In this day and age, the internet and social media are at the forefront of our professional networking. For dancers, sites such as; Dancers Pro, Youtube and The Stage play a vital role in developing our careers. It's hard to imagine working as a dancer in an era where they didn't exist. There are multiple ways of professional networking, for example, being part of an online social media site, the more traditional method of attending networking events and being a member of a group or affiliation. Participating in professional networking can ultimately help further a career and aid in self development.
My professional networking could definitely be improved upon. I don't actively participate in many networks, despite it being key in regards to furthering my professional practice. Through taking the Professional Practice (Arts) course, I have already gained a blog, a flickr account and a gmail account, none of which I would have previously thought to participate in.
I predominantly use Facebook as a networking tool. I have a personal account and I'm also part of groups such as The Hustle. Facebook is amazing for connecting people all over the world. Having worked and lived abroad, a lot of my friends and contacts are overseas, so Facebook is great for staying in touch with them. Some more experienced practitioners may have a separate account or page on Facebook which is used for purely business purposes and to promote either themselves or their brand/ business.
The Hustle is really useful, even if simply for connecting like- minded people. I found my current room in my flat through The Hustle, and even though neither myself nor my flatmate are currently performing, we are very similar people from similar backgrounds. She now runs her own photographic studio, 'London Model Academy' and it's really interesting to see which methods she uses to promote her business. I know that Twitter is Michaela's focus and her central tool for promotion and marketing. She also has a Facebook page and regularly organises networking events for people in the industry.
http://www.londonmodelacademy.co.uk/
I recently registered with various recruitment agencies. This has been a good way for me to find out more about different industries and the types of job roles I might be interested in. By speaking to recruitment consultants, I have gained a better understanding of, and further insight into different professions. By being put on their 'books', I am updated on available job roles.
Socialising with work colleagues is important in enabling me to engage in my professional network. This can help to build a rapport with other practitioners, make contacts and even further my understanding of my industry.
I would like to attend some events specifically for networking. This will be something that is completely out of my comfort zone, but is obviously a great way of meeting other practitioners, gaining contacts and even getting advice. Fund raising events can be similar in this way, and are for a good cause too!
I didn't know much about blogging before starting this course. I have since realised it can be a really beneficial tool to have. It is useful for longer pieces of writing and whether you are writing a blog yourself or following blogs, you can gain a lot of knowledge on many different subjects. You are able to follow multiple blogs, and engage and connect with people through commenting on their posts.
As I've mentioned before, LinkedIn is now the world's largest professional network with 300 million+ members. It is an excellent tool for practitioners and is something I want to get involved in. Twitter and LinkedIn are next on my to do list!
When reflecting upon current networks, the motives of others to be in the network are to: gain knowledge of their profession and specific job roles, to gain contacts and to promote themselves or their brand.
I recently read about Facebook's new career social network that is set to launch in a few months. 'Facebook at Work' is designed to compete with professional networking sites such as LinkedIn and will allow users to keep their personal and professional accounts separate.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2847311/Facebook-Work-set-launch-January-Social-network-s-ad-free-LinkedIn-rival-roll-early-new-year.html
I think this could potentially be another great networking tool and sounds similar to what I would consider my ideal network. It could remove the danger of employers having too much access to personal information and photo's etc. via Facebook.
My ideal network would be a site that is specific to my profession and one where you are able to connect with other practitioners in your field. It would be similar to LinkedIn, where you are able to create a 'profile' containing your c.v. and listing the skills you have. There would also be lots of information available, career advice, job opportunities, upcoming networking events etc., and links to useful blogs and other pieces of writing.
I'm not sure how I would go about developing this idea, but I would begin by doing research and getting an idea of what else is currently available that is similar to this concept. I would attend networking events and discuss my ideas with other practitioners to get their feedback regarding a site like this, and whether they would find it useful. I could then begin to research blogs and start to collect information and links to other useful websites. Developing the website could be quite difficult, and may need the help of a website designer.
Saturday 29 November 2014
Monday 24 November 2014
Inquiry.
