Thomas-killlmans’s theory of conflict resolution explains the different ways in which a person can act during a collaboration. It is presented in a graph where the x axis is assertiveness and the y axis is cooperativeness and depending on your level of each, you are placed into one of 5 categories; competing, avoiding, compromising, accommodating and collaborating (McPheat, 2022). Within this situation I had high assertiveness but low cooperativeness which placed me in the competing category. This explains my behaviour as, subconsciously, I thought that my ideas were better and wanted them to be used instead and became irritated when they weren’t.

Using my logs to help reflect, I recognized the need to improve my collaborative skills, support Lucy more effectively, and contribute meaningfully to the process. In week four, an incident highlighted this effort when Lucy proposed a movement idea involving eight counts of eight. The section featured all four dancers holding hands in a circle, improvising as we wove in and out of one another. After experimenting with the idea multiple times, Lucy expressed dissatisfaction with how it appeared and asked us as dancers if we had any suggestions for improvement. I considered proposing a gradual transition from smooth improvisation to frantic, struggling movements, which I felt would make the segment more dynamic and convey a key element of our theme, struggling to emerge from the ground or soil. However, I was worried that offering suggestions might be interpreted as me having the overly competitive behavior I showed in previous weeks, therefore, I chose instead to reassure Lucy that her idea was fine as it was. According to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode theory, I was being accommodating, as I demonstrated low assertiveness but high cooperativeness. While this avoided potential conflict, it did not allow the exchange of ideas that Lucy was seeking, or enhance our collaborative process. By being passive in this situation, I missed an opportunity for richer collaboration and mutual growth.

Through reflecting on my past behaviors, I recognized significant growth in my collaborative skills during the final weeks of the project. These skills, I believe, greatly benefited the creative process. For instance, when the group had paused dancing for an extended period and seemed at risk of wasting rehearsal time, I would suggest running through a sequence or revisiting sections that could be refined. This demonstrated a high level of assertiveness. Additionally, I ensured that my contributions were made at appropriate moments, such as when asked for input, and communicated them in a constructive way. I did this by focusing on progressing choreography or conveying themes instead of critiquing lucy’s work in a way that might undermine her. This balance of high assertiveness and cooperativeness aligns with the "collaborating" category of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode theory, considered the optimal placement for effective collaboration Reflecting on my collaborative skills in reference to this theory has helped highlight to me areas in which I needed to adjust my behaviour. It has emphasized the importance of balancing assertiveness with cooperativeness to achieve smooth and productive collaboration. Moving forward, I will use the collaborative skills I have acquired from this experience in future projects, ensuring I continue to refine my approach through reflection and practice.

To help understand the purpose of the movement, I asked Lucy how she thought it related to the themes. She explained that she just liked it and that it didn’t  This bothered me in the next few rehearsals, as I felt these phrases weakened the piece and disrupted the thematic portrayal. I shared my concerns with our tutor, Armana, who told me that finding personal ways to link movement to intention is a valuable skill and can even inspire the choreographer. Taking this advice, I looked for connections and realized that aspects of the theme, such as struggling to reach the surface, being pulled down, and frantic dynamics, mirrored my own struggle to stay in time and the up-and-down motion of the sequence. Instead of resisting this, I decided to embrace the struggle, allowing some movements to become frantic and imagining a constant fight upward while being pulled down. After confirming this approach with Lucy, I incorporated it into my performance. This change not only gave me confidence in what I was embodying but also made the sequences more cohesive with other frantic sections of the piece. It provided the audience with more opportunities to interpret the themes, enhancing the overall consistency and impact of the dance. This experience taught me that, as a dancer, you don’t have to be passive In trying to understand and portray the meaning of the movement. Before, I’ve expected the movement to speak for itself but now, if I lack clarity, finding personal ways of connecting to the world the choreographer is creating will help me to embody themes.

In conclusion, this project has allowed me to grow as an artist by improving my skills in collaboration, a vital tool within the dance industry. By learning how to communicate appropriately, I was able to provide valuable contributions. I now have a better understanding of aiding and creating a choreographer’s vision and I can provide a space in which people can collaborate safely and comfortably. All of these factors will guide my approach for future collaborations.

