Friday, 11 February 2011

Relections on Workshop 2

As preparation for an improvisation task, I asked Sian to bring a Folk Song that I was not familiar with and had never worked with or sang, but that she felt would be interested to work with in movement terms. I felt that I wanted to set a challenge for myself and discover what would happen when I was literally having to respond to messages 'in the moment.' With the material I had been working with prior to the workshop, before beginning any physical work, time had been spent studying the songs at length - the story, the characters, the emotions and the history behind them. Then I took this knowledge I had acquired into the studio to start the improvisation process.
I was interested to see what would happen if I didnt have this knowledge prior to the improvisation. Where would my responses come from and what would they be? The experience was quite interesting but unfortunately we didn't have the time to really get our teeth into it!!
Sian chose the song 'Ffarwel i Aberystwyth' (Farewell to Aberystwyth) a traditional songs that tells of a young man's decision to leave his home town after having his heart broken by a maiden who fell in love with someone else. Sian played the song to begin with while I listened and visualised and then we discussed briefly the story behind the song. Before attempting the first improvisation, I had thought the response would not come from anything more than the music, which then made me wonder whether I would actually get anything from this task. I thought it would make me realise that in order to respond to the material I would need to have to have done this big study beforehand.
I began to realise something interesting. (Putting this into words is going to be interesting!!). A lack of sources present such as music or words does not mean there will be a less of a response. There is this other response - this non-visible connection to the work that drives me and guides me to find movement. What I wanted to know was, is this an experience of responding to something that is already there, something culturally embedded? I dont think I know enough about this to be able to delve into this thought further at this stage but the task definately evoked this idea of responding to something that is already embodied.
Rosie - I doubt this makes much sense. I need to spend time to think clearly about this as essentially its this experience that is driving the work. Maybe we can spend time talking about this? Its the root of the creative response isnt it?
I'm going to stop now! I didnt discuss any of this with Sian which I should have. I think her take on it would have been really useful for me. But I've noted it as an experience of the work and hopefully we can find a way to come back to it in the future.
Bye!

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