How much can you really offer up in terms of feedback? Do you need a college degree in dance making to give and receive critique?
I've never really experienced a formal process for feedback outside of my professional job as an Environmental Scientist. I wouldn't even know where to start. That's where Heather Glabe, Sadie Weinberg, and Emily Miller step in...
Together these women are creating Shared Spaces, the low-tech, high-quality summer performance series at Performing Arts Workshop (PAW) in Encinitas. The series kicked off in 2017 and is continuing this summer. Selected artists will be meeting together to exchange conversation and critique during development of choreography and (hopefully) use feedback to inform the final creation. When I heard about this process, I had to apply. This feels like a safe space to learn and improve. I presented a piece at Shared Spaces back in 2017 and am using similar themes again this year. I'm really looking forward to diving into the weeds a bit more to continue refining this work. Who knows what I'll do with it in the future, but my chief motivation in life is learning and improving, so this is right up my alley.
We will be using Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process, a method for giving and getting feedback on work in progress, designed to leave the maker eager and motivated to get back to work. The process has four steps.
1. Statement of meaning - responders state what was meaningful/notable/evocative
2. Artist as questioner - artist asks questions about the work
3. Neutral questions - responders ask neutral questions about the work
4. Opinions - self explanatory
As a scientist, the prescribed methodology that can be replicated is appealing. As an artist, the carefully moderated approach feels nurturing rather than intimidating.
Through this experience I hope to reflect, collaborate, and ultimately improve my ideas.
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