Dear All,
Today's session deliberately and strategically called for breaking the routine of what we have come to expect from our P&P rehearsals. Partly this was for me to manage the numbers and the work generated in groups through safe supervision and partly it was to throw another layer of creativity into the mix through opening up the channel of producing fragments of narratives, conversations, thought processes that would when scripted, provide a contextual background for the physical imagery and actions of different sections.
Reflect then on:
1. How did the breaking of the routine release another layer of creative input into the devising process?
2. What progress did you make as an individual and as part of your group today within the devising process? Consider both set backs and creating new material as part of this answer.
Royona
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Monday, 15 February 2010
Blog Assessment - Task 1
Deadline: Wednesday, 3rd March 2010, 5 pm
Word Count: 750 words total (250 + 250 + 250)
Task:
There are three inter-related questions you need to answer as part of this task.
All the questions relate to the quote below which is taken from the book chapter identified below and is available as an e-book on OPAC.
Read the quote below and then answer each of the three questions within the word limit stipulated against each.
Conduct wider independent reading and use new quotes and examples to support your views.
Present your writing in academic language with Harvard Referencing and a Bibliography at the end of your post.
Quote:
“The term itself – ‘physical theatre’ – denotes a hybrid character and is testimony to its double legacy in both avant-garde theatre and dance. It is precisely this double current of influences which needs to be taken into consideration in any attempt to delineate specific parameters of the new genre.” (Sanchez-Colberg in Keefe & Murray; 2007, p 21)
Ana Sanchez-Colberg
from
Keefe, J & S Murray (2007) Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader London: Routledge
(this is available as an e-book on OPAC)
Questions:
1. Discuss the key features of the genre of ‘physical theatre’ as explored in the module content of Process and Performance. (250 words)
2. What does Ana Sanchez-Colberg imply by the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre? Is physical theatre a hybrid performance genre? Discuss with reasons for your answer.
(250 words)
3. Identify a contemporary British performance company whose practice falls into the remit of ‘physical theatre’ as you have defined in the above two answers. Discuss briefly the key features of their practice that makes them a physical theatre company. ( 250 words)
If you have any questions please contact me directly and in good time for the deadline. Looking forward to reading your answers on your own blogs.
Royona
Word Count: 750 words total (250 + 250 + 250)
Task:
There are three inter-related questions you need to answer as part of this task.
All the questions relate to the quote below which is taken from the book chapter identified below and is available as an e-book on OPAC.
Read the quote below and then answer each of the three questions within the word limit stipulated against each.
Conduct wider independent reading and use new quotes and examples to support your views.
Present your writing in academic language with Harvard Referencing and a Bibliography at the end of your post.
Quote:
“The term itself – ‘physical theatre’ – denotes a hybrid character and is testimony to its double legacy in both avant-garde theatre and dance. It is precisely this double current of influences which needs to be taken into consideration in any attempt to delineate specific parameters of the new genre.” (Sanchez-Colberg in Keefe & Murray; 2007, p 21)
Ana Sanchez-Colberg
from
Keefe, J & S Murray (2007) Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader London: Routledge
(this is available as an e-book on OPAC)
Questions:
1. Discuss the key features of the genre of ‘physical theatre’ as explored in the module content of Process and Performance. (250 words)
2. What does Ana Sanchez-Colberg imply by the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre? Is physical theatre a hybrid performance genre? Discuss with reasons for your answer.
(250 words)
3. Identify a contemporary British performance company whose practice falls into the remit of ‘physical theatre’ as you have defined in the above two answers. Discuss briefly the key features of their practice that makes them a physical theatre company. ( 250 words)
If you have any questions please contact me directly and in good time for the deadline. Looking forward to reading your answers on your own blogs.
Royona
Assessment Blog Links 2009/10
Dear All,
Below are the links to each of the six assessment blogs. I am trying to create links to these from the masterblogs, but it doesn't seem to be working for three of the links. While I solve the problem, please refer to this blogpost and also to WOLF to access all assessment blogs. Thanks for sending me the links and setting up the blogs so promptly.
1. Vicky, Huma, Hayley R, Lauren & Andrew
http://processandperformance2010.blogspot.com/
2. Toni, Annette, Charmaine, Gemma & Grecia
http://wolvesunipp.blogspot.com/
3. Sarah, Jodie, Rachel, Liz & Ellen
http://fourways2010.blogspot.com/
4. Sophie, Jade, Zareenam Haylee B & Dan
http://pandpassessmentblogs.blogspot.com/
5. Charlotte S, Charlotte W, Catherine, Dawn & Steph
http://wolvesuni-processandperformance.blogspot.com/
6. Emalene, Emma, Jess, Naomi & Mette
http://jemenpp.blogspot.com/
Royona
Below are the links to each of the six assessment blogs. I am trying to create links to these from the masterblogs, but it doesn't seem to be working for three of the links. While I solve the problem, please refer to this blogpost and also to WOLF to access all assessment blogs. Thanks for sending me the links and setting up the blogs so promptly.
1. Vicky, Huma, Hayley R, Lauren & Andrew
http://processandperformance2010.blogspot.com/
2. Toni, Annette, Charmaine, Gemma & Grecia
http://wolvesunipp.blogspot.com/
3. Sarah, Jodie, Rachel, Liz & Ellen
http://fourways2010.blogspot.com/
4. Sophie, Jade, Zareenam Haylee B & Dan
http://pandpassessmentblogs.blogspot.com/
5. Charlotte S, Charlotte W, Catherine, Dawn & Steph
http://wolvesuni-processandperformance.blogspot.com/
6. Emalene, Emma, Jess, Naomi & Mette
http://jemenpp.blogspot.com/
Royona
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Devising Upwards and Onwards - 10th February 2010
Dear All,
A pretty pivotal session today for many reasons:
1. I think the company physically realised for the first time the importance of trusting a devising process and those who are leading it.
2. We also discussed at length that you need to learn to get used to this new and vulnerable way of creating work, accepts its highs and lows and take it in your stride.
3. We realised that it will be impossible to work as an ensemble all the time. That to maximise on time and space available, we will have to divide you up and work in small sections at times. But it is vital to remember that all these sections belong to one coherent singular vision.
4. Most importantly we reasserted that this process is for every individual to exploit and immerse themselves into. Every student is given the same opportunity and it is upto them to make of the opportunity what they will to get the most out of this experience.
5. We moved forward from last week's negativity into very productive, dynamic and positive creative work that brought different aspects of this woman's narrative alive.
6. It is therefore essential to realise that even out of the negativity Paul and I were able to facilitate a really positive session.
Questions for this week then:
1. As a performer - individual and part of the ensemble - what lessons have you learnt in these first three weeks of the devising process?
