Background statement
My name is Jiafan Xue and I am from China, where I completed my primary, secondary and undergraduate education. This is my first time in the UK, where I have embraced a completely different approach to education, learning to innovate independently and collaborate to accomplish tasks. Although cooperation was present in my previous education, it often differed from the open-ended collaboration I now experience. Typically, cooperation involved only two parties: the educator and the group of learners. As learners, we were expected to listen quietly to the educator’s ideas and methods for completing a task and then carry out their instructions perfectly. This led me to habitually seek out a leader to follow, desperately wanting them to tell me exactly what to do.
I also studied musical theatre at undergraduate level. The collaborations I experienced during this period differed from my childhood studies of academic subjects. We did a lot of rehearsals and worked together, often in a way that was a bit like the integrative collaboration mentioned by Candy, but not exactly the same. The similarity lies in the shared objective of completing a production, choral piece or choreography, temporarily setting aside differences for the sake of the task, However, the difference lay in our educational background. We operated within a “certainty” model, relying on predetermined scripts and routines, and even instances where the director would demonstrate sequences for us to replicate mechanically. This collaborative model often resulted me in a lack of creativity, making me feel like a robot programmed with fixed routines. The apparent benefit is avoiding unnecessary detours, as every element is ‘pre-designed’ by predecessors. But this made me dislike leaders even more. I thought they stopped new ideas from happening and made people work together in the same way. This ‘certainty mindset’ leaves me feeling profoundly anxious and adrift when faced with open collaboration coupled with independent creation. I realise that I must learn to think independently and break free from my previous mental frameworks in future collaborative learning. I must also accelerate my adaptation to new learning methods and subsequently apply these skills to future collaborative projects.
Line of Inquiry
As a performer, among the three specialised disciplines of singing, dancing and acting in musical theatre, I find acting the most compelling. The singing and dancing based on acting also make the entire play completely .on stage actors employ their professional skills to interpret the essence of “acting”. It is through this acting that individuals come together, collaborating to realise one diverse work after another. Although in previous collaborations, I was given a scripted role and merely had to perform it flawlessly like robots. sometimes accept some openness and uncertainty, there is a high probability that team members will quickly establish trust amongst themselves. Then through thorough intellectual exchange, new ideas are spontaneously generated, enabling collaboration to truly take place.
As Sawyer (2003) observes:
When groups of individuals engage in unstructured conversation, what is termed “collaborative emergence” is often observed. The progression of the dialogue is derived from the sequential contributions of the participants. (Sawyer 2003)
Therefore, drawing upon recent learning experiences, the following discussion will explore how collaboration can develop in uncertain and dynamic interaction.
Documentation of Collaborative Practices
The First Workshop
In the course of a concise cooperative workshop, the members of my team and I engaged in experimentation with the utilisation of improvisational techniques, including the ‘yes, and…’ method, with the objective of stimulating collective inspiration within an uncertain and entirely open-ended context. This is a easy word-building game. The first participant would inscribe a word on a sheet of paper at random, and each subsequent person would then add another word to the preceding one, continuing until a complete narrative was formed. For this collaborative practice to be successful, it was significant that the participants first acknowledge and accept each other’s contributions before going further.
This is the final product we have created.
From the outset, it was unclear what direction the piece would ultimately take. With no outline, no theme, and no leader, could it truly come into being? However, as the collaborative process unfolded, an unspoken trust emerged among the team members, leading to the emergence of novel ideas and the development of a distinctive synergy. Over time, a consensus emerged among the group regarding the collective purpose, and the seemingly insurmountable task was successfully completed. This made me realise that fully open collaboration does not mean a lack of structure, but rather gradually building trust and direction amidst uncertainty, then proceeding boldly.
The second workshop
In the subsequent week, my classmates and I established a new team with the objective of creating a piece centred on the theme of “tomorrow”. The group was composed of students from a variety of disciplines, including a Director, Music Director, Dramaturg, Creative and Company , thus providing an excellent opportunity for complementary collaboration. Within this collaborative framework, participants shared a common objective and leveraged their distinct professional skills to achieve a synergistic effect where the whole exceeded the sum of its parts. Following deliberations on the specified theme, the team reached a consensus to devise a cabaret performance that integrates diverse artistic disciplines. The performance employs a voting system as a metaphor for social decision-making.
