The merits and limitations of differing research tools (6B)

'Using several tools of inquiry to examine the same issue is called ‘triangulation’. This approach allows the comparison of data and the presentation of more cohesive and considered research findings in social research (Bell, 2005)'.

I propose that my inquiry will be a mix of research tools.   I will interview dance practitioners about their experiences and creative process working with mixed groups.  Meanwhile I will be keeping a journal on the insider research I will be experiencing as at the same time I will be commencing rehearsals with a group of mixed dancers for a show.  With this method I will be able to reflect on the experience and practicality of the interviewees, while also practicing some of their techniques in my own rehearsals.  Of course I must be careful to not cross the line of this practice in action turning into an experiment, so will act with circumspection;  analysing my own research journal must be as reflexive as possible.   Acknowledging my own biases is essential, as they will have become default in my own teaching method.

Interviews

I project to use a semi-structured interview process with my participants. This is for the descriptive nature of an interview, also descibed as qualitative research.  'Qualitative approaches are more explanatory and exploratory in nature, basing inquiries on elements like development, operations, or relative comparisons (Mason, 2002).

The process will be 'purposive' as the questions asked will be answerable by practitioners in the field of choreography / community dance.  Although I will start with a guide and ask all the participants the same questions,  I want the flexibility for participants to answer wholly;  if we get on to an interesting subject I want them to feel comfortable enough for their explanantions to be comrehensive.    Afterall the inquiry is a discovery for me and an invaluable opportunity to find out how other choreographers work.  However, in asking the same questions to everyone I will be enabled to compare similarities and differences.  Are there trends in how choreographers begin their creative process?   Are the patterns in the shortfalls of working with non dancers?  Or there patterns in the correlation between the scientifically 'proven' scenarios of learning dance that I will present to the practitioners, and their own experiences?

The downfalls of interviews are largely based on my own subjectivity.   I must be aware of my biases in the questions I ask.   For example terms such as 'professional' or 'novice', could create tension as not all practitioners will have the same definition for these terms.   The interview will be anonymous.  The reason for this is I wish to include some quotes I have found in my reading on neuroaesthetics and dance and see if their experiences are synonymous with the scientific findings.   Professionals may  not want to openly disagree with a research project, so I want them to feel free to answer honestly.

On researching further the implications of interviewing as my primary tool, I looked at the issue of power in the interview as discussed in 'Doing work based research' Costley, Elliott and Gibbs (2010). They quote 'Although the qualitative interview is often considered emancipatory, it is not without power issues. For instance, although friendship, trust and empathy may facilitate the interview, its main purpose may be to glean unguarded confidences. Wray-Bliss (2003)'.  

I found this table (Costley, Elliott, Gibbs 2010) of significance of my awareness of the power of interviewing someone.   We must be aware not to exert conscious or unconscious power on the interviewee.   The problems that may occur for me from power imbalance could be that interviewees feel pressured to answer on their creative process which they infact wish to keep private.   Or, conversely they feel they have power over the interview as they come froma  place of authority.  there are many factors that could relate to a power imbalance; experience, age, stature. etc.

Table 4.2 
Key power dynamics and forms of relationship in research interviews 

The interviewer rules the interview 
The interview becomes a one-directional questioning event. The research often determines the time, place and topics, poses the questions, critically follows up the answers and then closes the conversation. 
The interview is a one-way dialogue 
The roles are clear, the interviewer asks the questions and the interviewee answers them. To challenge the authority of the interviewer in the process of the interview may even be considered impolite. 
The interview is an instrumental dialogue 
The interview is never intended to be a dialogue with the interviewee, but is clearly a means to an end for the interviewer. The interview is an instrument for providing the narratives and texts needed for research goals and interests. 

The interview may be a manipulative dialogue 
The interview may have a hidden agenda for the researcher, one that they do not wish the interviewees to know about, as they might frame their answers accordingly. 

The research interview may follow a more or less hidden agenda 
The interviewer may want to obtain information without the subject knowing what they are after. 

