Now that I've looked a little more into ethics, I want to take the time to apply these thoughts and develop them in how they relate to my inquiry. Adesola has provided me with some thoughts and questions for me to delve into on this topic.
My personal beliefs in the use of Benesh have been focused on practicality. I believe that Benesh is a system that can most accurately depict specific positions of the body in order to most effectively document and reproduce choreography. By doing this I am viewing choreography in a very objective manner. As a dancer myself I acknowledge that a large part of dance is one's personal connection with the material and one's individual portrayal of movement.
People may very well be of the opinion that in a way, I may be missing the point of dance with my aims of accurate documentation. Is my artform something that can be simply written down on paper? One could argue that the magic of dance is in a dancer's depiction of a work and that through their personalisation, the dance comes to life. My stance is that accurate knowledge of choreography serves as the foundation for what I deem to be a competent dancer. Personalisation and/or characterisation acts as the decoration on top to augment what the choreographer has created. I would argue that Benesh actually assists in keeping the 'spirit' of a dance. An example would be that looking at a corps de ballet performing, if they were to reproduce the steps too differently from each other, that could even hinder the life of a performance by looking too 'messy'.
As I'm considering these views and thoughts, the main keyword that pops into my head is 'responsibility'. As a notator, one has the responsibility to maintain a choreographer's artistic vision. Benesh allows one to record steps but not necessarily the 'feel' or tone of the piece in question. During my investigation it is important for me to acknowledge that dance notation isn't the be all and end all of entirely capturing an artistic work.
One more consideration to make is the responsibility behind re-staging an old work that may have been created before any notation was available, especially Benesh. The responsibility lies within the modern day choreographer to provide authentic choreography that would honour the memory of said piece and keep its spirit intact. This then applies to the notator to equally ensure unhindered memory of the steps and style of a dance. One example that springs to mind is Nijinsky's 'Rite of Spring'. Out of Nijinsky's four choreographies, only his first 'L'Apres-midi d'un Faune' was ever accurately preserved, and even then it was through notation of Nijinsky's own design. In order to reproduce the Rite of Spring, or 'Sacre du Printemps', the choreographer had to draw inspiration from photos, eye-witness accounts and newspaper reviews to piece together as accurate an imagining as possible.
One element of Benesh is that as 'movement' notation, when it is applied to dance, certain assumptions are made depending on the style it's being applied to. For example, if some notation depicts the dancer with the arms high above the head and it is being applied to classical ballet. One would interpret this as a 'fifth position port de bras'. Nijinsky's choreography has a very distinctive style and has certain variations on traditional ballet positions. When documenting Nijinsky's revised works it is important to remember these details to ensure as much of the original intention is preserved. This applies to any choreography from years ago and the aim of this is to not mis-represent a choreographers style, to keep the memory of their works alive for years to come!
Monday 14 November 2016
Sunday 6 November 2016
Comparing the Professional Ethics of My Workplace with My Original Thoughts
Now that I have listed some examples of ethics from my own thoughts I'd like to compare them with codes of practice from my place of work. I felt the best examples of regulation would come from my theatre contract, so here are some points that stood out for me regarding ethics within my workplace.
Good Communication Skills
My contract considers good communication skills as a required qualification. I find this interesting because in my previous blog post I didn't really consider the idea of how I work with others. I briefly brushed on the idea that my lack of punctuality can affect my colleagues in a negative way but this is an example of actively engaging with colleagues in a positive manner. Most of my initial ideas revolved around how I am expected to behave and manage myself as an individual. I feel that communication is especially important within a theatre as so many different departments must work together to achieve the staging of a performance. As a dancer, I wouldn't be able to do what I do without the stage crew, costume department, hair and make-up department etc. Even within just the ballet company communication is key to working effectively with each other.
Another reason why communication is important is that I work at a theatre that employs professionals from all over the world! There is the immediate thought that just being able to speak the same language as someone else will help and actually it is stated in the contract that an employee must have a good command of at least one international foreign language. On top of that though is that with many nationalities, this can provide differences in cultural behavior. Being able to work alongside different individuals successfully requires openness and good communication!
Acquiring All Necessary Repetoires on Time
This is something that relates to the direction I was heading with my original thoughts as this requirement revolves around the effectiveness of the individual dancer. It is one aspect that I failed to mention though. I had mentioned how a dancer should be respectful, punctual and in dancing shape but it is also ethical as a professional to be competent at learning the choreography you will be performing. It's all very well being a good dancer but if you're not able to learn what is required of you that can be very problematic. A dancers ability to learn is part of their reliability.
More often that not, my workplace can have a very hectic schedule as each choreographer/director will be trying to find time to rehearse their respective pieces. If you have a company that can learn quickly, it can make time management far more effective and economic even. This also comes into play when for example, one dancer gets injured very close to a performance and they don't have a cover. In this situation it is vital for a new dancer stepping in to that role to be able to learn quickly enough in time to replace the injured dancer. I myself have experienced stepping in to a new role with only a matter of a day to learn all the choreography. These situations have also required me to take a video home for learning in my spare time (which is also another thing mentioned in our contract as an expectation from our employer).
Mastery of Multiple Styles
Especially as a theatre that has a dedicated dance, drama and music department. We regularly host a variety of different styles of performance. I am considered a ballet dancer but I also take part in Musicals, Modern Dance, Tap Dance and Physical Theatre. On top of all the requirements for me to be professional and competent at my work, it is also expected that I not only be diverse but also proficient in those different styles. This is something that is very dependent on where one works. For me, this makes a lot of sense as there is a plethora of differing styles of performance that my theatre puts on although for many other dancers, they may be working in an environment that only requires classical ballet or contemporary dance for example.
Creatively Open and Loyal to the Employer
This is just one small section I wished to mention quickly as it goes hand in hand with what I was saying in my last post about committing to a role/piece. There seems to be the acknowledgment that not every artist will see eye to eye but in order to run a smooth and professional working place, sometimes one must forgo any personal discrepancies. I also feel that this isn't just an artistic matter but one of respecting authority. What the director says, goes.
Monday 24 October 2016
Ethics Within My Workplace
As part of my investigation, I'm to consider the ethics that surround my line of inquiry and profession. Before I begin to develop my ideas through research and discussion, here are some of my thoughts regarding ethics around my workplace.
Now initially as I think of being punctual, I consider it a trait that most professions expect from you. It springs to mind in this instance though because in general as a Ballet dancer you have been trained and are expected to be highly disciplined. Where I feel the matter applies specifically to the ballet world though is that if I were to be late for a rehearsal for example, that would have a knock on effect for my colleagues. In a standard office job, one could be late and although it would be frowned upon for the sake of work etiquette, it's possible that no one else is directly affected. In a ballet company, rehearsals often revolve around teamwork and cooperation. My colleagues rely on my presence as I rely on theirs. If I were to be late, not only would it be rude, I'd be letting my colleagues down.
Ballet is a highly skilled profession. In order to work as a dancer, one must take great care to maintain the state of the body with the aim of injury prevention and also maintaining a high standard of fitness in order to practice dance effectively. In many dance companies it is considered ethical to take responsibility of this yourself as a company won't necessarily 'babysit' you. Examples of this would be having regular massages, warming up before rehearsals and attending training class in the mornings.
The first two things I mentioned are quite simple and basic examples of ethics. Also things that are arguably standard considerations of any practitioner. This last point covers an artist's responsibility of maintaining a director/choreographers vision. Looking after your body and turning up on time are all things that combine and lead up to putting on a great performance, and the performance is the ultimate goal for a dancer. When a choreographer has an idea, they will begin to work on and develop their piece. As a dancer it's easy to be a critic but ethically it's not your place to put in more or less effort based on your personal feelings. It is up to you to perform to the best of your ability and let the audience decide for themselves if they enjoy a certain work.
Punctuality
Now initially as I think of being punctual, I consider it a trait that most professions expect from you. It springs to mind in this instance though because in general as a Ballet dancer you have been trained and are expected to be highly disciplined. Where I feel the matter applies specifically to the ballet world though is that if I were to be late for a rehearsal for example, that would have a knock on effect for my colleagues. In a standard office job, one could be late and although it would be frowned upon for the sake of work etiquette, it's possible that no one else is directly affected. In a ballet company, rehearsals often revolve around teamwork and cooperation. My colleagues rely on my presence as I rely on theirs. If I were to be late, not only would it be rude, I'd be letting my colleagues down.
Conditioning
Ballet is a highly skilled profession. In order to work as a dancer, one must take great care to maintain the state of the body with the aim of injury prevention and also maintaining a high standard of fitness in order to practice dance effectively. In many dance companies it is considered ethical to take responsibility of this yourself as a company won't necessarily 'babysit' you. Examples of this would be having regular massages, warming up before rehearsals and attending training class in the mornings.
Commitment to a Role/Piece
The first two things I mentioned are quite simple and basic examples of ethics. Also things that are arguably standard considerations of any practitioner. This last point covers an artist's responsibility of maintaining a director/choreographers vision. Looking after your body and turning up on time are all things that combine and lead up to putting on a great performance, and the performance is the ultimate goal for a dancer. When a choreographer has an idea, they will begin to work on and develop their piece. As a dancer it's easy to be a critic but ethically it's not your place to put in more or less effort based on your personal feelings. It is up to you to perform to the best of your ability and let the audience decide for themselves if they enjoy a certain work.
