Here's another nice mess: using video in reflective dialogue research method

Abstract

This account discusses ‘reflective dialogues’, a process utilising video to re-examine in-action decision-making with theatre practitioners who operate in community contexts. The reflexive discussions combine with observation, text and digital documentation to offer a sometimes ‘messy’ (from Schön 1987) dynamic to the research and provide multiple insights through reviewing the working processes. This account presents the method, along with examples from reflective dialogues with a selection of practitioners and critique of the processes. The account toys with this interplay of practice/research/reflection and attempts (albeit temporarily) to impose a structure to configure the mess. In seeking to re-inform the practitioners and potential practitioners in applied theatre, the reflective dialogues have generating their own web of messed up research-of-reflection-on-practice.

本文探討了“反映式對話”，即利用錄影記錄分析戲劇實踐者在與群體語境中根據具體情況如何作出決定。這一反映式討論結合了觀察，文本與數碼文檔記錄，為研究進程呈現了時有“混亂” (Schön 1987) 的動態性變化，為重新審視工作進程提供了多重見解。本文通過選擇性地展示了該過程中的實踐者以及相關評論不僅呈現了該方法，而且提供反映式對話的實例。本文考慮到了實踐、研究、反映之間的相互作用，並嘗試（儘管是暫時性的）運用結構組織對混亂現象加以規整。通過向應用戲劇屆當下和未來的實踐者的呈現，反映式對話已經形成了自己的獨有研究方式，即以反應實踐狀況為基礎的研究。

Este reporte discute ‘diálogos reflexivos’, un proceso que utiliza el vídeo para reexaminar la toma de decisiones en acción con profesionales del teatro que operan en contextos comunitarios. Las discusiones reflexivas combinan con la observación, el texto y la documentación digital para ofrecer una dinámica a veces ‘desordenada’ (de Schön 1987) al proceso de investigación y provee múltiples percepciones a través de revisar los procesos de trabajo. Este reporte presenta el método, junto con ejemplos de los diálogos reflexivos con una selección de profesionales y críticas de los procesos. El relato juega con esta interacción de práctica/investigación/reflexión y trata (aunque de manera temporal) de imponer una estructura para configurar el desorden. Al tratar de volver a informar a los profesionales y probables profesionales del teatro aplicado, los diálogos reflexivos han generado su propia red desordenada de investigación-de-reflexión-en la-práctica.

Keywords:

• video research
• practitioner
• reflection
• dialogue

Acknowledgements

The account includes extracts from reflective dialogues and acknowledges the contributions of the following: Laura Baxendale and Claire Hills, working with The Focus Group at The Lawnmowers Theatre Company, Gateshead; Nicola Forshaw working as a dance artist/educator for Converge courses for adults who are mental health service users, run at York St John University in partnership with the NHS; Amy Golding of Curious Monkey working as a drama worker at Live Youth Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne; Annie Rigby working with a group at Cramlington Youth Centre, North Tyneside, as a participatory strand for a performance with her company Unfolding Theatre.

Notes on contributor

Kay Hepplewhite is a senior lecturer at Northumbria University Performing Arts. She also works in community settings and with young people. She is studying for a Ph.D. at the University of Manchester, researching the expertise and qualities of applied theatre practitioners working in participatory settings.

Notes

1. Reflective dialogue videos can currently (February 2014) be viewed at two locations: http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/arts/faculty-of-arts/researchcom/alchemists-at-work.aspx; http://reflectivedialogues.wordpress.com/

2. See note 1 above.

3. Although I note my traditional use of surnames for published text citations contrasts with a use of first names for the theatre practitioners. Theatre participant names have been changed.