Skype!

I had a lovely chat with Adesola this morning on Skype and it reminded me how beneficial it can be! So if any of you guys want to chat to discuss things then I'd be happy to :)!

I love how personal our inquiries are. Getting to choose what topic I wanted to explore has given me the freedom to pick something I was interested in and something that I felt was relevant to my practice. I am very lucky that with choosing 'networking' as my research, I am coming in to contact with so many situations and observations that are relevant. For example; auditions, press nights and class. These observations are so accessible to me as they are a part of my daily practice, therefore the information is right at the tips of my fingers! I suppose that's why I chose what I chose! But I wasn't aware of how much of an importance it would hold! 

Adesola and myself spoke about how important it is to be a 'thinker' in our practice. Not just when it comes to this course itself, but also in our work and experiences. Opening myself up to thought has benefited me in so many ways beyond this module. When first approaching this course, my aim was to just to get myself a degree so that I could open doors for myself for the future. Of course I was hoping to learn a lot but  I didn't at all expect it to have an impact on my practice and life. Being a thinker and questioning and reflecting are such amazing skills to have. Even if at the end of my inquiry I don't feel I've got myself clear answers then it doesn't matter. This whole process is the most important part and looking at where I started to where I end up is the most intriguing part. Speaking to Adesola about what my career is like at the moment has reminded me how much of an impact these skills have had, these of which I have acquired on this course. It is lovely for Adesola and myself to hear of the effects it all has!

Playing with ideas...

Possible presentation ideas for my artefact 

Booklet

Leaflet
Video footage: dance, performance,interviews with inquiry participants, tv presenter type of situation maybe?
Song
Article
Flash cards

Book 

Slide show 

Reviewing other people's blogs and also tapping in to my own creativeness has helped me think up some possible presentation ideas. 

My target audience is performers in this industry both professionals who are working now and also college students who are close to graduating. I feel that a visual source of information will be the perfect way to display my findings. It gives me the opportunity to create something exciting by using my own passion and creativeness. Being a performer myself, anything visual I find to be very appealing, therefore allowing me to take in the information with a better understanding and also making it more enjoyable. 

The last show I was part of required us to  learn about the British forces as this was the core of our show. We had an ex army   Leiutenant come in to give us a talk. He used a combination of slide shows using power point presentation as well as video footage, pictures and diagrams. Presenting this information to us in such a creative and enjoyable manner meant that as an audience we were pulled in right from the very beginning, enabling us to take in as much information as we could. This is an example of well thought out presentation, considering the audience and using techniques he knew would appeal to us. 

These experiences as well as reviewing other people's artefact ideas will allow me to create the best possible way of presenting my information. 

Sarah Robinsons blog 'some early thoughts on the professional artefact' (blog post 7/10/13) set off some light bulbs in my head. With inspiration from a fellow teacher, Sarah talks about the idea of flash cards, or something similar used as a quick and easy way of presenting the main points but to also give the audience the option, if they have the time, to delve deeper by providing them with other links. It could sort of be like an appendix I guess? 

I definitely want a visual approach to my artefact but I do feel text available to the audience is also vital. As I mentioned before, I could maybe provide them with links to more information. This could be digitally or hard copies. Maybe I could create a blog using video and pictures to display my findings but use text and links to support it all and give them the opportunity to discover more if they so wish. 

What is everyone else thinking? 

Literature- Trying out a new method

I used reader 7 to guide me through my recent literature findings. As we are looking at numerous pieces, I found this to be very helpful as it allowed to me to get straight to the important points by asking the right questions. I will now be using these questions as my guide when reviewing each piece.


Career planning: networking know-how

(Peradotto, Nicole. Pointe 10.2 (Apr 2009): 54, 56. 

Who is the author?
Nicole Peradotto; arts writer at the time for Pointe Magazine and former newspaper writer.

Publisher? 
Pointe magazine; international trade publication for ballet: news of company debuts, competitions, rising stars. Also reviews, company profiles, events, auditions, online store, blogs and higher education.

When was it written?
April 2009

Where?
New York 

Intended audience?
Ballet dancers and aspiring students. Aimed at both professional dancers now and also students starting their careers.

Intention?

We know from the opening caption that this article is going to be very 'pro' networking 'Using everything you've got- and tapping everyone you know- is the key to building a career'. Peradotto (2009). Incorporating her own views with the thoughts and experiences of industry professionals, Peradotto intends to show the reader the benefits of networking within this career and how it can help aid your success.

Writers own position?
Nicole Peradotto is a former newspaper writer but has been a longtime arts writer for Pointe Magazine. Being the arts writer for such an established magazine like Pointe shows us the expertise and knowledge surrounding these subjects. Although she is not a performer herself, this article demonstrates her experienced ability to put together well the thoughts and opinions of those established professionals.

Assumptions?
Nicole Peradotto creates her own assumptions with the help of professional dancers, choreographers and directors. This I find to very useful as we hear opinions and share experiences with different people who are in different fields.

Samantha Klanac- Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

Drew Jacoby- Freelance dancer 

Christopher Wheeldon- The Wheeldon Company

Dwight Rhoden- Co artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet 

Elizabeth McGrath- Demi soloist Ballet West 

• The more people you can create relationships with, the better this puzzle of an industry fits together says Samantha Klanac.
• Talent is a key factor but stretching beyond that itself can help you achieve so much more 
• Some say networking in any profession is almost as valuable as talent itself in terms of creating opportunities: Drew Jacoby (freelance dancer) emailed top choreographer Christopher Wheeldon with her CV and link to her website. Impressed with what he saw, Wheeldon invited Jacoby to class. Jacoby persisted with Wheeldon for months, several emails were unanswered, but one day her phone rang and she was offered a job with his company.
• Jacoby talks about being open from the beginning in order to open those connections. Exposing yourself to build genuine relationships.
• Use every source possible; teachers, older students who are now professionals, class members. Create repores with these people; chat over coffee outside of the environment, introduce yourself to choreographers of masterclasses.
• Be confident and up front about the opportunities you are seeking
• Remember all these sources will have their own networks which could work in you favour e.g recommendations, job opportunities.
• Keep in touch with past sources; could lead to teaching work or helping with audition process's etc. 
• Constantly update these people of your situation, just to remind them that you are there and looking for work: director Dwight Rhoden explained how when he needed 3 spots filled quickly, he approached those dancers who had been keeping regular contact with him e.g emailing, inviting him to performances, asking to come to company class ' Being able to network that way is productive because the director sees you and see your interest'
• Social network- keep people updated- Facebook, MySpace, twitter, email, website
• It should be a natural process so that people see the real you!

  
  

  
  

Style of writing?
The text is a newspaper article and so the style is quite informal. It is precise and so easy to read for all. This allows you to read the text quickly and still be able to gauge full understanding. When reading a newspaper article, audiences don't wont to be challenged too much in terms of language as it is light reading and not too intricate. A lot of input has been given by industry professionals so the piece feels very honest and not just the opinions of the writer herself.

The author and references she uses feel networking is such a vital part of the performance industry and that it contributes to the success of careers. Communication in the form of face to face interaction is a big theme in this article: socialising in class, introducing yourself to choreographers, teachers, students etc. However this article shows us the importance of social networking and how the internet and technologies play a big part in our communication and development. Without a lot of these technologies, it would be virtually impossible to contact our sources, not to mention broadcasting ourselves.