Literature relating to my subject
During the course of investigating my area of interest, our handbook sets us a task to discover three pieces of literature that relate to our inquiry. In this instance I found it difficult to discover anything more than just a history or explanation of what Choreology or Dance Notation was but fortunately I believe I found some pieces that help regarding the viewpoint of a notator as well.
The Art of Recording a Ballet
I liked this article because it is a blog from a trainee notator doing work placement at the Royal Opera House. She is assisting the senior notator in documenting a brand new choreography. There is a lot of explanation of the role of a notator and gives examples of the work required. It does strike me there is an awful lot to be done and I feel the job must be very demanding. I also get the impression that it must use a lot of resources for a dance company to invest in the system. Most noteably having to hire dedicated staff to utilise choreology as a tool. This began to make me think about whether a dance company would deem the extra man power worthwhile. One excerpt says...
"The notator is the person that everyone refers to in case of
discrepancies (for example when a section has been changed without everyone
being there and the different casts are not on the same page)."
I feel this is one of Movement Notation's strengths. It serves as a foundation for choreographic clarity. This relates to my investigation as it highlights the issue of discrepancies. This is an issue that occurs on a nearly daily basis in the company I work for, who don't use Benesh Notation. Perhaps this is a particular situation I could consider when investigating various dance companies.
What is Choreology?
This article is a nice clear explanation of the history of Benesh Movement Notation and a break down of how it actually works. Considering 'legitimacy', this article is a very trustworthy source. It was written by Juliette Kando, a 'Fellow of the RAD institute of Choreology'.
The thing that interested me more in this piece was the introduction of how Benesh began. We discover that choreology's inventor Rudolph Benesh was not a dancer but his wife was. It mentions that he was inspired from his wife's notes she'd take in order to remember choreography. This suggests to me the dance world was in need of a universal system to record choreography on to paper. As I begin to consider the ethics of my investigation, I notice how this article mentions that the system records accurately in order to maintain a work's originality. When using Benesh as a system, the notator and even the system itself has a responsibility to not interfere with the chorographer's creation.
Meet Denis Bonner, The Repetiteur
This article is an introduction to a seasoned Benesh notator working with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. In the same way my first article gives insight into the life of a notator, this is from the perspective of someone who has been a professional for some time.
Although Benesh could be time consuming, Denis actually mentions a way in which Benesh ultimately saves time and makes rehearsal time more productive. In reference to using Benesh to teach choreography over learning from a video, he had this to say...
"And it’s still quicker for me to do it this way,’ he says,
‘because if you do it all with a video in the studio then nobody knows the
counts, and you’re forever moving backwards and forwards."
Looking once again at the 'legitimacy' of an article, I like how this statement comes from a profesional notator who would know. I hold many personal ideas and opinions however I've never been in the position that Denis has been in. I can say however, I've been in many rehearsals where learning from a video has been problematic. This example also can be another strength of Choreology I can consider when comparing companies who do and don't use it.
Friday 14 October 2016
Further Development Into My Inquiry (Reaching out to a Special Interest Group)
After what was a very useful group Skype session a week ago I was able to start looking at the questions I had produced during my initial brain storm. Adesola provided some very useful thoughts in how to approach developing my questions into something more clear and appropriate for embarking on my investigation. The main thing being that when looking at your question, you should try to see what assumptions you have made.
As an example, here is one of my questions...
From this, I can already highlight a few things. I'm not being specific about the 'use'. Benesh can be utilised in two main ways. Recording choreography and teaching choreography. The way I have worded my question isn't clarifying whether I mean one or the other, or both. The main mistake I see though is that I only stated 'company'. This could mean a few things. I know that I am referring to a classical ballet company however someone reading this may be imagining other styles of dance also or even a foundation dedicated to maintaining a choreographer's work.
After taking on board the things I learned in that session, I felt like I had a better understanding of how to approach my work however it also ended up begging more questions. Despite knowing how to be more critical of the question I will choose, I wasn't entirely sure of the best angle to approach the subject of Benesh in a way that would be beneficial for me on this BAPP course. I don't wish to create a question that is purely a justification of my pre-conceived opinions, I'm aiming to leanr something new. I had a brief private session with Adesola to clarify my thoughts which helped a lot because what I needed was to explain my opinions out loud in order to discover what it was more specifically that I wished to learn about. After having a chance to hear myself out loud I realised that my interest in Benesh circled around how it affects studio rehearsals, most importantly teaching new choreography. I think this stems from my personal experience as in my company there are a lot of issues surrounding teaching choreography from a DVD.
I'm not expecting anyone else to be interested in Benesh specifically but does anyone have thoughts or feelings perhaps towards the overall rehearsal experience? After my Skype sessions and reflection I've figured that my interest lies within how Benesh affects the way a dance company operates, in particular, rehearsals. In an effort to set up my special interest group I'd love to hear people's opinions on how they feel a dance company should operate within the studio. Being in contact with others on this course provides a great opportunity to compare opinions across different styles of dance or establishments. My thoughts have been focused very much on a classical ballet company however some of you who may practice other styles of dance may differ from me. I also wonder if these thoughts shift when considering professional dancers and students for example. I really think that comparing the opinions of my peers to their backgrounds could prove to reveal some interesting comparisons amongst our selves.
I'm glad that I feel clearer about the path I'm choosing. I'm really looking forward to hearing if anyone has any interesting thoughts to share!
As an example, here is one of my questions...
How does the use of Benesh affect how a company operates?
From this, I can already highlight a few things. I'm not being specific about the 'use'. Benesh can be utilised in two main ways. Recording choreography and teaching choreography. The way I have worded my question isn't clarifying whether I mean one or the other, or both. The main mistake I see though is that I only stated 'company'. This could mean a few things. I know that I am referring to a classical ballet company however someone reading this may be imagining other styles of dance also or even a foundation dedicated to maintaining a choreographer's work.
After taking on board the things I learned in that session, I felt like I had a better understanding of how to approach my work however it also ended up begging more questions. Despite knowing how to be more critical of the question I will choose, I wasn't entirely sure of the best angle to approach the subject of Benesh in a way that would be beneficial for me on this BAPP course. I don't wish to create a question that is purely a justification of my pre-conceived opinions, I'm aiming to leanr something new. I had a brief private session with Adesola to clarify my thoughts which helped a lot because what I needed was to explain my opinions out loud in order to discover what it was more specifically that I wished to learn about. After having a chance to hear myself out loud I realised that my interest in Benesh circled around how it affects studio rehearsals, most importantly teaching new choreography. I think this stems from my personal experience as in my company there are a lot of issues surrounding teaching choreography from a DVD.
I'm not expecting anyone else to be interested in Benesh specifically but does anyone have thoughts or feelings perhaps towards the overall rehearsal experience? After my Skype sessions and reflection I've figured that my interest lies within how Benesh affects the way a dance company operates, in particular, rehearsals. In an effort to set up my special interest group I'd love to hear people's opinions on how they feel a dance company should operate within the studio. Being in contact with others on this course provides a great opportunity to compare opinions across different styles of dance or establishments. My thoughts have been focused very much on a classical ballet company however some of you who may practice other styles of dance may differ from me. I also wonder if these thoughts shift when considering professional dancers and students for example. I really think that comparing the opinions of my peers to their backgrounds could prove to reveal some interesting comparisons amongst our selves.
I'm glad that I feel clearer about the path I'm choosing. I'm really looking forward to hearing if anyone has any interesting thoughts to share!
Tuesday 4 October 2016
Questions for My Line of Inquiry
After reviewing Reader 4 I have created some questions for my line of inquiry. As I've been thinking about potential fields I could explore I settled upon the theme of Benesh Movement Notation.
I feel that this is a good subject to investigate as my main plan regarding work after dancing life is to Study Benesh and become a dance notator. Benesh Notation is very relevant to my profession as it is a tool used by many ballet companies to keep record of choreography and to use in the process of teaching choreography to new dancers. On the other hand, it's also something that's not necessarily widely used within the dance world. This inspired a few questions for me to explore on the matter.
With the development of technology over the years, most notably digital video recording, many dance companies may feel that there is less need for Benesh. To use Benesh in practice, a company would need to hire a notator. Some companies may not deem it worthy enough to spend their resources on when choreography could be learnt from a DVD for example, which is a much cheaper and accessible alternative. One could argue that the use of videos isn't as accurate at documenting choreography as Benesh so my investigation could weigh up the pros and cons of different methods of documentation.
One of the cons of Benesh is that recording choreography can be potentially very time consuming. Could the use of Benesh affect a company's scheduling for example in order to accomodate it's use? Another point I thought of was can harnessing Benesh actually affect the performance standard? Benesh is a very accurate method of recording dance so I was thinking could that transparency transfer over to the dancers and create a stronger corps de ballet perhaps?
As I've thought about my questions so far I've realised that I've already limited myself to one style of notation. Perhaps I could explore different forms and their popularity amongst different companies, dancers, choreographers etc. This is only the start of my line of inquiry and I know my questions can certainly do with development but I feel quite happy with the area I wish to explore.
