Visual & Kinaesthetic, External & Internal

Today, I would like to analyse my field of profession from the Visual point of view and Ｋinaesthetic point of view; External way of learning  and Internal way of learning..

I can say this is first part of self coaching project.

I guess some people may not be familiar with the word; kinesthetic awareness.

What is kinesthetic awareness?

kinesthetic awareness encompasses the body's abilities to coordinate motion (such as pitching a baseball) and the body's awareness of where it is in time and space (think dancing). When you see a troupe of ballet dancers moving together it is largely kinesthetic awareness that allows them to move in harmony together instead of bumping into each other.

http://www.quickmedical.com/health_information/fitness/proprioception_kinesthetic_awareness.html

Professional Inquiry is the way to learn what I am doing while I am doing, then this could be a good topic to anasyse.

Recently, the company I work for, they gave us dancers the DVD of current production.

The director often tells me that, I must watch myself on video so I can see how sloppy I look on stage. However, I did not watch it straight away.....

Well, I use to video myself often to see myself and analyse what I need to do to improve.

However, one day I realised that it is actually not so helpful watching me on video.

Video made me notice what I am doing wrong. So, I started to record myself and watch the video a lot in one point.

However, I realised that the field I am in, I should feel my body and aware of what I am doing instead of watching myself and FIXING myself from the outside. When, I realised that, I suddenly felt like instead of getting close the goal I am aiming for, I am getting father from it. I just did not know why but I felt like I should not rely on visual too much. So, I decided to leave my image in my head and I refuse to watch myself dancing for a while.

Because the video showed me what is happening, but, not why it is happening. And, I got confused and watching the video did not help. Well, I could not use the help from the video properly. I did not know how to use the video properly to help myself.

An example, if water is leaking from the roof. and if I only fix the part which is leaking from,  the part only I can see visually, then the water will stop leaking from there. But, water will leak from different part of ceiling soon or later. And, there will be no end. 

Best and most direct solution is to find out why it is happening. Then, how to solve the problem.

But, if we see the situation only from one direction, it is hard to realise why it is happeninig.

ehow.co.uk

Then, the other day I saw myself on the DVD.

I was shocked, I was so sloppy as the director told me.

It was a wake call to me. I just did not know why. It was not how I imagined on my head.

So, this time I watched the video and analysed differently; instead of fixing what I am doing wrong, I focused on WHY these mistakes are happening.

Then I thought about what is the advantages and also the disadvantage of watching the video and learning from it; from Visual point of view.

Advantages

1, Video does not exaggerate, Video shows only exactly what happened on that time.

2, Video can pause and slow down the footage; convenience to analyse to certain extent.

3, Video can provide bigger picture; whole stage. We can see our self as a part of performance; it provides different point of view.

Disadvantage

1, Now, I realised how to use the video properly to coach myself.

However, without knowing how to use it right, it will not work. Because video can provides only WHAT is going on, not WHY.

2, End of the day, even we understand what are we doing wrong by slowing down or pausing the footage, we cannot pause or slow down what we are doing in real life. Because, if we stop or slow down while we are dancing or break the movements down, and analyse them, that won`t work. Once stop or slow down the movements, The movements are not the same anymore. So, once go back to the normal speed, the habits are still there.

3, Dancers should feel and aware the surroundings and what are going on stage.

So we should be able to imagine whole picture without checking the video.

It is very similar to football player’s awareness on the pitch. Where ever they are, they sense where team mates and opponents are, and where the ball is.

The advantage and disadvantage of relying on physical sensation.

1, performing arts are physical arts. Dancers use their body as a tool to express whatever they need to express. Actor and singers use their voice to express.

Performing arts cannot be performed as an art without the physical sensations, body awareness, and feelings.

2, Lacking of kinesthetic awareness cause injure. And, I have noticed that dancers who do not aware of their kinaesthetic awareness injure more often than the other.

And, these dancers often rely on mirror or video instead of feeling and trust their instinct.

We should always move with the feeling and express the emotion. However, without solid technique, it cannot be a performance; it will become just a self indulgence.

No one understands actors who cannot speak or pronounce properly; even the actors had so much emotion or artistry to share with the audience, without the training and solid technique, it cannot be a performance.

Technique is only the tool to express our self on stage to share something special with audience. 

So, end of the day video can be used to check to see the gap between artist`s own internal image and audience points of view; external image.

Today I noticed and realised from writing this journal; Focus on WHY things are happening, not What is going on. Studying is analysing why it is happening and not what is going on. 

