Task 3c... my most important sources of information.

So after reading through reader 3 and discussing 'The Networked Professional' it really got me thinking of how I networked in my industry and my sources of information that help me most in developing my career. After making a bullet point list of all my sources of Information I use frequently, I have narrowed it down to five I feel I benefit from the most - my professional network, the Internet, my agent, class and going to the theatre/media.

My professional network - After reader 3 I have come to realise how important my professional network is to me and how often it helps me. Close friends of mine in the same industry are always there to help, give advice or support me when I need it as they know what you are going through. This relates to the theory in the reader "communities of practise". We are a close community of performers all with the same goal in mind, we are a great source of information for each other, wether it be teaching your friend the audition dance as you were in the group before her, or in return your friend letting you know of an audition she found out about you were not aware of. Either way I find my professional network my best and most reliable source of information. And as the reader tell us, it is all to do with 'cooperation' it's all about the give and take.

Internet - Without the Internet I honestly do not know what I would do! I use the Internet daily in my professional practise! I use emails to write and receive information from potential employers or casting directors. I use web sites such as The Stage, Dancerspro and Dance cast to search for information on auditions daily that may be suited to me. I can keep up to date with what's on stage and learn more about my Industry past and present from online magazines such as what's on stage and the stage. I also use the Internet daily to promote myself in my career, I update my spotlight cv. Which is  easily viewable to casting directors, I upload showreel's and voice reels to Utube which I can then forward to potential employers for their viewing. The list of possibilities the Internet provides us with is endless. Using its informant to learn or using it to promote yourself, either way it has been a huge benefit to me in my career and now something I could not live without in my daily professional practise! I really enjoyed reading Kym Waltons blog when she writes about the Internet as one of her information sources. She discusses how ten years ago her answers would be different but due to the overwhelming accessibility to the Internet it has impacted her information sources - "how many times would I have said 10 years ago, I must go and google that?" (Kym WAlton) I hugely agree with her statement. I also found Katie Hurleys's blog very interesting when she discusses the use of Internet as an information source but with reference to social networking sites. Katie discusses how social networking can be to your detriment if you have a wild social life and they see it on your facebook for wxample it could put employers off working with you. I agree with this and believe you must be extremely careful if you are using social networking as an information source for your professional practise.

Class - Is a great way to gain information, you keep fit and in top form while also socialising and networking! Being in class and working with other industry professionals is a great way to expand your professional network and gain knowledge from listening and learning to other people's experiences. From asking your teacher questions, or just striking up a conversation with the girl next to you, these are all great ways to gain Information and knowledge. Another great advantage to taking class are the notice boards outside of class. They are always full with up coming audition information, job opportunities in your area etc which in the past have helped me. Taking class is a great tool for a networking professional in my industry, it is a great place to seek out information and knowledge and learn as much as you can!

Agent - My agent is a hugely valuable source of information to me as she is a well established agent in my industry, with a wealth of knowledge and experience and lots of contact information for very important casting  directors. Without my agent I wouldn't get to attend half of the auditions I do as its because of her I know about them and get invited to them. Not only does she provide me with information on auditions, but helps and supports me with any questions or queries I have about the Industry. With her help, knowledge and Information she provides I feel I am progressing in my career.

Theatre -  I believe the theatre is a great way to gain information and learn. While you get to sit there and watch something you enjoy I believe it inspires you and motivates you by reminding you of what you love and why you do it. While you take in the show you are hearing and learning the soundtrack, you are getting to know the characters in that particular show and you are learning what style of choreography and dance is required. You learn what may suit you for audition purposes in the future and after watching the show you can go away and build upon that character and learn more. I believe going to the theatre, watching plays, concerns or even gigs etc is all very important in my industry as it keeps you up to date with what's going on, what is required of you if you want to audition, what the latest dance, acting or singing style is etc. The theatre is a great source of information with an overwhelming amount for you to learn with each visit.

TASK 3B

Please find bellow the link to my critical reflection on reader 3 The Networked Professional!

TASK 3B my critical reflection on The Networked Professional

Have a look and please feel free to comment im always happy to hear other peoples thoughts on the readers, especially this one as it was a mamoth task!!

Task 3A My Range and Value of Current Networks

As a performer there are many ways in which we can use and create networking to help us in our professional practise. Here are some examples of networking I use frequently and find very valuable to my career.

Agents

I find my Agent a very valuable and important source of networking in my industry. As my agent has a wide source of clientele and casting directors contact information she is a great way to be seen for jobs that I would not necessarily be able to apply for myself! The more your agent manages to provide you with Auditions the more your face is seen and networked among important casting directors the higher your chances are at securing a job in the future! Therefore I think it is very important to have a good relationship with your agent and work together to promote yourself in the best possible way within the industry.