I feel that this is a good subject to investigate as my main plan regarding work after dancing life is to Study Benesh and become a dance notator. Benesh Notation is very relevant to my profession as it is a tool used by many ballet companies to keep record of choreography and to use in the process of teaching choreography to new dancers. On the other hand, it's also something that's not necessarily widely used within the dance world. This inspired a few questions for me to explore on the matter.
How has Benesh affected the dance world?
How relevant is Benesh Notation in this day and age?
Prior to Benesh Notation, how did dance companies approach rehearsals? Did they just rely on the memory of the choreographer or a repetiteur? Once notation was introduced, did it have a tangible effect on the productivity of a company for example? I feel this is the most vague question of mine but it raises a lot of questions about the influence Benesh has had on the dance world and could prove to be very interesting in showing the difference between those who do and those who don't use it.
With the development of technology over the years, most notably digital video recording, many dance companies may feel that there is less need for Benesh. To use Benesh in practice, a company would need to hire a notator. Some companies may not deem it worthy enough to spend their resources on when choreography could be learnt from a DVD for example, which is a much cheaper and accessible alternative. One could argue that the use of videos isn't as accurate at documenting choreography as Benesh so my investigation could weigh up the pros and cons of different methods of documentation.
How does the use of Benesh affect how a company operates?
One of the cons of Benesh is that recording choreography can be potentially very time consuming. Could the use of Benesh affect a company's scheduling for example in order to accomodate it's use? Another point I thought of was can harnessing Benesh actually affect the performance standard? Benesh is a very accurate method of recording dance so I was thinking could that transparency transfer over to the dancers and create a stronger corps de ballet perhaps?
As I've thought about my questions so far I've realised that I've already limited myself to one style of notation. Perhaps I could explore different forms and their popularity amongst different companies, dancers, choreographers etc. This is only the start of my line of inquiry and I know my questions can certainly do with development but I feel quite happy with the area I wish to explore.
Sunday 18 September 2016
Reflecting on Module One and preparing for Module Two
After a very generous break from my BAPP course, the time has come to dive back into my academic studies. This past Friday many of us as returning students took part in a re-orientation Skype chat. It was a great way to get myself back in the mindset of my studies and provided the chance to take on some advice as I begin my second module.
In the Skype chat we were encouraged to reflect on what approaches/methods of study did and didn't work for us during our time working on module one. My first module proved to be very useful in simply discovering how best to schedule my time. One key point that I took from our Skype session that built upon that idea was to schedule personal goals. For example, our handbook states that the hand in date for Module Two is January 6th. Knowing this information I can start to think about when do I want to have my draft completed? How long should I allow for revisions and corrections? With these things in mind I can begin to structure my own personal targets and deadlines with the goal of ensuring I stay on track with my work and don't suddenly find myself 'snowed under' by short sightedness.
Another side to scheduling is allotting myself certain periods of time during the week as 'study time'. I felt that this was something I managed to achieve quite well during Module One. As a person I feel I need to create a routine to keep myself on top of things so would therefore set aside time on my days off to have the best chance of tackling my tasks. I have also had the fortune of one of my colleagues joining me on this course and with our similar schedules we were able to find time each week to put our heads together and help each other through our course.
Hopefully my thoughts and ramblings can prove to be useful to anyone who wasn't able to take part in the Skype sessions. For those on the course about to begin Module Two or Three welcome back!
Wednesday 20 April 2016
Sources of Information
In this post I aim to explore the methods I use to gather and organise information relating to my professional practice. I have many tools that can assist me in differing fashions with some that I am heavily reliant on to perform day to day tasks.
As a tool, I consider my phone the most practical source I have. With the ability to have it on my person at most times it is the most direct method of contact for me. A good example of its use is if there has been a last minute change in scheduling and I'm not in the immediate area of which the information has been shared. A colleague can call and inform me of any developments pretty much instantly. As a device with the purpose of communication it can be put to effective use in my networking. I can easily share my phone number with a new contact building new bridges for my professional and even social network.
I view e-mailing of the same ilk as my phone. The key difference being that despite my phone's practicality, I am limited with the volume and depth of information that can be sent. I consider my ability to send e-mails a much more thorough form of sharing information. I am able to write out my thoughts or message with the ability to review it, I am able to attach documents and extra information, all in a context that allows for easy documentation. I can share information in a phone call but unless my words are being written down or the message is being recorded, the only useful information is what is remembered by the other person.
For my professional work, Web 2.0 (especially social media) is a manner of sharing information with the specific intent of networking. It is a means to share information with hope of achieving the widest reach. This differs to my phone and e-mail as I can implement social media to act as an advertisement for myself. The other two have a much more personal touch and are used when you wish to share information among a specific contact. A good example is a website I have previously mentioned, 'networkdance.com'. It gives me the ability to upload information of my professional work and experience and provides a place for potential employers to seek employees.
My use of DVD's and CD's within my profession has had little to no part in my networking. I use them as a tool to absorb information. My most common practice is learning or cross checking repetoire through a DVD. The ability to watch and learn choreography from a video can take the weight off a repetiteur. With the compact format of a disc it is very easy to transport information and gives a dancer the ability to go over choreography in their spare time. This proved to be invaluable to me of late as I had a performance this very day in which the use of a DVD helped me perform a new role with short notice. A few days ago two company members cast in the same role went down with serious injuries (unrelated). As there wasn't a third cast, I was called upon to fill that place. I had rehearsals in the studio but was able to take a DVD home and cement the information in my head ready for the show.
My final source of information doesn't require technology but can still assist me in many ways regarding my professional practice. Two uses spring to mind when reflecting on my application of verbal communication within my work.
The first instance is simply direct information. A Phone can be useful extending the range on information shared through speech but being in an immediate situation is the most direct form of communication. For my work, being given corrections in class, directions on stage and feedback make my working days productive and effective.
The second thing I think of is something I've touched upon previously. Reputation. It is something I can have control over based on my professional behavior but is mainly an aspect of information sharing that provides an effect. If I have a reputation of being a hard worker, that will affect how my peers view me and ultimately how I am treated within my working environment. This can also have a knock-on effect regarding a network as people will talk and an overall impression will be created, potentially reaching beyond that network.
Mobile Phone
As a tool, I consider my phone the most practical source I have. With the ability to have it on my person at most times it is the most direct method of contact for me. A good example of its use is if there has been a last minute change in scheduling and I'm not in the immediate area of which the information has been shared. A colleague can call and inform me of any developments pretty much instantly. As a device with the purpose of communication it can be put to effective use in my networking. I can easily share my phone number with a new contact building new bridges for my professional and even social network.
E-mail
I view e-mailing of the same ilk as my phone. The key difference being that despite my phone's practicality, I am limited with the volume and depth of information that can be sent. I consider my ability to send e-mails a much more thorough form of sharing information. I am able to write out my thoughts or message with the ability to review it, I am able to attach documents and extra information, all in a context that allows for easy documentation. I can share information in a phone call but unless my words are being written down or the message is being recorded, the only useful information is what is remembered by the other person.
Social Media/Web 2.0
For my professional work, Web 2.0 (especially social media) is a manner of sharing information with the specific intent of networking. It is a means to share information with hope of achieving the widest reach. This differs to my phone and e-mail as I can implement social media to act as an advertisement for myself. The other two have a much more personal touch and are used when you wish to share information among a specific contact. A good example is a website I have previously mentioned, 'networkdance.com'. It gives me the ability to upload information of my professional work and experience and provides a place for potential employers to seek employees.
DVD/CD's
My use of DVD's and CD's within my profession has had little to no part in my networking. I use them as a tool to absorb information. My most common practice is learning or cross checking repetoire through a DVD. The ability to watch and learn choreography from a video can take the weight off a repetiteur. With the compact format of a disc it is very easy to transport information and gives a dancer the ability to go over choreography in their spare time. This proved to be invaluable to me of late as I had a performance this very day in which the use of a DVD helped me perform a new role with short notice. A few days ago two company members cast in the same role went down with serious injuries (unrelated). As there wasn't a third cast, I was called upon to fill that place. I had rehearsals in the studio but was able to take a DVD home and cement the information in my head ready for the show.
Word of Mouth
My final source of information doesn't require technology but can still assist me in many ways regarding my professional practice. Two uses spring to mind when reflecting on my application of verbal communication within my work.
The first instance is simply direct information. A Phone can be useful extending the range on information shared through speech but being in an immediate situation is the most direct form of communication. For my work, being given corrections in class, directions on stage and feedback make my working days productive and effective.
The second thing I think of is something I've touched upon previously. Reputation. It is something I can have control over based on my professional behavior but is mainly an aspect of information sharing that provides an effect. If I have a reputation of being a hard worker, that will affect how my peers view me and ultimately how I am treated within my working environment. This can also have a knock-on effect regarding a network as people will talk and an overall impression will be created, potentially reaching beyond that network.
Tuesday 19 April 2016
Theories and Concepts Relating to Networking
My last blog post concentrated on my initial ideas and thoughts that arose when thinking of the subject of networking. Whilst I covered various forms and gave examples of their relation to myself, there were still aspects that I overlooked. I have been learning about concepts and theories on networking and I wish to discuss them with you now.
Cooperation
The concept of cooperation is an idea that focuses just as much on the ability to take advantage of someone as the thought of working together for mutual benefit. It raises the question of what point does a mutual partnership and arrangement outlive its usefulness and competing for success become a desirable alternative. In which situations would one approach be deemed more appropriate over the other and how much can be gained from behaving in either way?