When I began this task, I wasn't actually sure what a 'line of inquiry' was. So I googled it, and found the term to mean: 'an ordering of questions so as to develop a particular argument' or 'the direction a writer pursues in order to advance an academic argument.'
I have answered the following questions by reflecting on my dance training and practice to date, and by considering my recent experience of transitioning from full- time dance to a non- dance related field.
What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?
I can't say that there is something specific in my daily practice that gets me really enthusiastic to find out more about, however at the forefront of my mind is a questioning and eager attitude as to what the future holds. I'm currently not dancing professionally and am considering what other options are available to me, what interests me, which career path to go down and the possibility of living abroad in the future and how that could be feasible.
I'm really interested in finding out about what other dancers have gone on to do, post- dance. Teaching is a popular choice, although I'm also interested in the other routes that have been explored.
What are the career options available to dancers post- dance?
Are dancers given enough support and guidance on furthering their careers?
What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?
When I was 23 I was offered a contract to dance in a show in Germany. At the time, I was grateful to have the opportunity to be part of a great show. The first few weeks were fine, but then things started to go rapidly down hill. The directors/ management (husband and wife, as it was a family run and owned business), began using bullying and intimidation as a management technique, screaming and swearing at us on a regular basis in front of other cast members. We would be called in to their office to be disciplined regularly and made to pay 'fines'. The hours of work and extra shows and 'duties' being asked of us was rapidly increasing, and so on, and so on. I think breaking point for me was when I became extremely ill due to sheer exhaustion, but taking any time off work was out of the question.
The most frustrating thing during this ordeal was having no one to turn to for help or advice. These people were the senior management so we couldn't go above them, even our dance captain wouldn't dare stand up to them. In the end, there only seemed to be one solution, and sadly myself and another dancer decided to leave and end our contracts early.
I have since seen the same contract advertised on websites such as Dancers Pro and Star Now, and it's really frustrating knowing that this company will continue to exploit artists, and other un- knowing dancers will go through the same thing, yet there is nothing I can do about it. When I first returned to the UK, I thought about contacting Equity, but really what could they do? It was my word against theirs.
I have heard other 'horror' stories from friends and peers regarding the mis- treatment of dancers, and it raises questions of how this can be prevented in the future.
It seems that it is becoming more and more common for dancers to be used as aerialists in shows, particularly on cruise ships. A friend of mine, was hired to work as a dancer/ aerialist on a cruise ship and underwent a month of aerial training. After signing a ten- page waiver, she fell one night and broke her wrist.
I have heard of many dancers that are performing as aerialists and have suffered from similar injuries, and it makes me sad that dancers are exploited in this way.
Being employed as a dancer/ aerialist is 'sold' by companies to dancers as an opportunity to learn new skills and to make yourself more versatile. However, these companies are primarily concerned with cutting costs, and do not have dancers' safety and best interests at heart. They are able to pay dancers a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional aerialist who has a specialist act and has trained in it their whole lives. Dancers are not able to learn the skills needed and acquire the extreme strength and technique that aerial requires, in one month.
Having said that, I know and admire dancers that have decided to make the transition from dancer to aerialist, and have gone about it in the right way, dedicating themselves to the craft for numerous years. They now have their own specialist acts, which they have achieved through their drive and determination.
How can the mis- treatment and exploitation of dancers be prevented and controlled?
Should dancers be used as aerialists without the correct amount of training?
Is dancers' safety at risk when performing as an aerialist?
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?
I love that being a dancer has made me the person I am today. I have always said that being a dancer doesn't define me as a person, however dancing is all I've ever known and is a huge part of my life. I have realised that there are characteristics I have obtained, that set me apart from others. For example, dealing with rejection is something that all dancers are familiar with, it can be really tough and can have quite a negative effect. However, I think I'm stronger and a more resilient person because of it, and having experienced all of that rejection makes me thankful to have been as successful as I was. I've been lucky enough to travel the world through dance, experience many different cultures and meet lots of different people.
There are a lot of people outside of the dance industry who don't realise how challenging it is to become a dancer, how competitive the industry is and how intense full- time dance school is. Many professionals would disregard my C.V. because I don't have 'traditional' qualifications. I'm grateful for the transferable skills I believe I have gained, and that I can be just as valuable, to a company or business than someone who has achieved highly academically.