Taking Class

As a dancer taking class is very important while out of employment to keep you on top form, but it is also a great networking tool! While at class wither it be at pineapple in london or my local dance class in Glasgow, you are socialising and mingling with other Industry professionals! Talking to others in your profession is a great way to hear of auditions or an up and coming show you did not know about. Nine times out of ten when leaving class I have gone out with the knowledge of a new audition I did not realise was happening either through another professional in class or from the notice boards in the studio.

WebSites

I think my main and most valuable tool for networking is through websites. Websites such as Spotlight, The Stage, Dancerspro and Dance Cast are all very important means of information and communication for performers. The Stage provides us with information on musicals and new shows arising keeping us in 'the know' and also giving us ideas of auditions which may arise. Spotlight is hugely important for networking as it allows casting directors and industry professionals to view our online C.V. And head shots and allows them to approach us if necessary. It also provides us with A lot of industry information keeping us up to date in theatre land!

Social Networking

Social networking if used appropriately can be a great tool to help in our professional practise. Things such as Facebook and twitter can be a great way to promote yourself  by uploading professional pictures, contact information, previous employment information etc but this must be done on a professional level. In this industry if you are going to use Facebook as a networking tool I feel it is important to separate your professional from your personal. Make a separate facebook or twitter account for employers to view as I am sure they are not interested in reading our status updates of what we had for dinner or how hungover we are from the weekend!

Previous Employers

It is very important when in a job to have a very good work ethic, always be on time, be polite and do what is asked of you as in this industry if you piss an employer off you never quite know the extent of the outcome it could cause. You don't know what contacts your boss may have and it could lead to you being bad mouthed within the industry maki g it hard for you to secure a Job in the future. I also think it is important to stay friendly and in touch with people you have previously worked with, wither it be the casting director or the stage manager, your choreographer or dance partner, you never  know when you will bump into them again and need their help in the future! Keeping this network of connections is very important and building on them as you continue through your career.

Friends

Friends within your professional Industry are a great source of networking, and good friends are always willing to help as long as you help them in return also. It's all a out give and take and helping each other out in what is usually quite a brutal and unfriendly Industry. I am lucky to have good friends who I can call and ask to borrow sheet music from, ask if they know of any auditions I've missed out on, or getting the low down on an audition she went to today and I have tomorrow! It is very important to keep a good strong relationship with your friends in the Industry as not only are they a great networking tool they are a very important support network when this Industry sometimes gets hard and upsetting they know what you are going through.

We are so lucky in this day and age to have such incredible sources of information and networking  opportunities at our finger tips all at the click of a button. I honestly don't know how I would hear of so many auditions or gain the jobs I have in the pervious years without the help of social networking and web sites and for that I am hugely grateful. Still, I believe in the importance of personal communication and relationships and would much rather be someone's true friend than a Facebook friend. I would much rather meet a casting director face to face for a meeting than countless emails and Skype chats.

Task 2D Inquiry

Task 2D asks us to look inward at different ideas of reflection that relate to me and what goes on generally in my professional practise. I am going to approach this task by answering the questions suggested to us.

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?

• What gets me enthusiastic in my daily practise are my weekly dance lessons and singing lessons.  I love continuously learning, progressing and improving my professional practise. I think it is so important to never stop and become complacent but always push yourself  to get better and go further. I really look forward to going to my evening dance lessons knowing at the end of a hard ballet or contemporary class for example I will come out feeling positive, stronger and better in my practise. I love choosing a song that at the time is hard and out of my reach and working on these in my singing lessons. Taking frequent lessons and feel the song getting easier and easier until I have finally nailed it! Working hard at my lessons to then See feel and hear improvements in my professional practise, that is what gets me really enthusiastic  and pushes me to want to learn more!

I really admire my dance and singing teachers For this. I believe having a good teacher is very important to learning and progression. My teachers are always so enthusiastic, energetic and encouraging in class. They know what I'm capable of and what my limits are and they push me to constantly get the best out of me in the correct way. They are encouraging yet honest. They criticise and correct in a positive encouraging manner. I really admire the patience and time teachers have and the genuine want in them to see you improve. I am very grateful for all the dance,singing and drama  teachers I have had over my years of professional training as they are the people who have encouraged and nurtured my passion for musical theatre.

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?

