Timing the whole group

Text A: an original contemporary practice extract.

At my first handbell rehearsal, I was given responsibility for only two notes. The task seemed simple until I realised that each entrance depended on several other players reaching the right point. I stared so closely at my music that I sometimes failed to notice the conductor’s raised hand.

If somebody entered late, the conductor asked us to continue to the end of the piece. Only then did we discuss where the pattern had broken. Gradually, I began looking beyond my own notes and watching the movements of the players beside me. During our first public performance, no single bell attracted attention. The melody seemed to pass naturally around the group, which felt like a better achievement than playing my two notes loudly.

Text B: an original contemporary practice extract.

The scene-change workshop required our team to move three stools and a folding screen. Each object was easy to carry, but the change became difficult when we had to avoid the actors leaving the stage and one another crossing behind the screen. At first, I watched only the strip of tape marking where my stool belonged.

The stage manager would not interrupt a practice run whenever something went wrong. We completed the change and reviewed our timing afterwards. With practice, I stopped rushing towards my tape mark and began judging my pace from the people moving around me. On the opening night, an audience member said the change had hardly been noticeable. We were pleased because the scene had continued without any member of the crew becoming the centre of attention.

Both texts describe people learning to coordinate a group task.

What similarities do the learning experiences share in these extracts? Use evidence from both texts to support your answer.