I admire a friend of mine, who now works in HR for a large television production company. She had a successful career as a dancer, and like me wasn't given much career guidance at college as to what options are available to dancers once you 'retire' and didn't have many academic qualifications. She has worked hard and now has a successful career outside of dance. It's great to see her achieving her goals.
Do dancers have the correct transferable skills in order to be successful in other fields?
How are dance colleges preparing students for the future?
What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it?
I understand that image plays a large role in dancing. What I don't understand is the way in which issues surrounding body weight are tackled, particularly when I was at dance college. We weren't given much help and guidance surrounding nutrition and healthy eating, and were made to feel uncomfortable if we were seen to be eating anything deemed 'unhealthy' by members of staff. Our ballet teachers were particularly indiscreet, giving us advice such as; 'to eat our dinner off of a side plate instead of a large dinner plate.'
During a number of dance contracts, I was weighed on a regular basis. This would range from weekly 'weigh- ins' to once every couple of months, depending on the company's policy. I understand that the company expects you to maintain the weight you were hired at, give or take a pound or two, which is usually written into your contract, but being weighed in this way can put immense pressure on some dancers.
Is body weight and image addressed in the correct way at dance colleges?
Are dancers educated properly on healthy eating and nutrition?
Are weekly 'weigh- ins' the most appropriate way of monitoring weight gain, or are there more supportive techniques?
How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society?
I was able to gain some teaching experience whilst working as a dancer. I taught ballet and jazz to children aged 3- 12. There were times when I would question what was an appropriate level of physical contact. The 3 year olds would want to be hugged and picked up all the time, and would also need help going to the toilet. With the older children I wasn't really sure if I was able to give them corrections physically. When I was growing up and whilst at dance college, teachers were allowed to touch you in order to correct your body alignment, make you aware of correct posture, and of which muscles needed to be engaged etc. Whereas now, teachers aren't allowed to do that. I personally, am grateful for this style of teaching and feel it was a necessary part of my training. Do other dancers feel this way?
During a dance contract in Portugal, one of the other dancers was taken out of the show a few weeks before the end of our contract because she had put on weight. She was only allowed to appear in a couple of numbers in which her costumes weren't as 'skimpy'. This seemed so demeaning and a really unfair disciplinary action. Claire had been struggling to lose weight for a while, and wasn't really offered any help or support. It seemed so unnecessary considering we only had a few weeks left of a years contract. The rest of the cast was outraged, but it wasn't really appropriate to intervene.
Should dance teachers be allowed to physically correct students?
What are reasonable disciplinary measures for dancers, particularly in regards to weight gain?
I have answered the following questions by reflecting on my dance training and practice to date, and by considering my recent experience of transitioning from full- time dance to a non- dance related field.
What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?
I can't say that there is something specific in my daily practice that gets me really enthusiastic to find out more about, however at the forefront of my mind is a questioning and eager attitude as to what the future holds. I'm currently not dancing professionally and am considering what other options are available to me, what interests me, which career path to go down and the possibility of living abroad in the future and how that could be feasible.
I'm really interested in finding out about what other dancers have gone on to do, post- dance. Teaching is a popular choice, although I'm also interested in the other routes that have been explored.
What are the career options available to dancers post- dance?
Are dancers given enough support and guidance on furthering their careers?
What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?
When I was 23 I was offered a contract to dance in a show in Germany. At the time, I was grateful to have the opportunity to be part of a great show. The first few weeks were fine, but then things started to go rapidly down hill. The directors/ management (husband and wife, as it was a family run and owned business), began using bullying and intimidation as a management technique, screaming and swearing at us on a regular basis in front of other cast members. We would be called in to their office to be disciplined regularly and made to pay 'fines'. The hours of work and extra shows and 'duties' being asked of us was rapidly increasing, and so on, and so on. I think breaking point for me was when I became extremely ill due to sheer exhaustion, but taking any time off work was out of the question.
