Whats caught my eye from yesterdays campus session?

Yesterdays campus session has certainly opened my eyes a hell of a lot. Like i have said in my previous blogg in the campus session we spoke about the 750 word essay and the 3rd lot of tasks.

Something that has really caught my attention and has become Paramount only to myself today whilst talking about it, is networking.

I myself am a network i am my own business, i am self employed and i audition for jobs, and so on. My body, skills is my tool my profession. However i have always thought i have been up to date and always put myself out there enough.....but have i?......NO!

Yes i do the standard i send an email with my C, head shot and a show reel but i need to take it further. i attend the auditions and i try my hardest. I am on many websites to promote myself, such as Spotlight, angel stages and dancers pro but i can go beyond that.


In our campus session today i came up with the idea to go that extra mile, say if i was to attend an audition i came up with the following.

• Attend an audition, say i dint get it not only should i go away and reflect on my audition the experience but i should then use that as a ground.
• The choreographer of the audition may be holding some classes, i should attend those, get the style of work understand it a bit more. Research them, watch some of their work.
• I could then email them comment on a social networking site. let them see that i am appreciating their work. Inform them i attended the audition and that i am not giving up. 
• Intend to improve, they may recognise your name form the promotion you have done commented on their work etc. 

Its very clear i need to pay more attention to detail and be more attentive to my profession. Networking is so crucial in this industry and unless you do it for yourself no one else will, its a fighting game for the job.

I also feel i owe it to my career path that part of my professional domain i should go and see more shows/ plays/ musicals as these are so relevant to my practise, i could network whilst there you never know.

I have been looking into a gentleman called Simon Caulkin who believes we are our own business. i couldn't agree with this more. I have taken a lot of time but i could still do more, to have portfolio pictures done, attend auditions and look up on websites for future work but i now understand that i just need to go that extra mile to network myself. Start conversations with people more in the know, start blogging about work, see more work. The more you know and learn the better you can be at your professional practise.

Module 1 Part 3 Campus session

I spent yesterday at university at the 3rd campus session. In conversation with Alan we covered all of the 3rd lots of tasks and how to approach the 750 word essay. I can safely say i feel a hell of a lot better now.

We started out our conversation by talking about my background in my professional practise and how i came to get into the professional industry. It was very apparent to Alan that myself broke the barriers within the family, my Grandma had her own catering business and inspected schools, my mum has recently retired as a ward sister and my cousin is newly qualified as a paramedic. Me...... i am a dancer/ performer. Where did that come from.... i broke the convention of a normal day job, i preferred the idea of enjoying my life, no desks and a stage instead.

Alan asked me where my inspiration came from, i could answer this, however that was just one occasion and one teacher, but surly she didn't do all the work, something in my past must have pushed me that extra bit further. Where has that energy come from? did those experiences over the years make me what i am today? i need to explore this further, as this is my professional practise and as Alan and i said i owe it to the professional practise. 

Where have i come from?

Why am i here?

What is my story?
Where am i now?

All of these questions spring to mind, and if your reading this could you answer truthfully about your professional practise. 

We discussed people i admire the most, and by looking at them from a far do we reckon that they are happy with their professional lives? 

Moving on;

We then spoke about the 3rd lot of tasks. We discussed current networks and how i use them. Obviously i use them on a daily basis which we take for granted. Myself i use them in a way of promotion, information and many other ways. I am yet to read the 3rd reader in detail, so i can pass comment.

We followed on by talking over the 5 theory's and the world of networking. The theory i found the most interesting was communities of practise, however this may change once it has been read in detail. This theory made you think what are the conventions?

We finished off by talking about the 750 word essay and what 2/3 things i will be writing about, and what impacts me and my professional practise the most. Out of this module for myself it has to be getting to grips with professional networking and reflecting on my professional practise.

Overall i though the day was most helpful and i like i said i advise all of you to join in on skype sessions with Adeshola and campus sessions when possible.

2d, The Inquiry

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

Being a dancer/ performer there are a million things within the industry that can get you thoroughly enthusiastic. I have decided to narrow it down to just some of the main.

