Progression

Week 1

After being involve with the cabaret unit for a few weeks already I have realised the importance of documenting my progression as a performer. This unit with test my time management skills and help me test myself as a performer. I want to document all relevant information that I feel is helping me move forward into my chosen industry. I will be taking note on any and all skills I pick up along the way and explaining how I will use this in my own practice. Alongside documenting my progression in the studios I will be using this blog to input research I find into becoming a drama therapist.

This first week as been all about patience. I feel as a cohort, we have to work together to plan our acts for the cabaret, lots of us want to get started on group pieces, but this is difficult to do because many of us are involved in each others. This has been very prominent in Katy's sessions already. Katy's sessions are for our group choreography sessions which is only an hour and a half long, there is 9 performers that are encouraged to create and direct a group performance each. Time will be our enemy if we don't plan accordingly.

In this unit I want to push myself in different styles of dance. I love singing and feel very confident within singing based performances, however I must be mindful not to stay in my comfort zone and to venture out by experimenting with different styles of dance to build myself as a performer. To do this I will be playing to my strengths for my choreography unit by basing it around Frantic Assembly's Chair duets and Hymn hands, exploring more by involving myself within Alicia's African tribal dance and pushing myself to pick up choreography quicker in Leroy's choreography alongside this I want to develop my performance within a seductive dance of burlesque.

Week 2

Thinking back to last weeks blog I have noted my progress in my tap lessons. I feel being involved in these lessons is a creative relaxed environment that I can explore my capabilities; because of this I feel I have picked up the routine faster and I feel this is because there is less pressure on learning a routine to a deadline, this is interesting as I have learned the best environment for myself to learn in and would like to develop this understanding of my learning further and apply it to different situations.

I have also started my group choreography within Katy's unit (Frantic Assembly inspired) I have chosen the theme of forbidden love. Me and Lucy created 2 minutes worth of chair duets that we can develop in the future ( see Instagram for development videos). Initially I wanted this piece to be an ensemble between all cast but due to time and missing members I have decided to incorporate another pair, I left the decision with the whole cast and asked who would like to be involved. Natalie and Lee-ann promptly offered themselves, so I gave them the theme and counts. We have put this piece to music and I have seen both pairs movements, from this we can obtain our storyline later on just like frantic assembly would.

Week 3

For my personal progression I have been looking into what exactly it is I want to be doing in the future and how I how I can get there. I know I will be completing a top up year to turn my HND into a full degree, for this I am looking into University of Roehampton to top up within drama therapy directly. Roehamption are recognised by national health program and will support me into finding work within the industry. From there I would like to complete my Masters degree in specialised Psychodrama and mental health specialities, alongside this I would like to part time work within my chosen industry which I will be supported into. Eventually I would like to be involved in the rehabilitations of trauma victims and work within prisons and schools as freelance work. NHS work is also an option as my degree will be recognised within the Public health program. I've spoken directly to Alex who informed me that the teacher training program at HRC is also worth looking into as it will broaden my ability to work within the industry, this is something I'm looking to explore after my degree.

In the future I am looking to relocate in America. I've spoken to a lady called Sarah Shepherd, who has connections and understanding of American education and has advised me that my masters degree will be worth more held at an American University. I will need to research this further and plan accordingly if this is an option I may take. https://www.sendmybag.com/blog/moving-to-america - Key website to look at in the future.

I plan to set up a meeting in the near future to talk to a careers adviser to what I will have to do in order to plan my future.

Performance based development, I have been working on my pieces planned and to schedule. My solo is coming along stronger, I struggled to place my voice within this piece as the song is sung against the track so its hard to identify where I am supposed to sing. I love this piece, I feel I can add a lot of character to the words sung. The character I will be bringing to the stage is sassy and heartbroken, because of this I am exploring a bitter personality to demonstrate my variety in the performances I am already taking part of. I would like the agents to see a range of different personalities I can portray to showcase myself. The duet between me and Alicia is strong, a personal favourite of mine, I am partaking in 3 duets already and to avoid the pieces becoming boring and repetitive I want to explore staging options and costumes and the potential movement within the duet between me and Ryan. Trying to push myself out of my comfort zone I am singing mine and Ryan duet in a higher key than I would if it were a solo, this is to harmonise our voices and to blend them. I will need to work on controlling my head voice and chest voice which I have already began doing in our singing lessons.

Week 4

Things are becoming cleaner and more developed as time moves on, I've began staging and turning out my performances to make sure all audience members can see what I am working on. Ive noticed as a cohort, working together can be a little tedious at times, I think its importance we think of the show as a whole rather than individual pieces. We have been working on a museum project where we had the opportunity to creative demonstrate research on popular entertainment. I have creatively looked at Circus performances, Bear performances and variety acts. See my other blog based on the museum and my Instagram to have a look at this project. Overall I think the museum was a success and it was very refreshing to demonstrate my research in a different environment.

We've created a group performance for the girls, I can't help falling in love with you. I think this could be a very strong piece but I have noticed we are missing harmonies, I will need to go and listen to the song a few more times in different keys to find where the harmonise should be placed.

Week 5

This week has been heavily based on cleaning up acts and preparing them for the show, alongside this we have been focused on auditioning the first years Wednesday. to fill the space for Love and Loss. Being apart of an audition panel was a great experience, I was able to think logically what the audience want to see, this is a skill I can use within my own performance now I know what it is we want to achieve. Alicia's African dance is developed very far now, I have enjoyed being apart of this piece because its fun and energetic. Unfortunately I have been regularly attending doctors and hospital appointments as I have been quite unwell, I have been advised not to partake in any cardio activity and not to lift heavy items, this is sad news as I won't be able to partake in Leroy's choreography, I still want to push myself and this is the only dance I will be removed from, I feel I can complete all other movements safely.

Thursday - Museum exhibition

Week 6

Shows are nearing and the need to be focused is increasing. I feel very confident within every piece I am apart of, I'm usually feeling this confident and prepared so early on, this has given me the chance to take care of my health, visit external performances to inspire my own work and some quiet time to learn lines and develop my acts even further. Ive paid close attention to detail on each piece I am within by buying costumes that are relevant to the emotion. For the next two weeks it is important to focus on small details such has polishing up movement within reproduction and how I would like to enter the stage in other acts. I feel confident and ready to go for the next few weeks. I can't wait to put my work on the stage and I am proud as a cohort that we've completed so much to a high standard. Then we're off to Paris for a well deserved break! Please see Instagram and Facebook for pictures and videos of my work!