• Describe in detail the process we went through to create the Dance routine for the Illuminate Festival. We started off by looking into different types of movements and like ‘flowy’ and ‘ridged’ etc.. And Ms. Cod asked us to make up sharp movements as if we where a toy, and then she kept adding on and changing the counts and elaborating onto it for example: making us travel while doing our movement. We also had to get in partners and control them my moving their bodies as if they where puppets and we where their masters. Then she made us join with another pair, and then we kept joining with groups and teaching them our choreography whilst joining our dances together. Then she taught us a dance for us to all do, in a triangle. After she asked us to get into groups and choreograph a dance representing freedom and then show her. She made the second half of the dance using all of our freedom dances and putting them together.

• Describe the structure of the dance work. It had a binary structure. Explain the 2 parts and how it relates to your schooling journey. The structure of the dance was that there were 2 halves. The first half was us being very ridged, controlled and we were having very short and sharp movements. In the second half we became more flowy and looked much more free. The way our bodies moved weren’t as restricted and we had more freedom in how we moved and the amount of strength we put into our movements. This relates to our school journey because in the past school years, like primary school and year 7, we didn’t have as much freedom with making out own choices and doing grown up things. As those years of school where mainly to prepare us for the future. The transition of our movements from being restricted too flowy was symbolizing the transition from being in year 7/8, too being in high school and having more independence and starting a new school journey.

• Most of the choreography was created by you in small groups. This requires collaboration. Describe how you collaborated effectively and also what you could do next time to improve your collaboration skills. I collaborated effectively by listening to everyone’s ideas, and also contributing mine, Trying to help the group members when they needed help with moves and choreography. And always asking for help if I need it. Next time if I wanted to improve I guess I could be a bit more motivated in the classes and put more energy into the dances and less into talking with friends and playing around.

• Describe the style of movement in the two sections. Describe how we used Body (Shape), Energy (how you performed the moves), Space and Time. In the first section, I used my body in a ridged way, not allowing it to do its own thing and act as if I was being controlled. I did sharp movements, not moving around and using the space as much. And every dance move was quick and didn’t last for long. In the second half I had flowy movements through my whole body. Including my arms, legs and torso. I was more bendy and my dance moves where more rounded and they lasted for a lot longer. I used my space more and didn’t stay in the same spot the whole time, I felt free and the dance moves felt more positive and happy.

• Describe what you did well in the performance ( e.g., commitment, expression, accuracy, timing, spacing etc)In my performance I think my timing was quite good and I remembered all the choreography and did my dance moves correctly. Next time I think I could use more expression, as I am quite good at it because I do musical theatre, but I may have been less confident with this dance. It may have been because I am not used to doing dances like that, but besides that I definitely feel proud of the way I performed this dance.

• Reflect on how well you believe the group performed I think the group performed quite well and the audience enjoyed it all. I think maybe we could have done the cannon better and been more in time when we where in our diamond, but we definitely worked together very well in the other parts and I’m surprised how well the 2 classes combined our dances so quickly without that many questions/struggles.

• How was performing outside on the Common different from performing on a stage? It was different because there where levels (on the grass hill and on the floor), there wasn’t a ‘Centre stage’ and wings to run on and off. We also had to move around things like the trees, statues, and poles, etc. It was confusing at first, but I think it was a cool experience and was something different to try.

• What have you learnt from the process and performance that you can take with you for future projects (this can be in dance or in other areas of school and/or life)? I have learnt that in the dance areas, there are many different types or dance and ways to move my bodies that I wouldn’t usually use. Like the toy dance (the first half of the dance). Its good to explore other styles as it might be something that you enjoy or are good at. This could also be used in real life as well, like trying new things you may not be completely comfortable with.