A very good example to put this concept into context is a game called 'The Prisoners' Dilemma'. Created by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher in 1950, then formalised by Albert W. Tucker in 1992, the game requires two players to privately decide whether they wish to 'Cooperate' or 'Compete' with or against each other. If both players cooperate then their is an equal reward. If one player cooperates but the other competes, the competing player gains a high reward. If both players choose to compete then there is a minimal reward for both of them. This does well to provide the example that despite best interests, two 'rational' individuals may choose to not cooperate.
Affiliation
Affiliation is a concept that focuses on a much more personal and social level. It is the idea around our need to be affiliated with certain individuals but also touches upon maintaining the desired levels of affiliation. As humans we naturally have a need for affiliation. The inclination can vary from person to person but where this ties in with professional networking is that due to our needs for affiliation, does this mean our professional networks develop due to instinctive behavior over a conscious effort? Is networking a result of our needs and not a calculated decision on reviewing the benefits?
These two ideas show contrasting processes although I feel they can merge together in many situations. I view cooperation as a conscious and very deliberate process, where as affiliation is more reflective of our human nature.
In my previous post I spoke of how I viewed the importance of networking to vary depending on the professional context of a dancer. I made my point in a very two dimensional manner only looking at the frequency of a network's use as a variable. After exploring cooperation and affiliation I see there are more angles to view networking from. I now feel that additional to the context of profession, a personal need and desire can affect how important networking is. Not only that but not every contact is necessarily of the same importance to someone. I explained networking purely by size but didn't consider the hierarchies or tiers of certain contacts. To me that makes the idea of cooperation more interesting by introducing the concept of critically evaluating each contact to make decisions on how 'useful' one would deem them to be.
As interesting a thought cooperation is. I can't say that it applies to my personal experience as a professional dancer however there are certain situations where it could apply in the dance world in general. One situation may be when a choreographer is offering a short term contract. Cooperation comes into play because they will need dancers to stage a piece but may have no interest in continuing the employment of a dancer once said show is finished. It could relate on a more personal level if a dancer has a guest contract with a theatre. They are cooperating in order to travel to a new place or to possibly receive a generous payment!
Perhaps the reason I don't recognise elements of cooperation in my working life is because I personally don't view opportunities and partnerships in a removed and selfish manner. That then boils down to ethics. It's all very well looking into what can provide you with the most gain but one thing that is equally if not more important to me is maintaining a healthy working relationship and atmosphere. It connects to my thoughts on reputation as well because people will wish to work with friendly and professional colleagues. The thought of "Cooperate until maximum benefit produced then defect." makes me visualise large corporations trying to get the most money they can. I feel the process is much more apparent in calculated business decisions than what appears on personal levels. Affiliation is much more apparent in my personal experience purely because it's nice to be sociable and have friends! Regardless of whether any of those 'contacts' can do anything for me.
I do acknowledge that so far I have mainly viewed cooperation in a selfish manner and that there must be more friendly examples. I guess that I cooperate with my employer in order to pursue my vocation and make a living.
As I look back on what I've read and written, I feel that my initial concept of networking was very shallow and basic. Just by viewing these two ideas it has raised new thoughts on ethics and social context. Whilst my grip on the term seemed quite basic I now feel my thoughts and opinions on the subject have extra dimensions and much more depth.
Monday 18 April 2016
Current Networks
Networking is a very important aspect of professional practice and dance is no exception. It takes different forms that also tie in to each other. I will look at Virtual, Actual, Professional and Academic Networks. I'll give a brief description of what I believe these to be.
Virtual Networking is connecting with others online. With the ease of access and ability to share information on Web 2.0, this is a great method of making contact with people from far distances or in situations where you wouldn't ordinarily come into contact.
Actual Networking is networking via direct contact with the person in question. During the course of people's careers and lives in general, one will meet and come across many people that they may stay in contact with.
Professional Networking is the links and connections you make through your career. Relating very closely to Actual Networking, you'll find that the vast majority of Professional contacts will be via old or current colleagues. Depending on the situation and profession, Virtual Networking can play a significant role in Professional Networking also.
Academic Networking is the relationships and contact you keep with past tutors and course mates, potentially drawing upon the networks of these people for your own benefit.
Naturally the majority of the networking I have done so far has been 'actual'. From studying with different teachers and meeting many people along the way, either at school or summer courses etc. I have built a respectable network without having consciously thought about it. The area in which I have made a concerted effort to network has been virtually. I mentioned in my post about technology's effect on the dance world a particular tool that I use. A website aptly titled 'Network Dance'. I have harnessed the ability to share my professional information in the hopes of making connections with others, in this instance mainly choreographers or directors.
The reason why networking is deemed to be so important is that it can provide you access to opportunities and further networking that you may not have managed to obtain on your own. One example I can think of is when in my graduate year, I was in the process of searching for a job. One day I bumped into a friend at an open dance class, he informed me of an audition taking place the very next day for the company he was a part of. As I was previously unaware of the audition I hadn't sent any information about myself but he was able to have a word with the director and I was able to attend despite the short notice. Had I not known this individual, I wouldn't have had that opportunity.
As well as my network's benefit towards me, who I am as a professional can affect the networks others try to create. As important as it is to know people, it's arguably equally as important to be wanted to be known by others. What good is a professional contact who wouldn't wish to work with you? This leads me on to the idea of reputation. The way that one behaves in their work and their professional attitude has a lasting effect. A desirable trait of a dancer is to be reliable, whether that means being a fast learner, a consistent dancer, or simply just not getting injured regularly. If a director is looking for dancers and they draw upon a contact of their own to provide information on a potential employee, that employee will hope that he has a good reputation and others will praise their work and attitude.
As significant as it is, I think the importance of networking can vary depending the context of a dancers work. For a freelance performer, networking is crucial as hopping from contract to contract isn't the most stable way of making a living. Rotating jobs more regularly will mean that you're often on the search for new work and having a greater range of contacts is hugely beneficial. This also plays into my thoughts of reputation as your standing within your profession will be called upon more often. For a dancer hired full time by a theatre, their concerns may be less placed on networking. That type of employment is much more stable and the more immediate focus would be on your position within that company. Networking will still be valuable for the audition process but someone in a company may find themselves calling upon their contacts less frequently if at all!
Overall I feel that networking is an integral part of professional practice. Whether it be of more or less importance depending on your specific career style, it will always be worth having the strongest network you can manage. That goes for reputation as well. All types of networking are just as important as the other and if anything a good balance of contacts will provide the most benefit.
Virtual
Virtual Networking is connecting with others online. With the ease of access and ability to share information on Web 2.0, this is a great method of making contact with people from far distances or in situations where you wouldn't ordinarily come into contact.
Actual
Actual Networking is networking via direct contact with the person in question. During the course of people's careers and lives in general, one will meet and come across many people that they may stay in contact with.
Professional
Professional Networking is the links and connections you make through your career. Relating very closely to Actual Networking, you'll find that the vast majority of Professional contacts will be via old or current colleagues. Depending on the situation and profession, Virtual Networking can play a significant role in Professional Networking also.
Academic
Academic Networking is the relationships and contact you keep with past tutors and course mates, potentially drawing upon the networks of these people for your own benefit.
Naturally the majority of the networking I have done so far has been 'actual'. From studying with different teachers and meeting many people along the way, either at school or summer courses etc. I have built a respectable network without having consciously thought about it. The area in which I have made a concerted effort to network has been virtually. I mentioned in my post about technology's effect on the dance world a particular tool that I use. A website aptly titled 'Network Dance'. I have harnessed the ability to share my professional information in the hopes of making connections with others, in this instance mainly choreographers or directors.
The reason why networking is deemed to be so important is that it can provide you access to opportunities and further networking that you may not have managed to obtain on your own. One example I can think of is when in my graduate year, I was in the process of searching for a job. One day I bumped into a friend at an open dance class, he informed me of an audition taking place the very next day for the company he was a part of. As I was previously unaware of the audition I hadn't sent any information about myself but he was able to have a word with the director and I was able to attend despite the short notice. Had I not known this individual, I wouldn't have had that opportunity.
As well as my network's benefit towards me, who I am as a professional can affect the networks others try to create. As important as it is to know people, it's arguably equally as important to be wanted to be known by others. What good is a professional contact who wouldn't wish to work with you? This leads me on to the idea of reputation. The way that one behaves in their work and their professional attitude has a lasting effect. A desirable trait of a dancer is to be reliable, whether that means being a fast learner, a consistent dancer, or simply just not getting injured regularly. If a director is looking for dancers and they draw upon a contact of their own to provide information on a potential employee, that employee will hope that he has a good reputation and others will praise their work and attitude.
As significant as it is, I think the importance of networking can vary depending the context of a dancers work. For a freelance performer, networking is crucial as hopping from contract to contract isn't the most stable way of making a living. Rotating jobs more regularly will mean that you're often on the search for new work and having a greater range of contacts is hugely beneficial. This also plays into my thoughts of reputation as your standing within your profession will be called upon more often. For a dancer hired full time by a theatre, their concerns may be less placed on networking. That type of employment is much more stable and the more immediate focus would be on your position within that company. Networking will still be valuable for the audition process but someone in a company may find themselves calling upon their contacts less frequently if at all!
