Critical Reflection of Inquiry Proposal

At the beginning of module two I felt drawn to the topic of performance with a view to discovering how dancers project, express and present choreography. After a discussion in class with my senior students as detailed in my journal, (Appendix – A) I found that developing a sense of performance was a grey area for many. This gave me the initial idea of investigating the many ways we perform and present ourselves in dance performance.

I considered how artistry commonly featured in the literature I had gathered surrounding performance. After a discussion with my tutor and upon reflection of initial ideas, I decided to focus specifically on artistry as the topic of performance would be far too broad. I realised that performance as a whole in fact brings together everything we work on in class to the stage.

I reflected how students, particularly in the early stages of training focus so intently on learning steps, positions, correct alignment and technique, that showing a sense of artistry is often too much to manage. It is not until a level of competence is reached that students are comfortable with adding artistic flair to their work. In class I generally spend the majority of time on technique unless exams, competitions or performances are imminent. I realised that this is to comply with the marking scheme of ISTD exams, as artistry is only worth 10% of the overall mark.

I discovered that in order to express themselves freely and share their work with an audience, dancers must possess a certain level of self-confidence. Through discussions on my special interest group ‘The Art of Performance’ I identified how artistry is the first thing to suffer when performing under pressure in exams, competitions and performances. This therefore led me to source literature on various ways to promote students’ confidence and deal with issues that have a negative effect on artistic performance.

Describing artistry has been a difficult task and it’s hard to put into words, through my research so far I have realised that it means something different to each of us. There are many ways to explain it and many ways to use it, artistry is how we might interpret a piece of music, create a mood, convey feeling or tell a story. We use it to communicate what we are trying to say through movement, and the ultimate aim is to connect with the audience and make them feel something.

I have now come to realise that artistry is personal to each individual, it is something that continually evolves along with competence and experience in dance as well as life. It is therefore up to the teacher to develop their own means of educating and encouraging this aspect of their students training and this is what I plan to achieve through my professional inquiry.

What can affect student's artistry?

 
 

As a student I commonly experienced intense anxiety when taking my graded dance examinations, disallowing me to perform at my best. I would worry so much about doing everything correctly that I would forget simple exercises I had practised hundreds of times. This crippling pressure to get good results and do everything perfectly lead to performance worse than me on a bad day (I am overly self-critical), so frustrating when I knew I could do better. Little mistakes on things I knew so well left me feeling angry and disappointed with myself, I would often walk into the exam and suddenly forget the plies, the exercise I should know the best! I’m sure I’m not alone in remembering that feeling of dread when the examiner would announce it was time for the rhythm section in Modern or Tap, why is it that I have suddenly forgotten how to count up to eight?!

Such pressure I feel particularly affected my level of artistry, that final layer of presentation and personality that gives life to movements through expression. With such focus on remembering the exercises and demonstration of good technique even smiling was hard as my mouth would shake with fear. Throughout the barre section of ballet exams (what a cunning invention, so thankful to have something to hold onto!) I would feel the initial panic disperse as I made my way through those familiar exercises I had spent months perfecting. However throughout the exam anxiety would cause tense shoulders and shallow breathing, making it impossible for me to dance with my usual softness, poise and expression.

I have taken many exams over the years as a young student, a vocational student and then as a teacher, I don’t think the exams I took as a dancer ever got any easier as the higher the exam, the greater the pressure. My practical teaching exams – ISTD Foundation in Dance Instruction and Certificate in Dance Education (Imperial Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre and Tap Dance) actually did get easier over time. I took a total of six exams altogether as well as a practical teaching assessment with an outside moderator (very scary).

The night before my first practical teaching exam (FDI Imperial Ballet) I had trouble sleeping with so much information whizzing round my head and the anticipation of what I could potentially be asked. I think my biggest worry was that I would walk in and suddenly forget my own name! This of course didn’t happen, the examiner was perfectly lovely and did her best to relax and encourage me. I found that the exam was more of a formal professional discussion alongside demonstration of syllabus knowledge and skills in choreography. My final exam (CDE in Tap) I don’t recall being nervous at all as I knew what to expect having been through the process many times I was therefore calm and confident.