Analysing WHY will take us father and deepen our understanding to our self and the life it self.

apptoiphone.com

Deciding the award title

First thing I thought and came in to my mind after I have read the module hand book and rest was, to decide the rough structure of my award of this module, as soon as possible.

So, first things I did was to write down the ideas which I want to develop as my award for module 3630.

Mindmap, Which has been introduced to us last term.And, it was very functional for cleaning and editing of the thoughts and ideas of source, where the ideas and thoughts coming from, and where are they going, why and what I really want to discover, what I want to get out from it. Mindmap was brilliant for clearing up and get to the core of the theme or subject directly.    

I struggled to decide the award title of this module, because I had a few different concepts which I was interested in. So, I wrote mindmap of each ideas and compared them. 

   

“Self Coaching in Performing Arts”.

That is a rough title of my award of this module at the present. I would like to build and develop the ideas based on it.

I chose this title, because as I am a professional dancer I am always interested in developing the skill in my field.

One of the method I use to develop my skill is to write down the aim I want to achieve, as clear, as detail as possible. I realised that writing down the corrections and reading them is totally a different process to just thinking through in my head.

Also set the time limit to it that can provide better focus to achieve the aim.

I noticed this by teaching dancers. I often teach the young dancers as well as performing on stage with the company. Teaching is a part of the company`s educational work.

On my last term while I was studying WBS 3002 module, I realised that what I taught and how I structured the class is very much applicable to my own work. For example, To build the structure of class, decide the aim for students to achieve in each class, and especially listing my own voice while I am teaching.. Again, listening and saying is a totally a different process, like writing down and just thinking through in head. I often repeat what teachers tell me, but now I understand why I do it!  

I often deepen my understanding of what I have leaned in past by teaching. It is almost like digesting the food which I have eaten while ago. That is the fact, which I thought I already understood by experiencing through practice and performing. However, maybe, learning can only be completed by teaching or passing through to the others.

Which I have learned and discovered form the process of studying WBS 3002 last year.

So, I am going to develop the theme through teaching and actually using my body to experience the movements. Also, I will interact my thoughts with my colleagues, teachers and SIG.

Wish me luck. 

ＷＢＳ ３６３０

When I have read through this new WBS 3630 module handbook, I thought I better plan ahead and prepare well for this. As much as I enjoy completing WBS module course, if I approach the course without a solid structure I shall fail, which I have learned from the experience.

I would like to make the most of the knowledge and tools which I have learned how to apply them from the previous module, and also maintaining them to help me through the deeper understanding of the WBS module. That is my aim of this term; Advanced the knowledge to prepare for the final module.

I have learned a lot from the previous module. However, I noticed and realised a lot of things through previous module, and it gave me some regrets. For example, I do not think I fully understood the concept of the course at the beginning. Well, I roughly had an idea but I did not pay much attention to the details. So, I started to understand the module more toward the end. I actually understood more about the module after I have completed it, very ironic. I carefully compare my work with others students. I especially did not put enough effort in the digital, other evidence. I also hesitated a lot about journal writing compare to the other students. Journal writing was something I have ever done before and I worried about what is correct and wrong. However, I have understood that there are no Wright or wrong. All the journals are working process. And the evidence of working progress and roots of understanding, which will become very useful and important at the end of the term. So, I am going to be more active and positive about posting and sharing my working progress and thoughts. And, also I must be more interactive with other students, which I am still not so good at.

  

What and How Web 2.0 changed

I have been working on my portfolio.

So, I have been going through things I have learned and realised from this module.

And, I am surprised about the fact; the end of this module; now, as close as I get to the deadline I started to understand more about this module. It is amazing! It all started to make sense to me; I can see things much clearer than before.

WHAT and HOW Web 2.0 changed and influenced us.

At the beginning I stared to think what and how things changed.

However, I stop thinking that way, and instead I started to think what has NOT changed since Web 2.0 appeared, what stayed the same?

We have gain the power to access to more information since Web2.0 has been released us. However, one thing we still have given, in exactly same amount since before the appearance of Web 2.0.

TIME, which is closest answer of WHAT Web2.0 changed the most.

Well, technically time runs still the same as before the appearance of Web 2.0, as I just mentioned that time is the only thing has not changed since.

So, what Web 2.0 changed really?

The answer is THE VALUE OF TIME.

It is a huge different to our world.

One minute is still sixty seconds after the appearance of Web2.0.

However, thank Web 2.0, we can access and discover much, much more information in sixty seconds compare to before.

Now, we can do things it uses to take a whole day in twenty minutes.

