Tuesday 20 November 2012

Can I be your friend?



Watch this video clip... it made me laugh but also made me think!

Would you actually do what you do online in real life? How safe is the internet?

Monday 19 November 2012

Task 3C- My 5 Main Sources of Networking.


After researching and considering all the theories about professional networking, I have thought carefully about the 5 main sources of networking in my own professional practice and the impact they have had on my career to date.

1. Friendships with a common work interest  
My absolute favourite source of networking  is through my friends and contacts I have made throughout my performing career. From many of my blogs you should know by now I love my social life. I work best surrounded by people. I hate being alone and isolated. I need to share my thoughts/ ideas/ exploits/ activities with others and expect them to do the same with me. I need this co-operative network structure and enjoy the benefits from these affiliations. I always find out about upcoming auditions and great classes to attend. Not only this but you keep up- to- date with the ever changing job scene of the Performing Art Industry.

Getting to develop further contacts on jobs is also vital; this way your networking facility widens and grows. More opportunities arise. That is why it is so important never to burn bridges in this industry. Recently I was told of an audition for a Bollywood Movie that wanted brunettes for their Dance Scene. A girl from last years pantomime performance emailed me and her agent with my details. I had an amazing time and then met more dancers. One suggested I audition for a teaching agency that employs performers in the Surrey area. Again I was successful and am due to work with them after pantomime. This is a good example of how building up good co-operative networks is vital and can lead to a long successful career.

2. Internet (Web 2.0)
The Internet has opened many doors for new information. Websites such as; The Stage online, Dance Cast etc all promote new jobs to audition for. Websites such as Spotlight promote you and your CV and portfolio pictures, which is a fantastic way for agents or casting directors to see you. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have also become an incredible way to find out about auditions and different agencies to join. They are also a fantastic way to keep up to date with friend’s lives and ask about how they got their jobs etc. you will never come across a brain as big as Web 2.0! It’s powers are endless. I recently had a successful Skype Interview which I had got through applying to a job advertised on Facebook!

3. Auditions
I have always found auditions to be a fantastic way of networking. It is a huge ‘Community of Practice’; getting together with a shared purpose of wanting that job! Again this is an invaluable experience. Talking to the other people in the audition is a great way of networking. It is also a great way of making new friendships. You also get to know the panel of judges and what they like. This may lead to future jobs. Learning and gaining new information will help you to become successful.

4. Class
Class is always fun and challenging to attend. But what you get out of it in terms of networking is incredible. There is always something going on and always something you don’t know about. Generally the teachers are fairly up to date with future opportunities and tell you about them. There is information displayed on the boards about the most recent auditions and future classes. Again, the people attending the class may know something you don’t, which is also a great source of information.

5. Agencies
It is so important to have a good relationship with your agents. They know important casting directors and can get you those precious closed auditions which you cannot necessarily access yourself. With agents I feel it is important to keep your options open and go to as many as they recommend. There might be someone there who could recommend you to one of their colleagues from their professional network that will lead to future success.

These are 5 sources of information I find most invaluable. I made a spider diagram (task 3A) and could not believe how many networking facilities I use. The Performing Arts Industry is like no other. There are very few ‘jobs for life’ in this industry. Contracts are extremely short and highly competitive. Without a strong Professional Network, promotion and development within this industry would be very hard to achieve and success virtually impossible.

Task 3B- A Critical Reflection on “The Networked Professional"




What is meant by a “Professional Network”? A Professional Network is a ‘work related community held together by either close working affiliation or more distant but common work interests or needs.’ In layman’s terms this is a conglomeration of people that are brought together with similar interests or hobbies.

When reflecting on how I personally benefit from different forms of networking in task 3A, I realised the impact this has had on my own professional career to date; on my successes, my career path to date and ultimately on my self-esteem.

