Here is something for you to ponder...

As I have been researching my dissertation I have had many questions reveal themselves to me.

The one that has stuck with me the most is this:

Site VS Space: When does a Space become a Site? I don't have answer for this yet but I did follow it with another question, is a Space a Place? I think no, not necessarily!  I think that the body can also be used as a Space, a tool to interact with.  Inspiration can be drawn from the body and choreography can be made from it.

This is just what I think and I'm sure others have thought this too!!!

Well it certainly is food for thought...

Thanks for reading
Jodie x

Forefront Workshop Day One video snippet

Here is a video taken from yesterday’s workshop.  The participants are improvising with the dimensional planes in the intention to eventually set something.

Its hasn’t been cut to look pretty, it’s just the natural filming so sorry it’s jumpy in places and me talking over some parts.

 

Thanks for reading and watching.

Jodie xx

Forefront Workshop: Day One

Hey guys!

So hopefully you’ve read the introduction blog previous to this so you understand what I’m going on about J

Ok so yester we were in the Forefront dance studio at UCS, I chose this space initially as it is familiar to the dancers and I felt it a good place to start.

First task:

I asked the participants to create a phrase of movement using the space they are in or another person as a stimulus.  (I realise this is a very broad task for me to ask the participants to do but that was the point).  I’ve also told the participants that even though the space we are in is architectural; they also needed to understand that their body can be seen as a piece of architecture too.

Whilst they did this I wanted them to think of why they chose what they did and was there meaning in it- For example did it resemble a movement type or style.

This was to be explored as far away from each other as possible so I placed them in spots around the space.

Second task:

I wanted to use part Laban theory of the three spatial scales centrally, peripherally and transversally to get the participants to create movement, but in order to make it easier to understand I went for the dimensional planes using single spatial pulls with two polar ends.  They are vertical, horizontal and sagittal.  I asked the participants to then this time create movement using the above, but to try and do it in close proximity.  They were allowed to move off the spot but only using the dimensional planes and there couldn’t be a great distance between them.

I asked them to explore with different body parts not just the obvious hands and feet. 

Third task:

Throughout tasks one and two participants shared material that was created with one another.  In the second task I asked them to notice moments of connections in the material they were doing, as they were in such close proximity they actually weren’t paying attention to one another and any reactions that happened were natural ones I wanted them to find them and play on them.

 

This is taken from when the participants were learning each others phrases 

 

                                  This is taken from when the participants were learning each others phrases

 

                             This is taken from when the participants were learning each others phrases

                               This is taken from when the participants were learning each others phrases

 

 

Observations

During the sharing and learning of each other’s movement I noticed that when participant A was about to teach their phrase to the others they went back to the spot that it was created it in, they then re-thought what they were doing and decided that they didn’t have to go back to that space- This shows here that they had associated what they had created with a certain spot in the space and it was a natural reaction to return to that place

Introduction into me and my Dissertation

Hi!!

 

Let’s get all the pleasantries out the way, my name is Jodie, I am 26 and currently in my third year at University Campus Suffolk studying for a BA Hons Degree in Dance in the Community. PHEW!! That was easy enough!

 

SO third year means that dreaded word....DISSERTATION!! Through all your years at university, it leads to this one massive thing. And it’s scary as hell.

 

OK enough of that lets get to what this blog will be about, its mostly a place I will use to document the process I am going through whist researching my dissertation subject. 

 

I will look at the connection between Architecture of a space and/or place and the Architecture of the body and whether they can be related or connected through choreography - Can the architecture of a space impact on how dancers create a piece of choreography and does their behaviour play a role?

 

The process I am using to explore this is Practice as Research (PAR); it is a form of academic research which incorporates an element of practice in the methodology.  In this instance the methodology will be exploration through choreography.

I will hold workshops for my participants and provide them with tasks which they will then execute in the space.
 
The spaces I am using for my explorations are:

Forefront (Dance studio @ UCS)
The Pacitti Company Think Tank
Chantry Park

My dissertation when completed will consist of 60% written, 20% performance and 20% presentation.  I will present my findings in the form of a 10-12 minute performance which will use the material that was created from the workshops and I will also present a 10-15 lecture demonstration.

 
This blog will include text, video, pictures and voice recordings taken from the workshops.



I hope you enjoy what you read and see, please feel free to leave comments.

 
Thanks and happy reading :)