This week has been fairly stressful as I work to get all of the things done that I need to get done before the end of the quarter. I am further behind on work than I would like to be, and there are a few things that I had said I would do if I had time that I will not be able to do, but I think I am still able to do all of the elements that I had included in my ILC.
My research is starting to feel like it is coming together into something interesting and useful, at least as a starting for further research.
I am stressed about getting everything done, but I think I can do it. It won’t be as timely as I was hoping, but the end of quarter snuck up and collided with extra work not only for this program but also for my job and other responsibilities outside of school.
As the end of the quarter nears I feel a bit as I always do, there is a lot of doubt that what I have accomplished is enough or will be good enough, but also knowing that it is the best that I could have done under the circumstances.
In addition to running about madly getting things done and amassing large amounts of hours as buffer for week ten, I attended a dance performance at the Cornish Playhouse in Seattle. It was put on by the Spectrum theatre company, cand called Rambuctious Iteration #3: “The Immigrants”.
It was five dances with live music accompaniment from a simple collection of instruments.
The music was composed by different immigrant composers from various places in the world, most of which the US has had conflict or tense relationships with over the years.
We were introduced to the piece by the artistic director of Spectrum who said that many of their works of late had been having political elements and commentary, and this piece also perhaps had subtler political implications.
This dance performance was to quietly stand on its own and say, if we did not have immigrants and their experiences, we would not be able to witness this beauty and art. We would be deprived of their contribution to the arts and our society.
The performances were beautiful and powerful, and it was a really wonderful, intimate experience of being in a small theater with personal talks and questions between each dance as the musicians set up, being able to see the movement of the dancers and the concentration of the musicians. The music was interesting and felt new and fresh.
It was a really wonderful experience, and I really appreciated how well this performance fit into my quarter’s exploration of the connections between education, social justice, and art and theater.
It is the highlight and relaxed part of my week, and I am glad I got to attend even through the business and stress of the rest of the week.