After further research about the concepts of Professional Networking I discovered that Cooperation can play a vital part in your career. However this is dependent on how much the individuals choose to invest in this .The ‘Game Theory’ goes some way in explaining how co-operation can be mutually beneficial to the individuals/ teams or may result in one ‘player’ succeeding at another ‘players ‘expense. Co-operation is reliant on both people feeling that they are benefitting from this relationship. Robert Axelrod (1984) recognized the value of cooperation and working with others to achieve maximum advantage, and then to ‘defect’. ‘The Prisoners Dilemma’ is a good example of the Game Theory. Axelrod explored different ways in which people decided to co-operate or not. It investigated players getting mutual gains from  cooperation, or one person manipulating the other and also the option that neither players would cooperate. ‘Tit for Tat’ seemed to appear every time. Axelrod (1984) described tit for tat as ‘The strategy of starting with cooperation, and thereafter doing what the other player did on the previous move.’ I have certainly been aware of this occurring in my own experiences. As part of the Musical Theatre performing world I believe I have a strong network of contacts. However there is a certain individual from College that I have supported in the past; either through informing them about auditions or agents and then found that they have not reciprocated. Eventually that relationship is broken as the individual is no longer a useful contact! It very much feels that in this particular instance it is “all take and no give”. Co-operation has to be mutually beneficial in order for it to continue and thrive.

Affiliation is the relationship between you and others. Crisp and Turner (2007) stated; ‘Affiliation is a social process that provides us with a network of support that will help us when we are in need.’ As I am a very sociable and outgoing character who wears her heart on her sleeve, I fully embrace this statement. It is so hard to be in the performing arts industry and do it alone. Contracts are short and extremely difficult to find and then get. It can be a very isolated career if mutually benefitting relationships aren’t formed and affiliations not made. In fact I would find it virtually impossible! You need that network of support around you. You need that agent who gets you the one- off closed auditions with less competition.

You need your friendships and contacts from different walks of life, to guide you to different auditions and castings. You even need friendships outside of Musical theatre to boost your self esteem and put things into perspective. These are just a few examples of affiliation within my own personal life. It is proven that we as humans enjoy affiliation with others. It is social and helps us form close relationships (Crisp and Turner, 2007 pp226). Homeostasis suggests there are preferred levels of affiliation (O’Connor and Rosenblood 1996) and they link it to whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. As an extrovert these close affiliations enable me to persevere in this challenging industry.

I was not aware of Social Constructionism before looking at reader 3. I came across the statement ‘Accepting the world we experience, prior to our experience of it, without meaning does not come easy.’ Social Constructionism is about how meanings and explanations are created from the world. From interaction and affiliation we can make meanings that can add to our professional practice and network. Crotty, M. (2005) ‘What, then, is constructionism? It is the view that all knowledge, and therefore all meaningful reality as such, is contingent upon human practices, being constructed in and out of interaction between human beings and their world, and developed and transmitted within an essentially social context.’ In other words theory is constructed and people have to connect with objects in the world to get meaning out of them. This refers back to task 2, where reflection was studied. It is saying that you have to observe and reflect to learn and understand and create a meaning out of it. Humans construct meanings of the world from their experiences. We essentially create future networks and it is important that we commit to them.

Connectivism – How you connect and learn. Connectivism is all about how we collate and sort through information and extract the important information needed . The ‘Network Theory’ tells us how nodes in a network interact. Connectivists suggest that traditional ideas of teaching, i.e teacher to student’ need to be adjusted or discarded. This all links back to task 1 and web 2.0. Technology is growing exponentially and growth has led it to new types of learning. The information we can find on the Internet is beyond what a human brain knows. Therefore I feel it would not be wise to not use web 2.0. However look at the students who are kinesthetic learners (task 2c) the students who like doing. They are not going to learn just off the Internet. I feel it is important to get the balance right. Yes we do have to be extremely computer illiterate these days but it is also to be taught my someone and actually do the experiments yourself with a teacher at hand. We advance from our experiences and learn a lot from them so why take this away? In terms of networking connectivism is fantastic. It allows you to make contacts you wouldn’t usually be able to do without web 2.0. It is even allowing me to do a university course via blogging. Without it we would be lost but it is imperative to get the balance right.