2. What would you say are the strengths you bring to the process?
3. What would you say are the weaknesses you bring to the process?
4. Discuss the different layers of the woman that are now beginning to come alive in our narrative fragments sol far.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
A pretty pivotal session today for many reasons:
1. I think the company physically realised for the first time the importance of trusting a devising process and those who are leading it.
2. We also discussed at length that you need to learn to get used to this new and vulnerable way of creating work, accepts its highs and lows and take it in your stride.
3. We realised that it will be impossible to work as an ensemble all the time. That to maximise on time and space available, we will have to divide you up and work in small sections at times. But it is vital to remember that all these sections belong to one coherent singular vision.
4. Most importantly we reasserted that this process is for every individual to exploit and immerse themselves into. Every student is given the same opportunity and it is upto them to make of the opportunity what they will to get the most out of this experience.
5. We moved forward from last week's negativity into very productive, dynamic and positive creative work that brought different aspects of this woman's narrative alive.
6. It is therefore essential to realise that even out of the negativity Paul and I were able to facilitate a really positive session.
Questions for this week then:
1. As a performer - individual and part of the ensemble - what lessons have you learnt in these first three weeks of the devising process?
2. What would you say are the strengths you bring to the process?
3. What would you say are the weaknesses you bring to the process?
4. Discuss the different layers of the woman that are now beginning to come alive in our narrative fragments sol far.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
Friday, 5 February 2010
Yesterday by Jasmin Vardimon Company
Dear All,
For those of you who watched Yesterday last evening, I felt it might be worth opening up a discussion about the performance in critical terms. It was obvious that you were all tremendously moved and impressed by it; but it would be worth now putting what you experienced into an analytical vocabulary.
Questions:
1. Considering it was a retrospective of the company's past ten years worth of work, do you think Yesterday was effective as a new piece of performance in its own right? Give reasons for your answer.
2. Having experienced the company 's repertoire through workshops and now having watched their material live, what are the qualities in their work that are worthwhile for us to take on board as a company as we work on Four Ways to Speak Out?
3. Would you describe their work as dance or physical theatre? Explain with use of specific examples from the performance.
4. How did they manage to create emotionally heightened material through technically precise movement?
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
For those of you who watched Yesterday last evening, I felt it might be worth opening up a discussion about the performance in critical terms. It was obvious that you were all tremendously moved and impressed by it; but it would be worth now putting what you experienced into an analytical vocabulary.
Questions:
1. Considering it was a retrospective of the company's past ten years worth of work, do you think Yesterday was effective as a new piece of performance in its own right? Give reasons for your answer.
2. Having experienced the company 's repertoire through workshops and now having watched their material live, what are the qualities in their work that are worthwhile for us to take on board as a company as we work on Four Ways to Speak Out?
3. Would you describe their work as dance or physical theatre? Explain with use of specific examples from the performance.
4. How did they manage to create emotionally heightened material through technically precise movement?
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Devising Through RSVP - 3rd February 2010
Dear All,
This post is for all of you who feel they have benefited from sharing and recording their journey through semester 1 and want to continue to do so through the making of Four Ways to Speak Out. I shall set out questions that attempt to recap the last three sessions, since we have started working on the performance including this morning's session.
Tuesday 8th December:
Through a performative exploration of the naturalistic environment where our performance will finds its identity and voice, Paul and I introduced you to the starting concept of Four Ways to Speak Out. We were strategic in our decision to allow you to discover these spaces through movement instead of just telling you about them through say a PPT presentation. We also introduced the one constant theme of the missing woman and the possible real life narratives relating to domestic abuse. Look at the link below for our own original inspiration for the thematic starting point:
http://refuge.org.uk/about-us/prevention-and-education/campaigns/four-ways-to-speak-out-campaign/
We then went on to create an ensemble section through the clap devising method marking the moment the community realise the woman's disappearance.
Questions:
1. Why did we choose a performative exploration to introduce the topic? What opportunities did such a an approach open up for you as individual an collective performers of the company?
2. What was the connection you made between our imaginary world which we set out to create and the real life stories of the women who died through domestic abuse?
Wednesday 27th January:
In the first week back after a long gap, using your letters as inspiration, we set out a very simple task of finding a chronologically settled opening to the piece. Some of the letters made strong references to her the missing woman's suitcase being found out in the open - bursting open, with her belongings strewed all over the road. So, we decided to use this trigger as a way to make the community encounter her items into realising that something was clearly wrong and that she was actually missing.
We chose to use a naturalistic opening to the piece - embracing text and pedestrian gestures and also allowed interactions to emerge between members of the community. The material you created established new dynamics within the group and gave birth to clear starting points for characters and their signature gestures. The isolation of the two males within the community also emerged through your improvisations.
Questions:
1. What devising strategy/ies did we use in this session to trigger off the creative process after a long gap? List all possible triggers/elements that we brought into the session which allowed the ensemble to create the material you did.
2. Describe in this very early stage the emotional qualities in your character. How are they reflected within your physicality.
3. What draws you into the ensemble section which Andy starts? Describe what you feel emotionally through this section.
Wednesday 3rd Febuary:
Today we wanted to diversify the creative sections the performance. We felt that in order to perform recollections of the woman's life in the community, which might throw light upon her disappearance, she would need to be represented by four different women at different points. Your ensemble vote allowed for the women to be selected.
The letters became the starting point for 'the last time we saw her' improvisations. At first this was an individual and vocal response creating a sudden cacophony of voices that became one large incomprehensible collective. The second approach was a visual/physical response setting out the environment and the actions of the last time you met the woman.
The scarves became the starting point for concealing the faces of the four representatives and they were asked to create a physicality that suggested their unison while implying the violent themes of the piece.
The suitcase became the point of dialogue between the two male characters in the piece. Developing from an aggressive exchange, the piece is aimed to become softer and more complex as it goes on.
Questions:
1. What devising strategies did we use this morning to allow creative responses in the group?
2. What were the highs and lows of the work created today and the process undertaken?
3. How do you think the tasks we said today came out of the work you created last week? Give examples in detail.
4. Discuss the possibilities emerging in the narrative as a result of the explorations you underwent and the material you all generated.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
This post is for all of you who feel they have benefited from sharing and recording their journey through semester 1 and want to continue to do so through the making of Four Ways to Speak Out. I shall set out questions that attempt to recap the last three sessions, since we have started working on the performance including this morning's session.