I personally think Web 2.0 is as valuable as the invention of car. Car can takes us which usually takes a whole day to walk by only ten minutes. Same as washing machines, these are technically TIME MACHINES.

Before Web 2.0, most important thing was HOW MUCH information we can collect.

However, after web 2.0 important key has changed into HOW MUCH we can digest the information into knowledge.

Before Web 2.0.

1, Find the right sources. (This process takes long time)

2, Collect information as much as possible. (This process takes long time too) The Key Process

3, Choose right, suitable information.

4, Digest the information to knowledge.

5, Value the information and knowledge.

6, Pass on the information and knowledge back to source. (Takes fairy long time)

After Web 2.0

1, Access to the internet; the source. (Very quick process)

2, Collect information. (Very quick process)

3, Choose right, suitable information.

4, Digest the information to knowledge. The Key Process

5, Value the information and knowledge.

6, Pass on the information and knowledge back to source. (Quick process)

Choice and Causality; Prisoner's dilemma and Tit For Tat

I am writing and editing my portfolio at the moment.
Thinking through things I have learned and realized from reflecting my experience through this module.

It started off by an advice from my company`s teacher  ` Daisuke, dance like you are in Matrix. Feel the 360゜, be aware of the surroundings while you are dancing.`

So, I watched the film, which I have seen a lot of times before.
And, there a scene characters having a conversation, which threw me a big question.
In that scene, the trafficker of informations demands that, we all think we have a freedom of choice. However that is an illusion. We do not really have a freedom of choice and choice is already been made before we decide. Action, Reaction, Cause and Effect. We only make an action to understand WHY.

As this confused my mind, and I was writing my mindmap anyway for my portfolio, I started draw mindmap of life based on this theory. However, I got stuck. So, I went to my friends to discuss and gain their opinions.
And, surprisingly seems like most of people think the same as the trafficker of information; there are choice, but not really. People try to live happily because no one really wants to live sadly. We have a choice to end our life, but, really? Life is great, there is no doubt about that to me. However, more likely we are living because we were born. Again, not really a choice, is it?
Most interestingly one of my friend said that, `we are all nice to each other, it is not because we want to. It is just easy that way, because no one really wants to be bullied.` And, the person added in the end ` there really are no choice about it....`. That comment shocked me a lot. Only because on my previous blog, I mentioned this in my cooperation section; TIT FOR TAT proved that people try to be nice to each other, only because most likely we are afraid of being nasty, isolated and being socially executed. Human can not live and function our potential to the maximum if not cooperate to the other human beings. We created packs to survive from the danger or life threatening, with time that became society.
http://momngaxxx1.blogspot.com/2011/04/critical-reflection-on-networked.html


If, that is true, TIT FOR TAT is not just a strategy. At Prisoner`s Dilemma, we have NO CHOICE to make other decisions. Decisions have already made even before the game starts.


If, that is true, that is a bit sad. Because technically if that is correct, our life and fate has already been decided. That means we are living just  to understand and find out why and accept the fact of life is like a book, which already has been written, so, our job is to turn the page everyday.


Is it right? I am hoping that I am wrong in a way. Only because, other wise life is like building a plastic model based on the instruction, to destroy at the end with our end of life. That is just........


What do you think?

Critical Reflection on The Networked Professional course reader

Axelrod`s idea has started from simple questions ` when should people cooperate? and when to be selfish, do people cooperate even there are no benefit to them?`
Cooperation;

I actually never really thought of why people cooperate till I started this course.
I always thought that is just a common sense to cooperate to the others and make our life easier.
Then, I thought, why do I cooperate? Do I make an effort to corporate to the others, only because that is what I have been told to do since when I was young? 

R Axelrod`s Prisnor`s Dilemma game proved an interesting result for this question.

TIT FOR TAT was the best strategy to survive the game.

Technically that is just copying opponent`s footsteps. I am not even sure that we can call TIT FOR TAT as a strategy? Any ways, however, TIT FOR TAT produced the best result in the game.
I guess quite often same strategy functions in our network too. If, people wanted to know some informations, one of the most direct and effective ways is to open the informations we have to the others. Like hand shake. I am going to show you what I have in my hand, so can I see your`s?
It is like a business, I give you mine, so would you like to share yours? I guess in human society, our relation ships with the others are like a circle. My father, who is a business man, he always reminds me to share things with people, to be given more. What comse around goes around. Very true!
People are being nice and I also try to be nice to people too, let`s say give a respect to the others to be given. I use to think because that is how decent people behave.
However, TIT FOR TAT proved that people try to be nice to each other, only because most likely we are afraid of being nasty, isolated and being socially executed. Human can not live and function our potential to the maximum if not cooperate to the other human beings. We created packs to survive from the danger or life threatening, with time that became society. So, I agree with what Alexrod says.

However, I think TIT FOR TAT works really well, only if people want to archive the same goal in the network they are in. And, also people can provide incorrect informations sometimes, tensionally or intentionally. In that case, the person who provided the right information does not benefit any thing from the others. So, if we use TIT FOR TAT strategy, we should be aware that that could cause some confusion some times. As long as we are aware of it, TIT FOR TAT sounds like the strategy.


However, when people decided there is no link or bond, also if there are no benefit to us, we easily insist to cooperate. Other wise there can not be any poor people or poor children in this world. However, there are. And there will be always. We all feel a little bad about these people. But, not feeling bad enough to make an action, maybe donate some changes.
There are tragedy every where and in every country, it is very easy to find if we see the news everyday. We all feel sorry about these sad things, but not sad or worry enough to to do something about it.
However, very interestingly, once we find a link to incidence or to people, i,e, tragedy is happening where we use to live or tragedy is happened to our relatives. Then, suddenly we pay so much attention and try to do our best to help the situation.
I realised that, as really bad earth quake stroke Japan a month ago. And, all of my friends called me and sent me messages on Facebook checking that how I am.
It was an example, that if my friends did not have any Japanese friends like me, probably they did not feel as bad or as worried as they did then. Only because about a month before the earth quake stroke Japan, a really bad earth quake hit New Zealand. And, my friends and relatives are very sad about the news, however, it just was not the same how my surroundings and the people who are in the same networks as I am in reacted when things happened to Japan.
Also, I was talking to my mother who live in Japan, she mentioned that people usually do not cooperate these days. However, tragic like that makes people`s bond stronger and make them closer after the incidence. People in Japan started to cooperate more than before. Because that is only way to survive the situations. Ironic.


Affiliation;
 I think affiliation as  big circle or network of human relationships. To help others, to be helped.
Crisp&Turner mentioned “If experienced and influential individuals are likely to be at their preferred level of affiliation, why is it common for them to still assist younger, less experienced individuals?”.

I think there are few answers to explain why experienced people assist and help lees experienced individuals.

One of the reason is because, that is how networks function. Passing on what we have learned from the experiences to next generation. In this case, we are helping others without thinking of why.

i,e, if we see old people struggling to carry stuff, when we see child crying alone, makes us feel like should go up to them and help. These habits are in our body, almost like a reaction or reflections. Because that is what we have been told to do since when people are young.

Another reason I can think of is, some people like to help or teach less experienced people, to make them feel better. Obviously, when people is teaching  to the less experienced individuals, the hierarchy exists while the person is teaching to the less experienced people.

Also teaching something new could influence a lot to less experienced individuals, also easy way to gain some respects and being looked up. Some people use that as an advantage to secure their networks. Often, that makes stronger bonds to each others, or possibly introduce to the wider networks. Also, experienced people can manipulate less experienced people in to their network. In that case, experience people help less experienced individuals to create better, secure, safer network for them.

I personally help less experienced people because people always helped me when I was young and when I needed. So, it is my way of returning back to the society and the network I am in.

Communities of practice;
Communities of practice are groups of people which share the same or similar interests, and work together, share the informations with. The advantage of sharing common interests is to help archive the goal quicker as the organisation`s focus is clear.

However, some times at communities of practice, people become very narrow minded and blinded by the way of thinking. Because end of the day, communities of practice are full of specialists of a genre.

i,e, Often, when people create a new piece at dance companies and when choreographer is creating a piece,often choreographer see things from dancers point of view, as most of the choreographers are ex-dancer. 

Because of that, the piece could become quite self indulgent sometimes.

The best way to avoid the problem is constantly bring people from different genre in to check how things are seen from their eyes.