Professional Artefact

So i've read both Reader 7 and module 3 handbook which helped with my understanding of Module 3, however I was still finding myself a bit unsure about the whole meaning of a Professional Artefact.

I did a bit of nosing about and managed to find this slide show...created by non other than Rosemary McGuinness herself! It is really useful and explains it in a fun, quick and easy manner. Straight to the point!

Http://www.slideshare.net/wirebook11/professional-artefact

After speaking to Paula yesterday I realised that I wont know until further in to the module what it is I am going to be explaining/presenting/writing about...however, after now understanding the whole concept a lot better, I am now scanning the blogs of previous BAPP students to try and find some inspiration on how I think I would like to present my artefact. Some interesting ideas are coming up!

1st Campus session module 3 2013- Reviewing Module 2

Campus Session

So here we are, third and final module!! How exiting! But I must say I didn't feel too excited this time Monday morning. Seeing all this work in front of me and not being as prepared as I'd of hoped made me panic...a lot. A few months off and I felt a bit lost. That's why I decided to make the trip from Liverpool and get myself to the first campus session. Well it's definitely helped as I hoped it would :)! Helping me get back in the zone and make it clear in my head what needs to be done. 

Paula asked us to explain to the others what our inquiry question was and what point we felt we were at at the moment. I felt vocalising it helped me myself make more sense of where I was at and I also find it really interesting hearing other people's proposals and subjects. It was so nice to see the passion behind it all. 

After Paula reminding us how to navigate our way around summon, I am now exploring more literature. I found quite a lot of extracts, blogs and articles last module surrounding networking but I am keen to find deeper and more educational theories written by more accredited people. 

We did a few fun exercises during the session. One of which we had to create something visually on a piece of paper, showing what that word meant to us. You could create any shape but you couldn't draw pictures. For example 'growth', I created a vertical line of circles which gradually got bigger from the bottom to the top, with arrows pointing upwards at each side. This exercise demonstrated a good way of getting your thoughts from your head down on to the page. Sometimes we find it hard to put in to words what exactly is in our heads. This is what we must accomplish in our inquiry and so this exercise is a great way of achieving this. 

We spoke about how strong the communication and social side of this course is. Peers, SIGS and advisors are constantly at our fingertips and we must utilise these sources to help us through this process; whether it be to ask a silly question about something you are stuck on or to just talk about your inquiry, asking questions and getting advice. 

Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry

Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry
N.B All post extracts to be found in appendix 1
With module 2 came the freedom to explore any which area I felt related to my daily practice. This is something that excited me because I felt as if the sky was the limit! Reflecting back upon the first part of this module, I can see that trial and error was a vital part of the process (Post 27/02/13 Trial & Error). I could see that a lot of my themes were based around the unemployed performer, because that is the position I find myself in a lot of the time. Exploring this issue further enabled me to find an article that was very encouraging and supportive; making you realise that you are not the only person out there in this position, therefore wanting to discover answers surrounding performer’s success (Post 28/02/13 Highlighted Red). A facebook post on the SIG forum reiterated to me how different all our opinions are and that there is not always a right or wrong answer Appendix 2. This notion is something I will remember throughout my inquiry.

I found it challenging when initially being asked to explore my own thoughts regarding ethics 'I actually found it quite difficult to think and put words on the page as I realised that a lot of these ethics I naturally put in to practice without even realising it.' (Melanie Brown 2013). An important point Adesola made helped me realise that there is a lot to think about before ethics itself (Post 19/03/13 Highlighted part).This enabled me to think deeper in to why we have ethics and explore different environments and how they differ and relate to my personal experiences (Post 19/03/13 Highlighted blue). I was then able to put together my own guidelines to provide a safe and ethically sound inquiry (Post 26/03/2013 Guidelines).

A phone call with Adesola made me realise that it helps to know the recipe before you collect the ingredients. This phrase stuck out to me when looking at my analysis and how I must know what I am looking for and how I am going to analyse my data before I decide the best way possible to collect it, adding my own spark and my own unique way of looking at things Appendix 3. Therefore creating your own ingredients to make a more successful inquiry.

Seeing how some SIG group members struggled with the inquiry tool process has made me realise the importance of contribution and feedback, as this is what we will later rely on when conducting our inquiry Appendix 4. By participating in the surveys myself, I was able to make some observations( Post 06/05/2013 Highlighted section).  Discussion with SIG members and advisors has played a huge part in my progress this module Appendix 5. Therefore adding to my reflection on my own thoughts, allowing me to make better judgments ( Post 19/03/2013 See Highlighted).

Reflecting on this process and realising how beneficial participation has been to me, makes me feel more compelled to take part in inquiries that may face me in the future, hoping they too will receive some sort of development. I have learnt that communication is the key to progress in this inquiry as I feel I have already come a long way from module 1 and hope the next step will develop me even further.





Appendix 1
Post 1- ‘Trial and Error’

A set of questions/ideas that relate to my every day professional practice

Keeping fit and healthy both physically and mentally in an industry that is very unstable
Injury prevention being a dancer
How to deal with rejection
Preparation to ensure you are audition ready
Juggling a normal (mortal) job being a dancer/ flexible enough for auditions

So many ideas are coming in to my head....already what I love about this module is that its giving you the freedom to choose a subject/question that you are interested in and that relates to your daily life. At first I sat thinking really hard about ideas that I should be using, but then I just sat back and realised that all I needed to do was think about my daily practice and the things that occur....because then that’s my life and interests and so the information is there right in front of me and gives me the tools to explore further beyond myself and question other people’s attitudes. Whether they be in the same situation as myself or completely different....all opinions and circumstance will contribute to my inquiry and that’s what will make it so interesting and exciting!
At the moment a question that I am swaying towards more:
In an industry that is very unstable, where work is sometimes sparse, how is it you keep yourself fit and healthy, both physically and mentally?
Themes:
In and out of work- Very few people are lucky enough to go from job to job....so how do we cope in between the dance work (if you are lucky enough to get work at all)? Because at the end of the day we have to work to be able to live...so how do we juggle everything to make sure we can still pay our rent as well as be fit physically and mentally...because only then do we have a chance of getting that dream job!
Keeping fit and audition ready- Going the gym/taking class
Healthy eating- Good nutrition to keep strong/ sensible eating so we look are best
Motivation- Both fitness and healthy eating can help boost motivation because you feel more confident in yourself
I will keep adding more ideas as they come! Feedback would be greatly appreciated! :)

Post 2- ‘Highlighted Red’A few light bulbs went off in my head after reading this article.
http://www.tightsandtiaras.com/2011/05/unemployed/
'Being a dancer, there is another aspect unemployment you don’t see with office-workers. Dancing professionally is a hard physical activity. It requires you to be on your best shape, something we achieve by training hours every day. Once you don’t have a job, you don’t have a place to do that training, either. No ballet class. And for a professional dancer, no class equals disaster. Yes, you might train at home to a certain degree, and you might be able to find open classes in private studios if you live in the right area. But those classes are not meant for professionals (not to mention expensive), and just simply don’t provide you with the exercises you need to keep in shape. And if you’re not in shape, no one is going to hire you either. The excuse “I’m better than this, but I’ve been unemployed, and couldn’t find a normal place to take class” just doesn’t work in a dance audition. It’s a vicious circle'
I feel I can relate strongly to Henricks article and I believe most other professionals in this industry would feel the same. I'm not certain non performers would necessarily agree with the phrase 'why being unemployed is worse for a dancer than it is for you (a normal person)' but you would have to admit that many challenging issues occur for us. Maybe if they put themselves in our shoes for a while and see how they managed?