Cleveland Clinic. “Cardiovascular Endurance.” Cleveland Clinic, 21 Feb. 2023, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24754-cardiovascular-endurance.

Edwards, Travis. “Periodization Training: Benefits, Uses, and How to Get Started.” Healthline, 30 Mar. 2021, www.healthline.com/health/fitness/periodization-training#what-it-is.

Exercise Right. “A Timeline of How Your Body Reacts to Exercise.” Exercise Right., 28 Nov. 2016, exerciseright.com.au/body-reacts-to-exercise/.

“Footwork – Kathak World.” Kathak World, www.kathakworld.com/footwork-2/.

Funkenstein, Susan Laikin. “Anita Berber: Imaging a Weimar Performance Artist.” Woman’s Art Journal, vol. 26, no. 1, 2005, pp. 26–31, www.jstor.org/stable/3566531?seq=1, https://doi.org/10.2307/3566531. Accessed 25 Nov. 2020.

“Kathak Dance - Origin, History, Costumes, & Popular Dancers.” Ipassio, 5 May 2025, www.ipassio.com/wiki/dance/indian-classical-dance/kathak

Lea Anderson. “Smithereens Hand in Glove.” YouTube, 11 May 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7bu8b2tnlc. Accessed 12 May 2025.

McKinsey & Company. “What Is Psychological Safety?”

Www.mckinsey.com, 17 July 2023, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-psychological-safety.

McPheat, Sean. “What Is the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Management Model?” MTD Training, 4 Oct. 2022, www.mtdtraining.com/blog/thomas-kilmann-conflict-management-model.htm.

National Dance Company Wales. “Lea Anderson’s Zoetrope.” YouTube, 21 Feb. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0bx7xAK3FE. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.

nemesister22. “Anita Berber.” Nemesister, 20 Mar. 2014, nemesister22.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/anita-berber/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.

Northern School of Contemporary Dance. “Verve - “Dynamo” by Lea Anderson (2012).” YouTube, 17 Apr. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NEAMBWI2vc. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.

Palmer, Cara, et al. Sleep Loss and Emotion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of over 50 Years of Experimental Research. 2023.

webmaster. “The Tale of the Halahala Poison - Mahabalipuram.” Mahabalipuram, 8 Nov. 2023, www.mahabalipuram.org/the-tale-of-the-halahala-poison/.

Yetman, Daniel. “Endurance vs. Stamina: Differences and Tips to Improve Both.” Healthline, 12 June 2020, www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/endurance-vs-stamina.

When creating my periodisation plan, I researched Lea Anderson’s choreography to understand her movement style and determine the most appropriate training methods to prepare for working with her. In ”Zoetrope” (National Dance Company Wales, 2024), I saw a sequence where a jump is repeatedly executed, and in “Dynamo” (Northern School of Contemporary Dance, 2013), a phrase of movement is performed multiple times with increasing speed. Movement material like this requires a high level of cardiovascular fitness to sustain endurance and prevent muscle fatigue, which could otherwise increase the risk of injury (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). To prepare for this, I structured my periodisation plan around exercises that enhance cardiovascular endurance, such as running and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Additionally, in “Dynamo” and “Smithereens” (Anderson, 2020), I noticed a significant amount of partner work and prolonged stillness in held positions. This made me realise the importance of muscle and core strength to support my partner’s weight and maintain positions without tremors. As a result, I incorporated resistance training into my plan. After implementing these elements, I remained consistent with my training to evaluate its impact on both my rehearsal and performance. My plan gradually increased exercise intensity following a week of recovery and a week of deceleration, ensuring I was physically prepared for the demanding schedule of five-hour rehearsals over four weeks. Through consistent training, I saw steady improvements in both cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength, as the distance and speed at which I ran increased, while the number of repetitions in my resistance workouts also increased. This gave me confidence in my physical preparedness for rehearsals. However, once rehearsals began, I discovered that the process was far lower in intensity than expected. The movement required minimal athleticism, as I was only dancing for short periods, with a greater focus on characterisation than physical fitness. Because of this, it is difficult to determine whether my prior training directly benefited me during rehearsals. However, the ease with which I performed the movement may have been a result of the fitness improvements I had made. If so, this suggests that my training was still valuable, as it allowed me to execute the choreography without fatigue. Feeling physically secure in the movement also allowed me to focus more on characterisation and expression, essential aspects of this piece, which ultimately optimised my performance.

