Dear All,
Thank you for a promising start to the module. We were struck by your discipline, focus and commitment to the work today and want to commend you on your practical and intellectual participation in this very first session of the module. We also very much appreciated your comments and contributions throughout the session at appropriate times. Keep these coming and voice your experiences and thoughts to maximise on the work we are doing.
We covered basic but vital grounds today. We retuned our presence and neutrality for the purpose of this module and emphasised that this is a position full of potential, ready to tackle any impulse thrown at the body. But more importantly that this neutrality in this genre of work is designed to allow bodies to be prepared for other bodies and their weight.
We learnt the importance of befriending gravity to work with it.
We then tackled the awkward taboos surrounding touch and bodily contact by demonstrating how bodies can be read and communicated with through touch. By taking away your vision, we heightened your physical senses through touch.
We also challenged the notion of 'dance' and demonstrated the vast kinds of movement patterns that fall into this category.
So, our questions for you this week are:
1. What did you expect from the first session before you walked in this morning and what did you end up acquiring/achieving by the end of the session? Were there any differences between your expectations and your achievements?
2. What did you learn about the body and its own intelligence which is undermined by society who tend to favour the brain as the main centre of intelligence?
3. What are the challenges you feel you will need to meet in this module as the weeks get harder?
4. If you were to sum up the session in three words, what would they be?
Looking forward your responses. If any of you have questions you would like to ask of each other, please put them down in your comments to invite others to respond to them.
See you next week!
Royona & Paul
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From today's session, I got a real insight into the unique learning style of which this module operates- being very unpredictable and intriguing! I was surprised at how well the group responded to the tasks, despite 'taboo' subjects such as body and sexuality etc...which tend to dominate society and our pre-conceptions of what's acceptable, and not. I feel that the module will be both physically and emotionally challenging. However, these are challenges i am eager to embrace. To sum the session up i'd describe it as: different, captivating and exciting.
ReplyDeleteI expected a very disciplined environment, which left me a little apprehensive at first. However by the end of the session, I realised this type of environment was completely neccessary as it helped me focus and avoid distractions, allowing me to focus all energy through my body.
ReplyDeleteI am always too aware of what my body is doing when performing, which normally makes me look awkward. However by 'thinking through the body', and not the brain, allowed movement to come naturally and flow easily. Physical contact also came as second nature and all preconcieved ideas of taboo were forgotten.
I will try to maintain the focus and not to think too much about what my body is doing. I will also work to have the confidence to push the body further.
My 3 words for the first session are; Challenging, Intense and Motivating.
I expected the group as a whole to be quite pessimistic to the situation at first as physical theatre is new to us, but as a group we achieved the focus needed to be disciplined in the situation and this allowed us to create some good work.
ReplyDeleteI learnt that the brain is just one tool in helping us initially to control our thoughts, but the body reading is another way of showing feelings and thoughts. We as a society are controlled by media and the body as a taboo, western societies favour the brain over the body when there is so much you can read from the body. The body is an intelligent tool and using the body as the main tool allowed for a more free flowing movement.
The challenges I will need to meet in this module will be to maintain my focus and concentration throughout the session but also to keep the same level from week to week. I will also push myself harder to combat the sessions everyweek and to experiment with the body's capacity. I think the module will be physically and emotionally tiring so controlling this will become an important factor.
Three words to describe the session are; intense, therapeutic and thought-provoking.
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteThanks for those who have replied so far. In order for us to know who you are when you reply, can you please write your full name at the bottom of your comment please? No nicknames, just full university names.
Thanks and will reply properly soon.
Royona
This module was the one I was most apprehensive about! My previous experience of "Physical Theatre" became that of dance in actual fact, and quickly became a contest between the strongest and weakest of the class; in turn, taking anything beautiful away from the way the body can be used and turning it into something I was afraid of. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the session and am excited by the prospect of making the tools I have as an actor as finely tuned as possible. I gained a respect for Physical Theatre, as I realised just how hard you had to work! Breathing techniques were needed to control the body, and a strong core too execute the piece we were working on.
ReplyDeleteIn past and present times, society does tend to think of the brain as a sole source of intelligence. After the warm up and even in the first exercise, the senses of touch, smell and hear were all felt through the body, and no longer required the brain (or even eyes) to do our thinking. The body moved how it felt fit to, and our partners were moving in conjunction to that, like one body - rather than the two brains that entered the room.
There are two physical challenges I need to improve in order to succeed in this module. My upper arm strength is not the level I would like it to be! Also I still tend to have a few inhibitions about my body and moving it! I really need to get over these as the weeks go on.