The interview as monopoly on interpretation 
Differing from true dialogue, where an interpretation can be developed through engagement with the purpose of fi n ding such an interpretation, interpretation in social research is usually the researchers’ privilege. They are the ones who assign to the research what the interviewee really meant and frame it in their own theoretical scheme. The power asymmetry may not be one-sided. 

Consider the following situations: 

Counter-control
 Interviewees may opt not to answer questions or to deflect them. They may seek to go beyond the proffered relationship and try to turn the interview into a counselling session, or they may even withdraw from the interview. The different counter-strategies depend on the context and the type of interview subject. 

Membership research 
The interview transcript and the interviewer’s interpretation can be given back to the interviewee for checking. However, there may be real issues directly related to the value of the interviewee’s interpretation in this approach. The interviewee might not accept any critical or sensitive interpretation and there may be issues of the interviewee’s competence to understand any theoretical issues which arose. Indeed, Kvale (2006) argues that few researchers let their subjects have the final say on the interpretation made and what goes into a report. 

Focus groups

Hypothetically, the success of my interview process is based in the reflexivity of my participants and of myself.   I need to be true to the aim of my inquiry, in exploring creative processes and the participants should answer with unbiased self reflection.   I believe that using a focus group is not practical for this.  Professionals in the same networks may feel uncomfortable explaining their work in front of peers and there is not the time to create an environment where individuals are comfortable enough to express themselves.  Also, on a literal level I will be interviewing people in other countries.
I appreciate however the benefits of a focus groups over interviews in different settings.  For example, given the time and skills to create a confidential setting a focus group could be beneficial for children. They may express themselves more easily discussing a topic with their peers rather than with an adult.  However, I feel that this approach borders more on a social experiment framework rather than a work based inquiry.

Surveys and questionnaires

Surveys and questionnaires are of course beneficial for quantitive research, whereby the content can be grouped into answers and compared numerically.   Although there are intricate graphs that can be used to compare qualitative answers in a quantitive way (by looking at patterns in answers etc.)  I feel that my methodology will be qualitative in it's entirety, as I hope to have more descriptive answers that I can analyse afterwards.

Observations

Prospectively, I will use the patterns that emerge from analysing choreographers creative process and implement them in my own work.  Therefore there will be a process of reflexivity in the observations I will make of my own rehearsals.  I found this guidance in 'Analysing qualitative research in psychology' helpful in determining how I will observe and analyse my own work. 'Procedures central to the grounded theory method such as constant comparison and the writing of memos promote a critical awareness of the role of the researcher and their cognitive processes. The recognition of one’s theoretical and disciplinary background should be attempted before undertaking data collection to ensure that the research agenda is open to new insights from the participants.'  (E. Lyons And A. Coyle, 2007).

In keeping an audio visual diary of the rehearsals I will subsequently be able to make notes to be analysed afterwards.   It is necessary to gain consent from the dancers in the rehearsals, but primarily I will not commenting on their behaviour, but how the influence to my process from the interviews thereafter made a difference to my own practice.  The generalisation of this is how my process will in turn change the choreographic piece and dancers experience.  As the observation will be in the natural setting of my own classes, but at a studio owned by someone else I will need permission from them as the gatekeeper.

'Analysing Qualitative Data in Psychology' Evanthia Lyons And Adrian Coyle. 2007 Sage Publications Ltd

'Doing work based research' Costley, Elliott and Gibbs 2010.  Sage Publications

Reader 6, Module 2.  Middlesex university 2014

Talking about Ethics through Dance. DV8 Physical Theatre | Can We Talk About This? : Ann Cryer

DV8 are one of my favourite companies for their intrepid portrayal of 'sensitive' or uncomfortable issues.  'Can we talk about this?' represents the power we have communicating through movement.   An example of ethical issues portrayed in dance, rather than about it.

5C: Understanding Ethics and ethical connotations of the inquiry

Ethics; personal, professional and universal.   What are the ethical connotations of planning my inquiry?