Overall I feel that networking is an integral part of professional practice. Whether it be of more or less importance depending on your specific career style, it will always be worth having the strongest network you can manage. That goes for reputation as well. All types of networking are just as important as the other and if anything a good balance of contacts will provide the most benefit.
Tuesday 12 April 2016
Introspective Q&A
For task 2D-Inquiry, I have been given a set of questions to answer with the goal of noticing how the ideas of reflection relate to me...
...here goes!
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?
The main thing that keeps me enthusiastic is a solid piece of repetoire. What I mean by that is working on and performing a well thought out and enjoyable bit of choreography. If a show or role is fun for me to perform and is full of substance, I'll have plenty of material to delve into which keeps me occupied and eager to see how much I can make of it artistically. When you exercise your passion as a profession you can sometimes start to lose that initial spark, but having moments of finding work that reminds you why you started in the first place gives you that desire and hunger to keep pushing forward. The best example I can think of is that a few weeks ago I felt I was having a pretty slow season and wasn't overly enthusiastic about my dancing. Since then we began rehearsals for 'Don Juan', a show we shall be premiering next season choreographed by Giorgio Madia. I have had the fortune of being cast as Zaani, the assistant to Don Juan who serves as a jester like character. The role is very energetic and expressive which I feel suits me well. I'd consider myself more of a character artist than a princely or lovelorn hero type. The rehearsals have been extremely engaging and I've been having great fun, reminding me of back when I was a student getting to learn an exciting bit of rep at a summer school.
I'd have to say that I admire a select group of my closest friends and colleagues as sharing the same inspirations and mindsets makes us a tighter working unit. If we're on board with each other and working collectively in the same manner it can boost the group's productivity and enthusiasm tenfold! Working with like-minded individuals allows us to bounce of each others energy which results in greater performances and a better working attitude.
What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?
I find that I myself am the main thing that gets me angry and sad! I deem myself to be a bit of a perfectionist and in that pursuit of reaching the goals I set for myself, I often find myself being overly critical resulting in low self esteem from time to time. Managing my frustrations has been something I've struggled to conquer over my entire time dancing. I'm nowhere near over it but I have certainly made vast improvements over the years. I find that the best approach to staying on top of my anger is acceptance. Acceptance that not every single day is going to be my best day, acceptance that in order to better myself I must put in the work first. If I'm having a day where my balance is off for example, that will frustrate me. To overcome that frustration I accept that technique is a constant battle and push through despite my feelings of discouragement.
As vague as this is, I admire anyone who is able to stay more level headed than I am. Especially if I know they're having similar feelings or struggling in another sense. Seeing someone stay active and professional despite their personal feelings reminds me that regardless of how I feel, I can do the same thing.
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?
I consider myself a very artistic person and just the fact that I get to dance and perform as a profession is wonderful. This goes further as I like to spread myself out and get to exercise many arts and disciplines. This includes various dancing styles, playing music, singing and graphic design. My time spent in Estonia has allowed me to do that with a diverse repetoire at the Vanemuine and other projects I have worked on professionally or semi-professionally outside of that.
In the same way Dewey regards learning as experiential, I find that my inspirations are too found from my direct experiences and interactions. So far with each time I have thought about who I admire and who inspires me, my immediate thoughts are people I know personally such as my colleagues. It's my direct contact that gives me inspiration to keep working, whether it be competitive or merely in admiration. Not to say I don't draw inspiration from key figures in the dancing world, although even then, I've had that contact through the fortune of being taught by many great figures at school and summer/Easter courses. The most notable of those being Irek Mukhamedov, Jonathon Cope, Errol Pickford and Gary Avis.
What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?
If I'm being completely honest I still don't feel I fully understand ballet technique. In the sense that I have trained for years and fully grasp the basic concepts however everyone has their flaws and bad habits that ail them. I often find that just as I make a breakthrough in my placement or technique, that has a knock on affect to another part of my body as it is working in a manner it's not used to. Everything is connected in the body so any change won't be without consequence. It's like having a Rubik's cube and managing to match all the greens, but in the process you've messed up the reds you may have had. I'm yet to complete my Rubik's cube and doubt I ever will!
I can't think of a person in particular to admire but I'm fond of the idea that ballet is an art that one can never truly master (besides an exceptional few perhaps). There's always improvement to be had and there's always further one can go when practicing classical ballet. Even the greats admit that there's still plenty they can learn and achieve for themselves.
How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society? For example, what level of physical contact would you deem appropriate (and not) from another professional that you would find unacceptable more generally? Why?
Deciding the appropriate responses depends very much on the context of the situation and profession. Two scenarios spring to mind. The first being the approach towards teaching classical ballet. I believe that in order to train with the goal of making dance your profession, you must work with military routine. Many people may consider this too harsh an approach for something that is ultimately expressive and artistic but it's all for the sake of discipline. I've had experiences of my own where either I or friends were being shouted at and picked on by a teacher, even to the extent that parents would call in and complain. As horrible as this may sound I don't have any issue with my experience as it was all part of pushing me as far as I could go. My entire school experience wasn't like this but I noticeably feel the benefit of being worked so thoroughly. Once you're more resilient as a dancer it allows you to keep hold of that professionalism and discipline once you join a company where the atmosphere may become more relaxed and self motivation is required to maintain progress. This view works very much in contrast of Dewey's democratic beliefs as I'm speaking of what is essentially forced learning. You could argue however that the pupil has still been given the freedom to choose their path as ballet isn't thrust upon a child like Science or Maths would be.
The second thing, raised by the question, was about physical contact. This is less to do with discipline and is more of a social issue. Due to the nature of ballet it is very physical and often requires working within each others personal space. Pas de duex for example is reliant on a lot of physical contact that few other professions seem to require. For us as professionals it's part of our job and is something we're entirely comfortable with. For someone not involved in the dance world this may be an odd concept to get to grips with. In the same way that actors and actresses have kissing scenes in movies or TV shows, ballet can be used as another form of story telling so similar situations occur in our line of work. A fairly common scenario where I work is that there will be a kiss choreographed and one or both of the dancers concerned are in a relationship with someone else, yet we accept that it of course isn't reality and is part of our job to act out the story. I can imagine that for someone outside of the dance world this would be a very difficult idea to get their head around.
...here goes!
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?
 |
| Staatsballett Berlin performing Don Juan Vladislav Marinov as Zaani |
I'd have to say that I admire a select group of my closest friends and colleagues as sharing the same inspirations and mindsets makes us a tighter working unit. If we're on board with each other and working collectively in the same manner it can boost the group's productivity and enthusiasm tenfold! Working with like-minded individuals allows us to bounce of each others energy which results in greater performances and a better working attitude.
What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?
I find that I myself am the main thing that gets me angry and sad! I deem myself to be a bit of a perfectionist and in that pursuit of reaching the goals I set for myself, I often find myself being overly critical resulting in low self esteem from time to time. Managing my frustrations has been something I've struggled to conquer over my entire time dancing. I'm nowhere near over it but I have certainly made vast improvements over the years. I find that the best approach to staying on top of my anger is acceptance. Acceptance that not every single day is going to be my best day, acceptance that in order to better myself I must put in the work first. If I'm having a day where my balance is off for example, that will frustrate me. To overcome that frustration I accept that technique is a constant battle and push through despite my feelings of discouragement.
As vague as this is, I admire anyone who is able to stay more level headed than I am. Especially if I know they're having similar feelings or struggling in another sense. Seeing someone stay active and professional despite their personal feelings reminds me that regardless of how I feel, I can do the same thing.
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?
I consider myself a very artistic person and just the fact that I get to dance and perform as a profession is wonderful. This goes further as I like to spread myself out and get to exercise many arts and disciplines. This includes various dancing styles, playing music, singing and graphic design. My time spent in Estonia has allowed me to do that with a diverse repetoire at the Vanemuine and other projects I have worked on professionally or semi-professionally outside of that.
 |
| Errol Pickford, Principal at The Royal Ballet and my Sixth form teacher at Elmhurst |
What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?
If I'm being completely honest I still don't feel I fully understand ballet technique. In the sense that I have trained for years and fully grasp the basic concepts however everyone has their flaws and bad habits that ail them. I often find that just as I make a breakthrough in my placement or technique, that has a knock on affect to another part of my body as it is working in a manner it's not used to. Everything is connected in the body so any change won't be without consequence. It's like having a Rubik's cube and managing to match all the greens, but in the process you've messed up the reds you may have had. I'm yet to complete my Rubik's cube and doubt I ever will!
I can't think of a person in particular to admire but I'm fond of the idea that ballet is an art that one can never truly master (besides an exceptional few perhaps). There's always improvement to be had and there's always further one can go when practicing classical ballet. Even the greats admit that there's still plenty they can learn and achieve for themselves.
"Plié is the first thing you learn and the last thing you master." -Suzanne Farrell
How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society? For example, what level of physical contact would you deem appropriate (and not) from another professional that you would find unacceptable more generally? Why?
