Kev Turner - Choreographer - Ted Talk - "My Journey with Dance and Mental Health"
Kev Turner was introduced to me through the Darcey Bussell Documentary "Dancing to Happiness", where he delivered a six week intensive workshop to a group of young women aged 16-26, all suffering with forms of anxiety.
To begin with, as part of my research for my Module Three, I was going to revive my findings from the documentary, which then transpired in a collaboration of the documentary and information I had obtained about Kev Turner, to which then developed into solely focusing on Kev Turner as an advocate to Dance, the impact Dance has on mental health, and his selfless mission to help vulnerable young people through the medium of Dance.
In my practice, I see many young people suffering with forms of anxiety, more so than ever before.
The purpose of my inquiry is to research into how Dance can positively impact the holistic development in young people within a secondary school. I essentially want to be able to collate my findings and imagine that I am taking them to a Secondary School seminar to showcase what we can do as educators to aid our young people in positively impacting their development and wellbeing.
Through this TED talk, I want to consider how Turner, as a professional in the Dance field, may aid my purpose.
I work with a lot of young people who suffer with anxieties and high levels of emotion, but are not sure on how to express their feelings.
Turner turned to a professional world of Dance.
Turner was hiding the biggest secret from his teens into his early adult years - his mental health.
It started as depression (he didn't have the emotional literacy to know he had depression).
In his twenties, he got worse.
Early 30's - crisis - sectioned under the mental health act - diagnosed with bi-polar - tipped into psychosis.
Turner's understanding of movement and dance formed 'Witness' - a piece of work on his personal journey of what he witnessed and what other around him witnessed, during his time being unwell.
Turner interviewed his family and friends because he didn't have a sense of timeline:
What was it like?
What did I do?
How did you feel?
What did you experience?
Are there any anecdotes?
Using this information he built and created the piece 'Witness'.
He then showed the audience an extract of his piece.
Using this form of artefact is similar to what I am going to apply to my own artefact. Instead, I am interviewing myself.
Turner said that he shortened his original piece to perform in public for those who may not go to the theatre, particularly because with his background and the people he knew, they were not the type to go to the theatre.
Turner shared some anecdotes from people who said that they have never seen dance before.
One of these anecdotes was from an elderly gentleman and his son to Turner - talking about the loss of his wife and difficult experiences what he went through. His middle aged son stood next to the gentleman and said "Dad - you never said any of that before"
Dance allowed the permission for people to talk. And talking is so important.
Another anecdote was a note from an audience member saying "Thank you, this performance has made me think twice about killing myself". With this, Turner was able to help this audience member seek help.
This does not appear to have much relevance to my inquiry focus, however, through the medium of dance, Turner's audience were moved to feel and think and consider their mental state.
Turner closes his talk with taking his performance in to schools as a lecture demonstration with workshops on themes and ideas of mental health.
Students got an opportunity to discuss these themes and develop that awareness and discussion.
Students create a piece on the development of ideas.
One student stated that it is a creative way to communicate to people.
Learnt how to show emotions through dance.
Turner also showed that programme to the audience.
"The future is now, let's leave the taboo of mental health in the past"
To begin with, as part of my research for my Module Three, I was going to revive my findings from the documentary, which then transpired in a collaboration of the documentary and information I had obtained about Kev Turner, to which then developed into solely focusing on Kev Turner as an advocate to Dance, the impact Dance has on mental health, and his selfless mission to help vulnerable young people through the medium of Dance.
In my practice, I see many young people suffering with forms of anxiety, more so than ever before.
The purpose of my inquiry is to research into how Dance can positively impact the holistic development in young people within a secondary school. I essentially want to be able to collate my findings and imagine that I am taking them to a Secondary School seminar to showcase what we can do as educators to aid our young people in positively impacting their development and wellbeing.
Through this TED talk, I want to consider how Turner, as a professional in the Dance field, may aid my purpose.
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The talk is on Turner's focus.
Brought up on council estate. No artists in his family.
He always understood movement and dance.
Turner on finding a youth dance organisation when he was in Primary School:
"I found a way - a vessell - to be able to explore this internal world; all these feelings, and anxieties and emotions I had going on inside of me; it was a great way to put that into something positive and constructive"
I work with a lot of young people who suffer with anxieties and high levels of emotion, but are not sure on how to express their feelings.
Turner turned to a professional world of Dance.
Turner was hiding the biggest secret from his teens into his early adult years - his mental health.
It started as depression (he didn't have the emotional literacy to know he had depression).
In his twenties, he got worse.
Early 30's - crisis - sectioned under the mental health act - diagnosed with bi-polar - tipped into psychosis.
Turner's understanding of movement and dance formed 'Witness' - a piece of work on his personal journey of what he witnessed and what other around him witnessed, during his time being unwell.
Turner interviewed his family and friends because he didn't have a sense of timeline:
What was it like?
What did I do?
How did you feel?
What did you experience?
Are there any anecdotes?
Using this information he built and created the piece 'Witness'.
He then showed the audience an extract of his piece.
Using this form of artefact is similar to what I am going to apply to my own artefact. Instead, I am interviewing myself.
Turner said that he shortened his original piece to perform in public for those who may not go to the theatre, particularly because with his background and the people he knew, they were not the type to go to the theatre.
Turner shared some anecdotes from people who said that they have never seen dance before.
One of these anecdotes was from an elderly gentleman and his son to Turner - talking about the loss of his wife and difficult experiences what he went through. His middle aged son stood next to the gentleman and said "Dad - you never said any of that before"
Dance allowed the permission for people to talk. And talking is so important.
Another anecdote was a note from an audience member saying "Thank you, this performance has made me think twice about killing myself". With this, Turner was able to help this audience member seek help.
This does not appear to have much relevance to my inquiry focus, however, through the medium of dance, Turner's audience were moved to feel and think and consider their mental state.
Turner closes his talk with taking his performance in to schools as a lecture demonstration with workshops on themes and ideas of mental health.
Students got an opportunity to discuss these themes and develop that awareness and discussion.
Students create a piece on the development of ideas.
One student stated that it is a creative way to communicate to people.
Learnt how to show emotions through dance.
Turner also showed that programme to the audience.
"The future is now, let's leave the taboo of mental health in the past"
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