The overall structure of Tomorrow’s Cabaret
At the beginning of this project, having experienced the benefits of collaboration and having drawn upon prior collaborative experiences, I began to shed my reserve and express my views with greater boldness. As a musical theatre performance major, I primarily function as a conceptual contributor. I am able to propose creative ideas and then devise improvised dance sequences and dialogue based on the work’s theme and the characters’ motivations. The Music Director was tasked with reworking original compositions to align with the conceptual framework established .Concurrently, the Director and Dramaturg students undertook the refinement of the story outline and script.
Conceptual illustration for ‘The Tomorrow Cabaret’
The third workshop
In the subsequent micro-workshop, the variability of working methods across different disciplines was evident. The participants were divided into three groups, and each member was allotted five minutes to demonstrate a specific practice or exercise from their own professional training to the others. The objective of this session was to facilitate an opportunity for students from diverse academic backgrounds to engage directly with each other’s working methods and to cultivate a more profound comprehension of varied cognitive processes, as opposed to a predominant emphasis on the cultivation of “technical skills.” Despite the time constraints imposed on each group member, the value of these “differences” became evident through a collaborative teaching and hands-on approach.
For instance, when analysing the warm-up routine prior to singing, MD students placed greater emphasis on the balance between body and breath, as well as the coordination between the voice and the piano. Conversely, MA students specialising in classical singing concentrated more on the alignment of internal and external vocal muscles with sound production, and on the utilisation of physical techniques to protect their vocal health when their voice was not in optimal condition. In a similar vein, when analysing the same monologue, students from different programmes employed a range of approaches. The MD students placed greater emphasis on the interpretation of the script concept, while the MA students placed greater emphasis on their personal experience and sensation during the delivery of the lines.
Workshop Showcase of Individual Creativity
In this workshop our Chinese students demonstrating traditional tongue twisters, a comprehensive linguistic exercise that activates the lips (for training in plosive sounds), tongue, and oral muscles. This not only immerses participants in our traditional training methods but also effectively disseminates Chinese culture.
Research/Analysis
Following the completion of the various experiences outlined above, a more comprehensive understanding of the diversity of collaboration has been obtained. It has become evident that collaboration can be conducted in a secure manner, even in circumstances that are perceived as unstable or uncertain, provided that it is facilitated through regular interaction. Across the three different collaborative models, it is argued that the most crucial element is the mutual listening, responsiveness, and complete trust among team members.
The “Yes, and…” section, for instance, furnished my first direct and authentic experience of the appeal of collaboration. The model employed was one previously mentioned by Davis Robinson in the context of ensemble devising structures, and which Robinson termed “Tossed in the pool together.” This format is characterised by its highly engaging nature and collaborative nature, where participants are randomly paired – in a manner similar to the present collaboration – to complete a task within a limited timeframe. This approach has been shown to result in significant levels of enjoyment and creativity. “Yes, and…” is a form of collaboration that occurs without prior discussion or rehearsal, yet it yields unexpectedly rich outcomes.
As Robinson (2015) observes:
‘With some assignments, 15 minutes is sufficient to leave the room and return with a short piece to present. This generates excitement and sometimes frustration, but the time pressure helps resolve differences and is a great motivator for getting things done.’ (Robinson 2015)
The truth is, before a piece of work is fully realized, my previous habit was often to work alone or to want to be completely prepared before starting the practical work. However, I would frequently abandon ideas due to minor creative blocks or the belief that a concept wouldn’t be accepted by others—that it couldn’t be developed further. Alternatively, I would look for a so-called leader and complete the task under their step-by-step guidance.However, it is now believed that, in such moments, an attempt should be made to release these mental constraints and fully enter into an open, uncertain collaborative mode. In this mode, all participants adopt a beginner’s mindset, openly putting forward their own ideas and striving to accept each other’s contributions. It is precisely through these repeated collisions of thought that new, unplanned yet entirely plausible ideas emerge. This approach has been demonstrated to be remarkably effective and engaging in terms of facilitating collaboration. Within this atmosphere, participants are able to stimulate their minds fully, thereby sparking collective inspiration. The process of acquiring new concepts can be likened to the process of planting a fresh seed, which subsequently flourishes through subsequent learning and work.