• What gets me really upset and angry in my professional practise is the pressure for dancers and performers to be "perfect". The vanity of my industry sometimes disgusts me especially the pressure to b "skinny". I see more and more at every audition very skinny unhealthy looking girls. They look so frail and lack energy. I have been surrounded by it on every contract I have worked on so far. There is always one or two girls in the team body image obsessed. Every moment of the day checking how many calories are in their cereal bar, counting everything   they eat and panicking when they eat 'too much' they must rush to the gym and do 1000 sit ups   or even worse throw up.  It is so upsetting to watch these girls live this way when they are perfect just the way they are. It is such a horrible body image obsessed industry, we are starting to forget why we actually do what we do. Performing is about passion,performance, talent, not about size zero perfect and pretty! 

The people I admire who share my feelings on this situation are the celebrities who promote embracing yourself for who you are, no to size zero campaigns and are happy to be photographed with no makeup on. I admire them as they have the power to influence young girls who look up to them and admire them in magazines and they are promoting the right message! An example of this is beyonce, she is constantly discussing embracing your curves and also discusses air brushing and how no one is perfect. Here is a link to a small clip I read with beyonce's views 

Bootylicious us better than size zero!
I feel this could be a very interesting line of enquiry I would like to peruse in the future!

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? 

What I love about my job is the fact it is my passion,my hobby,it's what makes me happy,it's what I'm good at and I get payed to do it!! Not many people can say they truly love their job and its their passion. Not many people get up in the morning excited about going to perform two shows in a day and getting payed for it! Every time I have a successful audition and gain a new contract I am so thankfully and think myself so lucky to be able to call it my job. I admire everyone in the same industry as me as although we are very lucky to be able to do what we do it is not easy at all as we face a lot of rejects and criticism. Daily you go through the process of looking up auditions, attending auditions with hundreds of other girls all fighting for only 4 jobs available, then facing the rejection when you are simply told "your not what we are looking for,sorry!". 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 question as you? Following on from my previous paragraph when I talked of rejection at auditions, what I don't understand in my profession is the question you always leave asking yourself..."why did she get the job and not me" and what exactly do they mean when they say "sorry your just not what we are looking for!" Then what exactly are you looking for?! If only we could see into the casting directors heads or they had time to explain to you exactly why, after getting to the final you are not what they are looking for but the other girl with brown hair is. These things we just have to smile and accept and try and find ways to understand ourselves by reflection and self analyses. In these situations I admire my agent. When I call her after being cut at an audition, or I am not called in for an audition I really wanted she provides me with feedback or just a reassurance that something else will come up. She assures me of others going through the same situation and that things will definitely get better and I have to keep fighting.

Task 2C

I think I have finally completed task 2c after menu attempts and re writes!
Please find my link to task 2C here and feel free to leave any comments! Thanks x

Task 2c My Critical Reflection on Reflective Practise

What idea do I like and why?? Unpicking the layers of understanding...

I like the idea of muscle memory. That after several times doing a routine dancers start to rely mainly on their body remembering the routine and not their mind. The mind tends to switch off and the body in turn takes over. We put all our trust into our muscles remembering the dance steps as our mind drifts elsewhere.

Why do I like this idea?

I like this idea as I find it fascinating that the body can remember what it has done previously. As a dancer I take it very much for granted but when I stop to think about it I do find it fascinating. My mum will ask me after every contract "but how do you remember all those routines?!" And that I cannot explain to her in words. All I can say in response is "I just do!" My body just knows what is coming next which as a dancer is a a great tool to have!

I also like this idea as once you can rely on your body to remember the routine you can really start to enjoy what you are doing and feel what you are doing. From experience I know that when I go on stage and over think every step, every count, every piece of music, that is when I make mistakes! But when I shut off my mind and let my body take over then I can really enjoy what I am doing and feel and perform every move I make instead of over thinking and panicking which ruins my performance.

By unpicking the layers of why I like the idea of muscle memory I have discovered I find it fascinating because it makes me feel instead of think! I no longer as a dancer take muscle memory for granted, I understand it has a major impact on my performance which is hugely important in my profession.

"On-line" and "off-line" reflection...... The views of Robert Kottcamp.

Kottcamp views reflection-in-action as 'on-line' and reflection-on-action as 'off-line'. He Ali outs forward the statement that reflection-in-action is harder to achieve and as a dancer I very much agree with him. In my professional practise I use reflection-in-action frequently and although reflecting in the midst of action is not difficult to me I believe it is the harder of the two. 'On-line' is more difficult to achieve as the practitioner must continue with performing the action they are undertaking while at the same time analyse,observe and evaluate their work from an external point of view e.g as a dancer the point if view of the audience - has the action I've taken been noticed? Does it still look correct?

On the other hand an academic practitioner for example someone from a mathematical background would use 'off-line' reflection. Having time to go home perhaps and review, analyse and plan their action for the future which to me sounds a lot less stressful and much simpler!