#conceptualframeworks

The impetus for the project is that existing resources to support the delivery of choreography, both in print and online, focus on either the specific processes of an artist, or generic processes and methodologies. Online archiving is an increasing trend in dance, including Synchronous Objects, the Siobhan Davies Replay archive, and the on-going MotionBank project. Although useful in the teaching and study of dance and choreographic practice, they are focused on documenting an individual’s practice rather than developing an individual practice. Similarly, the majority of texts on choreography teach generic processes and methodologies (such as Blom and Chaplin, 1995, Smith-Autard, 2010) or give guides to established practitioners (such as Spier, 2011 or Burrows, 2010) which tend to be idiosyncratic. As such, this presents teaching and learning challenges, as students are encouraged to regurgitate the practices of others rather than identify a practice for themselves through these learning resources. The DECO project addresses these challenges by producing an OER using tumblr to support the development of an individual practice. This may include tasks to explore choreographic practices and approaches, strategies for reflection and examples in practice, to facilitate students in understanding and developing their own practice.

‘Reflective practitioners think about their experiences in practice and view them as opportunities to learn. They examine their definitions of knowledge, seek to develop broad and multifaceted types of knowledge, and recognise that their knowledge is never complete. Reflective practitioners are concerned about the contexts of their practices and the implications of action. They reflect on themselves, including their assumptions and their theories of action of practice, and take action grounded in self-awareness. Finally, reflective practitioners recognise and seek to act from a place of praxis, a balanced coming together of action and reflection.’ (Kinsella, 2001: 197)

These research methods in tandem have/are producing knowledge about choreographic process and the development of a practice that will form the basis of the OER.