29/9/20 Skype Session: Research as mapping to build an understanding

By the end of the session, I sort of had a better idea of what the focus of this module is, and I thought maybe I should re-look at the first part of Section 2 of the Handbook before delving further and writing about my takeaway from the Skype session.

During the Skype session, we talked about the idea of researching and also clarified further about the aim of Module 2.

The aim of Module 2 is to prepare a proposal for the inquiry that I would like to carry out in Module 3. After re-looking at the Handbook, I found on page 35 where it states, "this is about clearly explaining what you are proposing to do for the inquiry". Prior to the Skype session and re-looking at the Handbook, I was steering towards 'doing' the inquiry rather than looking into the hows and whys. Adesola mentioned during the session to think of how we are going to carry out the inquiry rather than just about the idea that we're interested in and diving straight into carrying it out, and also introduced the idea of researching.

The idea of researching can be a lot simpler than we think. Research is often associated with being a huge and lengthy process involving loads of reading and writing, however, sometimes research can be conducted through movements and during our daily activities, as introduced in Module 1, experience is knowledge from John Dewey.

From a dancer's perspective...

Researching through movement would be something that I am doing daily as it can refer to the process of choreographing and exploring ways to move my body or finding a way to refine and hone my technique.

Although every day I would start my day with a ballet class, the way my body approaches each class would be different mentally and physcially because my body would change based on factors such as the quality of sleep I had the previous night as well as the intensity of rehearsals from the day before. With this, active reflection and researching through movement would be something that is beneficial for me. I would need to reflect on why the pirouettes worked today or why it didn't, and I believe this process would be categorised as researching through movement. It is through the act of doing the movement and reflecting that would help me understand better how I should approach the movement when doing it again, regardless of whether my body is feeling good or bad that day.

Other than this direct self-reflection, research through movement can also be applying a correction that was given in class or rehearsal by the ballet master. The process of trial and error of the corrections given by the ballet master, especially in a group class or a group rehearsal where usually only general corrections are given, is the only way to hone one's technique and artistry. The fact that these corrections are usually general corrections, it means that not every correction would work for each individual and maybe for some the correction would work immediately while for others only after several tries then the body would react to it, and this can only be achieved through the act of doing and absorbing every correction given during the group session. This whole process is another aspect of research through movement.

Research through movement and experience is knowledge are two ideas that I can really relate to due to the nature of my Practice, and I believe that other than researching through movements, there are other methods of researching that can be applied to this practice-based course. I would like to look further into "research" before continuing the cycle mentioned in the Handbook, and researching about research is something that I never thought I would be doing.