Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday the 13th
We had a great rehearsal yesterday Friday the 13th!! I had the kids journal about a loss in their lives. I haven't read about them but I am guessing the majority is about death and one is about the loss of a friendship. Another thing we did was watch their alignment videos and see the little habits they haven created when dancing. It was eye opening for a few of them. Lastly we started exploring improvisation. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. In the beginning I just had them start moving. I noticed movement patterns so I directed them to move differently. After we sat down and I had them write down words that described how they felt about their journal entry when it was happening and how they felt about it now. Then we moved again. I saw a huge difference in they movement. I saw range and anger in a lot. The last entry was to write down some movement qualities. This gave them a little more direction and they started exploring a lot more. It was amazing just in 30 minutes the change I witnessed in their movement. I think they have gotten over the initial embarrassment and will hopefully be less inhibited next time.
Rehearsal
We had a great rehearsal yesterday Friday the 13th!! I had the kids journal about a loss in their lives. I haven't read about them but I am guessing the majority is about death and one is about the loss of a friendship. Another thing we did was watch their alignment videos and see the little habits they haven created when dancing. It was eye opening for a few of them. Lastly we started exploring improv. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. In the beginning I just had them start moving. I noticed movement patterns so I directed them to move differently. After we sat down and I had them write down words that described how they felt about their journal entry when it was happening and how they felt about it now. Then we moved again. I saw a huge difference in they movement. I saw range and anger in a lot. The last entry was to write down some movement qualities. This gave them a little more direction and they started exploring a lot more. It was amazing just in 30 minutes the change I witnessed in their movement. I think they have gotten over the initial embarrassment and will hopefully be less inhibited next time.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
7 Stages of Grief... (recover-from-grief.com)
1. SHOCK & DENIAL-You will probably react to learning of the loss with numbed disbelief. You may deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain. Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once. This may last for weeks.
2. PAIN & GUILT-As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. Although excruciating and almost unbearable, it is important that you experience the pain fully, and not hide it, avoid it or escape from it with alcohol or drugs.
You may have guilty feelings or remorse over things you did or didn't do with your loved one. Life feels chaotic and scary during this phase.
3. ANGER & BARGAINING-Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame for the death on someone else. Please try to control this, as permanent damage to your relationships may result. This is a time for the release of bottled up emotion.
You may rail against fate, questioning "Why me?" You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair ("I will never drink again if you just bring him back")
4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS-Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. This is a normal stage of grief, so do not be "talked out of it" by well-meaning outsiders. Encouragement from others is not helpful to you during this stage of grieving.
During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. You may isolate yourself on purpose, reflect on things you did with your lost one, and focus on memories of the past. You may sense feelings of emptiness or despair. 7 Stages of Grief...
5. THE UPWARD TURN-As you start to adjust to life without your dear one, your life becomes a little calmer and more organized. Your physical symptoms lessen, and your "depression" begins to lift slightly.
6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH-As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life without your loved one. You will start to work on practical and financial problems and reconstructing yourself and your life without him or her.
7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-During this, the last of the seven stages in this grief model, you learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward.
From: recover-from-grief.com
2. PAIN & GUILT-As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. Although excruciating and almost unbearable, it is important that you experience the pain fully, and not hide it, avoid it or escape from it with alcohol or drugs.
You may have guilty feelings or remorse over things you did or didn't do with your loved one. Life feels chaotic and scary during this phase.
3. ANGER & BARGAINING-Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame for the death on someone else. Please try to control this, as permanent damage to your relationships may result. This is a time for the release of bottled up emotion.
You may rail against fate, questioning "Why me?" You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair ("I will never drink again if you just bring him back")
4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS-Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. This is a normal stage of grief, so do not be "talked out of it" by well-meaning outsiders. Encouragement from others is not helpful to you during this stage of grieving.
During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. You may isolate yourself on purpose, reflect on things you did with your lost one, and focus on memories of the past. You may sense feelings of emptiness or despair. 7 Stages of Grief...
5. THE UPWARD TURN-As you start to adjust to life without your dear one, your life becomes a little calmer and more organized. Your physical symptoms lessen, and your "depression" begins to lift slightly.
6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH-As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life without your loved one. You will start to work on practical and financial problems and reconstructing yourself and your life without him or her.
7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-During this, the last of the seven stages in this grief model, you learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward.
From: recover-from-grief.com
In the Beginning
I am starting to work on my Thesis project and all my thoughts and reflections will be posted here. I will post videos and pictures of the students dancing and reflecting on their thoughts and experiences. We are going to explore the stages of grief and see how they have dealt with loss. It is not only about death but any kind of loss. Loss of a loved one, relationship, friendship, home, job, etc...
My students are in high school but have still dealt with many difficult things in their short lives. I think that is one reason I chose to look into this. I have experienced the loss of my father and to this day I still don't think I have grieved. I didn't even realize there were different stages of grief. Maybe I'm stuck in a stage and don't even know it. Hopefully my questions will be answered throughout this process.
Please take the journey with us.
My students are in high school but have still dealt with many difficult things in their short lives. I think that is one reason I chose to look into this. I have experienced the loss of my father and to this day I still don't think I have grieved. I didn't even realize there were different stages of grief. Maybe I'm stuck in a stage and don't even know it. Hopefully my questions will be answered throughout this process.
Please take the journey with us.
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