Three words for the session; intense, cativating, exciting.
Gemma Sage
I expected the class to move at a nice slow pace as a gentle introduction to the type of theatre we will be studying this year. I think the class as a whole were suprised by the outcome and were not expecting to feel as relaxed in the situation as they are once they were focused.
ReplyDeleteThe body is a very powerful tool, I realise this now more than ever. The mind needs to be very focussed in order for the body to be able to take over conscious thought. Once this happens however it is amazing how easy it is to let go. Down to closing your eyes when you are the leader too!
As a dance student as well I personally feel I need to improve my muscle indurance as the course is going to be even more demanding this year and I cannot afford to be hurting from other classes when I come to this one (Like I was this week!)
Three words to describe the class would be: Suprising, Enlightening and Intreguing.
Emalene Hickman
Before entering the session I expected it to be a fast paced session where everyone would be rushing around the space. As I now know my ideas were wrong, although I feel we covered a lot throughout the morning, the room felt very calm and collected.
ReplyDeleteWhen leaving the session I felt I had gained confidence and believed I would fully be able to apply myself to the module as it is something I enjoyed. I believe I achieved alot personally as it has always been a fear to have to keep my eyes closed for a long period of time (especially whilst performing). However, during this session I felt I could get more envolved and especially relax more if I had my eyes closed.
The differences between my expectation and my achievements is that I felt this module would make me more self conscious but after discussing the "taboo" of the body and how our bodies are sexualised it made me relax and realise that our bodies will be used as a tool throughout the module.
This session has made me realise the body does have its own "mind" especially when Royona pointed out that our arms seemed further away from our bodies after we had done the warm up, but this was only as we felt more relaxed. By using the task where we had to close our eyes in order to read what the other person was doing allowed the body to "look" at how someone was moving. I feel that society as a whole should trust their bodies more.
I feel i definatley need to work on my personal fitness and my flexibilty as this could hinder how far I can push myself, especially when I was quite flexibile when I were younger. I have a very weak upper body and will try to push myself as far as possible, obviously without injury.
The three words I would use to describe this session are exciting,interesting,challenging.
Stephanie Drury
I never thought that we would get straight into 'the zone' straight away. I thought it would take me in particular a lot longer to feel comfortable about people touching me, but by the end of the session it felt no more out of the ordinary than having a normal conversation.
ReplyDeleteI never would have believed anybody if they said that just by touching another person you could see them, and i felt that after working with Lauren i was a part of her movements and knew where she was going to move to next. I've learnt that the body is taken for granted and that society has led us to rely so much on our eyes and our face to interpret a situation. I've also learnt that if we stop thinking and just move, the body moves as a piece of art and not just in the repatitive robotic ways we normally use it.
I feel that i will need to maintain a high level of focus and concentration. I also feel that i need to become physically fitter as the weeks become harder and more intense.
To sum up the session i would say it was fascinating, creative, and intense.
Victoria Power
Beforehand, I expected the majority of the session to be going through the module guide and perhaps even listening to a powerpoint presentation about the module, with some practical work at the end if there was time! My judgement was completely wrong and I was really surprised at how much we got through and achieved in just one session.
ReplyDeleteI learnt how the body within performance is an important tool and the messages which it can produce. Normally in drama sessions we can get carried away by the voice/brain rather than just practically exploring what are bodies are capable of.
My challenges would perhaps be maintaining a high level of focus and concentration throughout the module and having the confidence to get the most out of the sessions.
To sum up the session, I would describe it as challenging, intensive & unique.
Rachel O'Connor
I expected this morning to be hard physically perhaps more in terms of exploring the space at a quicker pace however it soon became apparent i would be worked very hard mentally too throughout this module than i first anticipated. At the end of the session i realised i had achieved a very relaxed mental state that left me however feeling slightly vulnerable, exposed in terms of my body and some what nervous.
ReplyDeleteI learnt that my body is going to be alot more exposed than first thought throughout this process and i felt even more exposed and on show than i ever have done in dance. However i was amazed how quickly and efficiently my mind had switched off in order to just focus my body on the task at hand. Although at some points in the session by mind became switched on to the fact i felt 'uncomfortable' at first and then 'vulnerable' therefore switching off from what it was ment to be doing. So now i feel concentration is something i'm going to have to focus on and master to begin succeeding at this module. Also from realising my initial insecurities it seems getting my body to be more relaxed and excepting of the material is something again im going to have to try and overcome. I think because it seemed mentally hard i felt i didn't fully switch off and make contact with my body as much as others seemed to have done which does prove to me that every body and mind is different therefore will work at a different pace than me. This will hopefully come for me in time.