Planning my interview for dance practitioners poses many normative questions.  

"What is a professional dancer?"  Can I use 'professional' as a term as many practitioners would pose the question, are we only a professional if we are trained / paid?  This is a term I used freely when explaining my plan with Adesola, and as a choreographer and researcher herself she pointed out the difficulties I would face using this expression.

"The problematic positioning of dance as a sub-discipline in physical education or theater." As eloquently described by Doug Risner in 'Equity in Dance Education where are we now?' (2006), I often feel that the general opinion of dance is that it is given less credibility as an art than for example drama or fine art.   For example, when I was growing up drama was offered throughout secondary education as a core subject, but we had dance as a sub sector of PE taught one term a year. 

However the interesting normative question that comes from this topic is "is dance as important in education as academic subjects?"  For an answer to this we must look closely at the individual to know if dance is important to their learning.  in the respect I am looking at the problem from a virtue ethics stand point.   Looking at the character not the action, and understanding why something is important for that individual.  

However, if we pose the question 'is dance as important as maths in mainstream education?'  from a view on consequentialism, it is not.  As we live in a World where to succeed to a degree academically is important for career and financial options later on.   So for the greatest good to the greatest number, maths is more important.

In terms of equality in dance I often feel that the ugly truth in my current work is that dance is elitist.   In my classes only the students that can afford it financially can come.  Meaning that I am not surrounded my a culturally diverse mix of studnets.

'As a collective, we have contributed to our own marginalization. That is, we have allowed ourselves (overworked and under-funded), to sequester ourselves in the comfort of our own studios and programs, finding great challenge and reward in the fulfilling and meaningful isolation of teaching students' (Risner, D. 2006) I agree with this point to a degree.  Teaching, in the context of standing at the front of the studio and teaching knuts and bolts of dance is isolating, and in some respects lacking creatively.  However, what Risner fails to include is that there is more to dance 'teaching' than this.  More exciting is a process of artistic interpretation of dancers ideas for a piece and incorporating the people into the creation.   I have found, albeit with my small experience of choreography, that this process is in fact the opposite of isolating.

I intend to interview choreographers of community dance as they work with a broader range people from different backgrounds and with different experiences.   I would like to find out whether this has changed their creative process.   I would like to work more with mixed groups of dancers, particularly older people as their would be a wealth of life experience to drive the emotion motive behind a piece.

In my own inquiry I will be interviewing dance practitioners and choreographers on  their creative process.  Particularly how they work with mixed groups, how they come up with a concept and how they hold rehearsals with people who may have never danced before.   In writing on my findings I will use synonyms or not identify the interviewee.  Although some may be happy to give consent, I want the choreographers to give honest opinions on some quotes I will prepare from my research.  Due to professional acquaintance they may not give an honest answer if they believe their name will be stated in the interview.  I must also make sure that they can contact myself or the university if they wish to withdraw form the inquiry at any point.

  

 

Bio:

Risner, D. 2006 'Equity in dance where are we now?' Journal of dance education 2006

Middlesex university 2014, Reader 5 Module 2 BaPP (Arts)

Module skype session 18/11

Interesting skype session today with Adesola, Jessica and Jodi.  We had a general chat on where everyone is on their planning and understanding this module.  We spoke about the fuzzy period of confusion mid module.  I pointed out that I feel i have spent alot of time looking at my area of interest and the corresponding literature and coming through a process of understanding that my SIG needs to now change special interest!  I feel behind as the process of finding and understanding my literature reviews has taking so long.  That being said it has been the most engaging part of the course so far.  I always think Adesola can some up something I don't always express very clearly, but she reminded me that the process of learning in the course shouldn't be thought of in steps, and that if I come into the 'Ethics' section from a literary viewpoint it is a good way to start.   The sections are like buildings blocks interlinked rather than a series of separate steps.