The most enthusiastic thing for me is that BUZZ on stage. Those who are not performers may not understand this. But take it from me its the best feeling in the whole wide world! We in our profession enjoy our work and wish to share it with others. Our work can involve many new projects and can challenge you, push barriers and take you as a person to a complete new level you never knew you had within you, mentally and also physically. One job could involve you dancing with large props, the next be a modelling fashion show. The possibilities are endless for you. I take a huge amount of pride in my work and i am always remaining professional and will continue to do so. By being involved in a profession such as this, can implicate to great sucsess, and what an achievement that is. As long as you have put the hours in, got the right look, tried your hardest then success should most defiantly come your way. You can work hard enough, and nothing should stop you to be the best of your game. Who knows you could be the next face of Vouge. This industry allows you to be part of amazing experiences that you can hold onto, amazing shows, experiences that can lead to further professional work, you never know that right person may be watching you. The link below is a page i have found on line which i think just sums it all up for you.

http://dance.about.com/u/ua/danceandyourhealth/Why-Do-You-Dance-Reasons-Why-You-Dance.htm


To finish one thing i find most enthusiastic is when i talk about my future and where i would like to see myself in 15 years time. I wish to work professionally for as long as i possibly can, gaining as much wonderful and amazing experience as i can so then i can then pass this onto others. I wish to inspire others with all my wonderful experiences, teach them all i have learnt, and let them be as enthusiastic in this profession as i am. This gets me excited that i could, hopefully change lives and let people see what other opportunities are out there.

My Motto;

"I wish to live the dream, then teach it." 

This link is to an amazing page that talks all about inspiration and what sparks it. It talks about you on a  daily basis and how inspiration can make you productive and also a leader, i.e a teacher is a leader for sharing their inspiration. Wanting others to be inspired.

http://www.impactinstruction.com/emerging-women-leaders/8-skills-to-transform-your-leadership-presence-inspiration-is-the-spark-that-elevates-you-and-your-team/

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?

The thing that upsets me the most in this industry is when some professional employee's don't allow you to audition or attend a casting unless you already have professional experience. I see it as you have to have Experience for experience. How is anybody starting out supposed to get on the ladder to start their career, these employees are missing out on people that could be completely amazing potential, but would not give certain people the opportunity. Which leads me onto some employees take people back on  that they have already used, which i can understand they know they can reply/ trust them, they know they are good at their practise but once again how does that stand in good stead for others hoping to pursue their career, when others are already on the ladder and don't need to re audition for jobs, they just have to dial a number and off they go.

I also feel that when it does come to auditions in this professional industry we are a million to one. With any other job the average number of people going for 1 post is usually under 20 people. I attended an audition the other day and i was number 643!!!! I can understand it for a large casting but a cast no more than 30 people. Us dancers strive to get jobs against all the people its almost like one huge battle ground.

It can be a little frustrating when people think, oh your a dancer, that's not a job. I think people can be very narrow minded and think we prance around in a studio all day, this is not the case. Dancing/ acting/ modelling or any kind of entertainment is a profession and a real job, we just chose a different line of work to others.

Because this industry is so huge and things have to constantly keep ticking over, the industry waits for no one. If you are sick or ill "The Show must Go On", you are replaced, if an injury unfortunately occurs understudies, swings get involved. That's why as a performer you have to be on top of your game 24/7, you can not afford to be ill or injured, you have to earn being where you are, and you have to pull out all the stops to stay where you are.

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?

In answer to this question i could talk all day but i have come up with my favourites.  In this day and age there are not many people that can say they love their job, they get that buzz in the morning, they love the feeling of going to work. There are not many people that can say that, and i feel if your in a profession/ job your going to have to be happy, as in that job you are going to be spending a hell of a lot of hours. And with performing and rehearsals there are a lot of hours, not set hours either, we go overtime for the love of what we do.