In my periodisation plan, I prioritised improving cardiovascular fitness, maintaining and enhancing muscle strength, and increasing flexibility. However, I overlooked other crucial aspects of performance. For “Smithereens”, I was cast in the snake duet, a role inspired by artists Anita Berber and Sebastian Droste, particularly Berber’s “Cocaine dance”. Berber, a German dancer and artist, gained notoriety in 1920s Berlin’s expressionist circles, known for her provocative artistic choices and themes such as nudity and intoxication. Her work, often in collaboration with Droste, explored vulgarity and explicitness. For example, a 1923 photograph named “Sliding on a razor” (photographer unknown) depicts Berber using a razor blade as if using it as a slide with her legs either side of the knife (Funkenstein, 2020). To embody these characters, I was instructed to demand attention, exude a sinister presence, and use facial expressions to suggest intoxication and vulgarity. This required a level of acting skill I wasn’t initially comfortable with, but over time, the embodiment of Berber and Droste became more natural. However, I also observed that my performance quality declined when my sleep schedule was disrupted. With fewer hours of sleep, I felt more anxious and self-conscious during rehearsals, particularly in front of peers, which made me hesitant to fully commit to the bold expressions and mannerisms required for the role. This personal experience aligns with psychological findings by Palmer et al. (Palmer, 2023), who found that young adults subjected to varying levels of sleep disruption reported fewer positive emotions, such as joy, and heightened symptoms of anxiety, including excessive worrying. My own anxiety increased, my mood deteriorated, and my ability to perform was compromised during periods of poor sleep, reinforcing the connection between rest and performance. This insight revealed a flaw in my original periodisation plan: I had only prioritised sleep during recovery week, overlooking the importance of psychological well-being throughout the entire training process. This experience taught me that physical preparation alone is not enough to reach artistic potential. Instead, consistent sleep and mental health must be prioritised across all phases of rehearsal in order to perform at your best.

Within my periodisation plan, I made a change to the schedule by reducing the frequency of my HIIT, running, and resistance training when I returned to university. I assumed that morning classes and rehearsals would provide enough exercise; therefore, I needed to cut these to prevent burnout. However, once rehearsals began, I realised that I was not as physically active as I had anticipated. Despite a five-hour rehearsal schedule each day, I was typically only needed for about two hours, leaving me with long breaks of two to three hours in between. Initially, I spent these breaks sitting and waiting, which unexpectedly made me feel more fatigued and unmotivated by the time I was called back. After exercise, the body naturally works to return to its resting state as quickly as possible (Exercise Right, 2016), causing heart rate and blood pressure to drop. Additionally, prolonged sitting or inactivity can lead to muscle stiffness. This, combined with the relaxed mindset that comes with rest, contributed to me feeling a lack of energy/motivation when returning to rehearsals. To counteract this, I incorporated small exercises during my breaks, such as walking, stretching, and warming up before returning to rehearsal. This adjustment helped maintain my energy levels and mental engagement. My experience highlights the limitations of a strict periodisation plan. Since I had no way of predicting the structure of rehearsals, I could not fully prepare in advance, and although I had done prior training, I was still feeling fatigued throughout the process. This also highlights the importance of flexibility in training plans, as adapting my approach was essential for ensuring I could rehearse to the best of my ability.