Tuesday 8th December:
Through a performative exploration of the naturalistic environment where our performance will finds its identity and voice, Paul and I introduced you to the starting concept of Four Ways to Speak Out. We were strategic in our decision to allow you to discover these spaces through movement instead of just telling you about them through say a PPT presentation. We also introduced the one constant theme of the missing woman and the possible real life narratives relating to domestic abuse. Look at the link below for our own original inspiration for the thematic starting point:
http://refuge.org.uk/about-us/prevention-and-education/campaigns/four-ways-to-speak-out-campaign/
We then went on to create an ensemble section through the clap devising method marking the moment the community realise the woman's disappearance.
Questions:
1. Why did we choose a performative exploration to introduce the topic? What opportunities did such a an approach open up for you as individual an collective performers of the company?
2. What was the connection you made between our imaginary world which we set out to create and the real life stories of the women who died through domestic abuse?
Wednesday 27th January:
In the first week back after a long gap, using your letters as inspiration, we set out a very simple task of finding a chronologically settled opening to the piece. Some of the letters made strong references to her the missing woman's suitcase being found out in the open - bursting open, with her belongings strewed all over the road. So, we decided to use this trigger as a way to make the community encounter her items into realising that something was clearly wrong and that she was actually missing.
We chose to use a naturalistic opening to the piece - embracing text and pedestrian gestures and also allowed interactions to emerge between members of the community. The material you created established new dynamics within the group and gave birth to clear starting points for characters and their signature gestures. The isolation of the two males within the community also emerged through your improvisations.
Questions:
1. What devising strategy/ies did we use in this session to trigger off the creative process after a long gap? List all possible triggers/elements that we brought into the session which allowed the ensemble to create the material you did.
2. Describe in this very early stage the emotional qualities in your character. How are they reflected within your physicality.
3. What draws you into the ensemble section which Andy starts? Describe what you feel emotionally through this section.
Wednesday 3rd Febuary:
Today we wanted to diversify the creative sections the performance. We felt that in order to perform recollections of the woman's life in the community, which might throw light upon her disappearance, she would need to be represented by four different women at different points. Your ensemble vote allowed for the women to be selected.
The letters became the starting point for 'the last time we saw her' improvisations. At first this was an individual and vocal response creating a sudden cacophony of voices that became one large incomprehensible collective. The second approach was a visual/physical response setting out the environment and the actions of the last time you met the woman.
The scarves became the starting point for concealing the faces of the four representatives and they were asked to create a physicality that suggested their unison while implying the violent themes of the piece.
The suitcase became the point of dialogue between the two male characters in the piece. Developing from an aggressive exchange, the piece is aimed to become softer and more complex as it goes on.
Questions:
1. What devising strategies did we use this morning to allow creative responses in the group?
2. What were the highs and lows of the work created today and the process undertaken?
3. How do you think the tasks we said today came out of the work you created last week? Give examples in detail.
4. Discuss the possibilities emerging in the narrative as a result of the explorations you underwent and the material you all generated.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Four Ways to Speak Out - 8th December 2009
Dear All,
What a brilliant way to end the semester and our training within the module. As we start to work towards the final concept it is worth remembering the process you underwent to discover the concept behind Four Ways to Speak Out.
We felt it was vital for you to bring this space alive through your bodies and not just your imagination. This is why before we sat and discussed the concept, we asked you to respond to the spaces through embodied gestures. The sheer coincidence between our starting point/s and your responses is exciting! Remember how important it is to respond to tasks fully (emotionally and physically) as it is only with the material you generate that Paul and I can move you forward and shape the work.
We have a clear starting point - now we hand it over to you to complete as an ensemble. Think about the different framing devices we used to evoke the environments and the possible narratives and characterisations. The spaces (pub, bedroom, lamp-lit street corner, wasteland), the dresses, the items symbolic of each space, the soundtrack and its lyrics, the real life testimonials, and finally the gestures you performed within the spaces to reinforce their energies. Let them truly sink in until you can start to get a feel for who you could be in this community.
Questions for this week:
1. Which of the above framing devices struck a chord with you and why?
2. What made the creation of the ensemble piece so much more intense today in comparison to the day when you learnt/revisited the clap-technique?
3. What is the relationship between provocative social issues and the genre of physical theatre?
Thank you for a really exciting semester! Looking forward to journeying on together.
Royona & Paul
What a brilliant way to end the semester and our training within the module. As we start to work towards the final concept it is worth remembering the process you underwent to discover the concept behind Four Ways to Speak Out.
We felt it was vital for you to bring this space alive through your bodies and not just your imagination. This is why before we sat and discussed the concept, we asked you to respond to the spaces through embodied gestures. The sheer coincidence between our starting point/s and your responses is exciting! Remember how important it is to respond to tasks fully (emotionally and physically) as it is only with the material you generate that Paul and I can move you forward and shape the work.
We have a clear starting point - now we hand it over to you to complete as an ensemble. Think about the different framing devices we used to evoke the environments and the possible narratives and characterisations. The spaces (pub, bedroom, lamp-lit street corner, wasteland), the dresses, the items symbolic of each space, the soundtrack and its lyrics, the real life testimonials, and finally the gestures you performed within the spaces to reinforce their energies. Let them truly sink in until you can start to get a feel for who you could be in this community.
Questions for this week:
1. Which of the above framing devices struck a chord with you and why?
2. What made the creation of the ensemble piece so much more intense today in comparison to the day when you learnt/revisited the clap-technique?
3. What is the relationship between provocative social issues and the genre of physical theatre?
Thank you for a really exciting semester! Looking forward to journeying on together.
Royona & Paul
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Where We Start is Where We End
Yesterday was a session that was not in our usual way of working, and again we would like to thank you for the maturity and commitment with which you approached the themes and the tasks given to you.
You should now have at least an awareness of the way music can work in physical theatre and how important it is to not simply put on a piece of music because you like it or because it has a good beat. Music is a layer, just as movement or text is.
.
The session also marked the end of the skills-building period. You should now have a palette of techniques, skills and understanding with which you can move forward into the creation of the performance. There have been good days and bad, slower days than others, days that are emotionally draining and days that have been physically demanding.
We have all been on a huge journey, let us not forget that; learning and experiencing along the way. Time then, to reflect on this and perhaps for this week the important thing to consider is:
Your reflection on the past twelve weeks of work; your journey, your highs and your lows.
You may also like to:
Consider your views now on the use of music in physical theatre.
You should now have at least an awareness of the way music can work in physical theatre and how important it is to not simply put on a piece of music because you like it or because it has a good beat. Music is a layer, just as movement or text is.
.
The session also marked the end of the skills-building period. You should now have a palette of techniques, skills and understanding with which you can move forward into the creation of the performance. There have been good days and bad, slower days than others, days that are emotionally draining and days that have been physically demanding.
We have all been on a huge journey, let us not forget that; learning and experiencing along the way. Time then, to reflect on this and perhaps for this week the important thing to consider is:
Your reflection on the past twelve weeks of work; your journey, your highs and your lows.
