Alys Davies BAPP Blog

'To understand a concept, to grasp the meaning of the words which express it, is always at least to learn what the rules are which govern the use of such words and so to grasp the role of the concept in language and social life’ – Alasdair MacIntyre     The Module 1 focussed BAPP discussion group on Monday 28th September was an extremely intriguing one.  I had planned to come to the session with a specific idea - to talk about the use of language in my practice. However, over the course of the discussion my thoughts changed, as did my discussion topic.     Another participant was keen to discuss the impact of Web 2.0, in particular social media, on the dance industry (especially during COVID-19), having recently watched ‘The Social Dilemma’ (Jeff Orlowski) on Netflix. The conversation was full of varied opinions from multiple perspectives, ranging from current performers, who felt social media was their only way of self-marketing given the current climate a...

On Wednesday 23 rd  September I took part in my first BAPP discussion group, led by Helen Kindred. Beforehand I felt very apprehensive as I was unsure of what to expect, alongside feeling slightly nervous about presenting a discussion topic for the first time. On the flipside, I was extremely keen to hear from people on other modules, since I felt it would help me understand not only my own module but also the following ones and consequently how the whole course fits together.    The meeting started by everyone introducing themselves and their topics that they wished to discuss. I was grateful for this, since it made me feel more at ease and also helped to humanise the other participants, who previously had just been names and pictures on a screen. It was comforting to see some fellow students from Module 1, and to hear that they, like myself were feeling somewhat perplexed and overwhelmed. In addition, I found it fascinating listening to other people’s topics, and was pl...

Last week during rehearsals I found myself in a situation all professional dancers can relate to, learning choreography off someone who has already performed it. This, accompanied by the video of said dancer, made an old habit of mine, imitation, resurrect itself. I have always struggled with comparing myself to others, and this situation was the perfect avenue for this habit to present itself. I felt that I would never look as good doing the work as the original dancer if I did it my own way, hence my mind and body wanted to imitate them. Furthermore, the fact that my predecessor had phenomenal physical facility (flat turnout, extreme flexibility etc) only inflated my feeling of inferiority.    Fortunately, I managed to mentally walk out of this minefield, by reminding myself of some basic facts. Firstly, no matter how much you wish for it and how hard you push yourself, you will never dance in the same way or have the same physique as someone else. This, although it may feel...

Respect is a term often coined in the dance world. Respect for ourselves, directors, choreographers and collaborators is expected and often demanded. But what does respect really mean in terms of our practice? And are we subconsciously disrespecting ourselves through our training and reactions to other people’s perceptions of our industry?    Dancers are taught from a very young age to be self-aware; to be able to identify technical and behavioural flaws, to understand the importance of spatial awareness both in class and on stage, and, later on, to curate a style or ‘brand’ that they can market in the professional dance world. This, in theory, is a positive thing that equips dancers with transferable skills that will aid them in other areas of employment and in general life. However, often teachers and industry leaders have branded dangerous and extreme behaviours (such as excessively cross-training and restrictive dieting) as self-respect, warping the concept and damaging yo...

Prior to the pandemic, site-specific and outdoor performances were somewhat niche. They were often used by a variety of contemporary companies and dance troupes, usually to communicate a specific idea or concept that wouldn’t have worked in a traditional theatre setting. They also were seen as an opportunity for free publicity and to appeal to a wider audience, many of whom perhaps would never have been exposed to contemporary dance otherwise.    Now however, performing outside and in public places is the only option for a huge number of dance companies. Theatres are closed, and those that are open do not have the fiscal means to host socially distanced performances. Larger companies with their own facilities can create dance films or participate in live streams from their studios, however there is no guarantee that these will have the same impact as live performances, or even that they will be visible to those outside the (now online) dance community.    Naturally, ...