Deciding the appropriate responses depends very much on the context of the situation and profession. Two scenarios spring to mind. The first being the approach towards teaching classical ballet. I believe that in order to train with the goal of making dance your profession, you must work with military routine. Many people may consider this too harsh an approach for something that is ultimately expressive and artistic but it's all for the sake of discipline. I've had experiences of my own where either I or friends were being shouted at and picked on by a teacher, even to the extent that parents would call in and complain. As horrible as this may sound I don't have any issue with my experience as it was all part of pushing me as far as I could go. My entire school experience wasn't like this but I noticeably feel the benefit of being worked so thoroughly. Once you're more resilient as a dancer it allows you to keep hold of that professionalism and discipline once you join a company where the atmosphere may become more relaxed and self motivation is required to maintain progress. This view works very much in contrast of Dewey's democratic beliefs as I'm speaking of what is essentially forced learning. You could argue however that the pupil has still been given the freedom to choose their path as ballet isn't thrust upon a child like Science or Maths would be.
The second thing, raised by the question, was about physical contact. This is less to do with discipline and is more of a social issue. Due to the nature of ballet it is very physical and often requires working within each others personal space. Pas de duex for example is reliant on a lot of physical contact that few other professions seem to require. For us as professionals it's part of our job and is something we're entirely comfortable with. For someone not involved in the dance world this may be an odd concept to get to grips with. In the same way that actors and actresses have kissing scenes in movies or TV shows, ballet can be used as another form of story telling so similar situations occur in our line of work. A fairly common scenario where I work is that there will be a kiss choreographed and one or both of the dancers concerned are in a relationship with someone else, yet we accept that it of course isn't reality and is part of our job to act out the story. I can imagine that for someone outside of the dance world this would be a very difficult idea to get their head around.
Wednesday 6 April 2016
How does my learning experience compare to theories on reflective practice?
Now that I have reviewed and experimented with my approach towards my journal and reflective writing, I will use what I have learned to compare my findings with the theories and thoughts of some select philosophers. I'll be looking at examples of great thinkers who pioneered reflective practice and the approach to learning, namely John Dewey, David Kolb, and Donald Schön. Before I look at my own experiences I shall give a brief introduction into the theories and findings of these three men.
Dewey
John Dewey was a key part in progressive education, which is the view that learning comes from doing. As a pragmatist he believed that we learn from taking a 'Hands on' approach and that reality must be experienced. In doing so, interaction with environment provides education through direct experience.
Kolb
David Kolb was highly influenced by Dewey and had the same beliefs in that learning is experiential.
"Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience." (Kolb, 1984, p.38 'Learning styles model')
Kolb developed a reflective model based on the earlier research of Dewey that pays particular attention to how information is transformed into knowledge. The 'Experiential Learning Cycle' is a four stage cycle that represents each element of the learning process. Here is an example...
These four stages put forward the idea that progress and learning comes from a series of practices. This idea also works on the level that everyone naturally leans toward their own learning style and each stage is representative of a method of learning.
e.g.
Concrete experience = Feeling
Reflective observation = Watching
Abstract conceptualisation = Thinking
Active experimentation =Doing
He did however believe that no two learning methods could coexist if they were on opposite sides of the cycle together e.g. it's not possible to 'Think' and 'Feel' at the same time nor 'Watch' and 'Do'. consequently our learning styles are a result of the combination of any two methods in series. Here is another visualisation...
Schön
Donald Schön derived the notions of 'Reflection on action' and 'Reflection in action'. His ideas focused much more on the theme of approaches towards correction. Reflection on action is the idea that one will analyse and explore the reasons and consequences surrounding an action after experiencing it, where as Reflection in action is attending to the situation in the moment using past experience to solve a problem. Schön believed that the ability to reflect upon action was a defining characteristic of professional practice.
My Experience
As a professional dancer, my experiences certainly relate to Dewey's vision of learning as my whole career has revolved around being physical. It's the opportunity of continued practice that helps me progress as a dancer and it's reflection that keeps me on course as I look at what I wish to improve upon myself and using the ability to identify my strengths. I agree with Schön and his opinion that reflection is a major feature of professional practice. Dance is my vocation and I have spent many years honing my skills in order to pursue it. None of that would be possible if it wasn't for my self-evaluation and introspection. You can throw as much information as you want at someone but it isn't until that 'Hands on' experience, you truly learn how to become an adept practitioner.
I would argue that Kolb's cycle fits certain situations but can't be applied to all learning experiences. I feel it's very fitting towards thoughtful practice and relates to how the brain experiences learning but I feel that learning through 'muscle memory' behaves in a very different fashion. If approaching a situation where there is a dance step I'm struggling with then I feel this model is very accurate in representing my approach to correcting myself. Other situations in which one is already aware of what needs to be achieved, but simple repetitive practice is required doesn't seem to fit the model as I feel there is no reflection or experimentation involved. I have had many rehearsals in which I have learnt some new and challenging choreography, I'll come in the next day and without having necessarily thought about it in between the time, I'll find that I get to grips with the movements the second time around, as if it's more 'in my body'. Practicing guitar scales I feel is another good example, by simple repetition you 'learn' to be better. You could argue however that what I speak of isn't learning per say but merely conditioning.
Kolb isn't without his critics though. This is an extract from Steve Wheeler's blog (June 20th 2012) on "Recycling Kolb"
"A major criticism of Kolb's experiential learning cycle is that
any or all of the four phases he identifies could occur simultaneously (Jeffs
and Smith, 1999). Another is that the model does not sufficiently acknowledge
the power of reflection on learning (Boud et al, 1985). Probably the most
important criticism of the cycle is that depending on the learner, and/or the
activities they are engaged in, some stages of the process can be bypassed, or
repeated several times in any sequence."
I can certainly relate to the theories and ideas that have been put forward. I do recognise many features of these within my working experience. I would say though that I wouldn't pin down learning as a whole into such simplified models but I feel they do represent certain elements with great accuracy.
Friday 25 March 2016
Journal Writing Experience
In my previous blog post I mentioned that I'm to start writing a private journal. I had many concerns about how I would achieve this and whether my current writing style was appropriate for such a task. Task 2a (Reflective Practice) states "You may need to find your own way to 'puzzle through'". I was certainly feeling puzzled to begin with!
Fortunately in the description of task 2b: Reflective writing, we are given suggestions of styles of writing. these include description, initial reflection, evaluation and more. I was happy that I had found some guidelines to work around. I had begun my writing without making any conscious efforts to tailor my thoughts to a specific style. I then began to implement the suggestions I had been given.
I found it to be increasingly difficult to write a little bit about my day each day as I went along because there wasn't necessarily something new and different in every instance. We recently premiered a new ballet at Teater Vanemuine called 'The Snowqueen'. The days leading up to the premiere became a blur as the company got into a routine of stage runs and the only variables ended up being whether we were rehearsing in costume and make-up. I found it a struggle to write something that I felt was consistently engaging to read and led me to question whether it was down to my writing style or down to the lack of inspiration that I was having such a hard time.
I then had a look at the suggestions for writing styles and tried to identify what methods I find myself naturally using. I feel that the way I approached my journal was similar to how I write my blog. I try and write as if someone will be reading it despite the journal being private. I saw that I used 'description' to tell what happened during the day. I used 'initial reflection' in order to give it a personal touch. Because otherwise, I would have just been purely listing the events of the day which would be heavily reliant on that day being interesting to make it worth reading. I lastly used 'evaluation'. Mainly as a device to wrap up my writing. I don't think I'd find myself doing that if it wasn't for the interest of someone else having a read.
After I had tried that I began applying styles that I hadn't used previously. One suggestion was to make a graph or diagram. I found this very unusual as I would never have thought to present my ideas in this fashion. I didn't want it to end up being a graph just for the sake of rearranging the layout, so I tried to think what ideas would make sense in that format. I then came up with the idea of weighing up the good parts and bad parts of the day in a table and comparing them. This was interesting as I could see I had already started to change the way I approached my journal just from one suggestion.
Another suggestion was to think 'What if?' This was interesting to me because up until this point I'd mainly used my journal for documenting events and providing my initial thoughts. This was a nice exercise in being much more imaginative and I suddenly felt like there was so much more in my head that I'd not explored because prior to that I'd only concerned myself with the facts and my first thoughts to them, nothing further.
The same thing goes for another suggestion which was to write from the perspective of someone/something else. This was another thing I'd not considered as I'd only ever proceeded as if my journal should be through my eyes. In the same way as asking 'What if?' this allowed me much more freedom with my mind.
I expressed curiosities in my previous blog post about whether this journal would affect my writing style. I have to say that I'm still very much working on getting my thoughts out from my brain and through to my fingers as I type, but what I have found is that if I'm struggling with inspiration I now have more tools at my disposal for finding a way to write.
Fortunately in the description of task 2b: Reflective writing, we are given suggestions of styles of writing. these include description, initial reflection, evaluation and more. I was happy that I had found some guidelines to work around. I had begun my writing without making any conscious efforts to tailor my thoughts to a specific style. I then began to implement the suggestions I had been given.
I found it to be increasingly difficult to write a little bit about my day each day as I went along because there wasn't necessarily something new and different in every instance. We recently premiered a new ballet at Teater Vanemuine called 'The Snowqueen'. The days leading up to the premiere became a blur as the company got into a routine of stage runs and the only variables ended up being whether we were rehearsing in costume and make-up. I found it a struggle to write something that I felt was consistently engaging to read and led me to question whether it was down to my writing style or down to the lack of inspiration that I was having such a hard time.