The unemployed dancer...How do we cope being out of work?
How do we sustain technical abilities we spent so long trying to perfect when we are not dancing? How do we afford to keep it up? Class is expensive, gym is expensive, travelling to auditions is expensive (sometimes to another county!!)
Good nutrition....good food costs good money!
Profit share productions- wage dependent on profit made. How do people cope? Not a guaranteed good wage but priceless experience!

Post 3- ‘Highlighted Part’Adesola pointed out to me something really important 'Ethics is also about how you make the assumption that informs the guidelines' (Adesola Akinleye 2013). In are thought processes, before we even demonstrate good ethics, we have to realise what it is that causes us to have the assumption...for us then to carry out the guidelines.
For example:
No racism....but what is race? I found this website explained race really well. Please explore it as I found it really interesting.
http://www.pbs.org/race/001_WhatIsRace/001_00-home.htm
The Cambridge dictionary online defines race 'A group, especially of people, with particular similar physical characteristics, who are considered as belonging to the same type, or the fact of belonging to such a group'
So we all have different physical features, religions, beliefs etc but behind all that, inside us, are we really different at all? Some people make their own minds up about who is who, and judge other people by what's on the outside. That's when people decide to take it upon themselves to call someone different. It could even be something so small as wearing glasses as a child. It sounds so stupid but other children may look at this as being 'different' but really is it because it is something they are just not used to seeing? If we all had glasses on then no one would think otherwise. We all have our own unique features and characteristics but this doesn't make it ok for people to be discriminative towards us. That is why I believe treating everyone as equals/no discrimination towards race is an important ethic to demonstrate throughout all types of practice

Post 4- ‘Highlighted Blue’A Teaching Environment
Royal Academy Of Dance is one of the most influential dance education and training organisations in the world so you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon its Code of Conduct! We only learn from the best :)!
Please take a look at the link!
http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART255_Code%20of%20Conduct%20English.pdf
I love how clear everything is explained to us. There are 4 themes, each with their own bullet points which enables us to read swiftly and digest the information given. They don't bore us with paragraphs and paragraphs of information...they are straight to the point.
Some of the most interesting points for me:
1. Integrity- Respect the confidentiality of colleagues and students.
Confidentiality within a teaching environment is very important. I myself have not taught much but throughout my training I have confided in teachers. It would be seen to be very unprofessional if as a teacher you did not respect this.
2. Competence- Maintain up to date subject knowledge and understanding.
For a teacher this I feel is one of the most important points...because at the end of the day, students go to learn and how can they do this if the teacher doesn't even know what they are talking about? Syllabus work and styles are constantly changing and it is up to the teacher to maintain their standard, knowledge wise as well as physically.
3. Professionalism- Ensure the facilities in which they practice are adequately maintained and constitutes a safe learning environment.
Health and safety is a vital when in a learning environment, especially when working with children. Being aware of your space is so important to help prevent injury and provide a successful standard of practice.
4. Compliance- RAD registered teachers are responsible for ensuring that their practices are in full compliance with current legislation in their country of operation as this code of conduct and professional practice.

Post 5- ‘Guidelines’Last week I was able to meet up with Hannah Stewart who is one of my SIG group members. We sat down and tried to dissect the topic of Ethics; discussing points we felt we had learnt from the reader and how we could use some of the guidelines to help conduct out own inquiries.
We feel there is a lot to think about when it comes to ethics. It is such a wide subject full of different opinions and rules which can of course depend on the scenarios you face.
As mentioned in my previous blog, I feel BERA provides us with a great framework to work with. We used this as a guide to help us then configure our own rules that we feel would relate to the intended Inquiry.
- To provide at all times a safe environment when the inquiry is taking place to ensure that no harm comes to participants.
- Respect all involved and explain that at any time they can stop the interview if they feel uncomfortable etc.
- Inform them of the purpose and objectives of the inquiry and who will benefit from the information collected.
- In some cases, agree to keep data collected anonymous. For example, in a one to one interview I might refer to the source as X, Y and Z. This could reflect on the information as the participant may be more honest.
- Participants involved must all fill out a declaration form to consent the use of information given. When working with under 18's, a written consent must be given from a parent or guardian.
- All information must be securely stored so that it doesn't get in to the wrong hands. E.g. password protected/ locked filing cabinet.
- Ask only questions that are relevant to the inquiry. Don't veer off on to an unnecessary subject.
- All Information will be disposed of after the inquiry.
It will be interesting to discuss this further with others in my SIG group to see if they have any other important points to add.
Please feel free to comment :)! Let me know if you think I have missed something really important off!
Thanks :)

Post 6- ‘Highlighted Section’One important thing I discovered was to make sure you make your surveys user friendly. Myself and Hannah picked up on this when we came together last week. Whilst filling out surveys, I found that the more complicated the questions, the less willing I was to fill it out as it was taking up too much of my time. Yes of course a certain amount of your time must be given but do people have the time to write an essay? To me, a survey should be simple and to the point. I feel that long questions (sometimes involving more than one question) can be misleading and allow for too much variable. How are we then able to produce averages on outcomes when people have been allowed to veer off on to irrelevant subjects? (This of course being our fault). People may have a different opinion on this but this is something I will try and remember when conducting all inquiries. This is why it is so important to pick the correct questions so that we are able to get the information we want...this could also mean more people fill out the survey because it’s not too much hard work for them!

Post 7-‘See Highlighted’Ok so after deeper consideration, realising that my first idea was completely off the mark...I have now decided on an appropriate award title.
BA Honours Professional Practice in Performing Arts
After an email conversation with Adesola and other people's feedback, I realised that 'Performing Arts' shows that I am knowledgeable in this subject as a whole and although I am focusing in on the networking side of things, it demonstrates my understanding from all angles.
Performing arts is something I have been passionate about all my life. It is for this reason I chose to move to London at the age of 16 and attend musical theatre college. Along with previous training from a young age, this experience has provided me with the tools necessary to be successful in this industry.
This course has opened my eyes to methods we can use to help develop success and this is why I want to discover more about networking. I believe that this is a vital tool in this profession and will be interested to see how others feel about this.




