Response to Composition

The first thing that caught my attention during this performance was that the standards seemed to have been raised a great deal above that which was expected of us in previous compositions. Although the basic groundwork was generally completed, the compositions were not performed with the finesse and attention to detail that was demanded of us when explaining our compositions. In particular, our ending was critiqued a great deal as we had no clear reason for our dispersal aside from the fact that we were simply done.

The critique we received made clear that every action needed a reason, and we had to start with some idea to portray. It has been difficult so far as we have approached most of our compositions with the mindset of only checking off requirements and finding ways to incorporate them into a larger performance. Instead, we need to develop an idea which we wish to convey first and allow each individual part to supplement and nurture that idea to help translate it to the audience. The difficult part now is coming up with the idea which we wish to portray as we have still yet to really delve into our research.

Modifications to Research

After this past week's meeting, I managed to focus my research topic and relate it to our group's topic of "identity." In general, I will be studying the phenomenon of "ostalgie" and will be using the sale of eastern products to explore this.

While in Germany, I plan to visit the Brandenburg Gate and Stasi Museum. I also hope to find a local store which sells East German products. If I can manage to find one, I hope to watch the clientèle of the store for any trends in age or otherwise.

In addition, I plan to watch the movies mentioned in my previous post prior to leaving for Germany. I have already acquired "Good-bye Lenin!" and will be watching it this weekend.

Beginnings of Research

So far, I have begun to research the continuing sale of East German goods and have stumbled upon a phrase, "Ostalgie." This term is a combination of "ost" meaning east and "nostalgie" (nostalgia) and roughly means a desire to return to the customs of East Germany. This, however, does not reference the Soviet lifestyle but rather "nostalgia for a time when people had dreams and were hopeful."

Now, in appeal to this desire as well as souvenirs for tourists, a number of former DDR products are being reproduced. Spreewald Gherkins, Perlodont toothpaste, and the Trabant automobile are some of the most well known of the East German goods.

In addition, a number of movies have recently been released in response to the nostalgia for the East. "Good Bye Lenin!" (2003) is the story of a mother who falls into a coma and awakes after the Berlin Wall has fallen. In an attempt to keep his mother from shock, Alex is forced to recreate East Germany in his own home. Sonnenallee (1999) and Kleinruppin forever (2004) are two further examples of these such movies.

Pictures from the Fondue Party!!

Head On

To be honest, I was rather confused by this movie. While I enjoyed it, I did not understand how it related to our class. Although it depicted the troubled lives of two Turks in Germany, I did not feel that their status as immigrants played any role in their life. Cahit was simply distraught over his wife's death which is never elaborated upon and Sibel only seeks to get away from her traditionalist parents.

On the other hand, the movie itself was a good watch. Although very dark, it had an interesting and compelling plot. In addition, I couldn't help but be reminded of Fair Play when the movie rewound through the events.

I was, however, confused by the part of the musicians on the beach. The movie began with a scene with them and they were interspersed throughout the movie. I was unsure if they were meant to play the part of the chorus in theater, providing narration through the story. Is this something that is common in Turkish theater?