A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE JOHN MEAD (Bachelor of Science, Cum Laude 1976 Oklahoma City University; Master’s of Fine Arts: Dance 1980 University of Utah; Masters of Fine Arts: Film 2003, University of Utah) A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND NEW MEDIA NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE 2014 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis is my original work and it has been written by me in its entirety. I have duly acknowledged all the sources of information that have been used in the thesis. This thesis has also not been submitted for any degree in any university previously. Parts of this dissertation have been or are in the process of being published as journal articles: A paper on Practice as Research in dance was published in the 2012 Body Space & Technology Journal, volume 11, titled "Artist-centric Inquiry”. A new journal article is being prepared for publication, titled, “Dance Reenactment through Observer Facilitation: Theoretical Reflections from an Empirical Investigation”. Another new journal article in the final stages of preparation is also being prepared for publication, titled: “Mimetically-cued Recall: an Empirical Investigation into Research as a Choreographic Tool” _________________________________ John Mead 10 April 2015 ii Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere thanks to my doctoral advisor, Dr. Lonce Wyse for his constant support, excellent intellectual input, stringent demands, benevolent manner and perseverance in seeing me through the five years of my doctoral journey. Many thanks to my very supportive and intellectually stimulating committee members, Dr. Denisa Kera, Dr. Paul Rae and Dr. Lonce Wyse, and my brilliant final Examiners: Dr. Cho Hichang (Chairperson), Doctor Denisa Kera, National University of Singapore and Prof Sally Jane Norman, University of Sussex. For their work as participants in the empirical aspects of this thesis, I’d like to thank the dance students at the LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of the Arts and the dancers of the John Mead Dance Company I’d also like to thank the rest of the faculty and staff of the NUS Communications and New Media Department for their help and support throughout my candidature as a PhD student. With special gratitude, I acknowledge my immediate family, which has been very supportive throughout my candidature. I would especially like to thank my parents for always being there and for their constant support and love – my mother for providing excellent insight into the importance of keeping the entire project in perspective and my father for teaching me by example the importance of rationality and honesty in all I do. I would also like to thank my sisters for their ongoing support, comments and use of study space when I’ve traveled to the US from Singapore. To my first dance teacher and life-long fellow traveler in the arts, Lorrie Keller, I would like to express my profound gratitude for providing such a wonder-filled beginning to my long journey as a dancer. I offer my sincere appreciation to the following, for providing financial support for the culminating showing and performance of the results of the MCR1 experiments:    National University of Singapore Communications and New Media Department LASALLE College of the Arts Dance Department National Arts Council Research and Development Grant And most of all I thank Mei Chian for her intellect, encouragement, positive nature and unwavering support throughout the five years of my doctoral work at NUS. iii Contents TITLE I DECLARATION .II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . III CONTENTS . IV SUMMARY VI KEYWORDS: VIII LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .IX CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Author’s Background . 1.2 Historical Context 1.3 Score and Notation .14 1.4 Dualism 21 1.5 Dance and Academia: 27 1.6 Etymology .43 1.7 Analysis 46 1.8 Historical Reconstruction 53 1.9 Scope 54 1.10 Structure of Thesis .55 CHAPTER 58 RELATED WORK 2.1 Accessibility of the creative process 59 2.2 Video‐cued Recall 61 2.3 Recording 67 2.4 Knowledge acquisition and artefact .69 2.5 Technology and Embodiment 73 2.6 Framing and Context: 85 2.7 Externalized Cognition .89 2.8 Retention of individuality and auteurship .90 2.9 Empiricism in dance research .93 2.10 Reflection and Recall .94 CHAPTER 97 RESEARCH PROBLEM 3.1 The Central Problem of PaR .97 3.2 The Problem of First‐Person Research 98 CHAPTER . 105 METHODS 4.1 Objectives .106 4.2 The Facilitator .110 4.3 The Third‐person Researcher .111 4.4 Empirical procedures .112 CHAPTER . 115 MIMETICALLY‐CUED RECALL (MCR) 5.1 Guidelines .115 5.2 Recruitment and Participants 116 5.2 MCR1 117 5.3 MCR2 134 CHAPTER . 147 THEORETICAL REFLECTIONS 6.1 MCR and current theories .150 6.2 Shareability and Notation 161 6.3 Tranmissibility .172 6.4 Reenactment .177 6.5 Distance and Incompleteness 183 6.6 Historical Other .187 6.7 Memory .192 CHAPTER . 198 CONTRIBUTIONS 7.1 Best Practices .201 7.2 Impact 206 7.3 Future work 208 CHAPTER . 