The most frustrating thing during this ordeal was having no one to turn to for help or advice. These people were the senior management so we couldn't go above them, even our dance captain wouldn't dare stand up to them. In the end, there only seemed to be one solution, and sadly myself and another dancer decided to leave and end our contracts early.
I have since seen the same contract advertised on websites such as Dancers Pro and Star Now, and it's really frustrating knowing that this company will continue to exploit artists, and other un- knowing dancers will go through the same thing, yet there is nothing I can do about it. When I first returned to the UK, I thought about contacting Equity, but really what could they do? It was my word against theirs.
I have heard other 'horror' stories from friends and peers regarding the mis- treatment of dancers, and it raises questions of how this can be prevented in the future.
It seems that it is becoming more and more common for dancers to be used as aerialists in shows, particularly on cruise ships. A friend of mine, was hired to work as a dancer/ aerialist on a cruise ship and underwent a month of aerial training. After signing a ten- page waiver, she fell one night and broke her wrist.
I have heard of many dancers that are performing as aerialists and have suffered from similar injuries, and it makes me sad that dancers are exploited in this way.
Being employed as a dancer/ aerialist is 'sold' by companies to dancers as an opportunity to learn new skills and to make yourself more versatile. However, these companies are primarily concerned with cutting costs, and do not have dancers' safety and best interests at heart. They are able to pay dancers a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional aerialist who has a specialist act and has trained in it their whole lives. Dancers are not able to learn the skills needed and acquire the extreme strength and technique that aerial requires, in one month.
Having said that, I know and admire dancers that have decided to make the transition from dancer to aerialist, and have gone about it in the right way, dedicating themselves to the craft for numerous years. They now have their own specialist acts, which they have achieved through their drive and determination.
How can the mis- treatment and exploitation of dancers be prevented and controlled?
Should dancers be used as aerialists without the correct amount of training?
Is dancers' safety at risk when performing as an aerialist?
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?
I love that being a dancer has made me the person I am today. I have always said that being a dancer doesn't define me as a person, however dancing is all I've ever known and is a huge part of my life. I have realised that there are characteristics I have obtained, that set me apart from others. For example, dealing with rejection is something that all dancers are familiar with, it can be really tough and can have quite a negative effect. However, I think I'm stronger and a more resilient person because of it, and having experienced all of that rejection makes me thankful to have been as successful as I was. I've been lucky enough to travel the world through dance, experience many different cultures and meet lots of different people.
There are a lot of people outside of the dance industry who don't realise how challenging it is to become a dancer, how competitive the industry is and how intense full- time dance school is. Many professionals would disregard my C.V. because I don't have 'traditional' qualifications. I'm grateful for the transferable skills I believe I have gained, and that I can be just as valuable, to a company or business than someone who has achieved highly academically.
I admire a friend of mine, who now works in HR for a large television production company. She had a successful career as a dancer, and like me wasn't given much career guidance at college as to what options are available to dancers once you 'retire' and didn't have many academic qualifications. She has worked hard and now has a successful career outside of dance. It's great to see her achieving her goals.
Do dancers have the correct transferable skills in order to be successful in other fields?
How are dance colleges preparing students for the future?
What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it?
I understand that image plays a large role in dancing. What I don't understand is the way in which issues surrounding body weight are tackled, particularly when I was at dance college. We weren't given much help and guidance surrounding nutrition and healthy eating, and were made to feel uncomfortable if we were seen to be eating anything deemed 'unhealthy' by members of staff. Our ballet teachers were particularly indiscreet, giving us advice such as; 'to eat our dinner off of a side plate instead of a large dinner plate.'
During a number of dance contracts, I was weighed on a regular basis. This would range from weekly 'weigh- ins' to once every couple of months, depending on the company's policy. I understand that the company expects you to maintain the weight you were hired at, give or take a pound or two, which is usually written into your contract, but being weighed in this way can put immense pressure on some dancers.
Is body weight and image addressed in the correct way at dance colleges?
Are dancers educated properly on healthy eating and nutrition?
Are weekly 'weigh- ins' the most appropriate way of monitoring weight gain, or are there more supportive techniques?
How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society?