This professional also can take you all over the world, see places you may never have even thought of. The possibilities and opportunities are endless. For example being a dancer on a cruise liner can take you all over the world. This way you have the ideal perfect job that many people would want to have and be in your shoes. I feel a cruise ship job is ideal, and a perfect lifestyle. You get to be doing what you love performing to thousands of people sometimes 3 times a day. Performing and inspiring others, with the added benefits of travelling at the same time, from around the British isles to the Caribbean. Its another experience you have had in life and its whilst your doing a dream job.

I am very much a person who likes to entertain and please everybody, that is most probably why i am in this industry, seeing people smile and entertain them. We are the fortunate ones who get to entertain people, and hopefully pleasure people so they get a brilliant happy experience. People go for a trip to the theatre for a pleasurable experience and that is what us performers aim to do.

Whilst in this industry you also are very privileged by some of the wonderful inspirational professional  people you meet. For me this is a huge boost, seeing an amazing performance, dancers, musical theatre cast makes me what to up my game even more, strive that extra bit harder, so you can work with those very important people. It is an achievement saying you had worked with a certain choreographer and makes you work and work to be up to their standard, no harm in wanting to be like them if they inspire you. By meeting the people you do, you get to try amazing new ways, styles, techniques this is fascinating, you as a performer are broadening your knowledge. The life of a performer is very creative and an amazing way of expressing yourself. I know myself anytime i put a piece of music on i just start to move and think of choreography. You know when your a dancer when any piece of music gives you ideas, and in your head your creating a piece of choreography. I feel it within the music, i see how my body relates to the music and i literally just feel it. Performing/ dance is an escapism for me i feel free and worries just float away when i am lost in the moment.This is what make our industry so amazing, its all about expressing your true self, why try and be someone your not.



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

For this question i only really have 2 main pointers. My first is in this career it doesn't seem to really matter about examinations, or the amount of written work you have done. In this industry experience and passion counts for everything. This is very different to normal everyday jobs. For example a doctor has to take exams to get where he does, its not enough if he just had a a passion for looking after people. But in this industry one thing that baffles me is it doesn't matter if you have worked academically for years if you have the perfect pirouette or grande battement then the job could be yours.

My final point is also related to my first, in this industry many of the jobs are unpaid. A lot of people expect experience to be enough, when really i feel if you are working you should be paid for this. I think many people in this day and age expect to much for nothing, and its all a little bit one sided. I feel some employers could take advantage knowing that performers/ dancers would do unpaid work for the experience. Whist looking on the Internet i have found 2 very different articles that i think are both so interesting .


This first article is not about the profession at all, and talks about a store that was doing the same, employing people and not paying them, this article shows how a court case has been up held over the issues.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/feb/12/judgment-unpaid-work-schemes

My second article is from the Dance and theatre Cornwall, and this also talks about unpaid work and experience.  Whilst reading this it almost makes me think both articles are about jobs, a job is a job, so they should be paid. Even if only minimum wage was the answer people cant keep doing work for nothing.

http://danceandtheatrecornwall.co.uk/2010/8/13/ace-suspends-adverts-for-unpaid-jobs

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2010/08/ace-suspends-adverts-for-unpaid-jobs/

I have found this inquiry most helpfull for myself, it makes you look back and delve deeper and realise what really makes you happy and realise what in your profession means most to you. I can certainly say i have learnt a hell of a lot and also about myself. 

3rd Campus session

I have eventually got home after a great 3 hours at uni today. The campus session was so helpful, one to one basis as it was only my little self and Alan. I have come home feeling very confident and a big smile on my face after all we discussed, and talked very in dept about theories and the 3rd lot of tasks. I can not empathises enough, people should defiantly attend if they can. I am now less worried about these tasks and the 750 word essay. I will blogg about it tomorrow for you all.

Back in the game!

Wow its nearly been 2 whole weeks i have not touched a laptop! Unfortunately for me i had the very unfortunate luck of my laptop breaking and then my mum's one as well! SOOOO annoying so i feel very behind and haven't blogged or done any work! I am looking forward to the campus session tomorrow. I am now all laptoped up (i know its not a word). So no stopping me now! xx

2c, Reflective Theory Critical Reflection on Reflective Practise

As a professional dancer i feel the top 9 skills to have are;

• Organisation
• Awareness
• Discipline
• Experience
• Social skills, be a people person, socialise
• Know how to promote yourself
• Professionalism
• creativity
• And be able to constantly develop in your professional practice. 