You may also like to:
Consider your views now on the use of music in physical theatre.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
All Together Now.....
Tuesday 24th November
All Together Now……….
Dear All.
And so we move on; as an ensemble rather than individuals or pairs.
We were still building on the learning of a sequence, but this time you generated the sequences both for full ensemble work and for smaller pieces. Crucially, the small group work was created using gestures and images drawn from real-life observation.
As with last week’s work, movements could be a simple or complex as you wish, pedestrian movements taken into abstract movements to emphasise or enhance a meaning.
It is important to reflect on the techniques used in yesterday’s session. The ‘clap’ method for devising work is designed to give the group the maximum opportunity to explore movement with the minimum of discussion and diversion from the task. This is difficult at first but now you have had an experience of this way of working you can refine the process and reduce the need to talk; difficult in large groups but necessary to get the full benefit from this technique.
We also learned that by adding intention and emotion to the series of gestures, meaning can be created and that meaning can be given greater intensity by having a clear focal point.
The creation of the ensemble piece and the methods used are huge steps forward in our working methods and a great addition to the palette.
Task for this week:
Continue to observe the everyday and ordinary, but this time look for those unusual and extraordinary moments within these pedestrian gestures. This week, do not superficially look or glance but, and again you need to be discrete, really observe the detail in people’s gestures and movement.
Questions for this week:
1. How effective did you find the ‘clap’ method in creating a sequence?
2. What was challenging for you in the large ensemble work?
3. What was challenging for you in the small ensemble work?
4. Comment on the physical and mental effort required in both the creation and the performance of the work?
5. In what way or ways did the music affect your performance? Think in terms of technique and emotion
6. 3 words for yesterday’s session
All Together Now……….
Dear All.
And so we move on; as an ensemble rather than individuals or pairs.
We were still building on the learning of a sequence, but this time you generated the sequences both for full ensemble work and for smaller pieces. Crucially, the small group work was created using gestures and images drawn from real-life observation.
As with last week’s work, movements could be a simple or complex as you wish, pedestrian movements taken into abstract movements to emphasise or enhance a meaning.
It is important to reflect on the techniques used in yesterday’s session. The ‘clap’ method for devising work is designed to give the group the maximum opportunity to explore movement with the minimum of discussion and diversion from the task. This is difficult at first but now you have had an experience of this way of working you can refine the process and reduce the need to talk; difficult in large groups but necessary to get the full benefit from this technique.
We also learned that by adding intention and emotion to the series of gestures, meaning can be created and that meaning can be given greater intensity by having a clear focal point.
The creation of the ensemble piece and the methods used are huge steps forward in our working methods and a great addition to the palette.
Task for this week:
Continue to observe the everyday and ordinary, but this time look for those unusual and extraordinary moments within these pedestrian gestures. This week, do not superficially look or glance but, and again you need to be discrete, really observe the detail in people’s gestures and movement.
Questions for this week:
1. How effective did you find the ‘clap’ method in creating a sequence?
2. What was challenging for you in the large ensemble work?
3. What was challenging for you in the small ensemble work?
4. Comment on the physical and mental effort required in both the creation and the performance of the work?
5. In what way or ways did the music affect your performance? Think in terms of technique and emotion
6. 3 words for yesterday’s session
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Tuesday 17th November - Generating Creativity From Set Material
Dear All,
Today marked a significant departure in our process and put to test several skills simultaneously. Building on last week's success of learning a sequence and delivering it as an ensemble, we advanced the work by making the sequence develop in pairs. To create this sequence we drew on a range of physical techniques learnt through the process and strung them together into a smooth routine. Once the routine was embedded into your own bodies we then asked of you a very specific task. And this is where the process moved on and provided a glimpse of the order of things to follow.
By allowing you to develop your own sequences in pairs in the spirit, energy and pace of what we taught you - we opened up a vast creative space. You could make the work as simple or complex, as pedestrian or abstract and as demanding or contained as you wished. It hopefully got you used to the idea of using the language we have been learning to create physical dialogues and exchanges.
The range of work generated was refreshing, original, some pushing boundaries more than others, but all in small ways taking small steps towards claiming your own creative voice. This was great to see.
Questions for this week:
1. What challenges did you experience in learning the first routine?
2. How did this routine build on the nature of last week's routine?
3. Describe the rewarding nature of learning the routine.
4. Describe the challenges and rewards of creating and developing your own partner work following on from the sequence we taught you.
5. How did this add to the palette?
6. 3 words for today's session.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
Today marked a significant departure in our process and put to test several skills simultaneously. Building on last week's success of learning a sequence and delivering it as an ensemble, we advanced the work by making the sequence develop in pairs. To create this sequence we drew on a range of physical techniques learnt through the process and strung them together into a smooth routine. Once the routine was embedded into your own bodies we then asked of you a very specific task. And this is where the process moved on and provided a glimpse of the order of things to follow.
By allowing you to develop your own sequences in pairs in the spirit, energy and pace of what we taught you - we opened up a vast creative space. You could make the work as simple or complex, as pedestrian or abstract and as demanding or contained as you wished. It hopefully got you used to the idea of using the language we have been learning to create physical dialogues and exchanges.
The range of work generated was refreshing, original, some pushing boundaries more than others, but all in small ways taking small steps towards claiming your own creative voice. This was great to see.
Questions for this week:
1. What challenges did you experience in learning the first routine?
2. How did this routine build on the nature of last week's routine?
3. Describe the rewarding nature of learning the routine.
4. Describe the challenges and rewards of creating and developing your own partner work following on from the sequence we taught you.
5. How did this add to the palette?
6. 3 words for today's session.
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Tuesday 10th November - Feeling Buoyant Once Again
Dear All,
Today (for the majority) was testimony to what Paul and I have talked about a lot but perhaps until you experience the moment, it makes little sense. Today, most of you managed to emerge through the brick wall you hit upon last week. This does not mean all of you hit a brick wall last or that all of you came out of this morning's session feeling a hundred percent buoyant. However I think it is fair to say that overall a far more positive and productive environment was created in this morning's session and at different levels, people achieved different things. I see this due to the following:
1. Excellent focus during the warm up
2. Tangible creative atmosphere and energy straight after the warm up
3. Positivity with which you attacked the sequence learning process
4. A sense of maturity to deal with little failiures to work towards a bigger pay-off
What we all need to continue to build on now is a truly focused working environment where there is never any need to talk, never any need to apologise, never any need to giggle and mock. Never.
Questions for this week:
1. What were the strengths you discovered in your own learning style/process while learning the sequence? Can you compare this to learning the sequence with JVC two weeks ago?
