Stage 3 - Carrying out inquiry and activities

I have taken some time this week to read back through reader 7 to check I am on track with my studies - as previously mentioned it is easy to go off in my own train of thoughts! 
On page 13 it shows a diagram of an arrow representing different stages of module 3. At the moment I feel as though I am comfortably moving on to Stage 3, with a slight focus still on the stage 2 literature. I feel there isn't a way of putting a complete stop to finding new literature to put towards my final work and I am enjoying the reads and current findings which I am blogging about. 

Having worked on my interview questions and had feedback from my tutor, I felt my first interview was ready to take place with the Youth and Dance Education Coordinator at the PDSW. 

How did the interview go and where did it take place?

I felt overall the interview went really well and I learnt a lot from it. It took place at the Pavilion Dance South West location in Bournemouth in the communal cafe area at the front entrance. It was a quiet time of day which meant I was able to focus on the interview and not be distracted by any external factors. I asked permission to record the interview on my voice recording app on my smart phone so that I did not miss out on any specific detail. I am very happy that I did this due to validity of the research and also quality of the answers are raw and genuine. 

What did I learn from this type of research tool?

From taking out the interview I learnt that from one question you are able to receive a lot of information as apposed to a yes/no answer in a questionnaire. It enabled the process to flow more like a conversation and became relaxed and not a intense situation which some research tools can sometimes create. During the conversation I was able to pick up on little tips that will help me understand more about what the centre is trying to achieve and more importantly how it does so. For example, I was always referring to it as a 'dance centre' and she was quick to correct me in saying they always prefer for it to be referred to as 'the dance house'. It makes it more personal, and in fact more welcoming - i think. 
I also learnt that I was able to get more information from one question that originally anticipated - for example, when i asked the question and it was responded to but i wasn't quite sure what she meant, i was able to ask her to elaborate more on that to allow me to understand which again in an questionnaire i wouldn't be able to.


From this interview I have lots of qualitative data to begin to analyse which I predict will take some time, however what is handy is that sue to recording the interview, I am able to stop and play it as many times as possible. For ethical reasons I did make my interviewee aware that after my course has finished I will be deleting the data from my phone as it will only be used for research purposes.

More Literature!!

Kindly, my interviewee suggested some more reading to look at, as she grasped the concept of my idea and believed the following authors would come in handy for my community dance based work. 
Diane Amans and Rosemary Lee were the two names which she gave me and after looking them both up, it seems that community dance influences such as these have been a ever growing help to those involved in community dance work, such like employees at PFDSW.

I look to write up more about these to in more detail tomorrow as I feel there its lots more reading to be done and i want to be able to specifically relate this to my inquiry question of;
What is the purpose of a dance house like PDSW in the local community?

A clearer view

After a few days off from the studying of literature, I gave myself some time to just think about my inquiry in my mind - whilst driving, doing the washing up etc.
 I have learnt through the process of the course that sometimes by taking a step back and reviewing my ideas can give me a clearer view on what you working towards and if I am going in the right direction. I am a culprit of going off on a tangent with no relevance to my topic so this I feel is helpful to me.

After my chat with Paula which i previously blogged about, we discusses my research tools. Again i have previously mentioned the use of interviews and observation. This has now slightly changed as Paula suggested that by using my reflective journal which I have been updating regularly when volunteering at the arts centre, it gives a more realistic approach. I have decided now that i will not use an observation as one of my tools due to time restrictions and also validity. It will be hard to monitor and record specific data over one class and generalisation will not be valid for what I am focusing on which is the teacher and their projection as a leader. As an alternative to this, I plan to interview the Head of Creative programmes who is in charge of placing strategic plans in place for artistic development and leading in participation. This has a strong link to my ideas of a leader within an organisation that holds areas together. I have designed a series of questions which I will ask in an interview like way and hope to do this within the next week. This of course will be in addition to my other interview with the Youth and Dance education co-ordinator at the dance centre who is more in the dance teacher role. These two interviews along with my reflective journal, and documentation proof of the arts centre, will complete my research element of my inquiry.