Appendix 2 • WHAT does it mean to be successful? What is success to you!????
Like • •Unfollow Post • Share • March 7 at 12:35pm

Bobbie Pingram For me it's about achieving my goals. Not a measure comparing myself to other people.
March 7 at 1:31pm via mobile • Like • 1
Mimi-Lulabell Whitney Sucess to me is being happy, being happy with life, work, family, friends x
March 7 at 2:38pm • Like
Emily Hunt achieving what I want to achieve and being happy with how I have done it.
March 9 at 10:30am • Like
Louise Dempster Success is meeting my own goals whether it is professional or personal, being happy and healthy
March 10 at 3:39pm • Like
Melanie Brown To me, success is achieving dreams and goals you have set for yourself but most importantly success is being happy and content with your life...:)
March 12 at 9:16am via mobile • Like
Gee Bird would you call Amy winehouse then, successful?...
March 12 at 10:21am via mobile • Like
Gee Bird so if u end up happy but with no career or with a great career but not happy...are u still successful??
March 12 at 10:23am via mobile • Like
Bobbie Pingram I'd say you have been successful in one area and not the other. Maybe that's one of the sacrifices of success.
March 12 at 10:26am via mobile • Like
Gee Bird how do you mean? To be successful in one area of your life another must suffer?
March 12 at 10:27am • Like
Melanie Brown Well from an outsider’s point of view you would say yes she was...but then was she happy? As I said before that to me is the most important thing. She was obviously battling with a lot of issues. There has to be a balance between a good career and happiness. Was it that maybe too much success made her unhappy because she didn’t know how to cope? I believe it must be about balance like most things in life x
March 12 at 10:28am via mobile • Like
Gee Bird see for me, success falls to career straight away.. but iv always been career minded, if success is what you set out to accomplish... (Even if it’s not what you thought at the beginning) if you achieve it, then you are a success. She had a massively successful career. but same question falls to all the huge stars who die young. Marilyn Monroe, etc.. they were successful, no?
March 12 at 10:37am • Like


Appendix 3An Important Point!!
An important thing that stood out for me was when Adesola said about the theories being someone else's view and that it doesn't necessarily have to be true in your mind as you may feel it doesn't work for you. You should take out who you are and take things from other people you feel relate to you.

Appendix 4Betty Wells
Please could you complete my survey, I promise to return the favour, I've only got 3 replies so far:(. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/26G2JRJ
Cheers
Betty xx
Motivating Students Survey
www.surveymonkey.com
Like • •Follow Post • Share • March 19 at 9:00am
 • Hannah Mairi Stewart
Hey....right I have only had about two responses (thank you who ever you are) I have filled in about 10 so please please please just fill mine in!!!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XZNWMDR
thanks!

The Importance of CPD within the Arts and the impact it can have on your success within the industry
www.surveymonkey.com

Appendix 5
4 comments:
Rosemary McGuinness20 March 2013 03:22
Hi Melanie - the title you propose should accurately reflect your professional experience and knowledge which comes from the learning you have already done and the the knowledge you will gain from doing the inquiry. The title you are proposing is somewhat misleading.... if I saw that title I would expect the professional to be from the Information Technology or Mobile Communications Industry.... There is nothing there that suggests your actual knowledge and learning.... I suggest you go back to the drawing board ... Best regards

Melanie Brown20 March 2013 11:36
Hi Rosemary,
I couldn't agree more! After looking back at my suggested title and receiving feedback from other people, I realise how misleading it is. Hannah's comment below has helped me see that my title needs to relate to my learning experiences within my chosen industry which is of course performance. I am interested in how networking sources can be used to widen and develop success in the performance industry! So with all that in mind...back to the drawing board! Thank you for you help.
Delete

Hannah Stewart20 March 2013 09:29
Hi Mel
I agree with Rosemary. What about the title of musical theatre? As in essence that is what your focusing on, networking with in Musical Theatre? Also this is what your previous training has been in? Perhaps you could play with adding words around musical theatre to make it more specific to your inquiry?
Delete
Melanie Brown20 March 2013 11:40
Hi Hannah. Thank you so much for your response. Along with Rosemary's response, it has helped make everything a lot clearer for me! Your right, my background is performance and that is what I am basing my inquiry on...but of course it is the whole networking aspect in this industry that really intrigues me! It’s trying to find the right words! Thank you for your help! X

6A Tools of professional inquiry

Tools Of Inquiry

Please find my pilot survey below!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L62XFT3

Tasks 5 have helped me understand the importance of conducting an ethically sound inquiry. These observations will help guide me when building my pilots.

I have already put together a pilot survey which I posted on the Facebook page. I would appreciate it if you could find the time to fill it out please :) (link above). By gaging people's responses I can play around with the survey questions and find out which ones work best. This is my first attempt and I look forward to seeing the results.

One important thing I discovered was to make sure you make your surveys user friendly. Myself and Hannah picked up on this when we came together last week. Whilst filling out surveys, I found that the more complicated the questions, the less willing I was to fill it out as it was taking up too much of my time. Yes of course a certain amount of your time must be given but do people have the time to write an essay? To me, a survey should be simple and to the point. I feel that long questions (sometimes involving more than one question) can be misleading and allow for too much variable. How are we then able to produce averages on outcomes when people have been allowed to veer off on to irrelevant subjects? (This of course being are fault). People may have a different opinion on this but this is something I will try and remember when conducting all inquiries. This is why It is so important to pick the correct questions so that we are able to get the information we want...this could also mean more people fill out the survey because its not too much hard work for them!

Tonight I am meeting with a few members of my SIG group to discuss pilots. We can use this time to experiment with ideas and advise each other on methods we see to be successful.

I will blog about our SIG discussion after the session this evening :)

The Art Of Strategy- Aviniash K. Dixit & Barry J. Nalebluff

An excerpt from the book The Art Of Strategy by Aviniash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebluff found online at W. W. Norton & Company.

After learning about The Game Theory in module 1, I decided I wanted to dig deeper and find other pieces of writing relating to this as it was something that interested me. This chapter 'The Ten Tales of Strategy' starts by asking us to guess a number between 1 and 100 and if you answer it correctly you get £100 (not really but just pretend).

It explains that by not wanting to give you the money, they predicted a number that would be hard for you to get. With the first guess most commenly being 50 and discovering if it is too high or too low, it is most common for us to divide the interval in to two parts then pick the mid point.

'The key lesson of game theory is to put yourself in the other player’s shoes. We put ourselves in your shoes and anticipated that you would guess 50, then 25, then 37, then 42. Understanding how you would play the game allowed us to greatly decrease the chance that you would guess our number and thus reduce how much we’d have to pay out.'
They give us an example of strategics being used in the American realtiy show Survivor, the winnner being Richard Hatch.

'We weren’t surprised when the pudgy nudist Richard Hatch outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted his rivals to become the first champion of the CBS series and earn the million-dollar prize. He was gifted in his ability to act strategically without appearing to be strategic.'

The final challange of Survior consisted of 3 people and the winner would be the last one stand on a pole with their hand touching the immunity idol. They explain how the winner of the challange gets to pick their opponent and make it to the final. The winner is then decided by the other outsted contestants. Ok, so first thoughts you would assume that this would be a physical task and that the strongest physically would win...but no. Richard and Kelly where aware of Rudy's popularity throughout the competition and that if they where to face him in the final, he would definitely win. Richard had a strong alliance with Rudy and so if he won the task and didnt pick Rudy then he would lose Rudy's vote, as well as all of Rudy's friends. So...instead of winning the task, Richard wanted Kelly to win so that she would pick him and make it to the final. This is exactly what happened! Richard came down first, followed by Rudy after 4 hours which made Kelly the winner. She of course chose Richard who was the least stronger contender...the final came and Richard was crowned the champion.