To sum up the session in 3 words?
Exhausting, Exposing but Exciting!!
Charlotte Swaby
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOnce I had chosen Process & Performance, I did think a few times about what it might be like and every time, Porto came to my mind. Overall, I had a lot of expectations. I thought it might have been slightly more dance focused and as I have never attempted a path in dance, I was worried that I would not fit into it. I honestly had no idea as to what I might achieve in this session, other than having some idea as where we were going to work towards. However, I felt as though I personally achieved a lot in the session through the exercises. I learned that the body could easily remember a position it had been taught before and once I got into the session, my body was getting back into the neutral state that I had found in Semester One last year. The challenges that I will have to meet will be that I make sure that I always give the full effort that the module and the group deserves and that I should keep up with the exercises we do in the sessions at home, to help keep my ready.
ReplyDeleteTo sum the session up, it was challenging, tiring and fun! I am certainly looking forward to where this module will take us over the next year.
Toni Alonzo
I was extremely apprehensive about the first session, and didnt really know what to expect. I had been told my students who had studied the module last year that it would be physically and emotionally draining. That did make me worry slightly. Although it was draining both physically and emotionally, it was also thoroughly enjoyable. I have always lacked confidence with Phyisical Theatre, constantly assuming that other students will analyse my every move and perhaps at times be critical. But in the first session all of my inhibitions disappeared. I was no longer worried about how good or bad I may be at Physical theatre, and the fact that other students are probably alot stronger in the subject than me. I felt as if everyone was equal.
ReplyDeleteI realise now that the body is extremely important, it can portray messages that speech cannot always achieve. When performing the task and working with Andy, I felt that there was a special connection between us both, although neither of us voiced our thoughts and feelings to one another. While taking part in the task, I started to imagine the relationship between myself and Andy, and at times this triggered real emotions inside. I didnt realise that a task so simple could cause such emotion.
I feel that as the weeks go on I will need to try and improve my confidence. As said in the session, everyone will work at a different pace so I must try and keep that in mind and not get disheartened that people may be progressing faster than me.
I would sum up the session with the words: Enlightening, Exhausting, Different
Liz Nuttall
I expected the session to be at a calm and slow pace all the way through, I thought we would all be working alone to find out about what our bodies could do, so for example finding our neutral stance. I was surprised at what the whole group actually achieved, as we still learnt about what our bodies could do without working on your own. I did not expect that the whole class would feel so relaxed and focused, and no one seemed to feel really uncomfortable with what we were doing.
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing to learn that everybody's body is a powerful tool and how much your brain and sight take over your other sense's. What amazed me was as a dancer I hate doing improvisation and I'm always thinking off the next movement to do, instead of just letting my body go where it wants. As soon as I closed my eyes I stopped thinking and just let my body move. For me this was a new experience.
My challenge is to keep pushing myself every week and not go into my own comfort zone and also to keep up improving my fitness and strength.
My 3 words are: Exciting, Creative and Inspiring.
Catherine Hollies
Paul Brownbill's Comments:
ReplyDeleteIt is really encouraging to read these comments and to find out just how much you have discovered in only one session. I have to say again how impressed Royona and I were with the level of work, with your concentration, discipline and commitment. The session was indeed a great start for us all.
If I may just add a note of caution. Remember, not everyone will progress at the same rate or the same level. Furthermore, not every week will see the same speed or depth of discovery. We are undertaking an exciting journey, but a journey it is, and like all journeys, at times we may be subject to delay - if this happens, reflect, learn and be patient.
Really looking forward to tomorrow's session.
Paul
Charlotte Wilcox's Comments:
ReplyDeleteI was unsure what to expect from the first process and performance lecture, i was unsure if we would sit and formally discuss the module or if we would get involved physically with the module, it was the latter much to my delight.
I felt that using the two studios, one as a storage room for our posessions and the other as a performance space was an insightful one, as i felt as did most people i believe that they were entering a designated safe and uncluttered space to perform.
The session really taught me the importance of the body as a tool and the need to look after and teach it. Also the importance of thinking with the body instead of the brain was something i took away with me. Above all a major realisation from the session, is of the social stigma attached to the human body and people's relationship to it, particularly in this country. The session really challenged this stigma and through the task i gained more and more trust with my partner.
I feel it is developing this trust with everyone else , that will be the challenge for the forthcoming weeks.