My job and my profession are very much based on communities of practice.
Dancers life and dance companies are like small communities, but very closed one! Like a local village pub, a signboard says `Visitor welcome!`, but not really. Once you go in to the pub people look at you funny and it just does not feel comfortable being there. Also, dancers use technical terms which only understood between them, so often when outsider join a conversation, they do not understand what dancers are talking about. It is same in different communities of practice. 
Dancers do not intentionally use these terms to isolate them self from the others. It is just people spend so much time with the communities of practice that, they forget majority of people do not get these technical terms. Often, if they spend too much time in a communities of interest more than necessary, they struggle to fit in to normal communities of people.
i.e. English language is the most widely spoken language in the world. So, English spoken people sometimes blindly think that every people speak English in this world. And, when people travel to abroad, they try to communicate with local people only using English language. And, they get confused and sometimes get angry that foreign people do not understand English.
Similar things happen when people from communities of practice go out from the community and try to communicate with others.
I guess it is comfortable to stay in same communities of interest. And, to use technical vocabularies and understand each other is like having a secret language, it makes people feel closer and feel connected. However, I personally think that is just sad. Because people start to stay in their own shell and do not wish to come out again. It makes people very small and insecure in a way. My self, Yes, I do like to spend time with my colleagues who have same interest as me, however, I always try to talk to people out side of work. It feels fresh and nice to know different people`s view.

Social constructionism;
Marleau-ponty and Heidegger stated that the world is always already there, objectively.
However, also it is us create the world by our experience and it is up to us to give a meaning to it. Also, world it self changes with us, as we learn more and experience more in life. The world do exist as many as we exist, So is reality and truth. And, also they all effected by our mood or emotional state we are in.
We have an ability to share our own experience, compare the experience to the others, and re-construct and adjust our internal world to be acceptable by others.

Networks are large social constructions (Network Professional 2010)
It says all. It is our responsibility to keep our network strictly processional. And, the networks do exist because we construct them. Network has created and constructed by us and it is still developing with us.
New, better ideas need to be shared to up date network. It is up to us to take control of networks and keep them fresh and alive.
Connectivism
We learn how to find the right answer and how connect to people through network by connectivism.
Because of the development of technologies, more source of information we have, more chance to access to knowledge we need. It is better to have more than one friend, more brains we have more experience and knowledge we can access and share.
We use all the network tools I have previously blogged, to maintain our knowledge and informations. Especially because of Web 2.0, now we can access to so many informations, also to share the informations to everyone. Web 2.0  really changed the way of learning, as Karen Stephenson mentions on The network course reader 2011, `Experience no longer considered the best teacher of knowledge. since we can not experience everything, other people`s experience, and hence other people, because because surrogate for knowledge through collecting people`

3a Current Network

When I think of my current networks, I can roughly divide them to two categories;

1, My surrounding; The network of people.

I found this image on google web site. This is my image of people network.

When I say my current network of people, it starts from colleagues I work with at my current company, my close friends, my old school teachers, old school mates, ex-colleagues, people who come to see our performance. The dancers, teachers and directors I meet when I do class or auditions at different companies.
However, to engage with the professional network and to keep the information up dated, I especially find it very useful to talk to the dancers who meet at auditions. I try to talk to the dancers who comes to the audition of the company I work for. Because their informations are often much more fresh and row than what I hear or see on the internet. And, also often they know some informations that dance companies have not up dated yet, an example; one of the dance companies were advertising for an audition. However, the dancer who came to my current company`s audition told me that, he went to the audition which has advertised as vacancy available, and after the audition he got told that they already got some one in the vacancy position. So, things like that, if we have the right informations, we can save the time, money and avoid the stress and hustle.
Also, my old dance teachers gave me job vacancy informations very often and I got job through them quite a lot.
I also have just finished touring of Romeo and Juliet last week for two months. I got that job from my old school friend! He recommended me to the director of the production. And, also the director asked me for another male dancer, so I recommended my colleague! That was a very good example of people network.

2, Technological network by Web 2.0.

My main tools of technological network is computers and mobile phones.
I engage my professional network by mainly e-mail, Linked in and facebook website.

This is my image of technological network look like.
Sharing the informations which is in our mind.
http://www.123rf.com/photo_4249758_human-network.html

Web 2.0 changed a lot of the way network worked before. Things use to be the only one way, however web 2.0 introduced us two way communication on the web; giving out the informations and also receiving them in same time. Especially some thing like our BAPP bogs are a great example. We constantly discover, learn, find new things and swap the informations and opinion on the blog.
It is so handy to have these tools to access to people. I can swap some informations with some one who lives opposite side of this planet timelessly! Without these tools I would of lost contact with my many friends and also would missed so much job opportunities.

My company`s ballet mistress, she is a good practitioner of professional networking. She always checks her mail, check her web sites and facebook. Plan things in advance and talk to lots of people very openly. That is what I have to do more to improve my professional network.
I also think `a business card` is a good tool to have. With my dance picture on it, like a small C.V. and much more handy to carry and also to receive.
I also need to create my own web site to develop my network, so that will provide more opportunities to people to access my information.