'With the benefit of hindsight it may all seem easy. What makes Richard’s play so impressive is that he was able to anticipate all the different moves before they happened'

Richard outwitted his fellow contestants without them even realising it. This is an interesting example and something which I can relate to the entertainment industry. People work in certain ways to better themselves without anyone else even realising it. Have I had it done to me? Or have I actually done this myself? Strategics is something that I find very exciting...am I clever enough to figure someone else out and realise this is what they are doing? Are people willing to do this to further their careers? Will it have an overall good effect or bad? This is something I would like to explore further and I look forward to challanging my inquiry partipants with this idea.

An important point made which I believe to be very relative in this industry 'you have to take into account the objectives and strategies of the other players.'  You can think in the most logical way possible and think you know the outcomes 'But if you are playing a game, then you have to consider how the other player will be acting and how those decisions will influence your strategy.' So how do we know if the other person is playing a game? Will it be through trail and error...trusting them and then not trusting them and learning from experiences? Will discovering they have a strategy change how we behave? Or are you the one with the strategy? Reading about strategy in this extract coincides with what I learnt in module 1. The 'prisoners dilemma' demonstrated to me that people sometimes have a strategy in life; make affiliations with resourceful people to gain all they can, to then defect and reap all the benefits themselves, therefore the benefit not being mutual. So for example, meeting up with a friend who you know has inside contacts with a big casting agency and pulling out any information you possibly can. Therefore receiving important information that will benefit you or even better, your friend putting in a good word for you to the right people. Once you've got everything out of this affiliation you have made, would it be right to not give back to them anything you have gained that would maybe help them out? Is playing  a strategic game where you are the only winner very ethical? Could there be conesquence to your actions? These questions I hope to explore further and widen my knowledge by gauging opinions and ideas from my inquiry participants.

References
http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail-inside.aspx?ID=8657&CTYPE=

Literature Review: "Networking- It's not what you know- It's who you know" Gal Baras- Ezine Articles

I am looking in to the networking side of the performance industry but finding an article based purely on this was proving quite difficult. However, I stumbled across the article on ezine articles online written by a man called Gal Baras. Gal is an Internet Marketer and Life Coach from Brisbane, Austrailia.

The phrase 'It's not what you know- It's who you know' is a statement I want to research deeper as it is something that is regualry heard throughout this industry especially. Is this phrase entirely correct? It is interesting to hear Gal's side of this and how he firmly belives this phrase to be true. He supports this by sharing experiences of his own life and career and it very intruiging to see how much of an impact networking has had.

Gal opens this article with a very bold paragraph and is is immediately apparant that he believes networking is the key to success in every aspect of life.

'No matter how big our office, how colourful our flyers, how powerful our computers or how many degrees we have, it is the quality of relationships we establish with ourselves, our family, our friends, our customers, our suppliers and, more than anything else, with people we don't know, that will determine our success in our personal life or in business'

Gal believes that success in any profession is down to the quality of relationships created by ourselves with any type of person we come across in our lives. His opinion is that it does not matter how extravegant and amazing our qualifications are, or how fabulous something looks, it all comes down to relationships.

He explains how as a child studying, the emphasis was always on grades and deeper knowledge and that these where the formulas to success. However, we are given a small summary of his first few jobs and he explains how they where never because of his profession and education but because of his attitude and contacts.

'I got my first job after university through one of my professors. My second job was a referral by the manager who had just laid me off. I was taken to my third job, half way around the world, by my plant manager, who was moving there himself and needed people he could rely on in his own new job'

Gal goes on to talk about his 4th, 5th and 6th jobs and all of course being because of the network he had created which he refers to as his "safety net".

'Networking is inexpensive, sometimes even free, and it works because of two major psychological truths:

1. People are afraid to do business with strangers.
2. People prefer to do business with people they know or with people who were recommended by someone they know.

Therefore, the MORE people you know (i.e. the BIGGER your network), the more business you'll do'.

There are many points made in this article that I strongly believe in. For example the last 2 points I believe to very true as I experienced this myself in the past jobs. I do believe that expanding your network and getting as many contacts as you can along the way can benefit you but is it purely down to this? Gal talks about his first job after university. Yes this was through his professor but would he have been offered this oppourtunity without a degree? He states that qualifications have no importance but without his education it could have been a different story. It is all good and well having affilitaions in all the right places, and maybe he believes his education has no significance, but what if he where to burn bridges with a certain someone? He would have to start from scratch and if he had no eduaction or qualifications behind him then would anybody even look at him twice? Would he be taken seriously as a professional? Yes Gal Baras is proof that networking can promote success but this may not be the case for every person. Can it have a negative effect also? What if you are too well know for the wrong reasons? These questions support my reasoning for my inquiry as I find it so interesting to find examples of situations that dont benefit your success but possibly ruin it. It is with this research I propose to develop my knowledge and try to discover techniques that will help create success.

References

http://ezinearticles.com/?Networking---Its-Not-What-You-Know---Its-Who-You-Know&id=363736

6B- Observations

Using observation as a tool in my Inquiry will be very useful. I find witnessing events yourself is very beneficial as you see it from your eyes and point of view, and not just by listening to someone else's opinion. Observations allow you to observe and record events so that you are then able to reflect on the information and analyse, weather this be in written format and using means such as recording equipment.

Does networking enhance the success of your career?

Networking can take place in many types of formats:

Web: blogs, YouTube, Facebook, twitter spotlight.

Socially: conversations with friends/ agents/ industry professionals, class, auditions.

I can take it upon myself to observe some of these situations over the course of the inquiry and discover the different approaches people use. In module one, I talked about how at the beginning of my training, I hated the word 'networking'. I felt this was such a forced thing (being a teachers pet/ licking someone's ego) as some would call it. Growing though this module, I realised that it doesn't always have to be forced and that it can sometimes be quite a natural process as I found myself using various methods throughout my practice and not even realising it! It will be interesting to observe situations and see If the methods used by participants can have a direct link to how successful they are in this profession.

I aim to try out different techniques. For example, when observing a social gathering such as a press night, I can observe from a distance so that the group are not actually aware of my observation. I do not want participants to behave in a certain manner, or do certain things because they feel they should. I feel a social event like this is quite unstructured and so feel that the more natural the situation, the more viable my information and discoveries. However, it will be interesting to see the differences when I do inform participants. Will this effect my results? Some situations will require me to inform the participants because of course sometimes consent is required. Especially if you are recording, e.g class, audition as it is important that we try to stay within ethical frameworks.

A few months back I was part of an audition panel. This was the first time I had experienced this as I am normally on the other side! I couldn't believe how much it opened my eyes! It allowed me to sit back and take in the whole room, where as normally I am just worrying about myself. I feel this observation benefited me greatly as a lot of techniques used by the participants I was then able to put in to my own audition practice. You are being judged from the moment you walk in the room, even when you are stood waiting to perform, you are always being watched. For example those sitting down and chatting at the sides did not come across well at all. Those who generated a positive and focused attitude caught my eye, and this was before they had even danced! It was helpful seeing some of the networking techniques come in to practice.

Positive: A girl who had worked well for the company previously was spotted as soon as she took to the floor. Already the panel where chatting about her before she performed the routine. Performing the routine well, and knowing that she was reliable an hard working previously, got the girl the job.