Now that I am a teacher I try to reassure my students as best I can, I tell them that the hard work is done and to enjoy showing it off, the examiner is on your side and nerves help you do your best. I find myself feeling nervous for them as I don’t want them to be overly self-critical as a result of nerves, you can guarantee afterwards they will list what went wrong rather than what went well. It is reassuring and makes a big difference for the students when the examiner is particularly bubbly, smiley and encouraging as it can be quite a daunting experience for the children.

Excessive anxiety and perfectionism causes the individual to make unrealistic demands and expectations of themselves. Dance is both popular and highly competitive, it is also a very unnatural art form and often feels like we are continually attempting the impossible. Training is a lifelong commitment, there are not many professions you begin training for at preschool. Unhealthy competition and comparison with others overloads the student with negativity which will in turn affect their ability to do their best.

I did not experience overly critical self-analysis when I was attending dance lessons as a child, however I suffered a great deal at vocational college and I see it a lot as a teacher among my students. I think it is important to encourage our student’s self-belief and self-esteem as the negative impact can impair not only performance but also overall wellbeing. During teacher training we were taught the importance of giving constructive criticism, praise and encouragement to our students, I am a diligent advocate for this as I know the smallest hint of negativity can manifest itself.

I feel it therefore necessary to promote student’s understanding of the learning process, how we essentially get things wrong in order to get them right, to be patient, diligent and persevere. To focus on themselves as opposed to others, to ask for help when unsure, evaluate areas for improvement and how to learn from fellow students and role models.  ‘As dancers we are constantly failing and failing and that is all part of discovering how to master the body so it will do what we want when we want. That out of every failure comes a new discovery that we can use to make us stronger and better.’ (http://blog.discountdance.com/helping-your-students-overcome-their-insecurities/ Accessed 27.12.15)

Further Investigation

It would be beneficial to find ways to deal with such issues to ensure student’s artistry does not suffer under pressure. I plan to look for literature and raise discussions with my professional and online networks to investigate this matter.

Components of Performance Part 1

I wanted to consider further the various components of performance, I created the above mind map and looked into my personal experience of these. I found upon analysis that each component overlapped with another, I therefore grouped some of the similar titles together. I hope the following will bring about further questions to ask as part of my inquiry.

Influence and Meaning of Movements

From my own experiences of creating choreography and watching dance performance I feel that the movements should embody the emotions the dancer, the movements initially created by the choreographer. I plan to discover how choreographers explore human emotion and the influence upon the movement which is created. I feel awareness and appreciation of meanings behind movement will enable the dancer to cultivate expression and develop their own creativity, versatility and chorographical skills.

Below is a clip of contemporary choreographer and director Akram Khan discussing ‘Dust’ a piece created for English National Ballet commemorating the centennial of the First World War. Here, Mr Khan discusses how he considered words surrounding death - Life, Death, Absence and Memory, which originally came from a poem. This interview is evidence of how much research, thought and meaning is behind this piece of dance, he describes how he created movements have to utilise the classical dancers effectively.

Akram said: “The piece is inspired by two things. First, the concept of a trench, of the young men and old men all going into trenches, and disappearing. The other substantial part was inspired by the women. In WW1 there was a huge social shift towards women. They needed weapons made for the war, they needed a huge workforce. I felt this shift in role was interesting. They knew they would be letting go of fathers, husbands, and sons; they might lose them. Yet they were making weapons that would kill others’ fathers, husbands, and sons. It didn’t matter which side you were on – they both felt loss and death. But in order for someone to live someone else was putting their life on the line. That cyclical thing was what I wanted to explore.”( http://blog.ballet.org.uk/lest-forget-akram-khan-tamara-rojo-perform-together/ 15.11.15)

In the following clip we see how Mr Khan has explored this powerful concept through movement

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=akram+khan+interview+lest+we+forget&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=87839F9A162DB329661987839F9A162DB3296619 (15.11.15)

Music Genre

The genre of music will of course influence the style, feel and subject of the dance, it is usually the starting point when creating choreography. When studying to be a teacher we were taught the importance of using a broad spectrum of genres in order to develop student’s versatility in style and expression. We were also encouraged to educate our students on the history and origins of a particular genre.