Admittedly, not all collaborations proceed smoothly; challenges arise, particularly within the ‘tomorrow’ collaboration segment, where communication breakdowns and linguistic differences become evident. Our differences extend beyond linguistic expression and logical frameworks. For instance, when students specialising in Music Director or Dramaturg articulate their perspectives, they often lean towards rationality, employing more academic terminology. For those encountering these concepts for the first time, immediate comprehension and acceptance are not swift processes; time inevitably must be invested in ‘translation.’ Secondly, linguistic and cultural differences come into play. Hailing from diverse nations with distinct cultural backgrounds, the intersection of these linguistic systems can easily lead to misunderstandings and information distortions. This inevitably increases the time investment required for collaborative communication, presenting an additional challenge for me as a non-native English speaker. Nevertheless, everyone chose to trust and support one another. When interacting with me, they consciously slowed their speech and employed language tailored to my comprehension level. When discussions stalled, we adapted our approach, using visuals to illustrate our perspectives and ideas about the topic. Later, we integrated everyone’s contributions into the final presentation. The inclusion of students from diverse disciplines enriched the project’s content and galvanised our motivation. Each member leveraged their professional strengths while staying focused on the core objectives.
As Candy noted:
Working with people with complementary attributes can lead to a greater confidence on the part of each practitioner and a consequent increase in ambition for the work in hand. In this way, the group is able to extend the range of possibilities that an individual working alone does not always allow. (Candy 2020)
During the collaboration, one student naturally assumed the role of “leader. “She provided a summary of our progress at each stage, helping us to tap into our creative potential, whilst also allowing for self-expression and experimentation. his approach significantly improved our efficiency in the later phases, enabling us to complete the project within just one week.When this collaboration concluded, I reflected deeply on the experience.Unlike before, I no longer simply followed a leader’s instructions. Instead, I began to confidently voice my opinions and incorporate my own creative ideas into the work. I also learned not to fear making mistakes, openly discussing and refining my thoughts with the team. Moreover, I no longer resist the idea of having a leader, because she helped me understand that a truly effective leader is crucial in collaboration—they can maintain a clear overview of the project and help everyone organize their thinking. Combined with a team built on mutual trust and coordination, these elements create a positive cycle that drives collaboration forward.
In conclusion, the final workshop yielded insights that were distinct from those of the preceding two collaborations. When working with students from a variety of disciplines on the same task, it is possible to clearly observe differences between them and to learn training methods and ways of thinking that had not previously been considered.
For instance, when a student from the MD programme discussed strategies for enhancing vocal quality, he emphasised that technique alone is insufficient. It is only when breath control, bodily rhythm, and piano accompaniment are in harmony that one can achieve the optimal interpretation of a song. Furthermore, he imparted a pragmatic technique for achieving equilibrium between breath and voice prior to vocalisation.
The collaborative atmosphere in which the project was conducted proved to be of great benefit to me. As articulated by an ancient Chinese proverb, “When three walk together, one must be my teacher.” Through mutual exchange, knowledge is continually absorbed from one another, thereby enriching the experiences of all parties. When coupled with constant reflection and refinement, it is possible to resolve long-standing doubts and discover the unique joy of collaboration.
Conclusion
Through the studies and various collaborative experiences in the first half of this semester, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the appeal of working with others amidst uncertainty and interaction. I believe this so-called uncertainty is not chaos, but rather a catalyst that fuels collaboration, enabling everyone to contribute imaginative ideas from diverse perspectives. Most importantly, within this collision of multiple inspirations, everyone becomes consciously motivated to enhance their professional skills, thereby elevating the quality and brilliance of the work. Moreover, one can try to let go of previously ingrained mindsets and deliberately immerse oneself in a state of insecurity during collaboration. This underlying pressure can also serve as a source of inspiration.
This led me to reflect on my role as an Actor collaborator. First and foremost, I believe an actor is not merely a performer on stage, but a co-creator of the work. During rehearsals, I shifted my approach to collaboration: I began engaging proactively and wholeheartedly in discussions, moving beyond the role of a “copycat” who merely follows instructions. Through interaction with my teammates, I learned and grew together with them, leveraging my strengths to offer meaningful suggestions for the piece.
For example, as actors, we have always served as the bridge between the work and the audience. We experience the logic and style of the piece from the character’s perspective—almost like a first-person point of view—while also receiving genuine feedback from the audience. This unique position allows us to re-examine the work with our co-creators and collaboratively develop a stronger version of the production.
Moving forward from here
In my future postgraduate studies and professional practice, I aspire to engage with diverse collaborative teams. I aim to immerse myself in each group’s unique working ethos, applying the collaborative skills honed at university and adapting them flexibly to every project.
Bibliography
Sawyer, R.K. (2003) ‘How to transform schools to foster creativity’, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 40(1), pp. 3–13.
Candy, L. (2020) The Creative Reflective Practitioner: Research Through Making and Practice. London: Routledge.
Robinson, D. (2015) A Practical Guide to Ensemble Devising. London: Red Globe Press.