I have never really thought about reflection but as a dancer/ performer we actually do this all the time.

 I feel that reflection is a very powerful way of learning!

As a dancer i feel i am constantly reflecting on professional work, weather it be whilst in the moment or weather you are out of it.

Example; Whilst at an audition i am an active thinker i am in the moment currently thinking/ reflecting to improve....... I want the job so i will pull out all the stop be on top of my game and actively think.

• Dancers are very particular people; we like to get things right
• we like to make alterations to suit the piece constantly
• we criticize ourselves a hell of a lot.

We do all of these things because we want to be the best at our professional practice.

I am a very organised person and i take my professional practise very seriously Being organised i like to write lists a lot, and this is one way that i use daily to write.


Reflection is a key skill in this industry, and i know i critically reflect a lot.  I am a person who believes reflective practise is done every second of everyday subconsciously, we don't realise we do this as it is the norm to us.

David Schon believed in the idea of;

reflection in action........ reflection in the moment as something is happening

reflection on action..........reflecting after the event, looking back

These theory's are then furthered by by a man called Robert Kottcamp who believes that reflection in action is much harder than the second theory. However i tend to disagree with this statement as a performer/ dancer. I feel that when in rehearsals or auditions you reflect whilst in the moment you make things work for you, suit your needs. You act upon it in the moment not on action most certainly in action.

I have come up with the idea that

Rehearsals are Reflections   =    They make you improve on  

You as a performer feel that something is wrong so you tell the choreographer at the time you don't go home an reflect on it.

I am very actively aware of Reflection.

Whilst i was also reading the reader when i came across John Dewey's theory's,i found these most interesting. Dewey believes that reflective thought is a way of making us aware that we are having an experience.

"active, persistent, an careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends" (Dewey 1933)

I find this quote/ theory most interesting the way i interpret this is, he believed that social change was an experience and that if people had full experiences and full engagement in their lives they would be be better able to be part of society. This i completely agree with. This i believe is the core to try more in society and to expand on knowledge, a way of keep on learning. Once you have some knowledge/ experience i feel there is no stopping you, possibilities are openly endless to you, once the experience is in place there are then stepping stones for more and more experience.


My example;

• I am professionally trained. I have the experiences and learning basis, i know my professional practice but until i have experience i can See the real  industry and gain my own experiences.
• I gain experiences and off of one experiences more should happen but only if i make them.
• I work professionally and experience grow
• If i want to further my career i have my Diploma in place, to then further this i have to attend University to top to a Degree
• I start a Degree to grow and learn more, obtain more qualifications
• I them do a PGCE to hopefully teach
• I then become a qualified teacher and pass on my experiences.

So hereby i show an example of the quotation this example shows persistence, myself being active, knowledge to support me further. In this 21st century there is no stopping experiences and more creative learning.

David Kold also had his own ideas and theories and developed the idea of a cycle- a learning cycle. I find this theory also very interesting and helpful and it makes me realize that i also can work this way.

As you can see that by this cycle i feel that i don't start at the top i think that i enter the cycle from the left just before the top. I am a person who starts to learn when trying out ideas this is active experimentation. This is my learning style.

Therefore Kolb has taught me about how i learn and what methods are best for me , and the tools for approaching experience.

2b,Reflective Writting (Journal Writting Experience)

I found that when i started my journals they were very boring they had no colour and were not a pleasure to write however after looking at the 9 different ways/ techniques of writing your journal/ feelings down, i have come to the decision that the best ways for me are

• Lists
• Descriptions
• Reviewing reflection
• Initial reflections

I now feel much happier sitting down and putting my day/ feelings down in many a different techniques.

I have chosen to talk about a specific day a few weeks back when i had a horrendous day in London.  This day was bad from start to finish.