I was able to gain some teaching experience whilst working as a dancer. I taught ballet and jazz to children aged 3- 12. There were times when I would question what was an appropriate level of physical contact. The 3 year olds would want to be hugged and picked up all the time, and would also need help going to the toilet. With the older children I wasn't really sure if I was able to give them corrections physically. When I was growing up and whilst at dance college, teachers were allowed to touch you in order to correct your body alignment, make you aware of correct posture, and of which muscles needed to be engaged etc. Whereas now, teachers aren't allowed to do that. I personally, am grateful for this style of teaching and feel it was a necessary part of my training. Do other dancers feel this way?
During a dance contract in Portugal, one of the other dancers was taken out of the show a few weeks before the end of our contract because she had put on weight. She was only allowed to appear in a couple of numbers in which her costumes weren't as 'skimpy'. This seemed so demeaning and a really unfair disciplinary action. Claire had been struggling to lose weight for a while, and wasn't really offered any help or support. It seemed so unnecessary considering we only had a few weeks left of a years contract. The rest of the cast was outraged, but it wasn't really appropriate to intervene.
Should dance teachers be allowed to physically correct students?
What are reasonable disciplinary measures for dancers, particularly in regards to weight gain?
Tuesday 18 November 2014
Reflective Theory.
We learn by experiences that allow us to absorb, do and interact. In addition, we learn by reflecting on such experiences.
Reflective practices offer alternative ways to look at our experiences. We are not only looking back on past actions and events, but rather we are taking a conscious look at the emotions, experiences, actions and responses, and using that to add to our existing knowledge base to draw out new knowledge, meaning and to have a higher level of understanding.
Hatton and Smith (1995) identified four essential issues concerning reflection:
- We should learn to frame and reframe complex or ambiguous problems, test out various interpretations, and then modify our actions consequently.
- Our thoughts should be extended and systematic by looking back upon our actions some time after they have taken place.
- Certain activities labelled as reflective, such as the use of journals or group discussions following practical experiences, are often not directed towards the solution of specific problems.
- We should consciously account for the wider historic, cultural and political values or beliefs in framing practical problems to arrive at a solution. This is often identified as critical reflection. However, the term critical reflection, like reflection itself, appears to be used loosely, some taking it to mean no more than constructive self- criticism of one's actions with a view to improvement.
Dewey is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers on education in the twentieth century. Many consider him to be the modern day originator of the concept of reflection. Dewey thought of reflection as a form of problem solving that chained several ideas together, by linking each idea with it's predecessor in order to resolve an issue.
Dewey describes 'an experience' as one in which the material of experience is fulfilled or consummated, for example when a problem is solved, or a game is played to it's conclusion.
Dewey felt that interaction with the Arts led to a unique and valuable 'experience'. His work 'Art as Experience' (1934), is regarded by many as one of the most important contributions to this area in the twentieth century. "An artist's work requires long periods of activity, reflection on past experience and a sifting of emotions and meanings from that prior experience. For an activity to be converted into an artistic expression, there must be excitement, turmoil and an urge from within to go outward. Art is expressive when there is complete absorption in the subject and a unison of present and past experience is achieved."
This concept can be related to when we perform a dance routine in class. We are taught a series of 'steps', which are then carried out, and come to an end or conclusion when the music finishes. We are only able to perform the routine, through drawing on past experiences, for example, technique classes. We reflect by using the corrections we were given and by applying them to the routine. We can also reflect on experiences of observing our peers perform, and by using what we learnt through watching them. We are completely absorbed in the activity, dancing 'in the moment' whilst experiencing some sort of emotional connection to the steps.
Kolb's Learning Cycle shows the importance of being able to identify that you have had an experience and the importance of having tools to be able to reflect on that experience. It features four key stages of learning: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation. We all differ, in where we enter the learning cycle, or at which point we start to learn and find meaning.
When learning a dance routine, I learn by active experimentation or by 'doing' the routine. However, this would be harder to achieve If I hadn't previously had the steps shown to me by the teacher, and by using a combination of abstract conceptualisation and muscle memory in order to carry out the task. In knowing that I learn by, and benefit from active experimentation, I can endeavour to engage in future tasks and assignments in my current practice with a more 'hands on approach'.