211 CONCLUSION REFERENCES 214 INSTITUTIONAL / ANONYMOUSLY‐AUTHORED REFERENCES 242 APPENDICES 246 APPENDIX 246 MCR2 Journals APPENDIX 258 MCR2 Session Interviews and Discussions APPENDIX 320 NUS Institutional Review Board (IRB) APPENDIX 324 MC1 Syllabus v Summary Practice as research (PaR) is the view that practice is both the object of research as well as the research itself. In dance, choreographers who embrace this approach are confronted with a challenging two-fold problem: to use selfobservation to access information about what is taking place during practice without simultaneously disrupting the very process of creativity which is at the heart of their inquiry. Present PaR literature addresses this issue in various ways. Some theorists (Allegue et al. 2009, Barrett and Bolt 2007, Biggs and (ed) 2010, Candy 2005, Spatz 2011) propose that existing qualitative research methods may already be sufficient to address such problems. Others (Haseman 2006) explore new paradigms within which to place PaR, and still others (Geczy 2009, Scrivener 2002) take the position that PaR does not constitute research at all and should instead be viewed as something altogether different and unique to the arts. Compared to the body of theory however, there is a scarcity of literature that addresses practical research approaches or tools with which PaR can be enabled directly within the choreographic realm. To address this problem empirically, a new choreographic research method called “Mimetically-cued Recall” (MCR) was devised for the observation, reenactment and recall of creative processes employed by choreographers conducting first-person dance practice as research. Implemented as a postcreative process inquiry, this method allows research to be conducted in vi relation to a practitioner’s personal creative process, after the fact. This reflective approach circumvents the disruption of the creative process that can otherwise occur when PaR is conducted during the creative process. Two series of participatory, action-based movement experiments were conducted with MCR, the first with intermediate college dance students and the second with more seasoned, professional dancers. The participants in these experiments acted either as choreographers or were designated as “Facilitators”. Close observations by the Facilitators were used to create detailed reenactments of each choreographer’s creative work. Subsequent viewing and interaction with the reenacted work enabled choreographers to revisit their creative processes in order to research various aspects in retrospect. This research contributes to the field by providing: 1) an analysis of PaR and its application to the practice of choreography; 2) a particular research-based method that has impact in two areas: a) inquiry in to the process of choreography - for doing research on dance as it is being created and later reenacted, and b) the development of particular works of choreography; 3) an analysis of MCR providing practitioners with optimal practices for implementing the method. MCR therefore eases the tension between old dichotomies that have existed between practice as something to research and practice as research. It does so vii by recasting research as not only a method but as a new choreographic tool, which is an integral part of the practice as research process. This change in perspective opens a door for practice to be conducted concurrently with research while still maintaining the integrity of the creative process. Keywords: Creative Moment; Distance; Embodiment; Gap; MCR; Mimetically-Cued Recall; Practice as Research; Reenactment viii List of Illustrations 1. Dancers performing the work of MCR1……………… .133 2. LASALLE College of the Arts dancers working during the MCR process, 2013………… .181 ix Chapter Introduction Over recent decades, it has become more common for dance choreographers to describe their activity as “inquiry” or “research.” This has come to be known as “Practice as Research” (PaR). Intersecting periodically with the author’s own development during the past 40 years as a practicing choreographer, PaR has gradually grown to become a widespread phenomenon as a research methodology within the arts and specifically in the field of contemporary dance. As a central point of focus, this has drawn attention to the acquisition of knowledge rather than the performance artefact, even if the choreographic process is in the service of a performance as a final outcome. The inquirybased work of dance practitioners has therefore raised a number of questions about the nature of embodied, practice-driven research when compared to research which is cognitively or textually oriented. These questions consider: whether such body-oriented inquiry can be considered as “research”; whether gaps in the existing knowledge about dance hold any potential for discovery of new meaning; whether new methods can be discovered for conducting PaR if it is research; whether embodied knowledge can be both public and shared; whether reconstructing or reenacting choreography as a research method can possibly lead to new understandings; and whether the relationship between the process of inquiry and that of performance can be better understood. Mod. Lesson 13. 338 Resources Props Video Audio 3-D Sound? Journals Assignment For next week: Think of ways to use your cell phone or other hand-held device to Methodology/Content Work with a partner - at a distance. Find any way possible to communicate your research idea to your partner from a distance. Be creative – any method (other than To develop the basic concept of communicating remotely. How can dancers develop ways of working remotely by using mechanical and physical (non-electronic) Develop the concept of “remoteness”. (Hansen 2006) (Lantz and Murray-Smith 2004) (Kozhevnikov, Louchakova et al. 2009), (McLuhan 1967) (Manovich 2002), (Birringer 1999) (Biggs 2008), (Bergson 1988), (Auslander 2008), (Stelarc. 