Referring back to my Personal Learning Plan.

REFERRING BACK TO MY PERSONAL LEARNING PLAN

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MOVEMENT?
In my personal learning plan I talked about how danced before coming to university. After taking part in the movement module this semester I have come to look at movement in a different way to dance. Yes it is expressive, yes it is energetic, but we have looked a lot at improvised movement that is inspired by the music and your surroundings, not choreographed alongside it. This is something that I have enjoyed exploring and hope to continue to do so. I have discovered that movements such as standing still and sitting can be just as expressive as constant movement throughout the space. We used our surroundings such as walls and floors, to inspire our movement and create interesting shapes. When doing dance I have found that I am more in my own world, concentrating on getting the steps right and the exact timing, however we have been experimenting with a wide range of ensemble work, using our movement to establish relationships within the space. I have learnt how to connect with my classmates within movement and feed off their energy and movements to create unique and complimentary moments between us. I believe that I have significantly improved my ability to perform in a group setting and have stopped myself from getting carried away in my own movement.
However this being said I have also been able to have moments of solo movement exploration, which my classmates may or may not join in with. I also enjoyed the partner section within the assessment as I got the chance to choreograph a sort section, which is something I enjoy doing. I was able to harness the knowledge of movement I have gained and create something appropriate for the piece.
I believe that the movement module has helped to keep and develop my muscle strength further and I have learnt about the fundamentals of movement and the way our body moves and connects. By visiting these fundamentals I have been able to revisit simple body movements and begin to regain total body connectivity.  

WHAT ARE MY PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT MOVEMENT WILL INVOLVE?
'Therefore my perceptions of what the module involve, is the exploration of our bodies abilities and the way in which they can move.' - This is what my perceptions where of what the movement module will involve. After taking part in further sessions I believe that I was right to expect this. When I originally thought about the movement module I thought I would be dance but as I said above the movement module module has opened my eyes to the fundamentals of movement: Change is fundamental, relationship/connection is fundamental and patterning body connections is fundamental.  I have begun to get to understand my body in a deeper sense, in particular through my exploration of breath. I have enjoyed doing the outside reading and gaining greater knowledge of such elements, elements that I have never heard of before.
I think that my strength improved and this has been helped by my confidence continuing to grow within each session. However there is definitely still room for improvement! and I hope to continue to improve throughout the rest of the module.


WHAT ARE MY STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES?
Looking back on what I said were my strengths and weakness, I find my self laughing and smiling as I was so right. I continue to believe that within performance I give my all and I have been reminded of the real buzz I get when performing movement. It gives me a different feeling as to when I'm acting for example. In that situation my nerves can often make me shaky, but when I'm moving those nerves are transformed into energy and submerged within the performance. I feel a change in myself when I perform and people often tell me that I look very serious, but that's because I'm concentrating. I don't see the point in giggling and messing around within rehearsal because how will you know how to implement concentration in the real thing. I am surprised to hear myself say that but its true! I like to commit to each performance because that is when I'm left feeling proud of myself: when I know I have given my all whatever happens. I always listen to the feedback given and try to improve within each rehearsal or performance.
On the other hand with exercises within class that involved volunteers I have found I have shyied away from them a bit, something that I am angry with myself for doing and hope to improve in sessions to come. I need to challenge myself to take part and go for it, I will only be at that place in time once, the least I can do is embrace it.
In my previous learning plan I spoke about improving my blog by keeping it up to date. When considering this I believe that I have been able to contribute some more factual posts that highlight that large amount of reading and research I have been doing around the topics and screenings with touch on in lesson. I want to continue to do so and I am enjoyed reading Peggy Hackney's book Making Connections and adding posts about my findings and discoveries. This being said I hope to continue to improve my blog and keep it up to date throughout the module so that I can look back on my work and the things that I have accomplished. 

WHAT DO I HOPE TO ACHIEVE?
Within my last personal learning plan I displayed a want to improve my blog and ensure that I update it every week. I think that I have been doing so however still believe that I can do better so will keep this as something I hope to achieve.
I said that I wanted to push myself to socialise with the entire group and work with each of them in different exercises. This is something I believe I have been successful in. My group has begun to establish a strong bond within class and performance, something I hope was visible in the formative assessment. We are working well together in the space and discover ways that we can compliment or contrast one another within performance for example. We are developing well as a class together and I don't think that any one person could be picked out as not working well. If someone doesn't feel like it one day we give them the encouragement they need to regain energy and enjoyment from what they are doing. 
I have been practicing some breathing exercises at home as I had aimed and using Peggy Hackney's book to explore breath further, as described in my post on the chapter Breath. I have also done a lot more of the suggested reading and this is something I will continue to do to get the best out of the module as possible.

WHAT STRATEGIES CAN I ADOPT TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS?
(Previous statement) 'By setting these goals i feel that I am already on the path to completing them.'
This continues to be true not just in the movement module but in everyday life. I write down the things I want to achieve in my planner and then tick them off when they are complete. The things that are not ticked stay there and push me to complete them. I have been setting myself goals for reading chapters and updating my blog. I think this has helped to improve my knowledge of the subject and the documentation of my progress. I intend to continue to do this. 
I push myself to complete tasks set and post on my blog and when I have done so I can reward myself with relaxed time for example. This way I can start to feel a sense of accomplishment I achieve the goals set. I will continue to push myself in this was in order to do the best I can do in this module as it something I really enjoyed and would love to do well in.

HOW DO YOU IMAGINE THIS MODULE MIGHT TIE IN WITH YOUR LEARNING IN OTHER MODULES?
I was right when I said that this would tie in with my learning within the physical actor module as it helped my with exercises that involved the use of breath for example and transporting this breath to the different parts of my body. We also looked at Michael Chekhov's technique which involved experimenting with elements such as legato and staccato. Thanks to the movement module I am able to visualise this type of movement and convey this through my inner body. It also relates to our exploration of the Laban efforts within the physical actor module. The Laban efforts gives you a range of elements that you can explore through movement and then apply to my monologue. It allows you free yourself up by approaching the monologue physically and I used it to go through my monologue and the add elements I thought appropriate. The movement module helped me be able to develop motifs and gestures corresponding with each element. It has given me the confience to find my own interpretation of each element through movement, moving around the space and improvising what instinctively comes to me. Similarly to movement we were advised to choreographed a structure and then be free with it. This is similar to our performances within movements where we are given a basic structure or piece of music and told to improvise to it. Approaching my monologue in this way has allowed me to step outside of my character and view it from another perspective, through movement.
The movement module has also helped with my nerves when performing and practicing in the other modules. I have discovered how to use breath as a calming mechanism and I can use this before performance to compose myself and prepare.
To conclude I am enjoying the movement module and the new things that I learn within the sessions and from outside reading. I feel that I have developed significantly in relation to my interpretation of the word movement and improved my level of outside research. I hope to continue to do all the things I have talked about and improve the ones that still seem slighting week. I am looking forward to whats to come.