Did the practice provide a safe place to explore vulnerable personal dynamics? O.A.’s answer to question

Yes and no but ultimately yes. I’m inspired by Margaret Cameron, Art is a verb. It’s the doing that is where the Art is. I’ve always thought the ‘thing’, the product people see etc, is the artefact of the process. Process that holds knowledges and it’s in this space of doing that is the Explore, it happens and we are vulnerable, but only to stopping the process through thought. Being vulnerable is not the real heart of vulnerability, it’s editing myself in the moment to suit others as I perceive them.

N.B.’s answer to question 3.

YES. I observed others in their vulnerability, and was able to embrace my own. Fully exploring the range of my voice. Allowing myself to be adventurous, and sometimes being surprised but not judgemental of the results.

M.B.’s answer to question 3.

For me that depended on the day. Vulnerability is something which is a challenge. Probably if I had attended sessions with more consistency I could have experienced this more easily. At times I wanted to jump in to facilitation (as I have facilitated similar vocal explorations in the past). At times I wanted clearer instructions for an exercise, but also I recognise that leaving things open can accommodate a wider breadth of experience. I tried to just listen to the description and respond to that, whether or not that exercise was similar to one I already knew. So this kept it fresh. The actual studio space was perfect and comfortable. The people welcoming and accepting.

L.B.’s answer to question 3.

H.C.’s answer to question 3.

If we are talking about the group practice, not particularly...there were times where I was dealing with really stressful and deep emotional unrest and that brought me to feel particularly exposed at certain point of the session (especially when we had to do solos) and I really had to push myself to be seen and heard. I did it mostly to comply, didn’t want to upset the group but I was really happy to retreat in my own little space.

If we are talking about the Voice practice, then yes. I had my own way of working through stuff with the voice, but was more an individual process.

U.C.’s answer to question 3.

The workshop environment was incredibly supportive. The work was structured in such a way that it led from one activity to the next on the most part quite organically. It was very interesting to observe and experience when the preconceived plan was put aside and a subtle shift in activity occurred because of the group response to a particular activity. It felt at this time that John was more

confident in taking the workshop and allowing himself to react and respond to how the work was being received and played with. R.H.’s answer to question 3.

(a). I think so, but I’m used to being part of theatre/drama creative processes where explorations in the work can become intimate quite early in the piece. If I wasn’t as experienced with this, maybe there may be a couple of things that would be confronting, but the way that John works and guides people through all the exercises, he makes everyone feel so comfortable – there was never an issue with this. 


(b). I think that John’s way of working with the group, was beautifully facilitated and led. Such a strong, knowledgeable and yet gentle leader. (d). I enjoyed challenging myself in the “solo” voice sharing’s, where I had the opportunity to just make sound and move, totally intuitively, and yet have all of this being observed by others. To let go of any ego or shyness, and to just go for it was liberating and strengthening of all the parts of me that were not ego based.

(d). I think the group of people involved in the workshops were all so open minded that it helped me to feel comfortable with strangers. There was a kind of ‘collective caring’ that each person seemed to have for each other during the exercises. The present moment awareness that John’s work brings about in people, helped a sense of connection and humanity arise within the group. No ego’s.

K.J.’s answer to question 3.

The Voicelab workshops provided a safe place to explore vulnerable personal dynamics, although I believe it is the self who truly provides the safety to express one’s self in any social situation. The fact that others in the circle are allowing make this grant of personal permission a little easier.

D.M.’s answer to question 3.

Yes. Especially because of the primarily non-verbal bias I felt safe to remain with my own personal emotional explorations without fear of being judged or questioned or having to contextualise or explain myself or my experience to another person.

B.V.’s answer to question 3.

While initially I felt self conscious the non judgmental and encouragement from the other participants made me feel more confident. The sessions never felt unsafe and I never felt vulnerable. Did I open up my emotions? A little but I am quite reserved.

4. Did the practice provide any beneficial social or personal dynamics not readily available in your regular life without the practice?