Natalie's BAPP Blog

On Thursday I attended a Skype discussion with Adesola and Jae. I haven't been on a Skype chat with so few people before and, to be honest, I wondered how beneficial it would really be with so few people's input. Very! - it turns out. I began by talking about a vague inquiry idea I'd had - basically technique vs creativity in dance (wasn't sure what question I'd draw from this). In my practice as an ISTD dance teacher, there is a strong focus on technique and being 'correct' to enable students to pass exams to the very best of their ability. In my role in a secondary school, working with extra-curricular dance events and GCSE dance students, much more attention is given to creative processes, developing choreography and communicating meaning. Obviously they do overlap but are not always given equal importance. This topic is interesting and important to me because I think my own practice is unbalanced. My students generally achieve well in technical element...

On Saturday I attended a "Starting back" Skype chat. It's amazing how fast the time has gone since starting the BAPP - suddenly I am beginning Module Two, offering anecdotes and tips to the new Module Ones and looking ahead to planning my inquiry! I also found it, in a way, reassuring to regroup with other Module Twos and hear their thoughts as they look ahead. Adesola asked us to consider what we would write about in our first blogs of the term. I have decided to recap what I learned during Module One and and any useful tips I picked up along the way. It might be a useful read for other students, particularly those just starting out, and I know it will help me focus and think about what I need to do to help myself. Set time aside specifically for BAPP work. I have always had a talent for procrastination and will put things off for as long as possible. Although I work well under pressure such as a looming deadline, it can create a lot of unnecessary stress! By tim...