) (Appendix Q), (Appendix R), (Appendix S) it seems the combination of the use of observations and interviews will be beneficial. Deciding against using focus groups was due to experiencing their excellent platform for discussion but I require more in-depth data to develop my understanding. (Appendix T), (Appendix U) 

Gathering sources of literature using Delicious (Appendix V), the BAPP library resources and Google Scholar has facilitated researching more varying views on three key texts.  The texts logically fall into three categories; the research topics and methods themselves, dance in education, and understanding dance philosophy. (Appendix W), (Appendix X), (Appendix Y)

References

Black T (2002) Understanding Social Research, London: Sage Publications LTD

Costley Carol, Elliot, Geoffrey, Gibbs, Paul (2010) Doing Work Based Research Approaches to Enquiry for Insider - Researchers, Buckingham Maidenhead: Open University Press and McGraw Hill Press

Hitchcock (1989:67)