Learning in Springtime
Notes from the first half of the semester
“Spring is sprung. The grass is riz. I wonder where the flowers is.”
It is officially Spring break! Around this time last year, I would have been hustling to prep brand new classes for the start of another quarter. This year, I’m taking a well-deserved respite at the peak of learning. It’s that point in the semester where I keep telling students “It’s go time.” They’re taking everything we’ve built over the course of the past few weeks and putting it into action. I get to take a step back, gently guide them, and observe to see what’s sticking and what’s surprising me.
Now I get to really start learning from the students. They introduce me to new inspirations, processes, and ways of seeing. Classes consist of more and more genuine dialogue and realtime problem solving. I’m reminded of the importance of fundamentals. I learn how to be a better teacher, which really means I become a better learner.
Here are the notes for the week:
I’m in the early stages of prepping a dream class on queer documentary filmmaking for the Fall. Step one is talking with people whose perspectives I want to integrate. I had the privilege of speaking to an artist and professor I really admire recently who told me that they too struggle with theory. The remark left me relieved, like I was being given permission to not know everything. It reminded me that our job as professors is not to become walking talking libraries, but to channel our particular strengths and specialties in our field the best we can.
I am trying to read a little theory. Right now I’m going through the audiobook for Queer Phenomenology: Orientations, Objects, Others by Sarah Ahmed in 10 - 15 minute increments. One line that’s been sticking with me: “It is by understanding how we become oriented in moments of disorientation that we might learn what it means to be oriented in the first place.”
Filmmakers I’ve learned from recently: My friend and incredible artist Henry Hanson’s feature DOG MOVIE is coming to the Criterion Channel as a part of their Tramps, Troublemakers, and Trailblazers: Trans Filmmakers series. Henry is giving a workshop on improv filmmaking at Tite Film Fest this year. Everything he does gets me amped for truly indie cinema. Alec Fischer’s upcoming doc on the Minnesota State Fair gets me excited about the present of observational cinema, documentary distribution, and film as a vehicle for community.
Warm weather means more fire spinning! I love the look on someone’s face the first time they light up their poi and hear how loud it gets when they spin. Working with poi gets me in tune with the mind/body connection. Spinning fire shows me what my body can do under high stakes. Learning poi is surprisingly accessible! You can make your own with rice and some socks.
Getting back into spinning means I’m watching more DrexFactor Poi. Best tutorials I’ve found online, and Drex teaches me just as much about teaching as he does flow arts. His ability to break down complex movements to their simplest components gets me connecting with my body in ways I never thought I could.
A smattering of takeaways from the first half of this semester: Strong fundamentals empower experimentation. Repetition, when backed with clear intention, instills confidence. When our time is limited, we learn about our own instincts. We grow from true challenges.
Minnesota friends! I’ll be showing Imagine a Body as a part of a local Trans Day of Visibility celebration this Tuesday. Come say hi!
