Molly Dutton BAPP

Here we are in module 3, where did all that time go! Well it’s been a strange but rewarding journey thus far and after my supervision with Adesola my brain that was once clouded with an overwhelming sense of worry about module three suddenly seems much clearer. Although I now need to steer my module three in a slightly new direction, I now know my first few steps to getting started. It’s easy to feel a lack of motivation when your daily tasks build up, your circumstances change during the pandemic and the handbook is staring you in the face. I wonder if this is a natural response that many of you have felt? So let’s move forward together, as my inquiry topic surrounds mental health in performing arts I aim in this module to stay better connected with other students. Maybe someone else is feeling how I felt? Or someone has similar questions to my inquiry topic that we could discuss. My point is that although we may all be feeling slightly overwhelmed especially with our normal choice of

Listening in on the module three presentations was an insightful and rewarding activity. Uncertain at first on how much value I would give to them by listening and vice versa, me only being on module 2 what benefit I would gain from it. I was delighted first of all that each person had such different inquiry topics that they had studied during module 2 and the way in which they contextualised their own practice was so diverse. No only does this fill me with more confidence going into the next module, it also confirms how big and varied the creative arts is. We all have different jobs within the industry, different thought processes, different questions but what unites us in the module and the willingness to learn and develop our craft. I took some notes during the presentations and decided the main areas of learning that I will take into my next module presentation were these key factors; - Preparation is key - Know exactly what is being asked - Don't be afraid of your inquiry

Mental Health. Yes a scary topic for many of us, even for people in the arts who so often are described as having free expression, whether that be through movement, voice, film, painting, writing..... well the list goes on. Do people really know about the hidden battles performers have with their own self confidence and body positivity. Probably not! because lets face it when the curtains go up the audience is greeted with a spotlight on a character who breaks into a tap number, a ballad or a shake spear monologue. This person must seem on the outside would never appear to have any mental health issues as they scream confidence on a stage. Take away the character, the lights and the audience, and what do we have, a real person who it just at work like every other human that does their 9 to 5 job, this performer is in effect 'just' doing their version of a 9 to 5. So why do many performers struggle with anxiety and body dysmorphia? Are we putting to much pressure on ourselve

To all my fellow performers out there! I can feel the struggle not only to get this degree done but to re plan, re assess and re evaluate the situation you are in. For many of us, we are self employed and Covid-19 has thrown a curve ball our way! My inquiry for this module is to question, " Does the performing arts industry contribute to performers having mental health disorders, specifically body dysmorphia and anxiety ?" Not only for performers but for the entire world, there is an increase in anxiety due to the way this virus is causing us to change our lifestyle. For many freelance artists the next wage slip and performance work seems an infinite distance away. For me personally I have had to fly back from a dance job in Greece, this was hard on every performers mental well-being that day. Now back at home, I value how lucky I am as a performer to have a supportive family who can house me and help me financially, not every performer has that luxury. So I have be

Delving into module ACI3622, I have been thinking a lot over the last couple of days about what area within mental health I should inquire. What are the big questions that need to be asked? Clearly to us as a society we know our mental health is hugely important in performing well, not only in the arts but in our lives. A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body.  As performers we deal with a great amount of pressure!  To perform high standards of dance,singing and acting to an audience regularly Self employment and unstable income Creating your performer image, look your best physically. Training in front of the mirror and looking for areas to improve regularly I believe we all know that pressure and lack of support can have the biggest impact on ones mental health. So I would like to understand if we as performers would want more support and believe it is a necessity and did we ever feel like we needed support for our mental health, and was anything already pu

Starting ACI3622, My area of Interest So I have been pondering for some time on an area that really interests me within my practice. Today is the day that I have finally come to a conclusion. I will be researching the study behind the relationship between mental health and performing arts. What are the positive and negative relationship between the two? I find that my knowledge of the relationship between the two only comes from life experience and things I have learnt so far, it is important that I look at the research that has already been done, and gather how this works within my practice. However on initial google, there isn't as much information as I would have expected. Yes, many people know that performing arts can be used as a tool to help people who suffer from a mental illness as it allows them an outlet. On the other hand their is little to no information about the help a professional performer can get who is suffering from a mental health illness. Most performer