Professional Reflection

Having just read through the "Lens 2: Reflection, ethics and reflexivity" section of the handbook; I must admit my mind is spinning a bit!

Whilst the information is easy enough to decipher and understand, I have found it difficult to grasp and conceptualise. I have always considered myself a visual learner, but upon reflection I can't help but wonder if this is not a product of how I have been raised and "nurtured". What I mean by this is that since a young age, I have been taught to study academic material through creating colourful mind-maps or spider diagrams. I have studied for examinations by reading the information given to me and by rewriting it in my own way and creating a fun diagram to remember it by - which is actually how I have been working through this Module 1 handbook!

But upon reflection and 'unpacking' as to how I learn, I can't help but wonder that surely coming from a musical theatre based back-round that I could, in fact, be a more kinaesthetic form of learner? Putting specific actions with lines of script to remember it, repeating choreography until it becomes muscle memory and using singing practitioner Jo Estill's idea of the 'sensation' of the voice when singing.

I will also acknowledge that I seem to use Kolb's "Reflective Observation" as my entry onto the Learning Cycle. I prefer to watch someone demonstrate or other people performing a task before I endeavor to carry it out myself. This I see through all aspects of my life. This blog for example; before creating my first post, I went through and 'studied' other BAPP blogs and how they were structured before I started. Another example would be a dance or exercise class; I will always wait for the instructor to perform whatever sequence they want first before doing it myself. I do this to study their 'form' and to know exactly every detail of what they want done so that I may get it right as quickly as possible.

I realise this being the first time I have read through this section of the handbook means that it is a lot to process so I look forward to re-reading the post back toward the end of the module to see how my perception of things may or may not have shifted. I am looking forward to unpacking the ethical side of my practice and reflecting upon this too as I have not yet been able to unpack that side of the module.

I hope my blog posts are helping anyone starting the BAPP course, who are perhaps similar to me and "reflective observationalists" and need some guidance on where to begin!

The Butterfly Effect of Web 2.0

Having just read through the "Lens 1: Communication of Ideas" section of the handbook, it really got me thinking into how profound social media and Web 2.0 is within our lives.

I don't just mean that I have a Facebook, Instagram and Pintrest account; I mean how it plays a pivotal role within my practice. When I think to how much I use YouTube on a day-to-day basis when preparing for auditions or finding music for my dance and singing classes; it truly makes me wander how performers and teachers got by before. This really got me to reflecting as to how Web 2.0 has 'forced' the nature of the arts industry to change. Before there were cast recordings of most musicals available and free to access online, with backing tracks or instrumental accompanists; in light of an audition performers would have to go pay a pianist for their time to play through their audition material.

This brought up the question: How have apps such as YouTube, iTunes and even Spotify affected the industry? Have pianists profited in any way by creating accounts whereby they record themselves playing a "backing track" and uploading it for people to share and download? Are singing teachers creating videos with tips and tricks drawing people into their schools? Are dancers sharing pictures, videos and teasers to gain more views and followers?

This then lead me to a separate train of thought - are performers now expected to have a following online? And could this possibly affect them getting cast or not? Recently there has been some controversy within the theatre-world as YouTubers with a popular online fan following have been cast in leading roles in Broadway and West End shows. For example many eyebrows were raised when YouTube blogger, Tanya Burr was cast in the Southwark Playhouse's revival of Judy Upton's Confidence. Many people did not even know she could act! One would think that to be cast in a West End play they would've hired someone with some level of acting ability so as to not embarrass the company but Matt Trueman himself admitted, "If every one of her 3.7 million YouTube subscribers bought a ticket to Confidence, she'd have the Southwark Playhouse's studio space sold out for the next 87 years."

For a further interesting read go to the following link below to see what Mark Shenton had to say in a post on The Stage in Feb 2018.

https://www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/2018/mark-shenton-stunt-casting-like-tanya-burr-really-way-future/

What could this mean for the future of theatre? Should youngsters focus on spending years at a drama school honing their craft? Or do they focus on their online influence? Or perhaps both?

I realise there are many questions and different trains of thought within the post but I would love to hear other people's opinions on such matters!

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"

Today marks the day I begin the Professional Practice course through Middlesex University and I must admit I'm slightly apprehensive about it! I have never been particularly online "savvy" and the idea of being on the other side of the world to my supervisor and fellow students, completing this course solely online and through web discussions is truly mind boggling. However in the ever-increasing online world we now live in, I believe it is important to acknowledge the avenues the internet and social media creates. The bringing together of all different people from all around the world to hold discussions and share different opinions whilst all in different time zones.

Through this course I aim to share my personal journey and reflections into my practice as a performer and musical theatre teacher as well as pose personal thoughts/ questions to open up discussions to learn other people's opinions on different topics.