2. What were the challenges you faced while learning the sequence? What do you need to work on harder?
3. Reflect briefly on how your body responded to the task of revisiting the falls and catches from last week - but in a newly constructed set up of the circle.
4. Reflect briefly on the importance of the 'pivot' as the point where weight transfer takes place whether the 'table' is on all fours, raised or fully standing. Talk about the basic principles of carrying and transferring weight.
5. The phrase 'active weight' was discussed at the session. Any ideas on what this means?
6. 3 words to sum up the session.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
Today (for the majority) was testimony to what Paul and I have talked about a lot but perhaps until you experience the moment, it makes little sense. Today, most of you managed to emerge through the brick wall you hit upon last week. This does not mean all of you hit a brick wall last or that all of you came out of this morning's session feeling a hundred percent buoyant. However I think it is fair to say that overall a far more positive and productive environment was created in this morning's session and at different levels, people achieved different things. I see this due to the following:
1. Excellent focus during the warm up
2. Tangible creative atmosphere and energy straight after the warm up
3. Positivity with which you attacked the sequence learning process
4. A sense of maturity to deal with little failiures to work towards a bigger pay-off
What we all need to continue to build on now is a truly focused working environment where there is never any need to talk, never any need to apologise, never any need to giggle and mock. Never.
Questions for this week:
1. What were the strengths you discovered in your own learning style/process while learning the sequence? Can you compare this to learning the sequence with JVC two weeks ago?
2. What were the challenges you faced while learning the sequence? What do you need to work on harder?
3. Reflect briefly on how your body responded to the task of revisiting the falls and catches from last week - but in a newly constructed set up of the circle.
4. Reflect briefly on the importance of the 'pivot' as the point where weight transfer takes place whether the 'table' is on all fours, raised or fully standing. Talk about the basic principles of carrying and transferring weight.
5. The phrase 'active weight' was discussed at the session. Any ideas on what this means?
6. 3 words to sum up the session.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Tuesday 3rd November - Letting Emotion Surface
Dear All,
Apologies for the delay in putting up this post.
After the extreme physical challenge of last week's work with Jasmin Vardimon Company, this week it was time to expose ourselves to emotionally challenging material. As discussed in the session this morning, this emotional challenge manifest itself at various levels and in various ways.
1. Social barriers: the intensity and embarrassment of the eye exercise brought with it the need for you to re-evaluate and get over the ways in which you interacted with bodies through the eyes. This was also a physically demanding task in order to keep the connection dynamic and exciting.
2. Emotional barriers: we tested your ability to trust and be trusted through the various techniques of falls and catches. These once again required a greater level of engagement with the spine, weight distribution and a precision to technique to carry out the work safely. As pointed out, this work also made you incredibly responsible for your partner's safety at all times. It required to read their intentions through your eyes and through observing their points of balance and weight distribution.
3. Physical barriers: for a lot of you, once again the fear of being too heavy got in the way of trusting the correct technique to carry out of the fall and catch smoothly.
We've got to stop the brain from controlling what we are capable of! It's vital that we use the warm up to shut the brain down from getting in the way and then to keep this level of focus through the session.
You were pretty awful this morning at keeping your discipline and focus sharp and centred through the session. This made a lot of the work simply harder to achieve.
Questions for this morning:
1. What are the different kinds of risks we experienced today? How did you respond to these risks?
2. We have been working for 6 weeks now on a very specific training programme. Evaluate the point you managed to reach in this journey after today's session. Reflect on both your physical and emotional growth through the work so far.
3. Three words to describe today's session.
4. As we move our training towards the surfacing of narrative and relationships through the use of technique, what are the new challenges you will need to meet in the work?
Looking forward to your response.
Royona
Apologies for the delay in putting up this post.
After the extreme physical challenge of last week's work with Jasmin Vardimon Company, this week it was time to expose ourselves to emotionally challenging material. As discussed in the session this morning, this emotional challenge manifest itself at various levels and in various ways.
1. Social barriers: the intensity and embarrassment of the eye exercise brought with it the need for you to re-evaluate and get over the ways in which you interacted with bodies through the eyes. This was also a physically demanding task in order to keep the connection dynamic and exciting.
2. Emotional barriers: we tested your ability to trust and be trusted through the various techniques of falls and catches. These once again required a greater level of engagement with the spine, weight distribution and a precision to technique to carry out the work safely. As pointed out, this work also made you incredibly responsible for your partner's safety at all times. It required to read their intentions through your eyes and through observing their points of balance and weight distribution.
3. Physical barriers: for a lot of you, once again the fear of being too heavy got in the way of trusting the correct technique to carry out of the fall and catch smoothly.
We've got to stop the brain from controlling what we are capable of! It's vital that we use the warm up to shut the brain down from getting in the way and then to keep this level of focus through the session.
You were pretty awful this morning at keeping your discipline and focus sharp and centred through the session. This made a lot of the work simply harder to achieve.
Questions for this morning:
1. What are the different kinds of risks we experienced today? How did you respond to these risks?
2. We have been working for 6 weeks now on a very specific training programme. Evaluate the point you managed to reach in this journey after today's session. Reflect on both your physical and emotional growth through the work so far.
3. Three words to describe today's session.
4. As we move our training towards the surfacing of narrative and relationships through the use of technique, what are the new challenges you will need to meet in the work?
Looking forward to your response.
Royona
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Tuesday 27th October - Workshop with JVC
Dear All,
I think it would be fair to say that we all experienced a truly exciting, challenging and rewarding morning. For each of you these sentiments were felt at varied measures; for some perhaps the challenge factir overrid the reward and for others the excitement was all consuming. What is important to remember is each of your experiences are valid in their own right.
I cannot stress this enough. This process is not about creating identical performers with identical strengths and weaknesses and identical skills. How boring what would be! This process is about discovering your own strengths and excelling at them and about fighting your own weaknessed with honesty and being patient at overcoming them. When we started the module saying this is a vulnerable and difficult process, physically and emotionally, we meant it. But remember we also said, how tremendous the pay off would be at the end!
Onto this morning's session. The workshop took you through three stages:
1. Warming up through stretches but through the medium of learning routines that test mental coordination and physical dexterity.
2. Learning a set repertoire from JVC's performance of Yesterday - and starting to appreciate the purpose of intention behind movement. You also learnt the importance of returning to the core (the walk) after experiencing outbursts of movements and gestures.
3. In the final stage you were asked to develop a sequence of your own drawing on any skill now part of your palette including this mornings. This was then transformed into intentful sequences by adding a 'layer' of quality which allowed the initial sequence to gain character, depth and purpose.
The above process was a brief but insightful view into the creative process and physical language of JVC's repertoire.