In conclusion, reflecting on my periodisation plan and its impact on my rehearsal and performance process has led me to conflicting opinions on its effectiveness. On one hand, the plan was beneficial in aiding my recovery from my previous performance, improving my overall fitness, and ensuring I was physically prepared to return to university, rehearse, and perform. However, the way I approached the structured format of macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles proved less effective, as it failed to account for unforeseen variables. Planning so far in advance was ultimately unnecessary, as the training I had implemented did not fully align with the actual demands of the rehearsal process. This showed me that I needed more of an intuitive approach when using periodisation, where I react to the experiences of rehearsal and make appropriate changes to my plan. From this, I conclude that while having a structured training plan is valuable for motivation, fitness improvement, and performance preparation, a more flexible, week-by-week approach may be more effective. This allows for adjustments based on evolving circumstances and real-time experience, ensuring that training remains relevant and beneficial.

Orange = expected medium workout 

Green = expected easy workout

Furthermore, Unit Eight has pushed me outside of my comfort zone, both technically and artistically, which has ultimately expanded my capabilities in contemporary dance and performance. In Wilton’s, I was introduced to a highly performative and theatrical style of contemporary dance, requiring me to use exaggerated facial expressions, exude confidence, and incorporate vocal elements, skills I hadn’t previously explored in performance. In Percolator, I learnt the technique of Kathak, a classical Indian dance form grounded in rhythmic footwork and precise gestures, qualities that are not typically present in my improvisational style. Both experiences initially caused anxiety, as they challenged me to perform in unfamiliar ways. However, as the rehearsal processes unfolded, I noticed significant improvement in my ability to execute both. I now know that I can perform with theatricality and use acting skills to portray character through movement, showing growth in both my artistic range and performative confidence. This has expanded the range of dance work I could pursue. Additionally, through Kathak training, I’ve developed greater confidence in my footwork and physical precision, which I can now incorporate into my own movement vocabulary, making me a more skilled and versatile dancer. My experience in Unit Eight has shown me the value of embracing discomfort, as stepping beyond my comfort zone has been essential for gaining new skills and developing as a performer. With this mindset, I will no longer shy away from opportunities that don’t align with my preferred style. Exposure to a variety of movement styles and performance types is key to growing in versatility, employability, and artistic confidence.

Finally, each project has equipped me with valuable skills that will support my approach to future rehearsal and performance work. Through the design collaborations, I developed stronger communication skills, learning when and how to share ideas effectively with my peers. Reflecting on past interactions allowed me to identify moments where my behaviour was either constructive or unintentionally abrasive. This self-awareness has informed how I engage in future collaborations, helping me to contribute more positively and professionally. Additionally, participating in the Wilton’s project taught me how to physically and mentally prepare for a rehearsal process through the application of periodisation. I learned how to create a periodisation plan that balances fitness and rest, enabling me to improve both my strength and cardiovascular endurance safely. These experiences have greatly enhanced my professionalism. The ability to collaborate effectively and maintain optimal physical readiness will be essential in sustaining a successful contemporary dance career. My involvement in Unit 8 has clearly helped prepare me for life beyond education by strengthening the core skills needed in a professional dance environment.

One way in which I contributed to the creative process was by ensuring I conveyed the storyline through my choreography. During the rehearsal process, Urja gave us the task of creating duets, in which our hands stayed in contact, where we were to make movements depicting a fight or struggle. This was to symbolise the eruption of the poison. Through depicting the chaos of multiple fights, the panic and fear of the gods and demons that ensued the eruption were conveyed. Initially, when my partner and I were choreographing this movement, we kept creating actions in which we would give each other our weight or use our contact to create counterbalances. At the end of the session, we performed our phrase to Urja, who explained that this weight sharing looked as though we were supporting one another instead of battling. This would convey a sense of trust and care to audiences rather than a fearful, dire situation, as the myth entails. In response to this criticism, my partner and I chose to choreograph new material in the following sessions, aiming to embody the theme of chaos. We replaced the supportive movements with actions that involved pushing and pulling each other, introducing tension and unpredictability. By incorporating sharp, staccato, and aggressive dynamics, we created an uneasy atmosphere that conveyed a sense of panic, making it appear as though we were desperately scrambling over one another. This demonstrates how I used my artistic capabilities to effectively communicate the Hindu mythology at the heart of the piece. By identifying the stylistic adjustments needed to convey a sense of distress, I was able to deepen the emotional impact of my choreography. This enhanced my ability to embody the themes of the work and ensured that the narrative was clearly and powerfully communicated to the audience.

