Task 3d – Critical questions and issues the emerge

Do some very specific ideas emerge about your networking and sources? Does your engagement to date seem appropriate? Limited? Focused? Planned? Unplanned?

Due to being on a ship for 7 months my networking sources have been very limited. I made the most of my sources there. I have a new affiliation with Carnival, getting to know the old cast, supervisors and the new cast I now have a group of people that are from all over the world that may help me out in the future. If I had studied reader 3 before meeting these people I think I would have done things differently. I have now added most of them on facebook so I can keep in contact. I would have asked them more questions about their careers, jobs, studies. Learning from other peoples mistakes, getting advise and finding out there chosen paths could have added to my knowledge and maybe helped me out in the future. Up to now it has been unplanned, I have just let things happen. Now that I have access to all the sources I need I can focus on where I am going and create my path.

Are your ideas, position or concerns shared by others within and/or beyond your professional area of work?

Yes- from reading peoples blogs I notice the word unplanned a lot. I think a lot on BAPP course this module has made them look deeper into how they are using their networks, at the moment they are just letting things happen just like myself.

Does sharing ideas and communicating with others shift your thinking, planning or practice?

I am constantly learning and changing my plans. My career has only just began, until now I had it all planned out. I now have choices to make about my next direction. Talking to people that have been in the practice for years have influenced me a lot. I am not closing and doors and saying no to any options. I am ready to take any route they may evolve on my path.

Does critical reflection help you decide what really matters and the action to take?

Most definitely! If you never re access your actions you are never going to learn or move forward. Critical reflection has developed my second self as I like to call it.  By taking myself out of the box and looking at actions from a different point of view. I am still learning a great deal and I have not come to grips with it totally I can just refer to my reader to remind me. I feel it has already benefited me not only as a self employed dancer but also as a person.

To what extent do concepts and theories assist you in thinking about your professional networking in different ways? And do these different ways of thinking have some purpose for you?

Previous to Reader 1 & 3 I used networking sites and had many sources of networking however it was all subconscious. There was no planning or reasoning behind it. Now I can reflect on that and learn to use them to my best ability.  I can plan ahead. This way I will save time and effort with a more effective out come.

Are you left thinking differently prior to this part of the module? And if so, how?

Yes – I have not been using my utensils in an active way that I should be. I have gone into a depth of networking which means I have seen it from a totally different specific. I have neglected the benefits that it could have on my career.

3b - Theories relating to networking

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pywKiWQVStpKGK1B7EJFRMK8JLQ4ioGo0F2xziHfvq4/edit

Task 3a - Current Networks

At college it was always drummed into us about networking. I had never heard the term until then. My very first memory was of a girl with a very encouraging mum, who made her take everybody’s name and number in the pantomime she had been in and she contacted them on a regular bases to see what they were up to………at the time I just thought she had a very pushy mother. Little did I know that she was just getting a head start in what was about to begin.

My networks are continuously expanding and I am using them more beneficially.  I am currently on spotlight, which enables casting directors, agents, choreographers and other professionals to see my photo and CV. I am currently working on getting an agent. Due to being on a ship for 7months straight from college I was never had the time to audition or even write to agents and gain myself that very important contact and way of networking. Even though agents take a percentage of money from you if they do put you forward for a job and you get it at least you are broadening you network. With an agent as well they will only out you up for jobs that you are appropriate for, which sometimes isn’t always obvious from your own eye. Agents tend to get you closed auditions as well which means you are not crammed in a studio with 400 other girls struggling to get to the front. From talking to other professionals it can take time to get the right agent for you. An agent your friend is with may not be the right on for you, however it is always good to ask what agency people are with. 

The obvious networks are facebook, my space, twitter etc. I am part of both twitter and facebook which I try and keep as professional as possible as I am friends with other practitioners and professional however I have the majority friends and family. I am thinking of creating a page just for my profession, where I can advertise classes that I am beginning to teach and also add casting directors, choreographers, agents etc and remove them off my current personal one.

For me looking into networking could not have come at a better time. Having just finished a contract I feel I am starting at the very beginning and I need to start establishing myself. I can learn from other peoples blogs what they find most beneficial or from there mistakes. If you have any tips of pointers please let me know.  

Dealing with diversions.........

After starting the BAPP course on a ship where I was for 7 months I made plans to come home and focus on my studies for a good month and have a little "Time off" (just taking class and no auditions etc) getting back into the swing of being on land. I wanted to get in contact with all my college friends to see what jobs they had been doing, what agents they were with etc and also spend some time with the family. However on my way into the gym, a friend who worked in membership pulled me aside to say they needed someone part time (cooperation- I wonder if he wants anything in return apart from working along side me (-; ), it would be perfect hours for me and I would get a free membership. He told me to hand in my C.V (which I had to quickly create mixing my Dance, Fitness and "normal" CV all together). With in one day I have a interview, I have the job and I start the next day. I get a week to be trained and now here I am, a bit stuck for time as there is a lot of sickness which needs covering which I am doing and a deadline for my critical reflection.

I have spoken to Paula today and feel a lot better about my situation.......this is just how my life will be within this career. I am sure there are people who are in the same boat. I am just going to use my time wisely (-:

2D – Inquiry

I wanted to answer these questions and make people go.........Oh My she sounds so interesting but I just decided to be honest (-:

               

What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

I am I little obsessed with positivity and energy and the effect it has on people, rehearsals, health, wealth. I love feeding off people’s positive energy. The feeling you get on stage when everything comes together, everyone has great energy, everyone connects and you become one! (however corny it sounds, it’s how it feels) I love reading about it. Peoples views quite often on self help books are quite cynical however I find them so interesting. Don’t get me wrong I do not follow and do as they preach but I like to take a little out of everyone and try it out.