Watch some of their clips below:
Yesterday - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5AGwNDkRX4
Justitia - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtW_H5Y4aGw&feature=fvw
Several Clips - http://www.youtube.com/user/jasminvardimononline#p/a/u/1/6iunk83-TNk
Questions for this week:
1. What are the physical skills/techniques and creative philosophies we added to our palette through the workshop this morning?
2. From participating physically in the workshop and from watching the youtube clips above what would you say are the key features of the company's practice and aesthetic? (for example focus on ensemble work, demanding physicality etc)
3. How did this morning's session build upon (or change) your idea of the genre of physical theatre?
4. 3 words to describe the session.
5. Did you find any new frustrations today with your body and your self? Try to articulate what they were and how you worked through these barriers.
Well done all for throwing yourself into the work. I hope it was as rewarding for you to do as it was for me to observe.
Royona
I think it would be fair to say that we all experienced a truly exciting, challenging and rewarding morning. For each of you these sentiments were felt at varied measures; for some perhaps the challenge factir overrid the reward and for others the excitement was all consuming. What is important to remember is each of your experiences are valid in their own right.
I cannot stress this enough. This process is not about creating identical performers with identical strengths and weaknesses and identical skills. How boring what would be! This process is about discovering your own strengths and excelling at them and about fighting your own weaknessed with honesty and being patient at overcoming them. When we started the module saying this is a vulnerable and difficult process, physically and emotionally, we meant it. But remember we also said, how tremendous the pay off would be at the end!
Onto this morning's session. The workshop took you through three stages:
1. Warming up through stretches but through the medium of learning routines that test mental coordination and physical dexterity.
2. Learning a set repertoire from JVC's performance of Yesterday - and starting to appreciate the purpose of intention behind movement. You also learnt the importance of returning to the core (the walk) after experiencing outbursts of movements and gestures.
3. In the final stage you were asked to develop a sequence of your own drawing on any skill now part of your palette including this mornings. This was then transformed into intentful sequences by adding a 'layer' of quality which allowed the initial sequence to gain character, depth and purpose.
The above process was a brief but insightful view into the creative process and physical language of JVC's repertoire.
Watch some of their clips below:
Yesterday - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5AGwNDkRX4
Justitia - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtW_H5Y4aGw&feature=fvw
Several Clips - http://www.youtube.com/user/jasminvardimononline#p/a/u/1/6iunk83-TNk
Questions for this week:
1. What are the physical skills/techniques and creative philosophies we added to our palette through the workshop this morning?
2. From participating physically in the workshop and from watching the youtube clips above what would you say are the key features of the company's practice and aesthetic? (for example focus on ensemble work, demanding physicality etc)
3. How did this morning's session build upon (or change) your idea of the genre of physical theatre?
4. 3 words to describe the session.
5. Did you find any new frustrations today with your body and your self? Try to articulate what they were and how you worked through these barriers.
Well done all for throwing yourself into the work. I hope it was as rewarding for you to do as it was for me to observe.
Royona
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Tuesday 20th October - Transcending Technique (Towards Meaningful Movement)
Dear All,
This is the first of two posts this week.
What a great session this morning! It paid to briefly revisit the pallete of skills, to re-activate body nmemory before moving forward. It also meant those who had not attended the last 2 sessions were able to quickly but surely learn the vital weight sharing skills before moving on to today's new beginnings.
The initial exploration of the lower table and the raising of this table to a higher point demonstrated how our confidence ebbs and flows with this genre of work. One minute we are flying, next minute we are feeling down. Take this as a part and parcel of the learning curve and accept this as the way it will be. It was fascinating how when we moved the table work between point A and B and allowed the tables to move and invested emotional energy into the work - that all doubts vanished and the real work could begin to emerge.
As I mentioned in today's lesson, physical theatre isn't just high lifts and throws and stylised technique. It is also making the technique and movement both safe and meaningful. Often the way to start investing meaning in a relationship is to start small and with everyday pedestrian movements like walking, running, drinking, sitting together, mirroring each others' rhythms and gestures. This then allows the initial connection to flourish in more stylised ways with help from our palette. Physical theatre is therefore explored in movement and stillness. Please do not forget this. We will start to explore this minimalist side of the genre as soon as you are all comfortable with your palette of stylised technique.
So questions from today:
1. What are the qualities that make a moving partnership shift from clinical technique to emotionally charged interaction?
2. Did you experience an emotional connection in your movement work today with your partner? If so, how did this become apparent to you? (think of heavy breathing or frustration in your partner's momentary departure etc)
3. Does it surprise you that technical movements can have such an emotional impact on you as a performer? If so, why?
4. 3 words to sum up today's lesson.
5. Did you feel at points that a character emerged in your work? Was it you? Or an extension of you?
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
This is the first of two posts this week.
What a great session this morning! It paid to briefly revisit the pallete of skills, to re-activate body nmemory before moving forward. It also meant those who had not attended the last 2 sessions were able to quickly but surely learn the vital weight sharing skills before moving on to today's new beginnings.
The initial exploration of the lower table and the raising of this table to a higher point demonstrated how our confidence ebbs and flows with this genre of work. One minute we are flying, next minute we are feeling down. Take this as a part and parcel of the learning curve and accept this as the way it will be. It was fascinating how when we moved the table work between point A and B and allowed the tables to move and invested emotional energy into the work - that all doubts vanished and the real work could begin to emerge.
As I mentioned in today's lesson, physical theatre isn't just high lifts and throws and stylised technique. It is also making the technique and movement both safe and meaningful. Often the way to start investing meaning in a relationship is to start small and with everyday pedestrian movements like walking, running, drinking, sitting together, mirroring each others' rhythms and gestures. This then allows the initial connection to flourish in more stylised ways with help from our palette. Physical theatre is therefore explored in movement and stillness. Please do not forget this. We will start to explore this minimalist side of the genre as soon as you are all comfortable with your palette of stylised technique.
So questions from today:
1. What are the qualities that make a moving partnership shift from clinical technique to emotionally charged interaction?
2. Did you experience an emotional connection in your movement work today with your partner? If so, how did this become apparent to you? (think of heavy breathing or frustration in your partner's momentary departure etc)
3. Does it surprise you that technical movements can have such an emotional impact on you as a performer? If so, why?
4. 3 words to sum up today's lesson.
5. Did you feel at points that a character emerged in your work? Was it you? Or an extension of you?
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
Tuesday 20th October - If We Go On by Vincent Dance Theatre
Dear All,
This is the second of two posts for this week and deals directly with the work of Vincent Dance Theatre, directed at unpicking their piece we saw last week called If We Go On. To answer questions related to this post follow the key stages below.