2011), (Auslander 1997), Reading for this module, for the next weeks: Objectives sending human proxies, or any other creative approach you can think of. Theme 30, 2013 [Space TBA] A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ Mod. Lesson 14. Hand phones Perhaps other PDAs Audio 3-D Sound? Video Journals For next week: Develop a language through your phone/messaging/sound alerts, etc. to communicate movement ideas to your partner who is removed from you in space – so you have no line of sight, visual connection – later get together and view the result. Can you recall/ remember/ record the process? To remotely communicate via electronic, hand-held devices, about movement ideas – continue your research ideas. How does the fact you are physically removed from your dancer by the electronics affect your ability to be “present” in your work? Use a cell phone or other hand-held electronic device to control/communicate your movement ideas to your partner. Think about ideas of how to use the video and photo recording functions of your phone to send choreographic information in real time to your partner(s). Read assigned reading. Resources Assignment Methodology/Content connect with and remotely control your partner’s movements/wo rk. Read assigned reading. Objectives electronic) is possible. Theme means? – e.g. sound, movement, writing, messages, etc. A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 339 Mod. Lesson 16. Mod. Lesson 15. 340 Objectives To remove the ability to see (by blindfolding) for an extended period of time can alter the perceptions and deepen connection to kinesthetic awareness. Use this state by using your phone’s sound abilities to control the group – explore ways to make this happen The entire research group (class) works as a group – blindfolded. Resources Blindfolds Video 3-D Sound? Audio Journals Cell phones Assignment For next week: Think about possible ways to use motion capture and computer imaging to pursue our research. Read assigned reading. Methodology/Content Everyone in the class will work together as one group on this project. By being blindfolded sound will become much more important. Through the use of cell phones and 3-D sound create a movement/improvisational choreography – and be aware of how your memory, other modes of observation (listening, feeling, etc.) and ability to record are affected. Hand phones (PDAs) Audio 3-D Audio? Video Journals For next week: Conceive of ways to work as a group with your cell phones as the communication tools – while blindfolded. Read assigned reading. Develop ways to use your telephone video and photo capabilities to project your choreographic ideas to a partner in a remote location – develop a visual communication that enables you to realize your research ideas on a remote body, without words. Observe remember – record – compare. To maintain creative focus while working solely with your cell phone’s video and photo capabilities as a communication tool to extend your work to another person at a remote location. Use the video and photo functions of the cell phone as an extension of self to remotely design movement and choreograph. Theme Resources Assignment Methodology/Content Objectives Theme A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 341 Method The students will be recorded with motion capture technology as they work creatively. They will then use the resulting data to better understand what is taking place. Content Motion capture will be used as a way to observe movement processes through electronic means other than video or audio. Students will explore ways to use motion capture to enhance their research projects Element Use of motion capture (either infrared or Kinect), computer visualization Friday, 9:15am – 12:30pm, 3.25 hours per session August 1, 2012 April 30, 2013 [Space TBA] 7a,b; 8a,b,c,d Remark Reading assignments for this module, for the next weeks will be drawn from the following: Read Motion capture adds another method of recording movement that may or may not shed light on elements of the research process in dance. Literature questions addressed (see attached question document): What methods need to be employed by the dance researcher in order to discover this knowledge? What kind of knowledge can be garnered from practice as research in dance? How can the unique results of practice as research in dance accurately be recorded and shared? How does the use of new, electronic media affect and enable such research? Research questions addressed: Motion capture, computer visualization, kinetic recording Time Module 5: A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ Mod. Lesson 17. Resources Motion capture equipment Computers Video Audio 3-D sound? Journals Prof Yin Kang Kang from Computing and Nicholas and Adrian from Soundzipper Assignment For next week: Come prepared with a specific area of movement that you would like to research using motion capture (MC) technology. How can MC help to inform the movement inquiry you are doing? Think of this in relation to captured movement as material for computer visualization. Read assigned Methodology/Content Students will experiment with basic motion capture techniques – either with Prof. Yin’s infrared equipment, or with simpler technology like Kinect. They will enter simple movement patterns in to the computer to begin to build a small data base of captured motion that the will later be able to use for their particular mini-research projects Objectives To introduce the basic idea of motion capture and what can be done with the resulting data. To also introduce basic ideas about computer visualization using the information from the motion capture sessions. Theme Introduction to motion capture as a way to research and objectify movement. (Dixon 2007) (Broadhurst and Machon 2006), (Brannigan 2011), (Blazhenkova and Kozhevnikov 2010), (Farley 2007), A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 342 Mod. Lesson 19. Mod. Lesson 18. 