I’m grateful for this year. It’s been difficult balancing health and university but this challenge has helped me re-position my practice and personal education as something that must co-exist and contribute to my wellness.

It's given me a better understanding of the kind of holistic approach that I will take forward in my professional career. It has taught me about time management and focus; the importance of preparation, as well as the magic in improv and the endless capability that we have to surprise ourselves and surpass our expectations.

Through good and bad organisation, I've learnt to take risks, make decisions quickly and trust myself and the outcomes.

Going forward, I will make planning a much bigger part of my personal process in order to minimise stress and maximise rehearsal/development. As I do this, I will continue to create space for improvisation and the unplanned - using my work as a container for these experiences to happen.

This year has taught me not to overload myself. I’ve learnt that I can benefit and gain depth from honing in on one focus. I took part in many projects for this unit, which was amazing as it allowed me to learn from different tutors and have a varied educational experience, however, in the future I'm excited to work on one singular project and see what happens when I’m not over-extended and can pour all of my energy and resources in.

CSM has provided a space to be imaginative. I’m grateful to have spent this time here in an open-minded and encouraging environment. This environment has allowed me to take on external projects with confidence.

Although some of my projects did not have a realised outcome as first intended, all of the classes attended and the learning I received has been invaluable and supported my wider work.

I now have a foundation and planning for my film - as well as the experience of CSM Alive and my independent project, to support the creative and choreographic direction. Themes from the Performance as Protest unit have heavily supported my research and this is a topic of interest that I will continue to explore. The CSM Alive show has unlocked new possibilities for me in the musical /theatre/gig forms and given me a framework that I am now able to develop and expand for other venues.

Throughout this year, I’ve been inspired and exposed to new things. I've worked through challenges, enhanced my knowledge and skills, and made performance work that is meaningful to me. Further to this, I've gained new friendships and collaborative relationships. Working with and getting to know the other students on this course, has provided me with support and a creative community. I've gained a network and learnt firsthand from the work ethic and dedication that my classmates have demonstrated.

Through this unit, I've learnt how to manage stress, creativity and professional expectations as well as advocate for myself and my needs. I have a clear sense of direction and I'm excited to keep developing the work I've started here.

UNIT 9 REFLECTION

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