Speaking with Paula

After a good chat with Paula on Monday evening, my head feels a bit clearer on what tasks I should be getting stuck in to. For example, the literature as previously mentioned in one of my blogs became a struggle as I know there is lots out there, but finding what is relevant to me and my topic is what is hard to narrow down. 

Paula advised me to think of key words that relate to my inquiry, and more importantly what I am aiming to find out. This will then show clearer links to my ideas in my inquiry. 
Having said that, I had a few very helpful comments from Jess a fellow BAPPs colleague on my blog, who mentioned to me about a book she had read by Faulty and Savage (2011) regarding leadership and 'what should leaders be?' This feels interesting to discover as the interviewees who I will be speaking with are teachers at the arts centre (PDSW) and also leaders in they're department so as I thought about this more, lots of words and ideas began to role off my tongue and by the power of google I found relevant theories.

The book by Faulty and Savage,(2011) explores ideas relating to specifically what a teacher should be. Using phrases like 'mentor', 'leader', 'counsiller' 'advisor'.
'A mentor is someone who helps another person to become what that person aspires to be' (Montreal CEGEP,1988)
At PDSW, being a community arts centre, the role of a teacher or director has to be to inspire and mentor in that specific field of dance. It makes sense to have a teacher who is qualified at that profession to be mentoring you into what you aspire to be, as Montreal puts it. This along with the motivation theories link well to explain what a good leader is made up of. As previously mentioned and discussed, to gain success off individuals who are learning, the teacher has to be motivational - its imperative in my opinion. I will discuss this topic in my interview with the head of dance at PDSW to grasp her view, but also touching on it within my literature does link into my professional inquiry. Looking back into Module 1 when I blogged about motivational theories, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, (1943) outlines the relation to how people can be motivated to achieve certain needs through a 5 stage process. Once one need is fulfilled, a person instinctively seeks to fulfil the next one. Would this be focused on the students or the teachers at PDSW? Having looked at conflicting theroies to this like Alderfers ERG Theroy (1969), the 3 stages in his analysis suggest that peoples needs will vary from person to person so therefore motivational needs that are required by leaders must be adaptable. It will be interesting to see with my interviews with leaders at PDSW how I can relate these theories of motivation to there roles at the arts centre. Without leaders and teachers who work for the company, how would it run or be successful?
Please see below a diagram which I found online at www.mindtools.com that shows the relation of the two theories on motivation.





The behavioural theories for leadership were other interesting reads that I began to link in with my ideas on the arts centre. The whole idea behind the arts centre is to inspire and deliver high quality experiences to those who want to part take in dance, no matter the ability. It is there to promote healthy living and well-being to those who may not have experienced this before. The people behind the organisation are what holds it together, you have to be the right person to work, have the right attitude, have the right behavioural skills. I found a theory called the Path-Goal theory which is discovering the best leadership style created by Robert House (1971). Path-Goal Theory helps you identify an effective approach to leadership, based on what your people want and your current situation. This again I hope to link in with some of the answers that i predict to get from the head of dance at PDSW, as her insight to how she leads and delegates roles to in order for all areas to be run sufficiently. 

I will continue on this path of literature to discover different areas which I can elaborate on for my inquiry.

Teacher Focus

As I have highlighted how within my inquiry I would like to interview and observe a teacher at the community arts centre, I want to understand from them how as a teacher working there allows them to be apart of the function and purpose of the inquiry.

Looking into Module 3, I am beginning to struggle with the amount of literature that I need to find to contribute towards my findings. Thinking alongside the teaching route, I began to look at books which have been written which support the idea of a teachers influence. 

'The influences of teaching - reflections of teaching and leadership' By John Merrow

Although I found during this read it is obviously focusing on teachers within the curriculum and not too relevant to my focus on dance teachers within the community, however I understood what he was meaning by the importance of the teachers influence no matter what subject or situation. 