/http://thesecret.tv/

I read regularly The Secret as I do like to practice their techniques. I think within this career you have to take a lot of criticism and knock backs and it is hard to keep yourself positive and motivated. Sometimes in rehearsal when you get a lot of corrections you can feel like you are being picked out and made a spectacle of however it’s just there and then. Once you have finished and look back on it you have another view. Positivity is the key!

What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found away to work around the sadness or anger?

A situation that has happened in my family, which I think evolves around money! It’s hard to put it into words on a page but this is one thing that makes me angry. A lot of peoples lives revolve around money and I have a greedy extended family that want more and more which resulted in my parents not being able to afford my colleges fees. I gained half a scholarship however had to pay the other £15,000 myself. While at college I worked in clubs dancing till early hours in the morning then in an office during the day. I survived on only 5-6 hours sleep a weekend and then did a full week at college from 8-6 and gave it 100%. Due to the stress my dad was put through he then got ill. In my dads condition he shouldn’t be working but has to for the mortgage. This all stems down to people being greedy over money. I never normally talk about this sort of thing, only to my mum. I am all about positive thinking and thoughts bring things (as you can see from the previous question) so I don’t like to talk about money negatively however the question “what makes me angry?’ has been asked! 

I would never change my situation as it has made me the person I am today. Everything I have, I have worked hard for and I have made things happen, however there are a lot of people out there who have had it handed to them on a plate and still are, I just wish they would appreciate it. The students who parents pay their fees, rent, bills, money to live, to go to class. I always remember how lucky I am and how there is always someone worse off.

What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?

This in a way contradicts my answer to the last question. I love how you can become someone else for a little while. I’ve always loved acting! The thought of dressing like someone else, adapting the characters habits, accent, style really excites me. When dancing I create a character for each routine. It helps with my performance and to also grasp the style of the number. One person I really do admire as an artist is Beyonce! May sound like I’m just another fan, but its more of a respect. The person you see on stage is what Beyonce refers to as Sasha Fierce. I’ve copied a link to an interview that explains her alter ego.

3.30min into this video-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo-FfMe0Bi8

Short clip-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu4SHomEWT8

What do you feel you don’t understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?

I admire people that can let go, that don’t seem to care what other people think to a certain extent. There is always something that holds me back. I noticed it when I was at college and I never 100% got rid of it then. I visualise myself being like that but then I don’t do it. I can see what looks good and most effective but applying it to myself is another challenge. For instance I will watch someone perform on stage and it works amazingly. Then I try and bring that to my performance and I cant do it how I visualise. It is hard to put into words how I feel. Is it to risky? What am I afraid of?? Neither of those things because if I did it how I see in my head, I would look great. I’m sure someone knows how I feel??

On my last contract a guy called Arthur was great at just letting himself go. Ok sometimes he would what we called “overachieve” and have to be told to calm down. But surely it’s better to be told to hold back rather than them wanted more??

Task 2c - Reflective Theory

Reflective Theory- Constantly changing as I learn and grow..............


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ca4UfFUNHeI_iWtxZphYTyoYE1JfQAepdWADQQoLwgs/edit

Task 2b- Journal Writing Experience

Task 2b- Journal Writing Experience

I’ve tried many different ways of writing my journal; all negatives from the day, all positives of the day, from different peoples/things perspectives, lists, story writing, critically, with diagrams, from different place etc.

I thought I would share with you one of the most interesting entries I have made was from my dance captain perspective simply due to the amount I learnt once writing the extract. I wrote this entry while onboard the Carnival Valor, now I am home. Reading through my journal I see it in a total different way, I think this is because I am now home and I have different thoughts of my journey. 

One of the female dancers was struck with G.I and it was a show day, she was unable to get out of bed or keep any food down. The dance captain had to round up the cast for an emergency re block. I at the time have to admit was on deck laying in the sun with a book (it was nice weather and I had nothing else to be doing ) however I decided to do my journal that day because of the reaction that the dance captain got from certain members of the cast.

I learnt that how I feel I come across to people is not always how I do.  When I was told that there was a rehearsal I did not moan I literally got up and went to change into rehearsal wear and got myself to the theatre. I know it can be stressful re blocking so I kept quiet and did what I was told. 

I had a good enough relationship with the dance captain that I told her the next day about my journal writing from her perspective. She was happy to discuss what I wrote and how she felt.  

The main problem with working on ships was relationships! Not the romantic type. It was hard for people to define talking to the DC in the crew bar of a evening with a glass of wine and rehearsals and show time. People could not define having a laugh and a joke and being professional. The DC said this was the one main thing that effected her emergency rehearsal. From what I wrote about myself and just getting on with things came across different once speaking to the DC, it came across that I didn’t want to be there and that she had interrupted my break however she knew me well enough to know this wasn’t the case.  I was so shocked. She explained that she can see that I am being 100% professional but in circumstances like that she would welcome ideas.  I guess in my case it is getting to know the routine a bit better and maybe asking the DC what she expects from the rehearsal at the beginning.  I wish for a day I could become someone else she see myself from someone else’s eyes.

(I would include an extract of the journal entry but it includes a lot of names)

Networking!

Just while on Facebook I dumped into this poster...........some of you may be interested!

Networking for the Dance Industry...................This shows a network advertising network meetings! Ironic!!!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=146591082133155&set=at.112831665509097.10560.104904646301799.511022570.510693753&type=1&theater

Like on facebook for details:
https://www.facebook.com/Awarenessthroughdance

Now I am back home in England I have just about found my feet and also a part time job in a gym. Now I know my shifts and I am full trained my main aim is to focus on BAPP!! I have been a bit slack of late but I am ready to get my head down and study!!