I remember having a lengthy discussion in class on the subject of Blues, we talked about how the slaves had created a genre based around the rhythm of the train, helping them along with their work to boost morale. We discussed how they would be feeling working long hours in the heat, innocent, desperate and longing for freedom. We put these thoughts and feelings into the choreography our teacher had created, the discussion informed the expression of the movements to bring it to life. We used visualisation throughout practising the choreography given by our teacher, she created a story on which to base the expression and quality of our movements. I am hoping to interview this particular teacher (who has since become an ISTD examiner) as I found her ideas and teaching so inspirational and effective in my own practice.

When studying for my ISTD CDE teaching qualifications I worked part time in an independent record store, one of the last few. I credit this experience with a positive influence on my teaching as it enabled me to explore new artists and genres of music. It opened my eyes to an eclectic array of music and it was delightful spending my days surrounded by friends who were as passionate about music as me. Each member of staff was employed based on their prior music knowledge and individual taste, it meant that we could each have a specialised area and we could also learn from one another. It was especially helpful to have my employer recommend music for my practical teaching examinations and classes. Although the shop is now long gone and I am teaching full time, my former colleagues and I keep in touch via Facebook sharing new findings of albums and songs we think each other might like.

As a dancer, teacher and music lover I am constantly on the lookout for unique pieces of music for my students. My personal music taste explores a huge range of styles including; Rock, Hip Hop, Funk and Soul, Blues, World, Electro and Classical. During my time at the record shop I discovered that many genres continually cross over thus creating new sounds. This concept has influenced me to experiment particularly with Ballet, allowing me to explore the modernisation of this, a trend currently emerging in commercial theatre. Through the exposure to diverse genres and the encouragement of student’s awareness, I feel that the teacher can encourage a diverse ability to express.

A particular song can be deeply meaningful for one individual but not for another, I feel that each individual will relate to songs differently and will therefore express their feelings and dance in their own unique way. Choreographing and indeed dancing to a piece of music you love is far more joyful than being forced to use a piece with which you cannot relate. This thought has influenced me to investigate; can music preference influence a dancer’s ability to perform effectively? Can a greater awareness of influence encourage a greater sense of performance?

Influential Performers Part 3

Bob Fosse (1927 – 1987)

One of America’s greatest choreographers also a performer, director, screen writer and actor, winner of eight tony awards famous for his productions Chicago, Cabaret and Sweet Charity. He was responsible for creating the traditional Jazz and musical theatre we know and love, performed with signature props such as Bowler hats, white gloves, canes and chairs. His distinctive style influenced generations to come, the hugely popular music video for ‘Single Ladies’ by Beyoncé in fact features Fosse inspired choreography.

In his early career he performed tap dance in seedy backstreet strip clubs, it was this experience that influenced his unique, burlesque style of choreography. At 19 he made his debut on Broadway and later moved to Hollywood with dreams of becoming the next Gene Kelly. He became a huge success and was responsible for producing many hit films and musicals.

This is a sophisticated, sassy style performed in heels and fishnets, only the more experienced, confident and mature dancer can do it justice. When I was working as a performer, Fosse numbers were always my favourite as I felt empowered, glamorous and strong dancing in this style. I feel that my classical training enabled me to achieve the elegant yet dynamic movements it required as well as the confidence to execute the strong performance element.

‘I see my style based on my own physical limitations and I’ve developed from them, a style because I’ve been dancing since I’m nine. So my style is kind of – I’ve stolen things from people, I’ve been influenced by people. I’ve been forced to dance in a certain way because I tend to turn in more when I’m dancing. I’ve never been a bravado person so a lot of things I do are very tiny and small. So it’s a maze of various influences.’ (Gottfried 1998 p81)

Fosse was a jack of many trades, he was a charismatic character and did not allow his technical limitations get in the way of his performing career, in fact he utilised his faults in order to create his unique style. He built this on his own quirks and idiosyncrasies - rolled in shoulders, turned in legs, small gestures of the hands and shuffling steps are signature moves, it takes a certain type of dancer to perform it with dynamic conviction.

