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.

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

https://beneshinaction.com/2016/06/07/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?

http://hubpages.com/education/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 

https://www.brb.org.uk/post/meet-the-repetiteur-denis-bonner

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.

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...

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!

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.

How has Benesh affected the dance world?

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.

How relevant is Benesh Notation in this day and age?

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.