On many occasions I have got together with a group of dancers after an audition and discussed our experiences together. We will all have a different perspective of the same experience. This is also known as a ‘Community of practice.’ People with similar interests come together and learn from each other’s experiences. I do this almost every week without realising it! Learning happens socially in this instance (which is what I do best!) Lave and Wenger (1991) ‘The social structure of this practice, its power relations, and its conditions for legitimacy define possibilities for learning.’ This statement suggests that this way of networking is extremely powerful and results in learning. This Degree course has enabled me to develop a new network of friends; we are all studying together and often meet up to discuss our new knowledge; this can be termed as ‘situated learning’. We are all connected in our new endeavor and shared vision to succeed. We are beginning to use shared specialist vocabulary and knowledge .Our meetings result in new learning being developed and all of us are benefitting from this ‘Community of Practice’. Being part of a ‘Community of Practice’ is helping to shape our professional future and may well impact on our success.

This task has made me realise how valuable social skills are and how valuable professional networking is. If indeed you believe in evolution and survival of the fittest, surely it is the most talented, the most resilient, the most positive and ultimately the person with the most successful and productive professional networking infrastructure and therefore the most opportunities, who will succeed. So perhaps I will alter my concluding statement from task 3A to ... It is what you know, who you know and how you co-operate with them that will ensure success in this challenging industry.

References

Axelrod, R. (1984) The evolution of cooperation. London

BAPP Arts Reader 3- The Networked Professional 2012-13

Penguin Crisp, J & Turner, R. (2007) Essential social psychology. London

Sage Crotty. M. (2005) The foundations of social research: meaning and

perspectives in the research process. London

Sage Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning. Legitimate

peripheral participation. Cambridge

Saturday 17 November 2012

Saturday 10 November 2012

Task 3A


Hannah Stewart and I got together to discuss how we use networking in our industry. Below is a spider diagram, which I put together to demonstrate this.




In the dancing world, sometimes the well known statement; “It is not what you know, it is who you know” holds very true, which is why it is extremely important to be constantly networking to open up as many opportunities as possible for future employment within the industry.

My personal favourite is networking through my friends. This may be because I am a sociable and outgoing character. But I also feel, friends in the same industry with the same interests love to talk about it. Through word of mouth and general chit chat you can find out upcoming auditions and great classes to attend. I have also found out about many promotional agencies to apply for and recently applied for a dance teaching job which has proved very successful! In some instances my friends have called me on the same day as the audition and encouraged me to come along. It is like a social grapevine!

At College, there was a great emphasis on cooperating and collaborating with each other. A lot of portfolio songs were shared and routines re-used if somebody was struggling or needed support. I still have a very close network of friends from Dance College and we all support each other.

When you are on a job and working professionally, it is extremely important to build good working relationships with directors and choreographers, as they will remember your hard work and dedication and possibly recommend you for future work. It is also vital that you get along with the cast and develop friendships. This can not only boost your social life but also create a good source of contacts to open new doors.

Even auditions can be a fantastic way to network. Everybody shares the same career ambitions. With the ‘auditionees’, there is generally a lot of waiting around which allows you to get to know people and ask questions. This generates more knowledge regarding the industry and creates a better understanding of it. Another great aspect of auditioning is the panel may recognise you, they may see your ambition and drive and this can lead to new opportunities.

Having an agent obviously increases your contacts and networking reach. They are generally very well established and know what they are talking about and have good contacts themselves. They point you in the direction of great casting directors and give you opportunities with many closed auditions you wouldn’t get yourself. It is clear that you have to find the right agent for you and have a fantastic working relationship with them.