Anna Pavlova (1881 – 1931)

Most famous for ‘The Dying Swan’ a solo created especially for her, set to the music ‘Carnival of The Animals’ Pavlova won over audiences with her sincere and delicate nature. When watching this solo you can see how much Ballet has evolved over the past hundred years. Despite her lack of refined technique she has gone down in history as a result of her emotional and heartfelt expression. If you can get past the turned in legs and rapid arm movements you can see something very pure and honest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMEBFhVMZpU 27.11.15

In class when attempting Legnani’s famous 32 fouette turns she was instructed by her Ballet master at the time:

"Leave acrobatics to others. It is positively more than I can bear to see the pressure such steps put on your delicate muscles and the severe arch of your foot. I beg you to never again try to imitate those who are physically stronger than you. You must realize that your daintiness and fragility are your greatest assets. You should always do the kind of dancing which brings out your own rare qualities instead of trying to win praise by mere acrobatic tricks." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Pavlova 27.11.15

I feel that Pavlova is a rare artist who has gone down in history purely on the basis of her performance skills. This is not something one would get away with today as standards and expectations are much higher.

Influential Performers Part 2

Sylvie Guillem

“Sylvie broke the mould and redefined what a ballerina could be, post-Margot Fonteyn.” – Deborah Bull (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/11218123/Why-Sylvie-Guillem-is-ready-for-her-swansong.html 16.11.15)

I have grown up admiring the work of Sylvie Guillem, her performing career spanned over 30 years which is basically unheard of for a Ballerina. As a child I was mesmerised by her acrobatic skill and her curiosity to explore beyond the realms of classical ballet. Like Nureyev she too was a nonconformist, he in fact mentored her in her early career at the Paris Opera Ballet.

Opinionated and strong willed she earned the nickname Madam Non (miss no!) She caused controversy amongst her peers and directors insisting on picking her own roles, later having many created especially for her.

She was an artist responsible for pushing the boundaries and influencing the evolution of Ballet, a concept which I find fascinating. As a Ballet lover and teacher I began to find traditional classical ballet a little boring a long time ago, I feel Sylvie was a pioneer among others responsible for pushing the boundaries to create something fresh and unique.

‘She could stand there, flex her feet and still be the most charismatic performer on this earth.’ (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/11629739/Sylvie-Guillem-Life-in-Progess-Sadlers-Wells-review-the-most-charismatic-performer-on-earth.html 16.11.15)

New Adventures

‘Telling stories is more important to him than the steps he employs.’ Cameron Macintosh

In my opinion Matthew Bourne is the greatest dance story teller of our time, he has inspired a new audience to appreciate dance. New Adventures have accumulated a huge fan base over the years performing to sell out audiences across the world. Famous for reinventing and adding unique twists to old stories, New Adventures bring a fresh and current approach to dance.

I enjoy how the sickly sweet fairy tales Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and The Nutcracker are transformed into gritty, contemporary depictions of modern life encapsulating comedy, tragedy and beauty. I enjoy the common feature of a male dominant role, male fairies and swans adds a new dimension bringing the story more up to date.

Matthew uses the company’s input during the creative process to cultivate choreography and bring the characters to life through the dancer’s own personalities.

Below is a clip from the BBC documentary ‘A Beauty Is Born’ showing rehearsal footage and interview with Matthew Bourne on his reinvention of Sleeping Beauty.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012q15t (23.11.15)

‘His use of humour, grit, truth, sometimes violent sometimes beautiful his productions have taken dance in a direction I have never seen before.’

I have seen many of their productions over the years, Nutcracker! Cinderella, Dorian Gray, Sleeping Beauty and more recently The Car Man. I attended a Q and A with him at The National Theatre, was lucky enough to meet him and have him sign my book – ‘Matthew Bourne and His Adventures in Dance.’ (Conversations with Alistair Macaulay)

One particular scene has stayed with me since I saw it back in 2007, the snow scene in Edward Scissorhands. I still get chills watching it on YouTube, it was just so moving and beautiful I wanted to consider why it remains so special to me. The music ‘Ice Dance’ by Danny Elfman is haunting, magical and dreamy, the dancer’s soft, fluid movements float around the centrally placed ornate ice sculpture. The set a heavenly white, giving contrast to the earlier colourful comic book style scenes. The snow enhances the ethereal atmosphere, feeling the ice cold snow fall on my face made me feel part of the story.

