A friend of mine who will be beginning the graduate program in COMM Studies this fall has often expressed how his performance studies course as an undergraduate “changed his life!” Because of this course, he realized it was possible to use his passion for performance “as a tool for research” (Trenholm, 2008, p. 392) and continue to study the field of communication. While I understand performance studies and performance as research are not fresh to the profession, I did not have any performance course options at my undergraduate so I find this methodology interesting. Until I learned more from him and read this section of Chapter 13, I rarely considered how often we engage in performance to be evaluated (from a research perspective). Although I am apprehensive to enroll in a performance class, I think, as Trenholm (2008) stated, I would feel more “[liberated ... and] try on new identities and express unfamiliar emotions” (p. 391). I would like to explore what it would be like to stretch myself beyond the “comfortable” through performance.
I have also heard from many different people that the Performance as Communication classes are great and that I should definitely take one. I was actually signed up for the class this summer before they dropped it. I don’t think that I will sign up for it again because I am super nervous acting and I assume there is acting in the class. Even though I am sure I would get used to performing in front of people it is still super nerve wrecking for me. I never thought of performance as a form of communication before I had been told about this class but I guess it is all the rage in the COMM department.
ReplyDeleteI hadn’t heard about performance research either. Now the enthusiasm that you guys have is making me really curious about looking into it more. I feel like since I’m pretty shy, I might have a hard time with it, but I would like to challenge myself. Gunnerisfunner- I really like the quote that you brought up from the textbook. It would be interesting to experience the world as someone new, if only for a fictional performance. It seems like it is has less potential to cause harm than ethnography, because once the performance is over you can go back to your normal life. You wouldn’t have to build fake relationships with your cast members- you could be yourself once you’re off the stage.
ReplyDeleteDiscussing performance as a form of research is a topic i would have skimmed right over. Performance is intimidating to me as well, and performing skits or a whole scene about concepts in communication i think one uses a entire different side of themselves other than just a quiz on paper or just re-stating what the book says. There is a sense of freedom and craziness about performing, you have an audience you can get to be in your shoes and cheer for you. Performances can make them laugh or cry and no ordinary text book can truly engage a class that way. Performance research is an underdog methodology.
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