Negative: There was one girl who outshone others during the audition because of her ability, appearance and awareness. However, she had worked for the company before and this girl, along with the other ensemble members involved had managed to give themselves a bad name. Once the casting director realised this, she was cut immediately. Was it this girl in particular who had previously caused problems? Maybe she was tarnished with the same brush as the the others when actually she worked professionally in every way. But this didnt matter. This therefore cost her the job. This to me showed how careful you need to be to not get involved in the wrong circles. Knowing the panel this time did not work to her advantage!

Pros
Direct contact with participants.
You see the situation for yourself and don't just hear someone else's take on it.
You get a feel for the behaviour.
I myself as the inquirer can also participate in the event being observed.so therefore feel more involved and in tune with the situation.

Cons
Time consuming.
There are a lot of ethical issues you have to be aware of, especially if people are observing children.
Your presence may effect the behaviour of the participants you are observing.

6B- Focus Groups

Focus groups are a productive way of gathering information from an area you choose to focus in on. It demonstrates how much knowledge can be gathered within the one space. The people I am choosing to research are performers within the entertainment industry from ages 19 to 30. I feel this will give me enough variety as it is individuals starting their careers as well as those who are more experienced. I feel the more mature members of the group can provide me with reflections on past experiences and maybe techniques they feel they should have utilised more. For example, seeing how other industry friends of theirs have used certain networking techniques in the past which have therefore impacted the success of their careers and to see if they wished they would have followed by example. The more inexperienced members (recent graduates) will demonstrate to me the amount of knowledge they have regarding networking. Do college faculties prepare students for what is ahead and how sources can be used?

I think it is a good idea to have a focus group which incorporates successful industry professionals, with those who have maybe not made as much of an impact. How do these people differ? Is there as pattern? Does networking result in a more successful career? A good suggestion from one of my SIG group members Hannah, was to divide up the focus group in to confident speakers and those who are slightly quieter and less confident. You can therefore conduct two separate focus groups. I feel this is important as you want equal participation and if you have an individual who is talking a lot and being confident, then it might nock a quieter person and mean they don't join in. I have noticed in group campus session that this is sometimes the case. It is clear that some people talk out a lot more whilst others just sit and listen. On the other hand, it is interesting to allow these people to come together to discus thoughts and opinions as this sometimes results in the more reserved people being probed on by others and so therefore involving themselves more.

I experimented with a small group of professionals when conducting my pilot. This I felt would ease me in to the focus group experience gently. As the reader suggests, you should ask each person to speak and identify themselves before the process begins. Similar to my point made in the previous paragraph, reader 6 talks about bigger personalities “also influence, and in some cases actually take over, a group and make it difficult for the less assertive members to speak” (Bell, 2005, p. 163). This is why it is vital that you identify each person as this will help you when analysing the data. To prevent anybody taking over the discussion, I made sure I derived a suitable seating plan and also highlighted the importance of not talking over one another. Picking suitable questions helped the discussion stay on the right track and not veer off on to a completely irrelevant subject.

Pros
Allows opinions to develop as people hear other people's thoughts and so can build on their own. Group interaction helps come up with new ideas and therefore more tools and techniques. It is a fun and informal atmosphere so allows participants to relax and allow themselves to speak openly and honestly. They can share experiences and reflect on them.

Cons
People may participate more than others (which is why I may try dividing up the group as I mentioned earlier). People may have conflicting opinions which is a good thing, but you have to maintain control and not let It get out of hand e.g talking over each other. A certain degree of preparation is required; consent forms, suitable location which is within ethical requirements, suitable topic questions, arranging a time that suits your focus group.

Online focus group?
This is another suggestion I found. How about an online focus group? Yes this overcomes the problem of distance but does it take away from the fact that we are together and relaxed in a group environment where we feel comfortable enough to voice our opinions. Discussion is constrained but could make it easier to construct and reflect on information as it would be in a written format. This is something I may experiment with but at the moment, I may just use the survey tool as an online source.

I really enjoy focus groups as I love how anyone is free to voice opinions. Others can then relate to your experiences and you can then reflect on it together. They help widen your knowledge as someone might mention something that you was not aware of before. You can then put it in to practice yourself which could help benefit you as a person and a professional.


Bell, J. (2005) Doing Your Research Project (4th ed), Milton Keynes: Open
University Press.

Task 6B part 1- Survey & Interview

Pilot survey
Pros
A survey is quick and easy for people involved. You can choose to have a large amount of participants which therefore results in more responses. This then can help you find averages/come up with conclusions/see patterns. Also, web based surveys analyze the data received so you don't actually have to put it all together yourself. This is very beneficial and has provided me with examples of charts I may use in the future: horizontal/ vertical bar, pie chart, donut chat, stacked horizontal/ vertical bar, line graph, area graph.
Cons
A survey doesn't always guarantee a response (especially web based surveys). I myself found I received over 10 responses when using survey monkey as a tool for my inquiry, however, others found that their online survey only returned 4 responses over the course of 3 weeks. There is no one there to remind you to fill it in so people find it hard to fit it in to their daily schedule. I also discovered that with some online surveys, you are only able to put together a maximum of 10 questions...the only solution being to pay for the upgrade! Maybe you are best to construct a survey yourself using tools such as power point and Microsoft word. Minimal detail is acquired due to the nature of a survey e.g yes no answers in some cases.
Therefore
Maybe paper copies are more useful? Are people more likely to fill it out as it is there in front of them? You are also not limited to the amount of questions you use (10 might not be enough). Remember people don't always have access to the Internet...where as with hard copies all you need is a pen! For example Hannah handed me a hard copy and I filled it out within 10 minutes and handed it straight back to her. Results were instant. It can provide a more personal approach and so people may feel more inclined to do it, especially if you give it to them yourself. But does it take up too much time? Not if the questions are suitable and you have thought about time being an important factor e.g questions that get to the point...no essay writing required! You may need participants to post the survey back to you which could cause problems. People may forget/send it to the wrong address etc and this too is more time consuming.

Carrying out pilots within SIG groups enables us to come together and discuss ways in which we can develop and better our surveys. Reflection is a good tool to use for this exercise. For example, talking about the questions used and if we feel they are suitable. With both Hannah and Chelsie I gave feedback on questions e.g Chelsie provided me with a question that had only two possible outcomes...'Do you think it is more important that a teacher has more experience or more qualifications?' Pick either 1.experience or 2. Qualifications. I felt that both were necessary but I wasn't able to explain this. Chelsie therefore altered her options and gave an 'other' option which allowed me to explain how I felt. I was also advised on maybe providing a ranking system on some of my questions. This is to vary the survey and make it more interesting for participants.


Pilot interview
As well as surveys, I will be using interviews throughout my inquiry. At first I thought an interview would be just the same as a survey, only spoken. However after conducting a pilot interview with my SIG group member Hannah, I discovered how valuable they will be in this process. I also looked at its cons.
Pros
More detailed/ personal responses. You are able to delve deeper If need be and explain questions/ answers if someone doesn't understand. You witness the reaction of the participant e.g facial expressions. You get a feel for their personality and what they are about which is definitely important as you may discover similarities between people.
Cons
An interview is very time consuming. You have to organise a time/date/location that suit both you and the person you are interviewing. This then brings in many other important factors regarding ethics e.g finding a space that is within health and safety regulations to ensure no harm is brought to anyone, providing a comfortable atmosphere and ensuring the person doesn't feel under pressure to answer at any time if they don't want to. It requires more organisation and time on your behalf as well as others. I have highlighted in previous blogs the importance of consent when using all tools in the inquiry, with interviews being one of the most important reasons for this. This could effect people participating e.g if someone is under the age of 18 then their parent or guardian may decide that they do not want their child to take part.