If i had to describe the session in three words it would be: new, exciting and the beginning
Charlotte Wilcox
Dear All,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to hold on to responding to posts so I could get as many responses in before tomorrow’s session as possible. I have of course been following all comments carefully and am now in a position to respond to each of yours briefly. So here goes:
Sophie : Yes, I think you are right in that you will all need to keep your minds open to a really unpredictable learning experience. This module can’t be delivered through a formulaic pattern, because it’s subjects, YOU, are different, every year. We need to be as open to adapting what we teach and how we teach it in response to what you each require. As a result, no two sessions will ever be the same.
Hayley R: As you correctly point out this level of mental and physical discipline not only allows for the work to remain safe, but also opens your minds to embracing possibilities and challenges you would not normally immerse yourself in. So, discipline is everything. Well done for realising this.
Lauren: You are right to point out that the body has its own intelligence. Western culture has historically distinguished the brain and the body as two separate entities, where the brain is seen to be more superior than the body. But really what this genre of what achieves is to allow the body and brain to be experienced as one singular entity, thereby allowing the body to become an intellectual and thinking tool.
Gemma: You make a really valid point about the nature of competition that usually accompanies the discipline of dance. There is always this sense of ‘how well can I replicate the tutor and how much better am I at doing this than my peers?’ The liberating fact about PT (physical theatre) is that we are not replicating anyone or anything. We are learning more about our own bodies and its potentials. So, no two journeys can ever be the same. The other vital fact is that we all start from the same point of blank canvases. We all start at Ground Zero.
Emalene: You’re absolutely right. The vast amount of experiences and concepts we could cover in that short amount of time was due to the intense level of focus we managed to sustain through the warm up and into the exercises. Because we stopped you from planning and thinking about your movements (as often the case in dance) but instead got you to work on simple tasks in the moment, your brains had to shut down and the body’s own intelligence began to surface and find articulation.
Royona
Stephanie: Your point about the body having its own ‘mind’ is beautifully made in the example you use from the session, when I pointed out that all your bodies were much more ‘present’ in the space and took up more of the floor space. It also says so much about what our bodies communicate on a day to day basis. Next time you go to the pub or a bar, look around and read what you can about the way bodies occupy space on their own and then against each other. Read into their proxemics (see, told you semiotics is here to stay!) and bring these observations back into our P&P space with you. PT is based on amplification of social movements and gestures. So, start observing and embodying what you see around you.
ReplyDeleteVictoria : Our dependence on language for communication makes us ignore the power that resides in the body and one of the ways we can access this power is through touch. This power is not magical or an impossibly airy-fairy concept. Simply by slowing down our tendency to communicate through language, and activating and tuning in our bodies to the spaces we occupy on our own and against other bodies, we can hone our ability to access the body’s inherent power of communication. This is what we refer to as the ‘zone’.
Rachel: What you say is very true. By pulling the rug from beneath your feet and introducing the module to you in a way you were not expecting, you were already more engaged. But remember that we will continue to do this every week. Remember to get comfortable with the notion of never knowing what will be thrown at you. Try to learn to find comfort in discomfort.
Charlotte S: Your point about the vulnerability of the body is a really important one. Yes, in dance the vulnerability operates on the surface making you feel more or less exposed/adept at your training/technique. Dance also conforms to all images of the body’s taboo – thereby making us feel less secure about ourselves. In PT, the vulnerability you will experience will be of an entirely different nature. Here, because your body will be encouraged to move as itself and finds its own potential, you will often feel exposed and bare. Run with it. Don’t hold back. It’s a great part of the process.
Toni: The fear we attach to the word ‘dance’ is quite remarkable. It’s because somehow dance makes us feel inadequate, like we will never be able to do it as well as those who we want to imitate. But what PT does is to expand the definition of ‘dance’ and how dance is made and generated and taught. It isn’t just about learning and copying someone else’s movements, but much more about trying to find a motivation and earnestness in your own movements and body. It isn’t about beauty – but about the everyday and the grotesque and the imperfections.
Liz: The issue of judgment, what is good and what is bad, will never arise in PT. What will arise however is how appropriate is this movement? Is it honest? Does it carry motivation from within? The goalposts are therefore at a completely different level. Don’t ever worry again about not being good enough, because there is nothing within PT that is a model of good practice. Everything is subjective deriving from a particular body and its motivations and emotions.
Royona
Catherine: Isn’t it true how we improvise in dance for hours and for all that time we are dishonest because we are constantly planning our next move? Think back to the last session and think what allowed your brain to stop thinking? Had we somehow shifted its focus to something else? Did we trick it into silence? Was this silence refreshing? Did it make your more creative, discover more opportunities and make you less conscious about aesthetics of the movement you were creating? Was it just about shutting your eyes or was it about something else?
