Task 6c: Award Title

                I have chosen BA (Hons) Professional Practice Dance as the award tile for my degree.  The title chosen, reflects on my current area of practice and previous knowledge, and on what I believe will be beneficial for my future career.

                The topic for my inquiry is how creativity dance related practices can be crucial for dancers’ artistic development. I will bring on this discussion, by analysing how creativity is related to professional dancers careers, why is it important and how could be approached. Through literature, observations, interviews and my own personal experience, this inquiry aims to benefit professionals on the dance environment, bringing other discussions and tools for dancers’ development, motivate a better connection between techniques and methodologies and for my own career development.  Already on the title from my proposal, I aimed to bring on a theme which has been present on the current dance scene and which I believe is extremely necessary for dancers’ development

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                As a professional dancer, whose formation includes two professional schools which apply different methods, who has lived in four countries, has worked with different professionals and dance languages, whose repertoire includes different styles and who also, has a deep interest into composition and improvisation, the inquiry topic is very much about my own previous experiences and current necessity for artistic quality development and self-innovation. With this inquiry, I am aim to share different perspectives on dance, analyse different tools which work around the creativity theme and relate to dancers’ formation, and to be able to analyse my own experience, my current role into the dance environment and reach an artistic and career development. My main reason for joining into this course was to reach a deeper knowledge and have an opportunity to discuss and critically reflect on my current area of practice and role as a performer, subsequently I believe my award title is deep related to it.

Task 6b: Inquiry Tools

                In the last days I began to make an inquiry plan and analyse the considerations I should take when developing it. To plan how will I apply, use my data and connect my ideas and information obtained; think critically about the discussions I have been taking with my SIGS as well as with the literature researched; analyse what do I want to approach with my inquiry and what knowledge I already have from this area; and how is it connected with my daily basis and how will I use my own practice and experience as a research field for inquiry; demands a well-organized plan and a good clarification on the methods and structures necessaries for it.

                Reflecting about the methods described on Reader 6 from this Module , made it clear how should I plan my research process, take in consideration the advantages e disadvantages of each one and how would be the best way to apply  them. From the tools described, I believe I will focus on three of them during the development: observation, interview and focus group. As my inquiry has a more qualitative approach, I believe I might focus more on analysis methods.

                Here, I will share my thoughts of the four tools presented, evaluating their merits and their limits and how I might apply as well:

                Observation is already always part of our daily routine, especially in a work-based study program like this degree when we should reflect about our work environment, our role as a professional on this place and apply studied theories on it. To be able to bring questions for inquiries possibilities, observation was necessary firstly to be able to analyse my own thoughts. To apply observation as a method of study, a critical eye is necessary and deep reflection about it later on (and then recordings, notes, diaries are necessary). I got myself already applying this method as thoughts would come to my mind during classes and rehearsals which I could relate to my inquiry. Recently, especially after the Skype Session I had with Adesola, I concluded that my Inquiry theme is very much related with my personal journey, and a reflective diary will be one of the main resources I will apply on my research. With this conclusion, I realized I will be observing not only the ones around me but me as well. On some situations might be better to be a participant on the event then observing from outside totally. I felt this situation with certain classes when more than observing my colleagues, I could also fell their experiences and share my own point of view with them. Observation might be time consuming, especially if time is reserved to observe specific classes  however, I believe most of the observations happen during the daily routine. It is crucial to plan the manner on how observation could be used to the best advantage and end up with better results. It is necessary then just to keep always prepared in case notes should be taken or recordings, making sure what I am focusing on and being able to relate with the literature researched. Another important point, is the fact the while observing me, as an inside-observer, there is of course, a personal influence. However, while observing others and after discussing about their experiences, considerations will have to be taken to be open to other opinions, perspectives and influences, to balance between my own position, goals, preconceptions and the others as well. During an observation process, sensibility is required.

            Interviews are a very useful way to collect data, share perspectives and open new discussions about the chosen theme: “(…) You can ask the “why questions” directly to people who have knowledge, experience, and perceptions about you topic; their interpretations can be used as data when these views are collected using recognized data collection techniques” (Reader 6, page 16). This tool will be very crucial for my research process. The way the interview is structuralized, defines very much the results obtained and the shape of the inquiry. Questions about who will I interview, where and when will I interview, how will I prepare myself for it and how will I question are extremely important to take in consideration. More than collecting data, it is important to show to the participant the importance of my research , that he or she is part of this process and how could my research be useful not just for me, but for others as well. For my inquiry I believe I will plan an interview on a more informal environment, will set some questions and guide a direction for it however, I will try to be flexible for others emerging issues and create an open and productive discussion. Depending on the professional interviewed, the planning for it might be different.

                This tool of research requires a special attention on considerations that have to be taken. To be able to interview, the researcher can’t be inconvenient and need to make sure that the ones involved are very clear on what the inquiry is about. Also, consent forms are necessary and comply with confidentiality issues according to each one professional and personal situation. The analysis process after the interviews requires also special attention: accuracy on interpretations and also to be able to use the data efficiently on the research process. I believe I will record most of the interviews to able to don’t miss important parts, reflect carefully after and reach well interpretations.

                Focus Groups require a lot of organization. As other ones are involved, the group dedication on the activities and discussions asked is very crucial. For better results, planning is necessary not only to be able to manage to get people together and creating a proper atmosphere, but also to make the meeting productive, bringing up discussions and relating to the data collected previously. Confidentiality, privacy, data protection considerations require also a proper attention. For my inquiry, I am planning to organize two meetings with no more than four people. We would work on three improvisation methodologies and after the activity, discuss experiences together and relate to the material researched. The reason I believe a focus group would be interesting for the development of my inquiry, is to be able to have one more opportunity to exercise methods, observe my colleagues and share in an open and comfortable environment a discussion around my theme.

                Surveys and Questionnaires are very useful methods of research. These tools allow a good range of answers from many representative respondents and access to quantitative results to interpretation and bring up into the discussion. I believe I won’t use these methods for my inquiry, as my theme is a lot about analysis, however I will use surveys and questionnaires previously done by other researches (literature) to support my inquiry. Surveys can be a good start to initiate a research.