343 We will work with projections of your computer work For next week: Taking their motion capture experiments a step further, students will use with their motion capture data to try to realize their research goals within the environment of the To continue exploring the possibilities of motion capture and also to further explore computer visualization Motion capture continued, computer realization, Motion capture equipment Computers Video Assignment Methodology/Content Objectives Motion capture equipment (NUS, LASALLE) Computers Video Audio 3-D sound? Journals Prof Yin Kang Kang from NUS Computing and Nicholas/Adri an from Soundzipper Resources For next week: Keeping the motion capture data in mind, think how you would like to manipulate that in the computer environment to produce work closely related to your research idea. Read assigned reading. Students will first experiment with improvisational structures in relation to their motion capture ideas. Once they have solidified their movement ideas they will put on the sensors/ joint markers and work to capture the movement that the want. When they are satisfied with the result this will be recorded to be used as data for the computer visualization. To develop specific movement patterns, qualities and approaches with their eventual use as the building blocks of computer visualization. To find out the impact that working in a medium that abstracts movement away from the body and in a way de-embodies it, affects ones’ ability to stay present and research during practice. Using motion capture – develop specific movement motifs that will inform the computer visualizations or avatars. Theme Resources Assignment Methodology/Content Objectives Theme reading. A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ Mod. Lesson 20. Objectives To explore how projected computer imagery derived from motion capture of a student’s own movement can be interacted with and used to further research goals. To develop interactive mini-events with their projections in which the projected self takes on an equally Interactive work with projected motioncapture induced computer visualizations with the motion capture data. To begin to discuss and explore the concepts of virtual reality, avatars, and performing with or as an electronic “other”. Theme virtual reality 344 The students will find ways to use projection to interact with their own abstracted movement from their motion capture experiments. The projected computer imagery can be on large or small, external or internal surfaces. If additional motion capture needs to be done, they can add to their data. As always they will record their creative work as much in the moment as possible using the various recording methods they’ve used or discovered to date. For example, they can try talking to computer. Computer visualizations of their work. This could take many directions so the students should give free reign to their imaginations. As they work within the computer environment with their “otherized” motion captured self – they should record their perceptions/ideas about how this affects their ability to be in the moment with their creations and if they are able to “research” and creatively be in the moment at the same time. Methodology/Content Motion capture equipment Computers Video Audio 3-D sound? Journals Prof Yin Kang Kang from Computing and Nicholas and Adrian from For next week: Using some of the ideas we’ve covered so far and any new ideas that you may have, develop your own, unique approach to your research, using any kind of apparatus, electronic, new media, or Resources Audio 3-D sound? Journals Prof Yin Kang Kang from Computing and Nicholas and Adrian from Soundzipper Assignment next week. Think of ways to interact with our computer realizations of motion capture. Read assigned reading. A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ important part of the work. themselves while they work so they can record thoughts as they happen during the creative process. mechanical that you wish. Open creativity. Read assigned reading. Soundzipper A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 345 346 Method Students will explore their own, individual research goals – using any method used to date, or a new method of their choosing. Content Using some of the insights gained so far, dancers will develop their own mini-research goals and find ways to implement them in class Element Dancers decide on their own area of research and pursue it. Friday, 9:15am – 12:30pm, 3.25 hours per session August 1, 3b; 4d, 5a,b,c,d; 10a,b,c,d,f; 13a,b,c,d Remark Continue to record your thoughts, experiences, etc. in your journals - with video, audio and 2nd and 3rd person partner observations Literature questions addressed (see attached question document): What methods need to be employed by the dance researcher in order to discover this knowledge? How does practice as research in dance compare to more classical research modalities in academia? Is this knowledge unique and how will it add to knowledge in general? What kind of knowledge can be garnered from practice as research in dance? How can the unique results of practice as research in dance accurately be recorded and shared Research questions addressed: Individual, mini-research projects Time Module 6: A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ Mod. Lesson 21. 