1. Look at the company website of VDT and try to get a sense of the company's history, biographies and style. www.vincentdt.co.uk
2. Look at the following links related to VDT's works. You might need to copy and paste onto your browser to do so :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYCf97S_o0w&NR=1
http://www.article19.co.uk/06/feature/vincent_dance_theatre_broken_c.php
http://www.article19.co.uk/06/feature/interview_charlotte_vincent.php
3. Broken Chords was the company's last ensemble piece in 2006. The next ensemble piece the company made was If We Go On. The piece was an expose on the company's current relationship to the physical theatre/dance theatre genre - where the company finds itself evaluating what else is left to do within the genre - whether anything is original any more and indeed if there is any value in simply reproducing tried and tested formulae over and over again. It was also an example of performance work where the process is itself the testimony and basis of the final product.
4. Now answer the following questions:
i. What was the relationship between spoken text, moving bodies and the very dynamic space within the piece?
ii. What were the things you took from the piece that inspired you?
iii. What things in the piece frustrated you?
iv. Were the frustrations valid or were they part of your own expectations of the piece and the genre and the fact that the piece played with your own preconceptions of the same.
v. What then was the piece's commentary on the genre of physical theatre?
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
This is the second of two posts for this week and deals directly with the work of Vincent Dance Theatre, directed at unpicking their piece we saw last week called If We Go On. To answer questions related to this post follow the key stages below.
1. Look at the company website of VDT and try to get a sense of the company's history, biographies and style. www.vincentdt.co.uk
2. Look at the following links related to VDT's works. You might need to copy and paste onto your browser to do so :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYCf97S_o0w&NR=1
http://www.article19.co.uk/06/feature/vincent_dance_theatre_broken_c.php
http://www.article19.co.uk/06/feature/interview_charlotte_vincent.php
3. Broken Chords was the company's last ensemble piece in 2006. The next ensemble piece the company made was If We Go On. The piece was an expose on the company's current relationship to the physical theatre/dance theatre genre - where the company finds itself evaluating what else is left to do within the genre - whether anything is original any more and indeed if there is any value in simply reproducing tried and tested formulae over and over again. It was also an example of performance work where the process is itself the testimony and basis of the final product.
4. Now answer the following questions:
i. What was the relationship between spoken text, moving bodies and the very dynamic space within the piece?
ii. What were the things you took from the piece that inspired you?
iii. What things in the piece frustrated you?
iv. Were the frustrations valid or were they part of your own expectations of the piece and the genre and the fact that the piece played with your own preconceptions of the same.
v. What then was the piece's commentary on the genre of physical theatre?
Looking forward to your responses.
Royona
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Tuesday 13th October: Contact Improvisation: Theory and Practice
Dear All,
Just when you thought you were getting used to the pattern of the sessions on this module, the comfort-zone rug was pulled from beneath your feet. We started with a warm-up, we acquired a significant set of physical skills and then, instead of putting them into a playful/experimental space to extend and embody like we have done in the last 3 weeks, we chose to contextualise your practice of contact improvisation theoretically.
This theoretical contextualisation is vital for several reasons:
1. You must realise that artistic practices come out of and in response to social and political conditions of the times. They are in this way an expression of the socio-political circumstances that give birth to them and fuel their development.
1. Why do you think we chose to introduce you to the practice of CI before teaching you about its theory, history and context? How did this timing of the theory session enhance your engagement with the genre of physical theatre?
2. How does CI support, generate and sustain an intelligent and an expressive body that is capable of making artistic choices in the moment of performance? Talk about this in relation to your own experiences on the module so far.
3. In relation to Paxton's 6 essential elements - reveal to us the grades you gave yourself from 1 to 10 (1 being lowest and 10 being highest).
4. Find three words to capture today's lesson (practice and theory).
5. Did you feel frustration or accomplishment at different points in today's lesson? Give honest reasons for your answers.
Looking forward to hearing your responses.
Royona
Just when you thought you were getting used to the pattern of the sessions on this module, the comfort-zone rug was pulled from beneath your feet. We started with a warm-up, we acquired a significant set of physical skills and then, instead of putting them into a playful/experimental space to extend and embody like we have done in the last 3 weeks, we chose to contextualise your practice of contact improvisation theoretically.
This theoretical contextualisation is vital for several reasons:
1. You must realise that artistic practices come out of and in response to social and political conditions of the times. They are in this way an expression of the socio-political circumstances that give birth to them and fuel their development.
2. You must learn about and understand the nature of the socio-political environment in 1970's America that fuelled the need to generate a new movement language like Contact Improvisation.
3. In order to appreciate and evaluate the present practice of CI, you must know and understand its history.
4. You must know it's multiple connections with sports, athletics, martial arts and dance experiments of 1970's America.
5. You must also accept that this module isn't just taught through practice - that equally important is to understand where, how and why this practice is situated within the history of western theatre.
6. These sessions will get harder - physically and intellectually. If you don't complete the tasks we set you between sessions, you will not be able to grow in the module as much as you (and we) would like.
The questions this week are:1. Why do you think we chose to introduce you to the practice of CI before teaching you about its theory, history and context? How did this timing of the theory session enhance your engagement with the genre of physical theatre?
2. How does CI support, generate and sustain an intelligent and an expressive body that is capable of making artistic choices in the moment of performance? Talk about this in relation to your own experiences on the module so far.
3. In relation to Paxton's 6 essential elements - reveal to us the grades you gave yourself from 1 to 10 (1 being lowest and 10 being highest).
4. Find three words to capture today's lesson (practice and theory).
5. Did you feel frustration or accomplishment at different points in today's lesson? Give honest reasons for your answers.
Looking forward to hearing your responses.
Royona
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Tuesday 6th October: Contact: The Narrative in Weight Transference
Dear All,
Thanks again for a very productive session. It is a shame that not everyone was able to participate today as I do believe today's was a seminal session. A fundamental set of skills were learnt and embodied and these will create the very premise of our work in the weeks to come.
Your discipline this week was very good. Please try to improve week by week and don't let it slip next week. You discovered the high standard of work you are capable of primarily because of the discipline you managed to sustain through the lesson.
We worked on some significant physical techniques today. All of them were based on the following key principles:
1. Key points of contact through shared sense of gravity
2. Reading each others' bodies through these key points of contact
3. Distribution of weight through these key points of contact
4. Pelvic centre of gravity
5. Carrying body weight while maintaining pressure
We talked about creative tension as a productive sharing of pressure and weight between bodies so as to allow physical dialogue and opportunities to emerge between the bodies in the space.
So, questions for this week then:
1. Can gravity become our friend? If so, how can we achieve this? Once we befriend gravity how does our relationship with it change? How many of you feel you are being able to achieve this slowly and surely?