I then had a look at the suggestions for writing styles and tried to identify what methods I find myself naturally using. I feel that the way I approached my journal was similar to how I write my blog. I try and write as if someone will be reading it despite the journal being private. I saw that I used 'description' to tell what happened during the day. I used 'initial reflection' in order to give it a personal touch. Because otherwise, I would have just been purely listing the events of the day which would be heavily reliant on that day being interesting to make it worth reading. I lastly used 'evaluation'. Mainly as a device to wrap up my writing. I don't think I'd find myself doing that if it wasn't for the interest of someone else having a read.
After I had tried that I began applying styles that I hadn't used previously. One suggestion was to make a graph or diagram. I found this very unusual as I would never have thought to present my ideas in this fashion. I didn't want it to end up being a graph just for the sake of rearranging the layout, so I tried to think what ideas would make sense in that format. I then came up with the idea of weighing up the good parts and bad parts of the day in a table and comparing them. This was interesting as I could see I had already started to change the way I approached my journal just from one suggestion.
Another suggestion was to think 'What if?' This was interesting to me because up until this point I'd mainly used my journal for documenting events and providing my initial thoughts. This was a nice exercise in being much more imaginative and I suddenly felt like there was so much more in my head that I'd not explored because prior to that I'd only concerned myself with the facts and my first thoughts to them, nothing further.
The same thing goes for another suggestion which was to write from the perspective of someone/something else. This was another thing I'd not considered as I'd only ever proceeded as if my journal should be through my eyes. In the same way as asking 'What if?' this allowed me much more freedom with my mind.
I expressed curiosities in my previous blog post about whether this journal would affect my writing style. I have to say that I'm still very much working on getting my thoughts out from my brain and through to my fingers as I type, but what I have found is that if I'm struggling with inspiration I now have more tools at my disposal for finding a way to write.
Sunday 6 March 2016
A Private Journal?
As I'm browsing over the tasks for Part 2 of my course I see that the first task requires me to start a private journal. The idea is not to share it publicly but to keep a record of my thoughts of the tasks and my own professional experience in order to exercise my reflective skills. It feels strange to work on something that isn't initially for presentation however we are encouraged to use excerpts towards later modules.
For a start I'm interested to see if this affects my writing style in any way. I find that I can have many thoughts swirling around my mind. When it's a requirement to write them out it can often be a struggle to organise them in a well rounded, orderly fashion. Already as I've been writing this paragraph I have stopped multiple times to re-write and find a draft that I am satisfied with before continuing. Many people I know, upon discussing writing techniques have told me that they will simply write everything as it comes out, then go back to review their writing and re-adjust accordingly. I find that very difficult to do. Perhaps I just want to have everything 'perfect' too quickly and my impatience blocks my writing flow, or maybe it's just my method of writing and I'll have to accept that that's how I work.
In my blog post about Technology's effect on the dance world, I found that having a quick brainstorm of my ideas before writing served as a very good method of finding a framework for my post. Hopefully keeping that in mind will serve me well for any future writing of mine. Over time I'll be interested to see if my approach to writing and organising my thoughts changes. I think the journal will act as a good excercise for both my writing and evaluation skills.
Just like blogging, the idea of a journal feels very new to me but I'm excited to see what will come of it and see how it will affect my learning experience as I make the transition from 'traditional' classroom learning to the BAPP course that I am on now.
For a start I'm interested to see if this affects my writing style in any way. I find that I can have many thoughts swirling around my mind. When it's a requirement to write them out it can often be a struggle to organise them in a well rounded, orderly fashion. Already as I've been writing this paragraph I have stopped multiple times to re-write and find a draft that I am satisfied with before continuing. Many people I know, upon discussing writing techniques have told me that they will simply write everything as it comes out, then go back to review their writing and re-adjust accordingly. I find that very difficult to do. Perhaps I just want to have everything 'perfect' too quickly and my impatience blocks my writing flow, or maybe it's just my method of writing and I'll have to accept that that's how I work.
In my blog post about Technology's effect on the dance world, I found that having a quick brainstorm of my ideas before writing served as a very good method of finding a framework for my post. Hopefully keeping that in mind will serve me well for any future writing of mine. Over time I'll be interested to see if my approach to writing and organising my thoughts changes. I think the journal will act as a good excercise for both my writing and evaluation skills.
Just like blogging, the idea of a journal feels very new to me but I'm excited to see what will come of it and see how it will affect my learning experience as I make the transition from 'traditional' classroom learning to the BAPP course that I am on now.
Monday 29 February 2016
My Flickr Profile
I have set up a Flickr account in order to share photos that display the work I have done in my career so far. Hopefully you enjoy what I have to show! The photos I have so far hopefully serve as a taster for what my page will eventually become as I plan to add much more to my page as the course goes on.
Here is the link, please enjoy!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140620075@N08/
Here is the link, please enjoy!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140620075@N08/
Friday 26 February 2016
Technology and its Effect on the Dance World
Whilst reading through my module handbooks and reader, I notice there is a lot of emphasis on technology and the internet. That would make sense considering that I am taking part in an away learning course and many of these tools, such as the internet, social media and online conference calls are essential to my involvement in the process. My ability to use Skype in order to stay in contact with my course supervisor for example is extremely useful. It allows me to be able to have those immediate interactions with another person in order to help better communicate and stay in touch with my progress on the course.
I wanted to take this moment to link these themes and ideas with how things like social media etc. has affected the dance world and see whether I think that it is making a positive or negative impact on different aspects of dance.
To start, I think that technology has been exceedingly helpful for performers in order to create a profile for themselves and be able to create networks that can be very beneficial for their careers. One example of creating a profile is the ability to find websites designed for both dancers and employers seeking employment/employees. These sites allow dancers to upload CV's, photos and videos. You can advertise yourself within certain fields and you can let potential employers know what sort of work you are seeking. On the other side of things, theatres and companies can browse these profiles and also let dancers know if auditions are being held or if they even are seeking anyone to work for them. There are several sites like these but one of particular note I'd like to share is Network Dance. Here is a screenshot of my own Network Dance profile.
I've found this website to be particularly effective in keeping me informed on upcoming auditions and contracts that are going within various companies. I will receive regular emails letting me know what jobs are going that match the criteria I have listed within my profile e.g. classical ballet performance work.
This leads me on to my next point that the internet has been very beneficial for companies and choreographers in order to let the world know what work they are doing and what repetoire they have going on. This is useful in two ways. First of all it makes the institutions more accessible to the public and can help draw in the crowds. Second of all it can attract dancers seeking employment as they may be drawn to a certain company's repetoire or facilities. In this day and age it is debatable that going to the theatre for entertainment isn't as popular as it once was. Harnessing the internet and social media in order to gain exposure I believe is a great way to maintain a healthy flow of audience members.
As well as just being able to use the internet as a platform for advertising, it has been proven to be a very useful tool in gathering feedback. Certain websites can make it very accessible for theatre goers to inform theatres, companies and choreographers on what they would like to see and be able to hint at what types of shows may be most successful.
So far I have been very praising of technology's affect on the dance world (and the business world in general for that matter). I also have a few points that may expose another angle on technology.
Many dancers and companies will use video cameras to record shows and rehearsals. This can prove to be very useful for the sake of documenting choreography and being able to teach new dancers certain works. I would personally argue that the use of cameras can slightly change choreography over time. Because the camera records exactly what it sees and because we're only human, that will include every mistake also which could have a knock on effect to new dancers learning parts, essentially acting like a big game of Chinese whispers with choreography! Prior to video cameras there were various forms of dance notation. One example which is arguably the main method still in circulation is called Benesh. It works on staves like music would and documents exactly what the dancer is performing. Here is an example of Benesh with the image of a dancer above representing the positions that have been notted below.
Despite the precision of notation, many companies may not have the funds or desire even to hire an annotator so the ability to use video cameras can be a very cheap and easy solution to documenting dance.
One last thought about social media is that it makes it far easier for an employer to learn about someone via their online presence. Many of us take very different approaches to how we present ourselves on a website such as Facebook compared to how we would on a professional site such as Network Dance or LinkedIn. A potential employer could very well search for someone's private social media profiles in order to make a judgement on whether they would like to hire such a person. That poses certain ethical questions as to how much access should an employer have and how much information should be shared between an employer and employee.
Despite raising positive and negative points on the subject, I think overall technology has been great for the dance world. There are arguments for and against old methods versus the new ones but essentially it has allowed much easier networking and profiling among dancers and companies. There is much freedom and access to information but in such a situation many of us may have to be careful with just how much we share!
I wanted to take this moment to link these themes and ideas with how things like social media etc. has affected the dance world and see whether I think that it is making a positive or negative impact on different aspects of dance.
To start, I think that technology has been exceedingly helpful for performers in order to create a profile for themselves and be able to create networks that can be very beneficial for their careers. One example of creating a profile is the ability to find websites designed for both dancers and employers seeking employment/employees. These sites allow dancers to upload CV's, photos and videos. You can advertise yourself within certain fields and you can let potential employers know what sort of work you are seeking. On the other side of things, theatres and companies can browse these profiles and also let dancers know if auditions are being held or if they even are seeking anyone to work for them. There are several sites like these but one of particular note I'd like to share is Network Dance. Here is a screenshot of my own Network Dance profile.