Furthermore, during this rehearsal process, I reflected on my own positionality and how it influenced the priorities I brought into the space. As a white person from the United Kingdom engaging with a tradition and culture outside of my own, I recognised the importance of approaching the classes and rehearsals with curiosity and respect. Given the deep cultural significance of this dance form, I decided to research both Kathak and The Tale of Halala to gain a better understanding of the practice and the mythology we were portraying. I learned that Kathak is one of the eight classical Indian dance forms and the only one that originates from northern India. The term "Kathak" means "storyteller," and the form is an amalgamation of music, dance, and drama (Chandra, 2016). Historically, Kathak evolved from a means of sharing stories between villages, to conveying spirituality and myths in temples and later into a performance art used for entertainment. It was during this latter stage that its techniques became more refined and codified (Chandra, 2016). I also discovered that during British colonial rule in India, dance forms like Kathak were actively suppressed, forcing many dancers out of their profession (Chandra, 2016). . This historical context deepened my awareness of the lasting impacts of colonialism. As a British person, it underscored the responsibility I have to engage with this form thoughtfully, recognising its cultural and historical significance, and approaching Urja’s teaching with genuine respect and a commitment to learning and appreciating the depth of the tradition she is sharing with us.

Through realising my positionality, I gained an understanding that my role in this rehearsal and performance project was to learn as much of the technique and skills Urja was offering, to be able to convey the storyline to the best of my ability. This is because, technique and storytelling are integral to Kathak; therefore, as a person participating in this cultural art form, it is my duty to ensure that both my execution of movement and my embodiment of narrative are as accurate as possible. To do this, I recognised the importance of paying attention and recalling knowledge gained in the morning technique class, as much of the movement in the piece derived from, or were variants of, the technique we were learning. For example, in the class we learnt how to do a specific turn or “chakkers” (Chandra, 2016). To execute this movement, you step onto your right heel and quickly turn to the left while spiralling your hands, thumbs tucked in, at eye level in front of your face, keeping your focus fixed on them. This motif was repeated in the piece many times, and although they had variations where our arms would create bigger spirals or move one at a time, knowing the foundations of this movement helped us execute it. This shows that understanding my role in this project led me to strive for better technique within this practice, which in turn, benefited me during my performance, as I had the fundamental understanding of how to execute certain movements properly.

Carrying on, this focus on technique allowed me to obtain the storytelling abilities Kathak requires. As Kathak is a completely new dance style for me, in the first few weeks of rehearsal, when performing the choreography, my mind was too focused on trying to remember how to perform certain steps or the precise placements of gestures to focus on the storyline. However, as the rehearsals progressed and I increased my focus on technique, I was able to execute movements with ease, allowing me to focus on other aspects of the performance, such as storytelling. In “The tale of the Halahala poison”, when Shiva drinks the poison and holds it in his throat, the universe is saved, and a sense of serenity is obtained. In “Churning Vortex”, we conveyed this transition from chaos and fear to peace through our facial expressions, a common tool used to tell stories within Kathak. One movement in which we grabbed our throats, gasped, and knelt to the floor signified the consumption of the poison, and before this, our facial expressions were meant to look stern and serious to convey the severity of the situation, whilst after, our faces were intended to turn neutral to signify contentment. In the early stages of rehearsals, my mind was too preoccupied with remembering the precise technique that I would often forget to use my face to reflect this change of atmosphere. However, as I continued to practice the technique and the movements became more natural, I was gradually able to shift my focus to these areas of improvement, bringing more emotion into my facial expression and, as a result, communicating the storyline of the piece more effectively to the audience. Through this, I learnt that when approaching a new dance style, having a heavy focus on the technique can be extremely beneficial in terms of enhancing performance skills. Becoming familiar with how to execute movements allowed me to divide my attention between other important aspects of Kathak and, therefore, increased my ability to convey the themes to audiences.  

