Running head: OBSERVATION 1

OBSERVATION 5OBSERVATION ACTIVITYThe observation of any population over a period of time can provide a wealth of knowledge to the observer. This idea is much like that of scientists out in the wild observing animals in their natural habitat, in order to truly understand how they interact on their own, with others, during mating season, when in danger, and any other multitude of scenarios. In much the same way, human behaviors can be observed and documented in order to understand more about a specific population. My observation took place at Georgia Colleges Miller Dance Studio during a student choreographers rehearsal of a new piece. The act of choreography is a developmental journey for both choreographer and dancer, which allowed me to gain more insight into how students interactions with one another relate to various student development concepts and theories. Through my observation, I found Arthur Chickerings psychosocial theory of the seven vectors of development to be the most applicable, although other theories and concepts could be applied. Chickering, along with Linda Reisser revised this theory in 1993 to have the ability to be applied to all college students, of all ages, regardless of their gender or background. I find this theory to be most relatable to college students and their development as Chickering and Reisser expressed that the rate of movement along any of the vectors may vary, and progress is not stagelike; movement on one vector may be simultaneous with change on another (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p.21). In addition, it is important that this theory allows for movement backwards and the ability to retrace ones steps as college students do not always fully develop in a predicable and systematic manner.College campuses of today include a diverse population of students who vary in gender, race, nationality, socioeconomic background and sexual orientation, but they all come together in the single environment of higher education. It is from this diverse environment that they are able to develop into their own person; identity formation seems to come naturally to some, while others continue to follow the crowd before deciding to break free. One obvious way in which college students express their identity includes their outward appearance. Whether as a form of inclusion in a group or expression of individuality, I noticed that these outward displays of expression represented the students journey through self-identity. In the dance studio, identity through appearance cannot always be developed in the same manner as it can be in other areas of a college students life. In ballet class, students have a strict dress code of black leotard, pink tights and shoes and hair in a bun, or for males, black tights and shoes with a white shirt. This conformity allows for little individuality of the students, but it can be seen if one only looks for it; the earrings a students wears like feminine pearls or the display of religious beliefs in a cross tattoo and Bible verse. In stark contrast to the formality of a ballet class, the rehearsal I attended enforced no such dress code. It was interesting to see these dancers in a their more relaxed and comfortable state as some choose to wear baggy shirts and pants while others opted for the more traditional leotard and ballet skirt. In learning more about the dancers in the rehearsal, I realized that the attire they choose wear correlated to their educational level; freshmen were more traditional while upperclassmen tended to be dressed in anything but the traditional. Unlike many other professions, the more advanced a dancer becomes, the less traditional their rehearsal attire must be. This is result of them having already gained the strength, fitness and self-discipline needed for their art and thus no longer requires the body adjustments and corrections from teachers that are more easily viewed in traditional form-fitting ballet attire. These students may not realize it, but through their outward appearance at rehearsal, I was able to understand more about their identity and competence as a dancer and artist. The ability to handle ones emotions is difficult for anyone, but can be even more difficult for a college student as they learn to manage their emotions during a pivotal time in their life. Just like a job, dancers are asked to leave their emotional baggage at the door and to enter the rehearsal space open to the thoughts and ideas of the choreographer, but this is not always the case. Dance can be considered both a team and individual sport as each dancer of the corps tries to imitate the exact movements of the other corps members while also pushing themselves individually to be better than the other dancers. This push to be better or identical can weigh heavily on a dancers emotions and occasionally, they can rise to the surface in rehearsal. As the choreographer explained and demonstrated a movement to the dancers, I noticed that some were able to grasp the idea very quickly and with a sense of satisfaction in their movement and facial expressions. However, for those who found the movement difficult, I noticed their frustration not with the movement or choreographer, but with themselves for not being able to execute what had been taught to them. One dancer did ask to be excused and returned with puffy red eyes as though they had been crying. After talking with the choreographer, it was discovered that this dancers management of their emotions had reached their limit with the stress of a major test and paper coming up and a relationship that had just ended the day before. What I witnessed next was not that of this dancer secluding themself until they regained emotional stability, but instead gaining stability through support and bonding with the other dancers. The group displayed their support through physical touch and words as well as taking the time to ensure that the overwhelmed dancer knew and understood the new the steps and movements. This ability to recognize, control, and develop appropriate responses to ones emotions is crucial to a students emotional development in college and beyond.In addition to Chickerings developmental theory, Astins theory of involvement can also be applied to my observation of the dance rehearsal. According to Astin, students learn by becoming involved through the assistance of their institutions ability to provide a variety of opportunities, both social and academic; it is up to the student to capitalize on these opportunities and become involved (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p.53). A dancers ability and willingness to becoming involved in their art is crucial to their development. A dancer who is not open to new ideas, dance styles, people, and experiences will remain stagnant in their growth technically and artistically. Because of this, dancers in a college setting are constantly challenged to reach outside of their comfort zone and encouraged to pursue new opportunities. As I noticed, several of the dancers were less than comfortable with some of the more modern movements the choreographer was asking them to execute, I begin to realize that these particular dancers were classically trained ballerinas, or more affectionately called bunheads. They had been given the opportunity to be cast in this particular piece in order to develop as a dancer and to become more knowledgeable in various types of dance. In much the same way, many of these dancers have been presented with opportunities to expand their dance technique to other styles through the Dance Minor course offerings, which have included courses on tap, hip-hop, musical theatre, and partnering.As a dancer myself, it was interesting to attend a rehearsal and not participate. The chance to observe a choreographer at work, molding and shaping the dancers into a fluid movement is a side of dance that most people do not get to witness. What made this observation even more amazing was the ability to view how college students can grow and develop through their studies of such a physically demanding performing art. Everything from the dress, expressions, and interactions of these students helped me to understand where these students are in their developmental journey, as well as how far they still have to go. Although my observation was of a single sex group of performing artist, I believe that much of what I witnessed and experienced can be applied to other college students.

ReferencesChickering, A. W. (n.d). The seven vectors: An overview. Retrieved from www.cabrini.edu/communications/ProfDev/cardevChickering.htmlPascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students (Vol. 2). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Feedback:Jessica,What a unique, creative choice to observe students at a dance rehearsal. You apply Chickering concepts very well to interactions and dynamics occuring during this activity. Enjoyable reading...J GoreJ Gore