From Rhizome to Writing

Hello everyone, I just thought I'd share this, you may well be further along your journey than I am as I feel as if I'm a bit behind, but maybe it could be useful anyway? 

I had been struggling to start writing my paper and in an attempt to get me out of my stress funk yesterday Adesola suggested I get everything out in front of me in the form of a rhizome (I didn't know what this was either until a couple of weeks ago, it's a growing plant that has shoots that are all connected, it creates a good image for an essay evolving.) I was a little apprehensive, as for a dancer I certainly don't consider myself amongst the most creative people and usually approach things in a far more boring and methodical way. As I got stuck into this though I really began to get a sense of how all my thoughts and ideas could be connected and fit together. I’ve attached the image (you can laugh, I know it looks like a 5 year old did it.) 

Each shoot represents an idea or theme that has emerged through my inquiry. As I continued to work on it I began to think more in depth about these ideas, add some new thoughts and realise which areas seemed most prominent. I made new links and got a sense of my journey so far in a more wholesome way.

After doing this I had a chat with a friend about this process, with a view to me picking three important ideas to focus on. I now at least have a starting point to start writing around these themes...It's something about the technique and repertoire of Graham and Graham based practitioners being a way of doing history (rhizome shoot 3) Expectations of a technique class in an educational setting (shoots 2 and 8) and links in dialogue between dance languages in technique class (shoot 9.) This will all hopeful be tied together through my phenomenological data using ethnographic methodology.

Who knows maybe some bits will change when I get going but at least I can begin....!

Thanks for reading,

Sarah