ReplyDeleteCharlotte W: I am so glad you talk about the division of space between the studios. It isn’t just a safe clean space, but 208 is our creative space. It’s where we enter a contract of behaviour and expectations that 209 doesn’t offer. While we are attached to our bags nd possessions we can never fully disengage with our real identities and selves. These have to be physically put aside and a new space entered for real creativity to flow.
General comment to everyone for future posts. Avoid spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Try to write your post in a word document and then copy and paste it onto the blog comments box. Also, divide your comment up into paragraphs so it is easy to see how your ideas develop from one to the next. Great start everyone! Really enjoyed reading your thoughts.
Royona
Annette's Comments:
ReplyDeletei found the lesson really refreshing and it also made me realize that "touch" can be just as powerful as "vision".
Annette
I didn’t know what to expect from the session, as I knew we had a long way to go, to get to the “Porto” standard. I expected a review of neutral stance and concentration, but was not expecting to such intimate work from day one.
ReplyDeleteBy the end of the session I think the group as a whole gained a new level of trust for each other. And a lot of boundaries were broken down.
I personally found the whole experience, not hard but bizarre. It was like a strange dream, and thinking back upon it, I don’t remember particular parts in great detail. This was probably due to the intense atmosphere and trance like state we were in.
I learnt that the body has such sharp senses that we just don’t use in our everyday lives. We have these forgotten senses that modern day life has numbed. These senses will continue to come alive and grow stronger throughout the process, taking us closer to our Neanderthal ancestor who relied on these senses to survive.
This module will obviously be physically demanding and tiring, but the real challenge will be the mental struggle. The process is not something you can switch off, the first session has remained prominently in my mind all week, it has already had a huge impact on me and others in the group, and I’m sure the impact will continue to grow as the process goes on.
Bizarre intrusive intriguing
Jade Bevington
Jade: Some lovely observations here, particularly about the staying power of the work, beyond the session and into the week ahead. Think why this is the case. How is this work different to other practices? Why does it have the ability to linger on in the body way after it is over? Your point also about opening up the senses we normally shut down is vital. Yes, this is what we are working on. Taking the body back to a primitive and primal state.
ReplyDeleteRoyona
Sorry for the late reply...
ReplyDeleteI simply hadn't had time to make a mental image of what our first session might be like, but while entering the class room the fear of another 3 hour power point session, did strike me. Thankfully that was not the case.
I really liked that we kept the verbal introduction as brief as we did, and went almost straight into the work. I have previously acknowledged that I learn much better through the entire body, than just through the ears.
I was pleasantly surprised by my fellow student, when I felt how concentrated everyone was. It was a delight to see how seriously everyone engaged with the exercises.
I was surprised to discover, that in the “hands on”-exercise, it was as if I could see my partner through a second vision. But as soon as I lost complete concentration the image would disappear and occasionally I would even lose all sense of orientation. I believe that when the exercise is done with uninterrupted deep concentration, that you will lose yourself, but in the sense of letting go of the conscious mind and only being an alert and playing body.
During this module I aspire to let go of my fear of imperfection, and dare to do things wrong or ugly and just give in to my tuition. Being new in this country I am still trying to grasp the social norms of what is acceptable and not. I caught myself holding back at times because I feared that I might be overstepping my partners personal boundaries. This is something I intend to push aside in time. It will probably happen automatically during our sessions, where we will become more and more familiar and lose our inhibitions.
I sense that this module will be almost as a mirror to the individual student, because so much about the personality is revealed through this physicality. I feel my mind opening in new areas and being more self-reflective.
In 3 words the session was: Inspiring, enlightening and encouraging.
Mette
Sorry for such a late reply..
ReplyDeleteThroughout the session I learnt that our bodies can be a tool which we need to teach, and become stronger. Some of the task we were doing I could feel my body wasn’t used to, and once Royona told me to take my mind of it, and try not to think about the pain/feeling it became a lot easier, as if my body had a mind of its own.
I also realised that my body could remember certain things from first year e.g natural stance. I didn’t do it correctly at first but my body remembered roughly what was needed to do! I found this surprising.
The challenges I think that I will have to come across is the fact of people touching me and taking my weight. Throughout the whole lecture I felt in my ‘Own Zone’ which I think is credited to the warm up.
The warm up really help me to become focused and determined to achieve what was needed.
I still feel I was thinking what to do, instead of letting my body do what it wants to, but I understand everyone is at their own pace, and hopefully within the next upcoming weeks my body will do the thinking!
The lecture was challenging, informative and enlightening.
Thank you,
Haylee Blackwell