Whilst interviewing Hannah I recorded the conversation using my iPhone. A friend had advised this to me and this was the first time I put it in to practice. I feel this is a perfect way to record the conversation so that no information is missed. You are also able to hear the tone and manner in which they speak which is vital. Of course Hannah is a good friend anyway, but an interview allows you to get comfortable with one another which could result in more detailed answers. An important thing to be aware of, is they way you approach the question and the way in which you vocalise it. Being a performer I am used to changing my voice in many ways to suit the situation. I have to be careful to not put questions across in a biased manner. For example; more expression and enthusiasm in your voice and face when asking a question that you strongly agree with. The interviewee may see this and may feel inclined to agree with you, just because it seems like the 'right' option. This could effect my results so I have to be careful.

A good suggestion made was that when utilising any of these tools, we should strongly touch upon honesty. This is very important. We don't want people to feel like they should answer a certain way because they feel they have to. No one is judging and a lot of the time participants will be anonymous anyway!

5D- Ethical frameworks

Last week I was able to meet up with Hannah Stewart who is one of my SIG group members. We sat down and tried to dissect the topic of Ethics; discussing points we felt we had learnt from the reader and how we could use some of the guidelines to help conduct out own inquiries.

We feel there is a lot to think about when it comes to ethics. It is such a wide subject full of different opinions and rules which can of course depend on the scenarios you face.

As mentioned in my previous blog, I feel BERA provides us with a great framework to work with. We used this as a guide to help us then configure our own rules that we feel would relate to the intended Inquiry.

- To provide at all times a safe environment when the inquiry is taking place to ensure that no harm comes to participants.

- Respect all involved and explain that at any time they can stop the interview if they feel uncomfortable etc.

- Inform them of the purpose and objectives of the inquiry and who will benefit from the information collected.

- In some cases, agree to keep data collected anonymous. For example, in a one to one interview I might refer to the source as X, Y and Z. This could reflect on the information as the participant may be more honest.

- Participants involved must all fill out a declaration form to consent the use of information given. When working with under 18's, a written consent must be given from a parent or guardian.

- All information must be securely stored so that it doesn't get in to the wrong hands. E.g password protected/ locked filing cabinet.

- Ask only questions that are relevant to the inquiry. Don't veer off on to an unnecessary subject.

- All Information will be disposed of after the inquiry.

It will be interesting to discuss this further with others in my SIG group to see if they have any other important points to add.

Please feel free to comment :)! Let me know if you think I have missed something really important off!

Thanks :)

Award Title

So after hours/days/weeks of thinking about my inquiry topic/award title i have decided to focus in on the networking side of being a professional.....how is it we stay within the loop of our industry...be this any industry! I feel this is important to us as as performers as things are forever changing....but it is also relevant in all other walks of life and other industries. I believe this is a topic that is prominent in what ever you want to do which is why I am choosing it! I feel this can give me the opportunity to open other doors in my life as i feel it does not limit me to any one thing. Networking was a theme presented in the previous module and this part of the course i found to be the most interesting and exciting...i therefore want to explore this further!

So finding the right words...when your out of work and your pushing for that next job...how do u keep yourself  ready?....'keeping in the loop' somehow doesn't sound quite right....'the sources in which we use to widen our success'....'involved/in the loop/aware'.....'the ways in which you use networking to impact the success of your career'! Any suggestions on wording I could use?

Award title possibility

BA Honours Professional Practice In Network Communications?

Ok so after deeper consideration, realising that my first idea was completely off the mark...I have now decided on an appropriate award title.

BA Honours Professional Practice in Performing Arts

After an email conversation with Adesola and other people's feedback, I realised that 'Performing Arts' shows that I am knowledgable in this subject as a whole and although I am focusing in on the networking side of things, it demonstrates my understanding from all angles.

Performing arts is something I have been passionate about all my life. It is for this reason I chose to move to London at the age of 16 and attend musical theatre college. Along with previous training from a young age, this experience has provided me with the tools necessary to be successful in this industry.

This course has opened my eyes to methods we can use to help develop success and this is why I want to discover more about networking. I believe that this is a vital tool in this profession and will be interested to see how others feel about this.

5B-Codes of practice/regulations in the work place

I found it really interesting discovering more about ethics beyond my own realisations. Some of those original thoughts popped up but i was also able to develop my knowledge on this subject by exploring ethical frame works in a variety of different work places.

The principles of ethics i feel are very similar throughout all types of working environments. Whether it be in the theatre, a class room or even a supermarket, i feel it is the way in which you conduct yourself around others and respect them and the environment. Punctuality, respect, honesty (along with the other points i mentioned in my previous blog) are examples of the traits i believe can be used no matter where you are in life. That was my initial over view of ethics in general...however, delving in to further information enabled me to realise that the principles of ethics may vary slightly depending on your place of work.

For example:

A Teaching Environment

Royal Academy Of Dance is one of the most influential dance education and training organisastions in the world so you can imagine my excitement when i stumbled upon its Code Of Conduct! We only learn from the best :)!

Please take a look at the link!

http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART255_Code%20of%20Conduct%20English.pdf

I love how clear everything is explained to us. There are 4 themes, each with their own bullet points which enables us to read swiftly and digest the information given. They don't bore us with paragraphs and paragraphs of information...they are straight to the point.

Some of the most interesting points for me:

1. Integrity- Respect the confidentiality of colleagues and students.

Confidentiality within a teaching environment is very important. I myself have not taught much but throughout my training i have confided in teachers. It would be seen to be very unprofessional if as a teacher you did not respect this.

2. Competence- Maintain up to date subject knowledge and understanding.

For a teacher this i feel is one of the most important points...because at the end of the day, students go to learn and how can they do this if the teacher doesn't even know what they are talking about? Syllabus work and styles are constantly changing and it is up to the teacher to maintain their standard, knowledge wise as well as physically.

3. Professionalism- Ensure the facilities in which they practice are adequately maintained and constitute a safe learning environment.

Health and safety is a vital when in a learning environment, especially when working with children. Being aware of your space is so important to help prevent injury and provide a successful standard of practice.

4. Compliance- RAD registered teachers are responsible for ensuring that their practices are in full compliance with current legislation in their country of operation as this code of conduct and professional practice.

This code of conduct must be adhered to by all teachers working on behalf of the RAD.

This piece of information has been a great guide line for me for future teaching work i decide to take on.

The Theatre

Whilst discussing and researching ethics with Hannah Stewart earlier last week, she managed to find a great link which talks about the ethics of theatre workers.

Please take a look at the link and especially focus in on the 'rules'. Yes it was written in 1945 but i would say that everything it says pretty much stands the same today!

http://www.lastagetimes.com/2009/08/a-1945-code-of-ethics-for-theatre-workers-surfaces/

As i mentioned in my earlier blog, i found that trying to actually think of ethics in my place of work was quite difficult as i never really think about doing it....it just sort of happens automatically.