2. Analyse the quote below from Ken Martin on a key aspect of contact improvisation that we have started to slowly discover in our practice, and discuss it in relation to your own growth in the work so far.
"Contact improvisation [...] is a forum for discovering who we are beneath our skins. It is a place where our self concept is questioned […] It makes us compromise our reality – pushes the boundaries of our self awareness."
Ken Martin. Contacting the Soul, available from: http://nurturedance.org/contactimprov.htm
3. Extending the essence of the quote above discuss (either in your observation of others or in the experience of your own work) at what point one transcended technique and moved into an emotionally motivated physical dialogue with the partner.
Looking forward to your responses. The questions are challenging so really think before mechanically responding and make your comments rich and reflective. Remember, so spelling or grammatical errors and no casual mode of expression. Keep it formal and of a high academic standard.
Royona
Thanks again for a very productive session. It is a shame that not everyone was able to participate today as I do believe today's was a seminal session. A fundamental set of skills were learnt and embodied and these will create the very premise of our work in the weeks to come.
Your discipline this week was very good. Please try to improve week by week and don't let it slip next week. You discovered the high standard of work you are capable of primarily because of the discipline you managed to sustain through the lesson.
We worked on some significant physical techniques today. All of them were based on the following key principles:
1. Key points of contact through shared sense of gravity
2. Reading each others' bodies through these key points of contact
3. Distribution of weight through these key points of contact
4. Pelvic centre of gravity
5. Carrying body weight while maintaining pressure
We talked about creative tension as a productive sharing of pressure and weight between bodies so as to allow physical dialogue and opportunities to emerge between the bodies in the space.
So, questions for this week then:
1. Can gravity become our friend? If so, how can we achieve this? Once we befriend gravity how does our relationship with it change? How many of you feel you are being able to achieve this slowly and surely?
2. Analyse the quote below from Ken Martin on a key aspect of contact improvisation that we have started to slowly discover in our practice, and discuss it in relation to your own growth in the work so far.
"Contact improvisation [...] is a forum for discovering who we are beneath our skins. It is a place where our self concept is questioned […] It makes us compromise our reality – pushes the boundaries of our self awareness."
Ken Martin. Contacting the Soul, available from: http://nurturedance.org/contactimprov.htm
3. Extending the essence of the quote above discuss (either in your observation of others or in the experience of your own work) at what point one transcended technique and moved into an emotionally motivated physical dialogue with the partner.
Looking forward to your responses. The questions are challenging so really think before mechanically responding and make your comments rich and reflective. Remember, so spelling or grammatical errors and no casual mode of expression. Keep it formal and of a high academic standard.
Royona
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Tuesday 29th September - Corporeal Connections
Corpse - Body
Corporeal - Of the Body
Corporeal Connections - Connections Between/Through/Of the Body
Dear All,
Another intense session today, with good engagement with practice and even richer engagement with conceptual discussions through the session. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with honest reflection.
We introduced three new concepts today.
1. body-memory
2. play
3. palette of skills
We also explored in greater detail and with greater risk factors, our relationship between gravity, the floor, the spine and our distribution of weight. We worked on our individual experience and understanding of these relationships before moving on to work with a partner's. We filled the gaps created by our partner's body and worked to generate both creative dialogues and tensions. We discussed how vision hinders and reinforces our inhibitions and accepted that we still have a long way to go before we stop thinking through the brain, stop wanting our movement to look good and stop wondering what others are thinking as they watch us. This journey must become an individual and to some extent an internal journey. There is no place for judgment here.
Questions for this week:
1. What is your personal understanding of the concepts of body-memory, play and palette? Feel free to do some research and find some quotes to support your view/s.
2. What are our bodily inhibitions we collectively discovered in today's session? Are these inhibitions in our minds or lodged in our bodies? How can we train our brains to stop thinking?
3. What is the importance of technique in the initial part of the session? How did it support/allow the 'play' sessions to become productive?
4. Identify two bad habits of your own and think of ways to overcome them in the weeks to come.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
Corporeal - Of the Body
Corporeal Connections - Connections Between/Through/Of the Body
Dear All,
Another intense session today, with good engagement with practice and even richer engagement with conceptual discussions through the session. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with honest reflection.
We introduced three new concepts today.
1. body-memory
2. play
3. palette of skills
We also explored in greater detail and with greater risk factors, our relationship between gravity, the floor, the spine and our distribution of weight. We worked on our individual experience and understanding of these relationships before moving on to work with a partner's. We filled the gaps created by our partner's body and worked to generate both creative dialogues and tensions. We discussed how vision hinders and reinforces our inhibitions and accepted that we still have a long way to go before we stop thinking through the brain, stop wanting our movement to look good and stop wondering what others are thinking as they watch us. This journey must become an individual and to some extent an internal journey. There is no place for judgment here.
Questions for this week:
1. What is your personal understanding of the concepts of body-memory, play and palette? Feel free to do some research and find some quotes to support your view/s.
2. What are our bodily inhibitions we collectively discovered in today's session? Are these inhibitions in our minds or lodged in our bodies? How can we train our brains to stop thinking?
3. What is the importance of technique in the initial part of the session? How did it support/allow the 'play' sessions to become productive?
4. Identify two bad habits of your own and think of ways to overcome them in the weeks to come.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Royona
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Tuesday 22nd September - Ground Zero
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
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
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Welcome to Process & Performance 200910
A warm welcome to all 2nd Year Drama & Performance students at the University of Wolverhampton taking Process & Performance.
Consider this blog as our online home. If it doesn't yet feel like one, it will soon become one! This blog has been set up as an intellectual, reflective and critical resource and tool as we collectively undertake our creative journey through the next twelve months. It will function in a way, where we will initiate dialogue through posts and you will respond to them via your posts.
This module will be about discovering who we are and how we reflect this in our movement on a daily and an extra daily basis.The keywords you may want to start researching into as this module progresses are:
body
identity
sexuality
culture
dance-theatre
physical theatre
We hope to see you using this blog in a constructive and useful manner and on a regular basis. Looking forward to the start of a mammoth journey.
Royona & Paul B
Consider this blog as our online home. If it doesn't yet feel like one, it will soon become one! This blog has been set up as an intellectual, reflective and critical resource and tool as we collectively undertake our creative journey through the next twelve months. It will function in a way, where we will initiate dialogue through posts and you will respond to them via your posts.
This module will be about discovering who we are and how we reflect this in our movement on a daily and an extra daily basis.The keywords you may want to start researching into as this module progresses are:
body
identity
sexuality
culture
dance-theatre
physical theatre
We hope to see you using this blog in a constructive and useful manner and on a regular basis. Looking forward to the start of a mammoth journey.
Royona & Paul B
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