Merrow states that “the recipe for success includes some mix of strong leadership, committed teachers, an integrated curriculum, the willingness to challenge conventional wisdom and accepted practices, and the moral imperative to care for and about all of our children” (p. 154). 

The book itself is a strong way of calling out to all educators and is promoting the idea that teachers need to step up and improve the action taken to influence children in education. It stands out to me specifically how any teacher is seen to be a role model and has a responsibility to act on decisions, but mostly to be there as a influential figure to all.

Through my questionnaire and observation which I will carry out, I feel I should incorporate relevant questions to how the teacher feels a role of responsibility and are these standards set from higher positioned colleagues. Within any job role there will be a set description of what is expected however I feel as a teacher you are driven to inspire and influence students.

Leading onto more specific to my my inquiry, its has come to my attention that literature on my topic actually falls short in addressing what the community dance centres purpose and function means to any specified community. PDSW dance is local to me, and its community of practitioners I am envisaging will play a part in my future practise while I develop my freelance work experience with them. Therefore, it seems logical to undergo my proposed enquiry not only for the benefit of my personal stance, but also to other establishing freelancers in the South West of England specifically. 

There also seems to be a gap in any researched evidence to support the idea that whatever ‘it’ is that dance means is irrelevant. In the future, I aim to promote awareness of dance opportunity, therefore encouraging participation in dance through working towards increasing its accessibility. It seems necessary therefore to angle research to support teaching dance in a way that stimulates any opportunity for participation in dance, regardless of the dance subject or style, regardless of the dancers backgrounds, and regardless of the subject or theme of the work covered or choreography composed. Through the community organisation I so far understand that this is the idea, purpose of its existence, and I aim to prove this through my artefact that comes with apart of this module.

Relevant literature findings

Since the slight change in my Inquiry question, I have found more relevant literature findings which I have looked at to support my thoughts and ideas of what the function and purpose of an arts centre in a local community is. 
For my specific area that I live in, Pavilion Dance South West is the prime example of how a community dance organisation is run and maintained. From their website it outlines specific goals and aims of their existence. Please see below the extract which I am referring to;

Who We Are and What We Do In a single page. Vision: A world where everyone lives a healthier and more fulfilled life through dance Mission: We celebrate and encourage dance nationally, building strong local and regional partnerships to connect it to a diverse and broad public, through excellent performance and participation opportunities. Values: Generous, Passionate, Inspiring, Inclusive, Fresh Aims:We champion a fresh approach to dance by dissolving boundaries to create and present incredible experiences for audiences and participants. We support and develop those who already love dance and inspire those who have yet to discover it. We aim to be:   A leader in dance development and a powerful national advocate for dance with a distinctive voice   A provider of inspiration and coordination to a diverse, supportive dance development network in the South West   A contributor to Bournemouth and Poole’s regeneration, through programmes delivering social and economic impacts   A champion of collaboration between artists, producers and promoters to serve wider audiences and generate opportunities for emerging talent   A regional hub for dance and health, with international connections, promoting better quality of life and social outcomes for all   A leading facilitator of dance experiences for children and young people (CYP)   A welcoming, inclusive organisation enabling diverse people to engage with diverse dance Priorities:               Bounce: Inspiring children and young people in and through dance

  Grow:Challenging and supporting artists and makers to respond creatively to opportunities and markets   Shift: Developing and testing new ideas for commissioning, producing and distributing dance   Share:Championing and supporting an audience’s right to feel connected and engaged with dance    Breathe:Advocating for and embedding dance into society’s health and well being provision

This was taken from the following link; 

http://www.pdsw.org.uk/assets/Uploads/who-we-are-and-what-we-do-latest-June-2014.pdf

From this section of the website, I am able to present to fellow students and dance peers what PDSW overall aim is. For my inquiry, I am going to look focus in on how employees and specifically dance teachers that work at the facility create the success of this aim and what their contribution provides the company. This is relevant to me as an aspiring dance teacher as I hope to gage a deeper understanding of the community dance set up and believe this area of dance that I am personally not too familiar with which was why I created a specific interest towards it.