I've found this website to be particularly effective in keeping me informed on upcoming auditions and contracts that are going within various companies. I will receive regular emails letting me know what jobs are going that match the criteria I have listed within my profile e.g. classical ballet performance work.
This leads me on to my next point that the internet has been very beneficial for companies and choreographers in order to let the world know what work they are doing and what repetoire they have going on. This is useful in two ways. First of all it makes the institutions more accessible to the public and can help draw in the crowds. Second of all it can attract dancers seeking employment as they may be drawn to a certain company's repetoire or facilities. In this day and age it is debatable that going to the theatre for entertainment isn't as popular as it once was. Harnessing the internet and social media in order to gain exposure I believe is a great way to maintain a healthy flow of audience members.
As well as just being able to use the internet as a platform for advertising, it has been proven to be a very useful tool in gathering feedback. Certain websites can make it very accessible for theatre goers to inform theatres, companies and choreographers on what they would like to see and be able to hint at what types of shows may be most successful.
So far I have been very praising of technology's affect on the dance world (and the business world in general for that matter). I also have a few points that may expose another angle on technology.
Many dancers and companies will use video cameras to record shows and rehearsals. This can prove to be very useful for the sake of documenting choreography and being able to teach new dancers certain works. I would personally argue that the use of cameras can slightly change choreography over time. Because the camera records exactly what it sees and because we're only human, that will include every mistake also which could have a knock on effect to new dancers learning parts, essentially acting like a big game of Chinese whispers with choreography! Prior to video cameras there were various forms of dance notation. One example which is arguably the main method still in circulation is called Benesh. It works on staves like music would and documents exactly what the dancer is performing. Here is an example of Benesh with the image of a dancer above representing the positions that have been notted below.
Despite the precision of notation, many companies may not have the funds or desire even to hire an annotator so the ability to use video cameras can be a very cheap and easy solution to documenting dance.
One last thought about social media is that it makes it far easier for an employer to learn about someone via their online presence. Many of us take very different approaches to how we present ourselves on a website such as Facebook compared to how we would on a professional site such as Network Dance or LinkedIn. A potential employer could very well search for someone's private social media profiles in order to make a judgement on whether they would like to hire such a person. That poses certain ethical questions as to how much access should an employer have and how much information should be shared between an employer and employee.
Despite raising positive and negative points on the subject, I think overall technology has been great for the dance world. There are arguments for and against old methods versus the new ones but essentially it has allowed much easier networking and profiling among dancers and companies. There is much freedom and access to information but in such a situation many of us may have to be careful with just how much we share!
Saturday 20 February 2016
CV's Old and New
I thought it would interesting to take a look at my very first CV and compare it to what my CV would look like now. Admittedly it hasn't been updated in a while so this will a good opportunity to include my most recent experiences and gain a new perspective in how far I have come as a professional dancer since graduating.
Here are the main details of my very first CV...
Currently studying at Elmhurst School for Dance in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet and have strong classical ballet technique with additional experience in Jazz (Mattox), Contemporary (Graham, Cunningham). Further proficient knowledge of Tap and Flamenco.
Here are the main details of my very first CV...
Personal
Profile
Currently studying at Elmhurst School for Dance in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet and have strong classical ballet technique with additional experience in Jazz (Mattox), Contemporary (Graham, Cunningham). Further proficient knowledge of Tap and Flamenco.
Education
and Qualifications
2004-2011 Elmhurst School for Dance
National Diploma in Professional Dance
RAD Advanced 1: 77/100
Passed A-Level Dance and English Language and Literature
GCSE grades: 1 A* 6 B’s 4 C’s
Most Achievement (Upper School Man) 2009 (Artistic Prize)
National Diploma in Professional Dance
RAD Advanced 1: 77/100
Passed A-Level Dance and English Language and Literature
GCSE grades: 1 A* 6 B’s 4 C’s
Most Achievement (Upper School Man) 2009 (Artistic Prize)
2010 Giselle (Peasant
Pas de Deux), Sir Peter Wright, ‘Reach4Dance’ Outreach
Coppélia (Combat), Sir Peter Wright, Elmhurst Theatre
Swan Lake (Czardas,Pollaka), Sir Peter Wright, Virginia USA (Birmingham Royal Ballet)
Orpheus Suite (Apollo), David Bintley, Elmhurst School Theatre
Swan Lake (Pas de Quatre), Fredrick Ashton, Elmhurst Theatre
Coppélia (Combat), Sir Peter Wright, Elmhurst Theatre
Swan Lake (Czardas,Pollaka), Sir Peter Wright, Virginia USA (Birmingham Royal Ballet)
Orpheus Suite (Apollo), David Bintley, Elmhurst School Theatre
Swan Lake (Pas de Quatre), Fredrick Ashton, Elmhurst Theatre
2009 Cyrano
(Cook), David Bintley, Birmingham Hippodrome, Sadlers Wells, UK Tour (BRB)
2008 Young Persons
Guide to the Orchestra, Patrick Hinson, Elmhurst Theatre
Laurencia, Errol Pickford (after Chaboukiani), Elmhurst Theatre
30 x 10 in 4, Robin Cousins, Elmhurst Theatre
Laurencia, Errol Pickford (after Chaboukiani), Elmhurst Theatre
30 x 10 in 4, Robin Cousins, Elmhurst Theatre
Other dance experience includes training with Irek Mukhamedov,
attending the Royal Ballet Mid-Associates, Performing with the London
Children’s Ballet in Vanessa Fenton’s ‘A Little Princess’ and David Fielding’s
‘The Canterville Ghost’, Performing in Birmingham Symphony Hall and Town Hall.
Also attended the Dance Forward, White Lodge, Wells and International Ballet
Masterclasses Prague Summer/ Easter schools.
As I'm looking back on it now I'm noticing how much information can probably be removed. Many of you will know that when you're looking for work as a student it's very difficult to find enough things to write about yourself when at this stage in your career, you'll have little to no professional experience yet! I was very fortunate to tour with Birmingham Royal Ballet whilst studying and I feel that that is noteworthy. Listing the roles I have performed in the school theatre however, might not be deemed so important anymore!
I have now spent some time amending my CV, here is the revised and up to date version.
I have now spent some time amending my CV, here is the revised and up to date version.
Personal Profile
Currently working as a ballet artist at Teater Vanemuine in
Tartu, Estonia and have strong classical ballet technique with additional
experience in Jazz (Mattox), Contemporary (Graham, Cunningham). Further
proficient knowledge of Tap and Flamenco with experience in Irish dance and
acrobatics.
Education and Qualifications
Elmhurst School for Dance (2004-2011)
National Diploma in Professional Dance
RAD Advanced 1: 77/100
A-Level Dance and English Language and Literature
GCSE grades: 1 A* 6 B’s 4 C’s
Most Achievement (Upper School Man) 2009 and 2011 (Artistic Prize)
Benesh Movement Notation: Score reading for Dancers (Passed with Honours)
National Diploma in Professional Dance
RAD Advanced 1: 77/100
A-Level Dance and English Language and Literature
GCSE grades: 1 A* 6 B’s 4 C’s
Most Achievement (Upper School Man) 2009 and 2011 (Artistic Prize)
Benesh Movement Notation: Score reading for Dancers (Passed with Honours)
Pre-Graduation experience
Toured with Birmingham Royal Ballet:
·
Cyrano, David Bintley, UK Tour (2009)
·
Swan Lake, Sir Peter Wright, Virginia USA Tour (2010)
·
Slaughter on 10th Avenue, George
Balanchine, UK Tour (2011)
·
The Sleeping Beauty, Sir Peter Wright, Japan Tour (2011)
Selected to dance in Robin Cousins’ 30 x 10 in 4 (2008)
Peasant Pas de Deux, Giselle, Sir Peter Wright, ‘Reach4Dance’ outreach programme (2010)
Peasant Pas de Deux, Giselle, Sir Peter Wright, ‘Reach4Dance’ outreach programme (2010)
Professional Experience
Ballet:
·
Petter (Pähklipureja/Nutcracker) Pär Isberg
·
Lead Peasant couple (Onegin) Vasily Medvedev
·
Bluebird Pas de Deux (Uinuv Kaunitar/Sleeping Beauty) Pär
Isberg
·
Japanese Pas de Duex (Casanova) David Sonnenbluck
·
Paparazzi, Drunk Solo (La Dolce Vita) Georgio Mada
·
Pas de Cinque, Lead Saracen (Raimonda) Jelena Pankova
Musicals and other:
·
Evita (Georg Malvius)
·
Mary Poppins (Georg Malvius)
·
Cabaret (Roman Hovenbitzer)
·
GO- Mäng Kahele (Teet Kask)
·
Thriller (Cedric Lee Bradley)
Straight Up Rhythm (Matthew Jordan)
One thing I remembered was that my first CV had been written at the beginning of my last school year on the basis that I would be spending that year auditioning. As a result there were some details missing that would have appeared later on in the year for me. It's been much more satisfying though being able to list roles and performances I have done professionally as it feels like these roles mentioned carry much more weight than just stating what you learnt at school. I feel that a potential employer would value professional experience the most and I view the last section of my current CV as the most important.
It's been interesting being able to compare the two CV's and I like the fact that I feel more legitimate as a dancer being able to see a list of achievements I have made since leaving school and performing out in the professional world.
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