Something I wish I had done at the start of my EE process is conducted more in-depth research about the broader topic before trying to narrow my research question. I originally started with a specific mental illness I wanted to investigate in relation to the Theatre of the Oppressed but when I started my further research, I realised there were no studies relating the two narrow topics and so I had to broaden my research question again. This helped me as I was able to gain a wider understanding of the whole topic and choose the area within that which I was most interested in. In this way, being open about changing my research question really helped me to choose topics which I would both enjoy researching and find sufficient information on without the pressure of having to stay within the confines of a narrow topic.
As this is the first time in a few years that I have been involved in a smaller play (not a large musical), I loved the uniqueness and richness of the ensemble’s connections that were formed throughout the process. The opportunities we were given to create our own work within a bigger piece and understanding how everything connected together was very valuable as a cast member and it enabled me to develop my collaborative skills within a group of people that I may not have worked often with before.
This was the first year that I was involved in the Culturama show. As I have been involved in the Dance Showcase for the last few years, it was not an entirely unfamiliar experience for me. However, I did have to adjust to a different style of management and a different type of process than what I am used to. In this way, I developed my ability to adapt to new situations and understand the process quickly.
This year I have decided to be involved in the Dance Showcase committee again, this time as a co-chair instead of the chair. My focus will therefore mainly be shifting the responsibilities of chair to my co-chair Clarice, as she is in Grade 11 and will be able to carry on the legacy of the Dance Showcase next year when I have graduated from UWCSEA.
So far, we, along with our dance coordinator have planned the process for this year, building on my previous experiences from the past showcases and identifying areas of improvement.
I also plan to choreograph two dances with two other people, meaning that we will need to collaborate to divide our responsibilities and work together to choreograph and plan our dances.
