A Reflection of my Choreographic Process so far

Currently, I have reached 7 minutes of my choreography and finished the term with a performance of my work to my peers. Leading up to this performance, I experienced a couple of weeks of feeling unsatisfied with what I had created and documented the pressure I felt at this time using Gibb's Reflective Cycle to establish a plan to realign my focus and motivation (Gibbs, 1988):

(Stonier, 2021)

'Knowing when to stop working is just as important as working" (Burrows, 2010)

Using these planning strategies allowed me to feel much more productive and inspired, as I took time away from the studio to research and find new areas of motivation, for example watching the work of Russell Maliphant and Ballet BC. By doing so, I was able to enhance the quality of what I produced, as my following sections were developed with a focused intention and theme, such as the use of fascia in the spine. Seeking these new sources of information, both with a creative and artistic focus with the performance videos, and a anatomical focus with research of the spine and fascia, I felt that my work became much more diverse in its creativity, as I challenged myself with new movement styles and dynamics. Managing my time in this way ensured that I felt confident with remembering the content of my work once it came to our draft performance, however I still felt anxious to share my work due to being vulnerable and receiving the opinions of others on something that I have been working hard on. Some of the feedback I received can be seen below:

(Stonier, 2021b)

Receiving this feedback was a really rewarding experience, as I was surprised by the amount of positivity and admiration of my performance that I received. Reflecting on some of my constructive notes, I can see that enhancing the varying dynamics I have established will be really important to ensure that they have the ultimate impact on my audience. Continuing to practice my piece 'full-out' and watching back videos of my performance will help me to identify how my work may be perceived by viewers, as I know that often you can feel as though you are being much more expressive and powerful than what truly can be seen. Furthermore, I feel as though as my confidence grows with the more intense movement style, I will be more comfortable to completely embrace the fierce dynamic, and I intend to watch some more tribal works to see the strength that I hope to embody. Planning my time outside of the studio as well as in, I now know I need to re-visit the editing of my music, and I intend to blend my transitions better with a slight overlap of the different tracks I have chosen, in order to get a more seamless change between sections. Overlaying a continuous sound effect, such as a marshland/nature piece, may be an effective way to do this, as not only would it create a sense of continuity, but it would also help establish the setting of my piece. Kate Flatt states that the use of sound effects can be 'very evocative and bring us to the way that atmosphere is created in text-based theatre performance' and so I feel this would be a valuable avenue to explore (Flatt, 2019). 

Looking at my final weeks of choreography, I am left with the task of the ending of my work. Ensuring to be consistent with my use of processes even when I only have a short amount left is something that I want to be mindful of, so that my piece is supported by intellectual creativity and research throughout. Currently I am unsure with the final message or feeling that I want my audience to be left with, and I feel as though it is necessary for me to explore further the possibilities that I have. Following Flatt's advice to question yourself with the 'feeling you want the audience to take away with them', I have these options to decide between (Flatt, 2019b). Would I like to return to the opening, showing how Kya's adoration of nature continues to carry her through life? Should I leave the audience wondering how Kya survived after the effects of the brutal attack? Or should I express Kya's development into a thriving and brave young woman, exploring one of my initial key themes 'Education and Womanhood'. Considering these questions before returning to the studio will be important for me to ensure I have a secure focus for my sessions and therefore give me the confidence to complete the content of my piece, with time to develop my artistry and execution before the final performance date.

References:

Gibbs, G., 1988. Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.

Stonier, D., 2021. Studio Sessions Leading to Performance, Action Plan. [image].

Burrows, J., 2010. A Choreographer's Handbook. Oxford: Taylor & Francis Ltd, pp.54-57.

Stonier, D., 2021b. Performance Feedback. [image].

Flatt, K., 2019. Choreography : Creating and Developing Dance for Performance. Chapter 5: Choosing and Working with Music. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press, pp.119-120.

Flatt, K., 2019b. Choreography : Creating and Developing Dance for Performance. Chapter 7: Structure and the Choreographer's Eye. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press, pp.119-120.