347 Objectives To use the context of the previous work we’ve done in class as a beginning point from which to pursue something that is uniquely your own. To attempt to practice your art and conduct research in the same moment. Observe and record in any method you feel Theme Open-ended creative exploration 2012 - April 30, 2013 [Space TBA] Assignment For next week: Continue working on your creative project. The use of New Media, props, changes of space, or any other element Methodology/Content Dancers will pursue their own creative work. They can work as solos, duets or in any group combination. This is open-ended. (Pakes 2004) (James 1999), (Forsythe 2011), Any possible resources the dancers dream up. May include the usual as well: Video Audio Resources (Fauconnier and Turner 2003), (Doughty, Francksen et al. 2008), (Candy and Edmonds 2009), (Hansen 2004), Reading assignments for this module, for the next weeks will be drawn from the following: Read A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ Mod. Lesson 22. Objectives To change the focus from one’s own creative work to include the work of others. To observe any internal differences in your ability to stay in the moment and simultaneously conduct your research. Theme Continue openended creative work. is most conducive to accurately capturing what is actually going on internally during your creative work. Resources Any possible resources the dancers dream up. May include the usual as well: Video Audio Phones, PDAs 3-D sound? Motion capture? Computers? Props Assignment For next week: Continue working on your individual and group projects. Read assigned reading. Connect the current new work you’re doing to that of another dancer or group of dancers. Pay attention to how this change in focus affects your ability to be in the moment with your own work. Does it change, or remain the same. Record your thoughts Phones, PDAs 3-D sound? Motion capture? Computers? Props Etc. Methodology/Content which comes to mind that we haven’t covered in class is ok. Read assigned reading. A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 348 Mod. Lesson 24. Mod. Lesson 23. Objectives Continue as above Continue openended creative work. Continue as above Continue openended creative work. Theme Objectives Theme Continue as above Methodology/Content Continue as above Methodology/Content For next week: Begin thinking of how to move the work we’ve been doing this year into the public sphere for a showing. Read assignmt. For next week: Continue working on your individual and group projects. Assignment Assignment Resources Resources A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 349 350 Content A culminating showing will give the students a chance to focus on their findings in a public setting – the public setting itself will become part of the research in that students should observe how the public sphere affects creative process and research. Element Prepare for a public showing. The showing is of process – so it is a continuation of what we’ve been doing as Friday, 9:15am – 12:30pm, 3.25 hrs\ session August 1, 2012 – April 30, 2013 4c, 13a,b,c,d Students will work to make their research projects observable to others. Method By performing their research projects, students will have an added impetus to focus and will be able to observe the effect of live performance on their work. The performance can take the shape of any research technique use during the semester. Remark Literature questions addressed (see attached question document): What methods need to be employed by the dance researcher in order to discover this knowledge? How does practice as research in dance compare to more classical research modalities in academia? Is this knowledge unique and how will it add to knowledge in general? What kind of knowledge can be garnered from practice as research in dance? How can the unique results of practice as research in dance accurately be recorded and shared? Research questions addressed: Prepare for public showing / culminating event Time Module 7: A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 351 Objectives As above Preparation for a public showing. Preparation for a public showing. Theme To prepare for a public showing using the materials we’ve explored this year. To observe and record how the experience of performing practice-based research in public affects our ability to be creatively in the moment. Theme Mod. Lesson 25. Mod. Lesson 26. Objectives a class. [Space TBA] As above For next week: Continue creating, planning and preparing for showing. Read assignemt. Assignment As above Resources As above For next week: Continue creating, planning and preparing for the public showing. Read assigned reading. Students will begin to compile elements of their work into an improvisational whole in preparation for the public performance. The showing itself will be an interactive, creative event which will feature the process the students are engaging with, and not necessarily the end product. Methodology/Content Resources Assignment Methodology/Content Reading will be drawn from their own journals in preparation for the showing. Read A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ Mod. Lesson 27. Objectives As above Theme Preparation for a public showing. As above Methodology/Content For next week: Continue preparing for the public showing. Read assigned reading. Assignment As above Resources A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ 352 353 Element PUBLIC Friday, 8:30am – SHOWING! 