Relativity
M.C Escher

We also spoke about the ethics forms and consent forms.  As i plan on interviewing choreographers about their creative process working with beginner and professional dancers we broached the subject of what is a professional or a novice dancer.    This is one of the problems I will encounter as many choreographers may have a different views on the words used.   This comes into ethics and not asking a biased question and I will bare it in mind while planning my questions.

Professional Network Code of Conduct and Ethical considerations

I started by researching the code of professional standard and practice as outlined by the imperial society of teachers of dancing.  Although I don't teach ISTD here in Dubai I am a qualified teacher under their association, so I often use their framework as a guidline for my own syllabus.   There are a few rules outlined that made me question how I can ethically conduct my inquiry.

'Unless legally obliged to disclose, keep confidential information obtained in the course of professional work and never use the same for personal advantage'.  This sentence encompasses a very broad area.  If for example I comment on a students behaviour or learning for the benefit of this course I am in fact using this information for personal advantage.   This is somewhat of a grey area, for example I know ISTD teachers who often post videos of studnets on social media as promotional material for their school.   What are your views?  I personally steer clear of videos or pictures of child students online but do use material from adult classes with their consent.    In my inquiry I will gain knowledge from professional practitioners rather than going down the route of using students as case studies.

'Each student has an agreed written set of objectives which are assessed on a regular basis, both orally and in writing with a view to developing each student’s potential.'  I was surprised to see this as part of one of the guidelines.   I have never written a set of objectives for a student.   I guess this comes down to the fact that no school I have worked in has enforced it.   Perhaps this is due to time and management but also because the ISTD does not have the means to ensure it is adhered to.   I strongly agree that students respond to clear objectives and this rule reminds me more of an academic setting.   I think if all dance schools adopted this practice it would add credibility to the industry, for say parents who are unfamiliar with dance teaching.   It may be effective for children as they are used to written objectives in a classroom setting.  

On the other hand I disagree with this idea in my classes as I want studnets to develop creatively; creating their own dance repertoire and choreography and enjoying dance as an art not a series of motions to be learnt.  How can you define this as a series of objectives to be tick boxed?

In my workplace, the studio I choreograph and teach at, we are lacking a clear code of conduct.   I have experienced confrontation where a non-teacher wanted to post a promotional video of a class without consent.  Of course I made sure this didn't happen.   It made me think that although, as arts professionals we may fidn this common sense, not everyone is aware of it.  

As I live in Dubai, I researched the Law on posting media of someone else without their consent on the internet and was surprised at the findings.  The Federal Decree-Law no. (5) of 2012 states that to take, save or post a photo of any person without their consent could lead to deportation and heavy fines.

http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=316909

'Article 21 

Shall be punished by imprisonment of a period of at least six months and a fine not less than one hundred and fifty thousand dirhams and not in excess of five hundred thousand dirhams or either of these two penalties whoever uses a computer network or and electronic information system or any information technology means for the invasion of privacy of another person in other than the cases allowed by the law and by any of the following ways: 

1- Eavesdropping, interception, recording, transferring, transmitting or disclosure of conversations or communications, or audio or visual materials. 

2- Photographing others or creating, transferring, disclosing, copying or saving electronic photos. 

3- Publishing news, electronic photos or photographs, scenes, comments, statements or information even if true and correct'.  

Links:

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/tough-uae-social-media-law-could-see-expats-deported-for-saving-someones-photo

http://www.istd.org/site-search/?keywords=Code+of+Professional+Conduct+and+Practice+for+Teachers+of+Dance

Embodied Concepts of Neurobiology in Dance/Movement Therapy Practice (4D)

"It is clear that consciousness cannot be severed from the body, but is itself an integration of the functioning of the mind and body" K. Homann, 2010 (pg.95)

When looking for further literature to guide my inquiry I wanted to find a study that encompasses my interest in what happens neurologically when we dance, watch dance and feel movement within and around us.   Furthermore, how this can help people and inform my work teaching and choreographing with mixed groups of dancers.  