As far as relevant findings go, I found an interesting article on the following website from Mary Fitzgerald called 'Tracing roots' (http://www.communitydance.org.uk/DB/animated-library/tracing-roots.html?ed=14074) 

She talks about the history of how dance was brought into the community in America through the mid 70s - early 80s; 

'Although an exact definition of community dance is almost impossible to pinpoint due to its sprawling and allencompassing nature, from a historical perspective, dance always has been a community or ‘socially-based’ art form. As an integral part of communal rituals, celebrations, and socialising, dance has had multiple functions in culture throughout most of our history' Mary Fitzgerald, Tracing Roots, Ariszona state university

Going back to my inquiry question 'What is the function and purpose of an arts centre in the local community?' By reading the article I can see that having one place in your local area that provides a place for you to use dance as a social release and celebration to some can play a part in its existence. I look to find out more specifically what my local arts centre has to offer through the interview with one of the community dance teachers and leaders - this I believe will be more specific and will tell me exact information.

“Community dance is about dance not being elitist…it can be about creating pieces of work that break the stereotypes of what dance is and what dancers are, it can be about performing dance in non-traditional places. It can be anything that we, the community want it to be”

(Amans, 2008:4)

This statement was taken from the website; https://izzyandisla.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/our-chosen-definition-of-community-dance/ and stood out to me and my inquiry question. The three main words that stood out to me were 'stereotype', 'elitist' and 'non-traditional'. It all makes sense as being in a community environment I understand that the door is and will be open to all different types of people who want to dance, create and inspire. This is a statement that I think falls into what I am trying to find out - what is the function? To be anything you want it to be... and what is the purpose? To dance and to be able to create.



References;

PDSW website - http://www.pdsw.org.uk/assets/Uploads/who-we-are-and-what-we-do-latest-June-2014.pdf

 Tracing roots by Mary Fitzgerald of Arizona State University -http://www.communitydance.org.uk/DB/animated-library/tracing-roots.html?ed=14074

Community dance quote by Amans, 2008:4 - https://izzyandisla.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/our-chosen-definition-of-community-dance/

Task 7a

During the last few days of Module 2, I had a lengthy discussion with my tutor Paula about my original inquiry question which was 'what does dance mean to the users of PDSW'.
Through the process of looking at all the ethical considerations which I needed to think about when wanting to focus on a couple of different 'types' of users that the facility attracts, I realised that it would be extremely hard to validate and eve complete with the time frame provided. I wanted to gage what the dance centre has provided to each of its type of user by asking them to complete an interview taken out by myself and also fill out questionnaires. Although you could argue that this would give me lots of information to evaluate and the possibility of conflicting ideas, it just didn't seem blunt enough for my Inquiry and seemed to become more vague than a clear indication of what I was aiming to achieve.

As a process of elimination, I thought of the 'type' of users that I was originally going to ask to participate in my inquiry - these were; Dance students, Dance teachers, Community participants and Audience members. Using Paula's advice and decided to focus more now on the teachers at PDSW and in particular the teaching provision, the act or process of supplying or providing something. To me, personally having been an active dance teacher volunteer at the centre, I already have a good insight to how the system works and the strong relationships that each of the team members have. I began to think about how I could delve more into this and focus more for my inquiry into what is the purpose and function of an arts centre like PDSW and what are its influences, and link this into how the teachers have an impact into how an art organisation can become and maintain its successful status.
As perviously mentioned, I am keen to drive forward my passion to teach, so I want to explore my researching into one specific teacher at the arts centre. I have decided to use the research tools of interviewing with a series of questions that I believe will give me a deeper understanding into how a teacher at the centre may be influenced and how she sees community dance developing, or implications that may alter it to develop. After this I aim to then part take in an observation of a dance class that she will teach to gage a visual evaluation. I would not require to be observing the students therefore will not require connect, but for ethical obligations all students that will be taking part in the class are over the age of 18. From this observation research I hope to evaluate how the teachers presence and overall delivery is key to the outcome of the students progression. From this I hope to understand why a dance teacher would be keen to work at the community dance organisation and how there input contributes to its success.