Now there are many ways i  could tell you about my day, i could bullet point in order my day or write a paragraph or i could draw you a graph showing you my feeling and thoughts of the day.

• I was annoyed i was late for an audition
• I was annoyed i was issued the wrong ticket at the station
• I felt pressured an stressed once i arrived at the audition
• I was not in the right frame of mind at this point, lot of people at Pineapple for the audition.

Another View
However I have decided to also write a short paragraph instead of myself looking at my day i have decided to look at the day from my audition's bag point of view. Silly i know but very very interesting. It had been bashed around all day trodden on (myself bashed by hundreds on people on the tube) thrown and pushed around (all the people in the auditions no room so everyone bunched together), ironically just like myself.  It sounds funny if my bag had a voice it would have told me to calm down, we have arrived be thankful.  I have never thought about this way of writing but this is just how i felt.

Looking at this day, i was not in the right frame of mind for my professional practice.

If i had initially reflected on my day i probably would have had a different outcome, i probably would have said different. That i was fine trying to stay positive, its only once you are out of the situation that you can reflect and most probably reflect differently.


I also have found the best way for me way to almost sumerise my day, feelings and emotions was by creating a graph/ diagram. I found this way the most helpful, and was interesting to see all the different perspectives. If i had seen myself i would have been annoyed these 2 ways make it very clear and make me want to change the percentages.

As moon says and i believe reflection does not have to happen as a written process.

Reflection happens day in day out minute by minute, journals make us reflect and enable us to learn and understand our own learning process. I believe this is mine.

2a, Reflective Practice (My Journal)

This task asks you to start keeping a journal. I prefer writing down my thoughts and ideas on paper. Its very interesting keeping a reflective journal already by looking back from last week i can see how varied my days are, some very busy, some more relaxing, some very social, lots of interaction and use of technology. Looking back i can see my real life in front of me and i can see clearly reasons for why i do things etc..... send out show reels and CV's for auditions, go to the gym to stay in shape for my career. Its also very clear to see how i have developed with my journal, starting out very basic but now i write a little more in dept as to the reasoning behind my days.

You can reflect and see skills that you use daily that we just take for granted, i.e interaction/ people skills/ technology, we all use these so much and don't realize it. In my part time job in a bar/ restaurant i use everyday skills by communicating with people, using my initiative, all of these i will need and use in auditions things i need in m professional practice. By looking back through my journal already these are very apparent.

The 9 Different ways to write

• Description; This is something i feel the most, it gets the points down and allows people to read the events and what happened where and when.

• Initial reflection; I feel that i use this method a hell of a lot, before i read the reader i never thought i thought like this, but its actually very apparent that when i am in the moment (at an audition) i feel and think constantly, i am on initially trying to be my best, alter things to be the best. Being a performer i feel this is the main form of reflection. 

• Lists; I have always been a person to write lists, they are very short and sweet and to the point, so if  i ever have to relate back to them i know what i was saying.  However when writing lists i have never expanded on them, by saying this happened... so i wish to learn from my mistake to ensure this doesn't happen again.... what could i have done instead to avoid this situation. Now i have a new way of thinking ,next time i write a list i may well elaborate on it.

• Evaluation; This is a more in depth way of writing  this has more example, more detail, more reflection and input from yourself. This way of writing makes you think of all the possibilities  what did work and what didn't, why didn't it? What have i learnt and will i make these choices again?

• Graphs charts and diagrams; I feel this is a very effective way for myself, diagrams i prefer, this way you can log your day or events but through the means of a visual pictures. This way i can see and reflect on in a weeks time, how i felt my emotions and feeling of the day.

• What if?; By writing what if, this takes you even further with your writing, you simply start to take into account other aspects, i feel this way can make you more prepared, more organised almost like one step ahead you are prepared as you have already thought what if.

• Another View; I had never in my widest dreams through of this type of writing  another view of who/what. But i have tried this and as silly as it may seem its actually very interesting. Try writing a point of view, or a journal/ diary entry from the perspective of your handbag, your car, thinking about what they would have seen, you or the day ahead of you like.