12:30pm, hrs/ses August 1, 2012 – April 30, 2013 Time Module 8: The primary focus will for the students will be to observe the effects of being in public and to record their own inner observations and reactions to such an event. Content 4c, 13a,b,c,d Method Literature questions addressed (see attached question document): Remark What methods need to be employed by the dance researcher in order to discover this knowledge? How does practice as research in dance compare to more classical research modalities in academia? Is this knowledge unique and how will it add to knowledge in general? How can the unique results of practice as research in dance accurately be recorded and shared? Research questions addressed: Public showing / culminating event A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead __________________________________________________________ [...]... focused investigation of these inquiries in a manner that is satisfying both as theory and as an attempt to further understand and facilitate creative practice 8 A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead _ 1.2 Historical Context Although practice as research in dance as an approach to understanding the phenomenon of human movement in relation... necessarily mean academic research, however since dance Practice as Research does not 7 A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead _ necessarily mean that it must be academic in nature A choreographer’s concept of research may not include a common understanding shared with academia about the basic nature of research, yet the actions that he/she... court dances of past centuries, can certainly have a practice- based research orientation Yet, more frequently it has been contemporary dance that has inspired artists to describe the dance practice they do as research This phenomenon is due to the nature of classical or ritualized dance forms, in that the primary focus of those that practice such forms is on the maintenance and continuance of the form,... pursuit In modern day colleges and universities, researchers explore dance with interest in areas such as dance history, dance performance, dance ethnology, dance anthropology, and dance kinesiology Research in this sense is conducted about dance However, more recently, dance practitioners have been arguing for the idea that the practice of dance should be considered as a form of research in and of... that is practically calling out to be researched In the modern day therefore, dance is finally coming into its own, with practitioner/researchers beginning to unravel the inner workings of the kinesthetic, choreographic realm – both as academic study and as research (Candy 2005; Phillips, Stock et al 2009; Smith and Dean 2009) 26 A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead ... on a body As in the case of scores that are comprised of text or notational symbols, the bodily notation of a choreographer working with a dancer and a dancer kinesthetically remembering choreographed movement, also enables and informs reenactment at a later date 13 A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead _ 1.3 Score and Notation By the advent.. .A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead _ To narrow this broad field of possible inquiry, this thesis primarily examines the following two areas: 1) the exploration of choreographic reenactment as a research tool and 2) the potential for gaps in knowledge to produce openings for new meaning to arise within the Practice as Research paradigm... under Margaret H'Doubler, in the 1930’s 25 A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead _ at NYU and Bennington College under Martha Hill and then gradually at many other colleges and universities in the United States and Europe (Hagood 2000, Vertinsky 2010) Since then, dance has gradually gained ground and become an increasingly serious academic... 1.5 Dance and Academia: It is within this historical context, that the genesis of the MCR technique began, by first perceiving a need for addressing dance practice as a form of inquiry, then by the eventual development of a clear understanding of the phrase practice as research and finally by the subsequent construction of a methodology to address that idea This study takes the phrase practice as research ... primary areas mentioned above: the use of choreographic reenactment as a research tool; and the potential for gaps in knowledge to produce openings for new meaning to arise 6 A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING PRACTICE AS RESEARCH IN DANCE John Mead _ 1.1 Author’s Background The motivation for this research is derived largely from my four-decade career in the discipline of dance . potential for gaps in knowledge to produce openings for new meaning to arise within the Practice as Research paradigm. This is done in relation to Practice as Research in dance (PaR) in light of a. particular research- based method that has impact in two areas: a) inquiry in to the process of choreography - for doing research on dance as it is being created and later reenacted, and b) the. nature of contemporary dance and its lack of adherence to a classical form. Inquiry into classical dance forms, such as those that evolved from the court dances of past centuries, can certainly