Having thought about how  I could narrow it all down into one question that will lead my inquiry, I have decided on;

' What is the function and purpose of an arts centre in a local community?'

Drawing from this question, I will lead my investigation with the use of PDSW as this is my local dance community set up which I volunteer and so with the consent of the director to speak with a teacher there, I am able to conduct my research with no restrictions to the facility itself. I would like to cover a few specific areas within my inquiry and I have listed these below;

• Data and information on my local community dance organisation which is PDSW - When did it begin, how is it funded, who runs it, who works there..... All this information will be gathered by web research along with documents which the centre will provide me.
• How has the dance awareness changed in the local area of Bournemouth since PDSW has opened? I will look into what was available before, and if any close by towns have similar set ups
• How dance teachers specifically can benefit from working at a community dance organisation like PDSW - because this is a big area of my inquiry I will use an interview and observation of a dance teacher who works at the facility to collect relevant information.

Together with all of this information I hope to answer my inquiry question with valid and solid research.

I have already had a big change in ideas from my original Inquiry question and feel the transition from the two ideas has been a big learning curve that has enabled me to feel more focused and settled into the Module 3. 

6 C - My Award Title

Inquiry Proposed Working Title; BA (Hons) Professional Practice in Arts (Dance)


To identify my award title, I reflected on my previous and current experiences with dance in my student and professional life. 

In 2009 I completed my national diploma in professional dance at the Northern Ballet School (NBS) in Manchester. This was a 3 year dance vocational training school which allowed students to develop and perfect a range of dance techniques including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, singing, and drama. We are able to benefit from performance experience throughout the 3 years of training via end of term productions within our own school theatre, and during our 3rd year myself and fellow students were chosen to perform at bigger venues to represent the college at various dance events. Throughout the last term of our 3rd year we were set up with a range of auditions for a mixture of different possibly career opportunities, this also included private auditions at the college itself which was a huge advantage when you compare it to an open audition situation with over 200 people fighting for 2 jobs. This was a fantastic way to learn how the audition scene worked and in fact allowed me to realise what a competitive world dance performance can be.
At NBS I was given the opportunity to qualify as an ISTD foundation ballet teacher which gave me more doors to open if and when I stopped performing. In the 6 years since graduation, I danced professionally for 2 and a half years aboard the Carnival Cruise Lines. This experience as a performer was life changing for me which taught me so much about myself and lead me into learning more about a professional dancer has to work hard to remain fit and healthy within the industry. Unfortunately after 2 years of professional dancing, I suffered with injuries which lead me to stop dancing and begin to focus on my current passion for teaching dance.

During my time as a student for the Middlesex BAPPs course, I can now reflect on how differently the 'real world' as a dancer is, for example I was never taught specifically about how auditions may set you back, or on the other hand push you into the right direction. I realise now these experiences were also part of dancers education but could not be learnt until one had left the dance school and entered the world of professional dance. I chose to further my qualifications from NBS in order to gain more teaching experience and be apart of educating our next generation. 
For my final research project on the BAPP I want to further my learning about the community dance organisation within my local area of Bournemouth. I am fortunate to be currently helping assist in dance teaching at the Pavilion Dance South West (PDSW) and so believe it is the perfect set up to explore what the facility means to its users. Pavilion Dance South West is the national dance development organisation for the south west of england which supports a regional dance strategy development programme by representing the south west dance sector nationally. I am looking to explore all its 'users' and how they have been captured into the world of dance through this organisation. In order for me to understand each different user of the organisation I have based my research on these following questions;

How does PDSW engage you into dance?Performace?Audience member?Teacher?

Has your knowledge on dance broadened since PDSW?

Has the community in itself brought more dance awareness through PDSW?

I feel this is important to me and my future because I hope to continue a career in teaching at the PDSW and be able to relate to all the users on how their love and passion for dance is benefiting and possibly changing their life.