It evoked many feelings within me, because I could identify with what the dancers were expressing. The characters were so lovable, particularly Edward I could really identify with him as most of us have experienced feelings of isolation in life as well as the joy of being accepted for your differences, coping with teenage awkwardness and the innocence of young love. As Matthew comments in the following clip ‘There’s an Edward in all of us.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWp2UFm38Lo 25.11.15

We go to the theatre to get lost within a story, to be taken on a journey to feel something, to laugh, to cry. I want what I am watching to speak to me and move me, I want to identify with what I see and this clip does just that:

The snow scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_LgxmUKIFQ 24.11.15

Infuential Performers

As part of my research into the topic of performance I have investigated the attributes of influential performers. Below is a mind map of the dance artist that initially spring to mind:

Dance Artists Who Have Informed Performance

Martha Graham (1894 – 1991) The Graham Technique

‘The function of dance is communication… By communication is not meant to tell a story or to project an idea, but to communicate experience by means of action… out of this came a different use of the body as an instrument, as the violin is an instrument. Body is the basic instrument, intuitive, instinctive. As a result an entirely contemporary set of technics was evolved.’ (Brown, Mindlin & Woodford, 1998, p50)

Martha Graham is described as the mother of modern dance, her style and influence is still very much alive today, elements of which can be seen within the current ISTD Modern Theatre syllabi. The Graham Technique is often the centre of professional contemporary and classical dance training.

Graham developed an interest in the human body influenced by her father, a doctor specialising in nervous disorders, he believed that the body could express its inner senses which she found fascinating. Growing up she was not permitted to dance and therefore enrolled in an arts programme at college after her father’s death. She developed an original style incorporating jerky, inverted and rigid movements which clearly apposed classical dance, a far cry from the beautiful soft aesthetics of Ballet. The method of this movement requires considerable physical strength to accomplish such lines, it was therefore necessary for Graham to educate her students in the appreciation of strength. A vocabulary of exercises was devised in order to train the body in this unique manner and is still taught extensively today.

‘Since the purpose of dance is to translate emotional experience in physical form, in the Graham technique every movement must have a clear perceivable meaning.’(Mazo 1977, p189)

‘I wanted to begin not with characters or ideas, but with movements. I wanted significant movement, I did not want it to be beautiful or fluid, and I wanted it to be fraught with inner meaning with excitement and surge.’ (www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/martha-graham/about-the-dancer/497 8.11.15)

Graham’s work explores the darker depths of human emotion, the relentless use of contraction I feel signifies inner turmoil and sorrow. The signature ‘strike’ an angular arm line, as if shooting an arrow from a bow - strong and warrior like, perhaps representing battles of such strife. The distinctive ‘pleading’ position - palms forward at the hips, conveying vulnerability and desperation. Graham and her company dancers gave emotionally charged performances fraught with intensity and solemnity. Her dances were created to represent the current time – ‘Life today is nervous, sharp and zigzag. It often stops in mid-air. That is what I aim for in my dances.’ (Mazo 1977, p161)

When I first discovered the Graham Technique as a first year student I thoroughly disliked it, I found the lines ugly, impossible to get right and I did not understand the concept, why were we being taught to move in such a way? We had a guest teacher come in to teach us a piece from ‘Primitive Mysteries’ we were to dance as Mary at Jesus’s crucifixion. This seemed odd to me and truthfully a little boring (I was only sixteen!), however after learning the complex components and spending the majority of the afternoon in a rigid contraction I began to embrace its obscurity. At the end of the workshop I watched everyone perform, it all made sense the movements embodied the yearning, sorrow and emotional pain, it was truly moving to watch and indeed also to dance.

I use Graham’s influence extensively in my work when choreographing lyrical or contemporary pieces of a more sombre nature, I feel these types of movements portray those darker emotions effectively.

