Quick Note from Reading #4

"Rethinking Women's Ways of Knowing: Gender Commonalities and Intersections with Postformal Thought"

Geesh. That's a long title. Normally I might be all over this because the whole article discusses differences between men and women. I found though that I had a hard time discerning the actual findings of the studies since the most recent study tested the theories of a previous study. Or maybe because I'm a woman I found the whole article dry and separate from my own experience or way of knowing. Ha!

Quick Note from Reading #2 and #3

From "How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy" posted in The Chronicle of Higher Education:

"Do I even have a teaching philosophy?"

Why, yes, I sort of do. Well, it's a first draft. There are a couple of things in there I need to clarify and obviously, it's a general philosophy. Depending on the places I would apply to when I'm back on the job market, I will need to tweak the statement. http://www.rashanaworks.com/classes.html.

From Jan Erkert's "Harnessing the Wind" - I don't have a response since the assignment was to review the example of a syllabus. It outlines a format of necessary information. Pretty straightforward.

Quick Note from Reading #1

Just to personally give me a little time to reflect after all the reading I'm going to do today, I thought I would pick one quote out of each reading and post something. We'll see how it goes - cuz really - nothing ever turns out how I imagine (i.e. proposing to post twice a week - ha!).

From Anne Bogart's "A Director Prepares:"

"It's not about the right idea or even the right decision, rather it is about the quality of decisiveness."

I find it is much easier for me to be decisive when performing my own work, but much less decisive when directing others. Frankly, it's frightening to me - and maybe that's a good thing. Now I just need to enter into the unknown and start making stabs at what I'm thinking. To say or do "nothing" is to present "nothing."

Photo credit: Shawn Hodges

More Wine Please

Okay, things are getting pretty tense nowadays. I putzed around in Photoshop for a few minutes tonight before getting back to obligations. I can't wait for summer....

Wednesdays

"There is a force within that gives you life - Seek that.
In your body there lies a priceless jewel - Seek that.
Oh, wandering One,
if you are in search of the greatest treasure,
don't look outside.
Look within, and seek That."

- Rumi, was a Sufi Mystic & Poet.

I'm beginning to really enjoy Wednesday mornings. It has become a time NOT to do coursework, but to take care of myself. This can mean a nice long shower, stretching, yoga, catching up on watching videos, cleaning house or just being quiet and watching people walk down the sidewalk in front of my house. I wish I had more Wednesday mornings. One day.....

Video from Rehearsal with Chafin No. 1

Below is a video from the first rehearsal with Chafin. I started playing with in-camera editing and overlaying existing sound from other clips. I plan to continue working on interview-type clips and dance clips to see what I come up with in regards to "identity" related issues. While I call this project "gender in choreography," it's really all about identity. Gender just so happens to fall within it. I like where this is going.

Methinks I Had a Weekend

It's going on 1am, but I'm not my usually dogged-self at this hour. I had a pretty good weekend. I actually spent time with David! Aside from a few hours at Sullivant Hall for rehearsal Saturday, I hung out with my husband - go figure. It was a welcomed change.

Today I got some work done in preparation for the week. I still have a lot more to do, but I'm having faith that I'll find time for everything important. (I'm learning that NOT everything is important. I'm picking my own personal battles in other words.)

Here's the video I worked on today for the Media in Performance class.