We are midpoint of the lab. We go back to go forward, looking for comparisons, differences, ways forward. The focus of the sessions so far has been on nurturing, starting a process -- with ASC this was summarised by the idea of 'ειμαι εδω' a way to refer to our position as we start a process, what we bring and also what the process begins to 'give us', the feedback that evolves 'the world' of the 'work' and how that 'work works'. For John Paul, the trigger comes from a dynamic opposition between me and an-other (even if that other is also me), the encounter defined as an exchange of energies, transformations. Michael brought with him the idea of 'reaching a state of dance', a place that can only be dance- and strategies to reach (and identify) this. All three in their individual way spoke of the need to consciously open a place, an awareness - for ASC it was 'putting the world on hold' and 'entering' 'here'/εδω'. John Paul (as Michael) spoke of 'giving ourselves permission' (leaving the 'shame' behind, too much judgement), Michael defined this by borrowing from Heideggers idea of 'the clearing'. 
So today, one simple but challenging task, we must find the 'it starts here/now' of the process of concrete investigation that wil lead to an outcome(s)...and yes within this is 'making', but with a reviewed understanding of the who.what and how of that process. Ahhh. everyone back to the notebooks and the writing. You can actually sense the heaviness (of thinking, of the task)...as the hours progress the environment begins to get lighter, pockets of activity begin to bubble, towards the end as the end of he allocated time reaches its all go.... we spill into the next hour of the studio, luckily there is a gap of time...
So as not to lose this I ask them to keep this 'seed' with them alive, present, like a daydream (we did this last year, it worked), simmering until we are back in the studio on Thursday...a shadow next to you...watch it get larger...that way we will not feel that we have detached from the process that began to take force at the end of today...
We have three weeks intensive lab time, the emphasis switches to tackling issues as they arise from the particular individuals which are also relevant to the group as a whole. Then we welcome Theater Unterwegs, who will share with us the process of making a particular piece. The timing is in purpose, they bring with us a 'case study' of the 'making' of one piece as we are finalising our own investigations. On the 12th December, Kiriakos Spirou, a key contributor last year to all aspects of music/sound/collaboration returns to give us insight into issues of 'composition' as we reached the time to evolve the 'studio' to a shareable event.
