Introduction

Welcome, my name is Robert Baxter and I am currently studying a Foundation Degree in Contemporary Dance at Newcastle College. This blog will present findings, evidence and the process I have gone through to create a solo dance. I will undergo workshops and within these will use creative and research tasks to explore my chosen choreographic principal, from my principal I will ask a main question and 3 sub-questions to drive the process. From questioning the principal I will be able to gain a better understanding of it and will be able to fully explore it in as many ways as possible. Concluding all my research and reflecting upon it I hope to have a better understanding of my principal and the main question I have asked, and through creation of a fully realised solo piece, gain the ability to understand it not only academically but physically.

Choreographic Principal

After thinking hard about what principal I would like to explore, I decided to choose Movement of the Body as my principal. I feel that in choosing this I can really explore a wide range of movement vocabulary, branching out from what I would normally do when it comes to exploring movement material.

From choosing this I then decided on my main question, in which I will be answering throughout the next few weeks as I explore the principal. Next I chose my three sub-questions, which are in relation to the main question. These are to give me a deeper understanding of my main question and will allow me to branch out and explore in more detail. (See below a layout of what I will investigate.)

Principal: Movement of the Body

Question: How does the body explore and contrast between dynamic extremities?

Sub-Q1: How does the body respond when contrasting a dynamic?

Sub-Q2: How can I explore extremities in a dynamic through creative tasks?

Sub-Q3: How can I articulate the body fully in detail through the use of layered dynamics?

[ WHY I CHOSE ]
I have chosen movement of the body as my principal, I feel that by using this principle I can really play with the body in whichever way I like, There is no limit as to how you can explore your body, and I'd like to work with that.

I chose my main question because I wanted to do something that I knew I could do a lot with, I knew that if I'd wanted I could walk extremely slowly from one side of the space to the other, and that would be an extreme dynamic. I really wanted it for the limitless possibilities that it brings, and hopefully an exciting investigation.

I chose Sub-Question 1 because when contrasting dynamics you can find a lot of interesting material, the body always responds differently when doing so and this made me want to chose this question. I feel that it will be very beneficial to my investigation.

I chose Sub-Question 2 for creative purposes, I knew that I would need to undergo a lot of creative tasks to find my finished product, and I feel that by asking this question I can really question myself on how I have created one session to the next.

I chose Sub-Question 3 as I feel that it will be able to give me more detail in regards to my movement material. I feel that by asking myself how to articulate and be detailed, I am able to pull more out from myself than I normally would. Layered dynamics also call for a lot of detail, and this is why I added this to the question.