Thursday was our last day of our first work week, and we compiled a list of gems that we would like to re-visit. A “gem” is literally defined as:

A precious or semiprecious stone that may be used as a jewel when cut and polished.

Our definition:

A precious or semiprecious moment (or series of moments) that may be used again when cut and polished (or explored further).

The use of this word was introduced to me during my participation in the One Yellow Rabbit Summer Lab Intensive. My memory may have altered the original description but I remember Dennis Clarke stating, “When you look at a photograph, there is always one thing that catches your eye, whether it is a young child’s undone shoelace, or an open window in the background. This detail that moved you, and made you feel something, is the gem of the photograph. Here is our list of gems from week one:

1. Shapeshifting Against Wall

2. Sniffy Creature

3. Female being bounced around

4. Tunneling

5. Hangs Mimicking Feet

6. Conquering Chicken

7. Animal Sequence: snake and birds

8. Death Ritual

Now what? We have eight gems that we would like to explore further, but how do we do this? This is uncharted territory for the group. Up until now, we have been exploring what I like to call the “barfing phase” (feel free to steal and incorporate into other collective projects) where we improvise freely to gather usable material. Re-visiting a gem was new. We went around the circle each stating which gem we would like to re-visit first and Shapeshifting Against Wall won. This gem consisted of bodies stuck to the wall with a mastermind-ish person moving them as puppets and shaping them. Shaun suggested that we start the improv at the other side of the room and explore the journey to our gem so that we reach that moment having been informed by an experience vs just launching into the gem cold. Sam also placed a limitation on the improv by suggesting that we can only move when assisted by another (either physically or subconsciously).

Thus we began!

After each improv we always try to discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what we would like to re-visit. One person writes these observances down into our Master Notebook for future reference. This post is already getting long so I won’t go into detail about what happened but I will share what we learned:

When re-visiting we must always have one person who is an outside eye. We need to establish together what role this person plays. Director? Feedbacker? Documentor? Scribe?
That our initial gem might not work again, but may lead us to other discoveries (see new list below)
That it is equally important to state what didn’t work in the inprov as what worked so that we can get closer to finding our group aesthetic.
To not be concerned about offending someone by stating, “That didn’t work”. There is no need to navigate the politics of the group. Be honest.

New gem list: