Literature Review

 

I hope you are getting on well with your studies. I am struggling with writing these blog posts. With the lack of interaction from colleagues and supervisors, it feels a bit pointless and disheartening sometimes.

I suppose that is my ego taking over and my need to be externally validated. When really I suppose this is just another external output for our internal processes throughout this MA journey.

As I head through Module 2 I must admit I am struggling with knowing the difference between all of the different submissions. The meaning making model, drawing on our past and present learning and practice. The title award rationale, just seems to be like a smaller version and the full essay. I can't help but have similar information and citations in them. Is anyone else feeling the same?

I'm not sure if it's because by the time I've finished a full day and attempted a certain amount of reading before looking into the work, my mind is just gone by the time I get to it, but any help would be gratefully received from the team on a bit of direction with it all, or the differences between them.

Looking through my literature review, the book that surprised me the most has been "Rethinking the Actor's Body: Dialogues with Neuroscience" (McCaw, 2020) in particular Chapter 4 - Body/Think: Being, sensing, knowing. This book has really taken me on a journey and is jam packed with theories and knowledge that is applicable to dance through a similar lens to the acting.

I've made developing notes on Polyani, Flloyd Ruhmor, Gallagher, Feldenkrais and Bernstein to name a few. A great mixture of philosophy and applying it to the relevant context.

I've also been really interested to discover through a great article, Joining the dance (Clements, 2021) that a specific comprehensive research project on mental wellbeing and dance in the UK hasn't been carried out since 2005 (Laws, 2005). Clements is currently collaborating with One Dance UK to recreate the same research methods as the 2005 study to apprehend the situation today. From my own experience through my professional practice, I can only see the need for a stronger preservative role to positive mental health in the classroom and studios due to rising issues in our students. It will be interesting to see if this is reflected throughout the UK.

What I have really enjoyed with the literature review is the feeling of connection, linkage and diving down the rabbit hole into other scholar's research paths. In the same way you can be sat watching a dance on Instagram and an hour later be looking at that account owner's best friends, dogs, partners, step mums, sister's work, you can end up doing the same with a research publication. Heading into their previous publications, their research partners publications, their institute's publications. It's a never ending web of wonder that we are truly lucky to have on the tips of our fingers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope something I have mentioned resonates with the journey you are having as a developing scholar.

Clements, L., (2021) Joining the dance. The Psychologist, (34), pp.54/57

Laws, H. & Apps, J. (2005). Fit to Dance 2: Report of the second national inquiry into dancers' health and injury in the UK. Dance UK.

McCaw, D 2020, Rethinking the Actor's Body : Dialogues with Neuroscience, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, London. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [11 October 2021]