So finally I am getting to write a post about the introductory Skype session held over a week ago. Usually I would be mortified at having left it so late but actually my delay reminded me of the saying 'better late than never'; something I believe rings true throughout many aspects of life.
After being so concerned about my artistic practise being so different to those of the dancers and performers on this course, I am growing more and more aware of the similarities that are rooted in our practises. For example, when thinking about the saying above, one of the driving forces behind my work is the urge to DO SOMETHING. This could manifest in a number of ways but simply refers to the actions we perform in response to an experience. Whether that be painting, dancing, teaching or simply smiling at someone...the options are endless but all equally as valid. In terms of this course, I am therefore refocusing less on the WHAT and more on the WHY in terms of my work. Through this adjustment of my viewing angle I now feel much more in tune with other learners, and have realised that we share many more similarities despite the final physical action being different.
The main tool that has helped me in making this discovery is the BLOGS that we all use to record our journeys on this course. It may be that we never get to physically meet anyone else during our journey yet we are still using the same map at the same time and thus can use these online platforms as communication tools without the need to deviate from our unique pathways. They make take a little effort to keep updated but act as tracker, not just for our personal use but to allow others to remain aware of our progress. They are also a safety net, a way for others to identify when we are struggling, perhaps the silent periods speaking louder than the narratives we type. They comfort the many doubts we explorers may face through the realisation that there are others out there who are having similar experiences. They allows us to share tools for progression without the need to deviate from our own routes. The twists and turns may cause our paths to cross sometimes, through SKYPE sessions, or CAMPUS days. I'm particularly looking forward to these interludes and the change in scenery they will provide.
Eurgh...shut up Amy...enough now! Sorry everyone, if you haven't realised yet I have a slight obsession with maps!
So maybe I haven't summarised the Skype session as originally intended, but I have shared some of the tools that it highlighted to me; mainly the blogs. So it was better to write a reflection than not, even if was late. It may not have resulted in what I had intended but that doesn't matter, it has at least resulted in something....something that has come far more naturally and I hope will be far more beneficial for others. The session was a starting point; a platform to leap off. It initiated an act, it provided a time and place to do something, to jump. As we leap into the unknown I look forward to our future sessions and the many other interludes that offer us a brief opportunity to pause in our journey, take a look at where we have come from and look ahead at the next stages on the adventure we now face.
For now though I need stop typing...there are maps to study and many many more creative discoveries to be had!
Amy x
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