‘My dancing is not an attempt to interpret life in the literary sense. It is an affirmation of life through movement.’ (www.biography.com/people/martha-graham-9317723 4.11.15)

An example of The Graham Technique and its meaning can be seen in this youtube clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYu-wL2ti80 12.11.15

Margot Fonteyn (1919 – 1991)

‘The most athletic is not necessarily the best, Fonteyn’s artistry and discernment make her a dancer to cherish.’ (www.telegraph.co.uk/margotfonteyn 7/11/15)

Margot Fonteyn was a classical ballerina whose legacy has gone down in history as a result of her charismatic and heart felt performances. Her portrayal of Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty was considered to be the definitive of the era. Fredrick Ashton created many roles especially for her outside of the traditional classical Ballets. Fonteyn was not a technical virtuoso however she danced with passion, serenity and a unique softness, she was a natural performer and a true storyteller. Such qualities lead to a television career following her retirement from dance.

Her famous partnership with the equally brilliant Rudolf Nureyev propelled her career further, despite being nearly twenty years his senior, they complimented each other both technically and artistically. She credited him with ‘giving her a new burst of energy’ while he claims she ’inspired him and helped calm him’, he said of Fonteyn that they danced with ‘one body, one soul’. They learned from one another and performed at their very best when together.

Rudolf Nureyev (1938 – 1993)

‘Give your insides, blood! Perhaps something is dull? Do something about it. Gamble. Make the performance pulsate.’ (http://nureyev.livejournal.com/5370.html?page=1 11.11.15)

Nureyev, a late comer to the world of dance did not enrol into a dance school until the age of 17, at 23 he became famous after he defected from the Soviet Union to the west to perform with the Royal Ballet.

His artistic skills as a performer allowed him to explore the expressive side of dance, he was an individual artist and a nonconformist. He redefined the role of the male ballet dancer, an artist in his own right no longer serving purely to partner the women

He excelled predominantly in classical Ballet and later on branched out into modern dance, proving his versatility. He later went on to direct, choreograph and act, he even became a conductor in his final years before he tragically died Of AIDS.

He attracted a new audience to the dance world, more than any other dancer in history, if you ask the average Joe to name a dancer Nureyev is sure to come up.

Later in his career he directed and choreographed extensively for many companies as well as appearing in films, he was also famously a guest star on The Muppet Show in the 1970s, which clearly demonstrated his celebrity status.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUKmzKXNnSs (12.11.15)

Tak 4d: Literature Review (Part 3)

The Heart of Expression, Teaching Mime and Acting for Ballet

(By Pilar Garcia)

http://gelseykirklandacademyofclassicalballet.org/the-heart-of-expression-teaching-mime-and-acting-for-ballet/

(Accessed 3/4/15)

The author of this article is a mime and acting teacher who works extensively with dancers aiming to 'chase the gold in a performance'. Having trained in Ballet from a young age up to advanced level, it became apparent throughout her training that the acting element eclipsed her dance ability. This passion for acting lead her to coaching younger students to act within their Ballet roles, working alongside the Ballet teacher to achieve characterisation and animation bringing the vision to life.

Her professional role entails nurturing student's expression in performance through the means of acting and mime. The author credits the use of mime particularly in early training to encourage artistic growth, to add the expression a movement requires, giving purpose to Ballet in terms of communication and story telling. The author's personal explanation of performance I consider to be the most fathomable I have so far come across; one's ability to dramatise movement, giving it meaning and enable the power of communication.

She encourages students to seek counselling for self esteem and confidence issues, a concept addressed by my previous literature review. She feels low confidence will inhibit not only the dancer's ability to fully express themselves but also impair the learning process, affecting student's potential.

Garcia believes technique provides the foundation, a canvas on which to create the visage allowing a means to express oneself through, therefore technique and performance cannot exist without each other. 'The purpose of technique is to ultimately serve the artistic endeavour which relies on the heart of the expression, otherwise you will not have a whole dancer.' The concentration solely on technique can bury the joy of what one is doing, this now leaves me to ponder, to what extent is technique overlooked in favour of performance? Reading this article has lead me to ask, what is more important technique or artistry? A question I intend to include within my inquiry research.

I now consider it necessary to gain the view point of other arts professionals not just dance teachers.

The collaboration of dance, acting and music all contribute to the overall performance, I therefore now need to look at interpretation and influence of music on performance.