Between Direction and Discovery: Embodied Practice in A Director-Led Practice-As-Research With Student-Actors
Keywords:
Creative Monologue, Director-Led Performance, Embodied Theater, Performance Pedagogy, Practice-As-Research, Student-ActorsAbstract
In this study, I explore the creative processes of my student-actors, James B. Libo-on (Luyo sa Musika) and Razel Jay B. Agoylo (Sugilanong Bakak), in a Drama class under the Bachelor of Culture and Arts Education program at Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges, Inc., General Santos City. Using a director-led Practice-as-Research (PaR) approach, I guided, observed, and collaborated with the students as they developed and performed their creative monologues. Through video documentation, semi-structured interviews, post-performance dialogues, and reflective journaling, I examined how my direction influenced their embodied practice, emotional expression, and personal growth. Five key themes emerged: self-affirmation through performance, emotional labor and vulnerability, performer identity in academic and cultural contexts, technology as metaphor for alienation, and collaborative discovery through dialogue. The findings highlight how director-led PaR can foster reflective practice, creative risk-taking, and self-discovery, showing that performance is not only an artistic act but also a transformative pedagogical space where guidance and collaboration enrich both the process and the performer.
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