Finally, this rehearsal process has widened my technical capabilities in contemporary dance and, therefore, expanded the limits of my creativity. Kathak, as a dance form, has many stylistic qualities that differ massively from my previous contemporary training. This includes the rhythmical footwork, precise gestural movements, and the combination of both simultaneously. In the classes and piece, footwork or Tatkaar (Kathak World, n.d) was incorporated heavily. This consisted of stomping your feet, either heel or whole foot, to different counts which ranged in speed and consisted of different combinations of stomps. Previously, in my contemporary dancing, I have often used my feet or legs in a very legato, fluid manner without any emphasis on rhythm and instead, using my upper body to accentuate counts. Similarly, Kathak uses precise gestural placement, where the angles, height, and curvature of the arms/hands are fixed, which opposed my usual way of moving, as I often focus on pathways of movement rather than placement. Through participation in this project, I saw a steady improvement in these specific stylistic qualities, gaining in both skill and confidence to execute them.  Through this improvement, I decided to implement these kinds of actions into my own improvisations. This combination of rhythmic, rigid footwork and gestures, paired with my usual fluid dancing, brought variation to my art form. Suddenly, my movements were less predictable and carried a dynamic contrast that made my improvisations more engaging and expressive. This highlights how learning the technique of Kathak has benefited my contemporary dancing, demonstrating the importance of taking part of other dance forms, as learning alternative ways of dancing can help enrich and improve one's artistic expression.

Cleveland Clinic. “Cardiovascular Endurance.” Cleveland Clinic, 21 Feb. 2023, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24754-cardiovascular-endurance.

Edwards, Travis. “Periodization Training: Benefits, Uses, and How to Get Started.” Healthline, 30 Mar. 2021, www.healthline.com/health/fitness/periodization-training#what-it-is.

Exercise Right. “A Timeline of How Your Body Reacts to Exercise.” Exercise Right., 28 Nov. 2016, exerciseright.com.au/body-reacts-to-exercise/.

“Footwork – Kathak World.” Kathak World, www.kathakworld.com/footwork-2/.

Funkenstein, Susan Laikin. “Anita Berber: Imaging a Weimar Performance Artist.” Woman’s Art Journal, vol. 26, no. 1, 2005, pp. 26–31, www.jstor.org/stable/3566531?seq=1, https://doi.org/10.2307/3566531. Accessed 25 Nov. 2020.

“Kathak Dance - Origin, History, Costumes, & Popular Dancers.” Ipassio, 5 May 2025, www.ipassio.com/wiki/dance/indian-classical-dance/kathak

Lea Anderson. “Smithereens Hand in Glove.” YouTube, 11 May 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7bu8b2tnlc. Accessed 12 May 2025.

McKinsey & Company. “What Is Psychological Safety?”

Www.mckinsey.com, 17 July 2023, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-psychological-safety.

McPheat, Sean. “What Is the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Management Model?” MTD Training, 4 Oct. 2022, www.mtdtraining.com/blog/thomas-kilmann-conflict-management-model.htm.

National Dance Company Wales. “Lea Anderson’s Zoetrope.” YouTube, 21 Feb. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0bx7xAK3FE. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.

nemesister22. “Anita Berber.” Nemesister, 20 Mar. 2014, nemesister22.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/anita-berber/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.

Northern School of Contemporary Dance. “Verve - “Dynamo” by Lea Anderson (2012).” YouTube, 17 Apr. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NEAMBWI2vc. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.

Palmer, Cara, et al. Sleep Loss and Emotion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of over 50 Years of Experimental Research. 2023.

webmaster. “The Tale of the Halahala Poison - Mahabalipuram.” Mahabalipuram, 8 Nov. 2023, www.mahabalipuram.org/the-tale-of-the-halahala-poison/.

Yetman, Daniel. “Endurance vs. Stamina: Differences and Tips to Improve Both.” Healthline, 12 June 2020, www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/endurance-vs-stamina.