Not I process and progress

As far as where we are as a collective, it is really on a spectrum.  Putting the pieces together was an interesting experience due to the fact that (a) half of the class was not present for the initial discussion of the text and (b) everyone was at different stages in their process for the piece.  It was interesting watching the different interpretations of the piece from those of us who were not present for the initial discussion of the text, because it brought a different flow and a different energy to the piece...some of which fit beautifully with the conversation we had had about the text, and some of which did not fit at all.  Additionally, the different levels of comfortability with the text brought an interesting rhythm and feel to the piece. Ironically, I could feel the nervous/anxious tension in the room, in addition to this "need" to get the piece over with and get your particular part over with and out and move on to the next person.  I thought it added tremendously to the piece.  I'll be interested to see what the piece feels like when/if that sense of uncertainty is not as present in the presentations.

As far as how I am individually in the process, I feel a little disjointed.  I'm still finding it difficult to pick up in the middle and fade out in the middle.  I wish there were more opportunities to rehearse with everyone in the group, purely to get a better flow of the piece and to see/feel/hear everyone else and use that energy and incorporate it into my own work.  My piece itself, though, is feeling much more solid than it was last week.  I've tried different tactics to get it into my body (such as standing, sitting, walking around, lying on the floor, going upside down), which helped me concentrate more on the physical things and less on the words, which helped with being able to rapid-fire spit out the text without thinking about it.  Additionally, the more I do the piece, the more I feel as though I'm on a rollercoaster.  The lead in is the rickity climb to the top of the hill, and then I pick up speed very quickly in the middle, and the end stays fast, but it slows down significantly towards the end.  It is an interesting feeling when your mouth seems to be a half second ahead of your brain...almost like it is detached. Can't say I enjoy it, but I did find the not-thinking-about-it-and-just-doing-it part liberating.