Questions in Response to the Duets.

How has my perception of myself as a dance artist changed?

I am more capable than what I originally thought at the start of this assessment of choreographing a dance piece for other people. As the course grows, I am simultaneously growing and becoming more open to create and perceive dance in a new way. It is hard adapting to a new practise, but I feel the longer I am here the more open I am becoming and the more I understand and want to work in this way.

What was the biggest challenge I faced? & How did I resolve and work with that challenge?

Getting a mutual understanding of what is required from both roles i.e. the choreographer and the performer. It was hard for some people to distinguish between the relationships outside of the studio and inside of the studio, which made it hard to get a full rehearsal without interruptions occurring. I overcame this challenge by reminding the performers of the rules we, as a whole group, decided upon at the start of the assignment, such as being prepared, being punctual etc.

Identify and describe a moment of transformation in the process.

Similar to the first question, I felt a huge change in my own perception of myself in a sense that I thought "I can do this after all." I am forever learning on this course, and mine and Deborah's choreographic idea was taken from a Improvisation/ Instant Composition session with Nicola; at first I couldn't see how I could produce a duet from one idea, but as the material churned, my confidence grew, and I surprised myself with how capable I was of creating something that even kept me as a choreographer guessing.

If you could offer some advice to a group of first years, what would it be? 

When mutually making the commitments as a group, stick to them. Don't just say them as you think they are good things to say to impress your tutor, say them and stick to them to avoid any disruptions or problems.