Social Networking sites are growing exponentially. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter are gradually becoming a great way for Networking,  especially with promotional work. I have recently had a Skype Interview for promotion work, which actually worked well as the interviewer could assess my confidence, and gauge my personality from this rather than a written application. Also social networking sites are a brilliant way of keeping up to date with your friend’s lives. This may bring opportunities if you ask them questions etc. Websites are growing increasingly. I remember the days when I had a subscription for ‘The Stage’ newspaper. Now, I just get it online. Websites such as ‘Cast Web’ and ‘Spotlight’ promote you to other clients, casting directors and agents. This is a modern way of keeping up to date with the growing world we live in.

As I don’t attend college anymore, I obviously have to keep myself fit and flexible. I have found class is another area for networking. The teachers have inside information on latest auditions. This helps you to keep well informed about new ventures.

In my experience, socialising with friends and building relationships with people in the same job seem to be the most effective way of networking. Social media sites seem to take over, but this will never help you make an impact on somebody and they won’t specifically remember you if you just communicate via facebook or email. However if you meet in person regularly and develop a relationship, whether it be working or friendly it will allow them to keep you in mind. I sometimes find it more awkward over email to network as you may come across as though you are just emailing them for a job. You learn from your own experiences what works best for you. When I first graduated from Laine Theatre Arts 2 years ago, I had no idea what worked or indeed how tough the industry was, but after 2 years and many experiences I now know I work best by getting to know people within the industry, developing relationships with them and showing them how dedicated and committed I am. 

Like I said at the beginning; in this industry, sometimes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Sunday 4 November 2012

Task 2C

After many hours of trying to figure out how to create a 'Wiki' fingers crossed this works! I would love to know everyones views and opinions :) Thanks!

Critical Reflection

Thursday 1 November 2012

Task 2d- Inquiry



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

I love music. I love the buzz you get out of it. I love the different styles. I love the emotions you can feel when dancing or singing to music. It is simply genius how music can make you feel. On a daily basis I listen to music and prance around. I suppose this makes me enthusiastic. It makes you want to do better and want to achieve goals. When watching music on television, I aspire to be like the dancers or the artist and I find myself imitating them. Similarly when I am in a job and I get taught a dance, I really admire the choreographers passion and drive. This inspires me and pushes me beyond my limits.

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

It takes a lot to get me angry, as this is not really my personality. However, it does upset me when I see people give up on their goals and ambitions. Negativity really gets me down. I am like a sponge, I soak up other peoples moods easily. If someone is down about something I find my day becomes grey. In the performing industry, it is easy to become negative and down. Rejection is a massive thing to deal with and hard to get used to. I feel it is important to think of the positives. Try not to get down about silly things, there are far more important issues happening in the world and just because you didn’t get through the first round of ‘Mamma Mia’ say, it really isn’t the end of the world. I admire people similar to me and people who can pick the positives out of a negative situation. For example even if you don’t get past the first round of ‘Mamma Mia’, at least you had the chance to audition for it. Pick up on the faults you did and think positively to get them right for next time.

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?

Like I said in one of my previous blogs, I love the variety. Variety is said to be ‘the spice of life.’ I don’t have a 9am- 5pm job which I hate. My life can change from day to day, meeting different people everyday. This is so exciting and keeps me alive! My friends in London all have that same passion and drive and they love the variety too. Without this I feel the industry would be a lot more boring and predictable.

What do you feel you don’t understand? Who do you admire who seems 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?

Currently I am waiting to go on a dancing contract. Now I feel like this cannot be my future career. It is not stable enough. There will be a time where I will not be able to dance the way I dance now and there will be a time where I will not be in great shape like I am now. I love teaching drama, dance and singing to children so maybe I will use this as my future career. Who knows what the furure will hold.

I have my parents to thank for my exciting life. I thoroughly admire my parents. They have always allowed me to follow my dreams. They have always taught me that no decision is for life and in a couple of years time, maybe I will want to change my career path. They completely support me and without my parents behind me I would not be the person I am today. If I ever have a question or worry, my parents will always be there 100%.