This article by Kalila B. Homann published for the American Dance Therapy Association, entails many of the same themes as the previous 2 literature pieces I have reviewed but also helped me to understand the benefits of this knowledge; how I could directly use some of the themes to develop my professional skills.

The article focuses on 3 areas dance can impact  humans well-being; in our rest and arousal, our emotional regulation and our conscious and  pre-conscious memory.  The research explained in the writing was based on Dance Movement therapy interventions in clinical practice, Porges Polyvagal theory, and research into memory and how dance can make a difference on how we store implicit and explicit memory.

Homann explains the effect of DMT on rest and arousal, which posed some interesting questions I will consider incorporating into my inquiry.  Our Caudal base is the neural network that regulates sensory functioning and our emotional state.  In the caudal base there is the vagus nerve.   Porges theory is that this nerve regulates our rest, arousal and self-healing behaviours and therefore is active during therapy, in this case DMT.  

Scientists such as Porges, Ledoux and Stern found that humans learn optimally when there feel both stimulated and soothed.  'stress or fear will limit cortical functioning (Porges, 2004, 2009a). This concurs with Ledoux’s findings (1998) on fear and brain functioning. The body increases its adrenaline and cortisol production when one is anxious and tense, reducing blood flow to the frontal lobes of the brain. When we are afraid, we have less access to our thoughts.' (pg.82)

This posed the question why have so many teachers and choreographers that I have worked with put students under such pressure to achieve or remember?  It is proven as an ineffective emotional state for learning.  I am tacitly aware to maintain a relaxed studio atmosphere, but I'm sure any professional can emphathise with the panic when students don't know their repertoire 2 weeks before a show!  If the method I use in my inquiry is to interview choreographers who work with mixed groups one of my questions could be surrounding do they maintain a relaxed learning environment when working to a schedule?  Or do they use some pressure to create results from their dancers?

The following theme is the effect of dance or somantic processes on our emotional regulation.  'Movement can engage physiological processes related to emotion and make them potentially more available to the conscious mind. Feeling states can be identified through the individual’s conscious tracking of the body’s experience.' (pg 95).   
Dance can allow us to embody strong emotions such as anger or fear, and allow us to then make these sometimes subconscious feelings available for verbal processing.   

Dance movement therapy is also of great significance when a person is perhaps verbally impaired. When the person feels there are in a safe enough environment with the DMT this can allow them to process experiences stored in our implicit memory, and express themselves somantically.   

It struck me that as teachers and choreographers we have a great responsibility over our dancers emotions.   We talk about a movement 'speaking to us'.  When we feel something through dance that is inexplicable.   However, scientifically we are tapping into past experiences and emotions.   Pert (1997) describes how we are connected body and mind at a molecular level,   'the term mobile brain is an apt description of the psychosomatic network through which intelligent information travels from one system to another. Every one of the zones, or systems of the network—the neural, the hormonal, the gastrointestinal, and the immune is set up to communicate with one another'.

These neurological studies have helped me define questions I will incorporate when interviewing professional choreographers for my inquiry.   I will try to incorporate a proven theory such as Porges theory of optimal learning depending on a relaxed and stimulating environment.   It will be beneficial to my growth as a professional to find out whether they agree or disagree due to professional experience, and any case studies they may have to back their ideas up.

Ethics in my professional community (5A)

Here is a diagram to show the factors I imagine that define decisions in different settings.   What is apparent to me is that all areas personal, societal, organisational and professional decisions are interlinked.   We are defined by our upbringing, social norms and expectations, law, culture and past experience in every aspect of decision making.

I have lived in a few different countries and traveled through dancing and I find that the different views and opinions I am exposed to colours my personal ethics.

For example, I think of my previous view of arranged marriages.    If you had asked me when I was 16 I would have told you how unfair I thought it was.   How could a parent think they could make that decision for a child?   However, we grow in our ideas and understanding and after actually living in countries where this is the norm I have better knowledge of the reality of arranged marriages.   I don't think I am well informed enough to say whether it is 'right' or 'wrong' but I understand the benefits of this practice and why cultures implement it.