For example: Never miss a performance, I shall play every performance to my full ability, never miss an entrance, listen to the advice given by directors/ producers/ choreographers, never change lines/choreography on my own accord. The list of 'rules' in the LA Stage Times has made all these points more solid in my mind reiterated to me the importance of these ethics. I luckily have had a very strict training so adhere to these mostly without even having to think or remind myself. However i have witnessed several incidents where other people have not followed these guide lines and it has sometimes resulted in them loosing a job!

An important point!

Adesola pointed out to me something really important 'Ethics is also about how you make the assumption that inform the guidelines' (Adesola Akinleye 2013). In are thought processes, before we even demonstrate good ethics, we have to realise what it is that causes us to have the assumption...for us then to carry out the guidelines.

For example:

No racism....but what is race? I found this website explained race really well. Please explore it as i found it really interesting.

http://www.pbs.org/race/001_WhatIsRace/001_00-home.htm

The Cambridge dictionary online defines race 'A group, especially of people, with particular similar physical characteristics, who are considered as belonging to the same type, or the fact of belonging to such a group'

So we all have different physical features, religions, beliefs etc but behind all that, inside us, are we really different at all?Some people make their own minds up about who is who, and judge other people by what's on the outside. That's when people decide to take it upon themselves to call someone different. It could even be something so small as wearing glasses as a child. It sounds so stupid but other children may look at this as being 'different' but really is it because it is something they are just not used to seeing? If we all had glasses on then no one would think otherwise. We all have our own unique features and characteristics but this doesn't make it ok for people to be discriminative towards us. That is why I believe treating everyone as equals/no discrimination towards race is an important ethic to demonstrate throughout all types of practice

It is important to realise why we have these guidelines:

Equality throughout

Equality of men and women

Principles decent human conduct

Human rights

Health and safety

Abiding to the law

Concern for the natural environment

5A- Ethics in the work place

Ethics within the industry 

Me and Hannah decided to brainstorm a few ideas on our own then come together and discuss. I actually found it quite difficult to think and put words on the page as I realised that a lot of these ethics I naturally just put in to practice without even realising it. Most of it is common sense! Here are my thoughts on ethics used in the work place.

No bullying- Both physical and mental abuse is not allowed. You have to be careful to not cross a line with friends e.g a good laugh and 'banter' could actually go too far and be classed as abuse so you should always be aware.

No racisim/ discrimination- Towards people of a different race/religion/someone who is different

Professionalism- Time keeping, appearance, manners.

Keeping boundaries within the work place- eg your boss may be your friend but in the work place they are your boss and so a professional relationship should be kept at all times. Dont cross the line. There is a pecking order in most places of work. *

No breaching of contracts

Copyright- Sheetmusic, choreography, film footage.

Declarations- Rights given for the filming of auditions/photographs being taken. People have the right to decide.

Crb checks

* What are peoples thoughts on pecking orders in the work place? Of course we do need different levels of authority otherwise things wouldn't get done! There may be input from the group as a whole but then there does need to be that person who makes the final decision/tells people their jobs etc (eg stage manager/dance captain). But what about if for example, ensemble members (a lesser position as some would say) are told to not talk to a certain 'bigger' member of the cast eg the star. Is this classed as discrimination? I have definitely experienced this before and wonder what other peoples thoughts are on this!

Why being unemployed is worse for a dancer than it is for you (a normal person)

A few light bulbs went off in my head after reading this article.

http://www.tightsandtiaras.com/2011/05/unemployed/

'Being a dancer, there is another aspect unemployment you don’t see with office-workers. Dancing professionally is a hard physical activity. It requires you to be on your best shape, something we achieve by training hours every day. Once you don’t have a job, you don’t have a place to do that training, either. No ballet class. And for a professional dancer, no class equals disaster. Yes, you might train at home to a certain degree, and you might be able to find open classes in private studios if you live in the right area. But those classes are not meant for professionals (not to mention expensive), and just simply don’t provide you with the exercises you need to keep in shape. And if you’re not in shape, no one is going to hire you either. The excuse “I’m better than this, but I’ve been unemployed, and couldn’t find a normal place to take class” just doesn’t work in a dance audition. It’s a vicious circle'

I feel i can relate strongly to Henricks article and i believe most other professionals in this industry would feel the same. I'm not certain non performers would neccessarily agree with the phrase 'why being unemployed is worse for a dancer than it is for you (a normal person)' but you would have to admit that many challanging issues occur for us. Maybe if they put themselves in our shoes for a while and see how they managed?

The unemployed dancer...How do we cope being out of work? 

How do we sustain technical abilities we spent so long trying to perfect when we are not dancing? How do we afford to keep it up? class is expensive, gym is expensive, traveling to auditions is expensive (sometimes to another county!!)

Good nutrition....good food costs good money!

Profit share productions- wage dependent on profit made. How do people cope? Not a guaranteed good wage but priceless experience!

A comment i made to Mimi Whitney

Sorry and just one last point...some of your questions ask about performers wages and how they can differ... from march i am going to be part of profit share show ( wage depends on the amount of profit made) so until the very end i wont actually know how much i will be earning. It took me a while to decide if i could actually afford to do it or not! It will offer me a great experience as well as being able to perform alongside a prestigious cast for a month...not only that, it will will be a great credit to my cv and and something that could lead on to other things! So i decided to accept it....but even though i am doing what i want to do, i still am going to be juggling a normal job as well because i have bills to pay! It will be interesting to see how others in the cast are coping...we all love to perform but at the end of the day, we all have to live as well! I thought you might find this interesting!

What is your opinion on profit shares/low paid jobs? 
http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/newsblog/2011/07/low-pay-no-pay-david-grewcock/

SQUEEZING ALL THIS IN WHILST HAVING AN ACTUAL NORMAL JOB TO GET US BY!

Any thoughts?

Task 4a

A set of questions/ideas that relate to my every day professional practice

Keeping fit and healthy both physically and mentally in an industry that is very unstable

Injury prevention being a dancer

How to deal with rejection

Preparation to ensure you are audition ready

Juggling a normal (mortal) job being a dancer/ flexible enough for auditions

So many ideas are coming in to my head....already what i love about this module is that its giving you the freedom to choose a subject/question that you are interested in and that relates to your daily life. At first i sat thinking really hard about ideas that i should be using, but then i just sat back and realised that all i needed to do was think about my daily practice and the things that occur....because then thats my life and interests and so the information is there right in front of me and gives me the tools to explore further beyond myself and question other peoples attitudes. Whether they be in the same situation as myself or completely different....all opinions and circumstance will contribute to my inquiry and thats what will make it so interesting and exciting!

At the moment a question that i am swaying towards more:

In an industry that is very unstable, where work is sometimes sparse, how is it you keep yourself fit and healthy, both physically and mentally?

Themes:

In and out of work- Very few people are lucky enough to go from job to job....so how do we cope in between the dance work (if you are lucky enough to get work at all)? Because at the end of the day we have to work to be able to live...so how do we juggle everything to make sure we can still pay our rent as well as be fit physically and mentally...because only then do we have a chance of getting that dream job!

Keeping fit and audition ready- Going the gym/taking class

Healthy eating- Good nutrition to keep strong/ sensible eating so we look are best
Motivation- Both fitness and healthy eating can help boost motivation because you feel more confident in yourself

I will keep adding more ideas as they come! Feedback would be greatly appreciated! :)