End of 2022

Well just completed amendments to my MORE application - hopefully that will be it...... Off to have a drink and some nibbles and a bit of reflection before the New Year kicks in with Module 3. Happy New Year to all you curious minds!

Module 3 Final Presentations 12/13 December 2022

Well what a great couple of days it has been watching the final performances by module 3 MAPP students. With an insight into an eclectic mix of dance technique pedagogy, dance (specialism) and somatic study presentations, the event gave me a sense of what was expected along with the individual take on the artefact which accompanies the presentation. I came away with the idea of "ah that's what you mean" but because they are so personal and indeed different, it's difficult to grasp where to start and what to include. However, I'm looking forward to bouncing ideas and thoughts with my supervisor in the coming months. Module 3 does look intense but I'm really looking forward to it. Having just completed module 2, (with a few days to spare before the submission deadline) I took the oportunity to look ahead and review the module 3 sessions prior to the end of term. I didn't look at module 2 or 3 when I was studying for module 1 as I felt I just needed to focus on my AOLs and essay. Having completed module 2, (and I think I've written about my thoughts in an earlier blog), it was gruelling. But on reflection, I think it was because it took me to places that felt uncomfortable and challenging - but then who likes doing those kind of things in every day life! Having been immersed in such a wealth of diverse knowledge, the last couple of days has once again tapped into my psyche and started to regurgitate questions, questions and yes you've guessed it - more questions. Maybe that's the whole point of the masters - you end up with more questions than answers...

What is it that you really want to know...

And that really was the question that I asked myself as I began my journey into Module 2. As well as thinking about the inquiry, I wanted to know how the reseach would benefit my practice now and more importantly in the future. I must admit, it's a great feeling when you come up with an idea for a research question, even more so when you find a gap in scholarship. Then the turmoil begins as you start to mould and reshape the words into structured sentences and ultimately into a concise question. In October 2022, I was at the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech which is fundamentally a conference for adjudicators. There was much discussion about the criteria for marking and its proposal for future change. At an open forum, I posed the question 'what is more important the mark or the feedback'. The question was received with silence. It was clear that it was a question that provoked thought but there was no answer. It was at that point I realised I had my question. After much thought, research and further contemplation I came up with my final title: What is more important in a competitive dance festival environment, the mark or the feedback? Examining the impact of the adjudicator's report on former dance festival performers in the UK. In essence what I wanted to do is shift the focus from the thoughts and judgment of adjudicators to competitors and to gage their thoughts about the impact of the mark and feedback on them. Due to age constraints and ethical considerations, the research would be conducted on former competitive performers over 18 years. I will update my blog next term, once the interviews have taken place. Watch this space...

Sorry...I've been a bit busy!

Well it's been a while since I've blogged but to be honest, I've had my head in my books and have been a regular on google scholar! Researching is time consuming but I must admit I've enjoyed reading articles, theses, journals etc., some of which have ended up in my essay and inquiry proposal as part of my literature review for module 2. Thinking about my research question I felt it would be quite straightford. If anything, it proved to be one of the most difficult things I've had to do. The ideas just seemed to overflow and at some point it became overwhelming - to the point that I didn't know whether I was coming or going - one question seemed to diverge into another question and I must admit I lost my way on many occasions. I do remember hearing from my tutors that 'research is messy' and it's not meant to be straightforward. It reminded me of Scrooge, from the film 'A Christmas Carol' where after spending the night with the spirits he finds himself having a fight with himself and the sheets! Not sure how anyone else found navigating the MORE application form but I found this challenging. Not just the form filling but it prompted me to think about my research question further. Like playing a game of snakes and ladders, you think you're nearly there then up pops a question that takes you back to the beginning. I'm looking forward to receiving the feedback and starting my research project next term.