Although there will always be a universal 'good' and 'bad' the more I see, the more I think there is only weakness and insecurities that cause people to make wrong decisions.

In my work there are many ethical and moral problems I have to be aware of.   For example, I teach children so there are the obvious ethical implications of protecting child safety.  This can be online, by not making photos videos etc without parent consent and making sure this is not publicly visible online for promotional purposes without the parents signing a disclaimer.  

Also other issues such as not putting myself in a compromised position where a child could say I did something that was an invasion of their privacy.  I think we have to be so careful that what a child says when they go home and speak about class that cannot be misconstrued as misconduct.   I spoke to a colleague and she said she accidentally walked into a 3 year old who was stood behind her, and knocked her with her arm.   The child went home and said she had hit her in the face.   Luckily the parent understood that there was probably more to the story and this was simplified 3 year old speak but I remember it now.  

More complicated are issues when I feel I am compromised between employer expectations and personal ethics.   I feel, and it is like conscience, that I have a responsibility to teach and a responsibility to ensure the good of the majority of a class.   If there is one destructive child, distracting the group it is my job to utilise disciplinary measures so that everyone else can learn.   However, I have had experiences where I have lost ballet students for this and I felt under pressure by my employer to maybe compromise my idea of what I right in the dance studio so that they all have a fun time and keep paying for classes.   I understand the view of a dance studio as a business but it is also a place of education.   I think it is about getting the correct balance between education and fun.

Talking with professional associates; change of plans and relating literature back to practice (4C)

Over the past week I have gained some clarity on how I can relate the research I have conducted back to my work, and how I can use this inquiry to best inform my practice.   I am still very interested in the cognitive workings while we dance and what happens with memory.  Of course I am interested in how this can relate to children learning dance as I am a dance teacher.  Furthermore, I want to know more about the research that has been carried out in what happens neurologically when professional or novice dancers are involved  in creating a dance piece as I have spoken about in my literary reviews.   However, dance science is a huge subject and I feel that I can only begin to scratch the surface of understanding so far.   It will be an area of interest for as long as I work in this industry, and probably forever!

Through various conversations I have developed an idea of the inquiry that will really help me understand the processes I am absorbed in at present.     At the studios I work for we are at present developing a showcase.   I have a mixed group of novice and professional dancers and I am choreographing a contemporary dance piece.   I have choreographed previously but this is only the second time I have had a mixed group.   Over the past couple of weeks I have discussed with the owners of the studio I work at a few questions I wanted their opinions on.   Firstly, why we run the courses?  What was their approach choreographing a mixed group?  What is their creative process?

What I found interesting was that from experience my colleague said that we run the courses at 8 weeks because he has found that beginners can show a notable improvement and learn sequences by memory.   I found this interesting as it relates back to the Calvo-Marino experiment that proves non-dancers can begin to process watching and learning dance in the same way an expert dancer would after 6 weeks of rehearsals.   It is exciting when you can see the correlation between science and practice!

With my colleagues and also Paula, I discussed the creative process of choreography and dance as an art form.    With my beginner dancers I started rehearsal by teaching steps.  Very soon after I had began one of the dancers asked me "what is your idea behind this piece?  what do you imagine?".   It struck me that I had began with the basics of teaching dance, but actually the reason that these beginners are involved in creating piece and especially in contemporary is because they crave the art form.   I felt almost ignorant to have started like that with them and not from a discussion on the creativity behind it.   We had an interesting discussion on how I saw the piece and the characters we would portray and they had a lot of ideas that then changed my 'vision' of the choreography.

What I think would really help me to develop as a choreographer and teacher would be to look at other choreographers artistic processes....  what inspires them?  How do they begin to teach choreography?  Have they ever worked with a mixed or youth group before?   Would their process change depending on the dancers?

The performance courses and choreographic projects are ongoing into next year so I would love to conduct some interviews and research of choreographers throughout history and see how this knowledge could improve how I work with my groups.