Howard Gardiner introduced the idea of multiple intelligences, which challenges the traditional model of what a learner looks like. This theory makes us aware of and validates a number of different ways to engage with 'turning experience into learning'. He said that people can be intelligent in spatial, verbal- linguistic, logical- mathematical, bodily- kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic ways.
Critical Reflection
Donald Schon brings reflection into the centre of an understanding of what professionals do. He introduced the idea of reflection- in- action, and reflection- on- action. Reflection- in- action occurs during 'an experience', and is the ability of a practitioner and often artists to respond to what is happening as it happens, or 'think on their feet'. It revolves around the idea that within any given moment, when faced with a professional issue, a practitioner usually connects with their feelings, emotions and prior experiences to attend to the situation directly. Reflection- on- action is the idea that after the experience a practitioner goes away to conceptualise it and analyse their reaction to the situation. This is usually conducted through a documented reflection of the situation.
As dancers, we are often required to 'think on our feet'. There have been many times during my career where the spacing or 'blocking' of a particular number in a show has been changed very last minute. Usually due to injury or a wardrobe malfunction and consequently, there is little time if any, for it to be rehearsed. I have often been required to quickly find the solution to a problem, and change my position and 'track' on stage, whilst actually performing the number, so I am reflecting- in- action.
Jennifer Moon (Moon, 1999), and others have argued the importance of finding ways to articulate tacit knowledge and experiences. They show that reflection does not have to happen as a written process, but they also stress the importance of being able to articulate and communicate the reflective process so that you can recall ideas, plan or link.
A journal can be a powerful tool for learning. More than being collections of required tasks and assignments, they can be used to empower learners to take charge of their own learning process by reflecting upon it on a regular basis and by assessing their own progress over time.
I have been writing in my journal for a week now. It isn't a huge amount of time, and it is taking some getting used to, but I've made a start. I have tried a few different approaches to my writing, beginning with the 'list' method. I've always found writing lists a good way of prioritising, and making things seem simpler and more manageable. I then began to expand further on each bullet point in the list, by using the initial reflection method and finally the evaluation method. Writing in this way, has made me realise that I find it really difficult to articulate how I feel about certain things, and that it was only when I wrote something down, that I realised how I truly felt about it.
I hope that through my journal I will develop a more thorough response and opinion to an event or experience, and a questioning attitude towards different issues and problems.
References
'The Reflective Practitioner' (Schon, 1983)
'Art as Experience' (Dewey, 1934)
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-aesthetics/
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/development/reflection.html
Reflective practices offer alternative ways to look at our experiences. We are not only looking back on past actions and events, but rather we are taking a conscious look at the emotions, experiences, actions and responses, and using that to add to our existing knowledge base to draw out new knowledge, meaning and to have a higher level of understanding.
Hatton and Smith (1995) identified four essential issues concerning reflection:
- We should learn to frame and reframe complex or ambiguous problems, test out various interpretations, and then modify our actions consequently.
- Our thoughts should be extended and systematic by looking back upon our actions some time after they have taken place.
- Certain activities labelled as reflective, such as the use of journals or group discussions following practical experiences, are often not directed towards the solution of specific problems.
- We should consciously account for the wider historic, cultural and political values or beliefs in framing practical problems to arrive at a solution. This is often identified as critical reflection. However, the term critical reflection, like reflection itself, appears to be used loosely, some taking it to mean no more than constructive self- criticism of one's actions with a view to improvement.
Dewey is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers on education in the twentieth century. Many consider him to be the modern day originator of the concept of reflection. Dewey thought of reflection as a form of problem solving that chained several ideas together, by linking each idea with it's predecessor in order to resolve an issue.
Dewey describes 'an experience' as one in which the material of experience is fulfilled or consummated, for example when a problem is solved, or a game is played to it's conclusion.
Dewey felt that interaction with the Arts led to a unique and valuable 'experience'. His work 'Art as Experience' (1934), is regarded by many as one of the most important contributions to this area in the twentieth century. "An artist's work requires long periods of activity, reflection on past experience and a sifting of emotions and meanings from that prior experience. For an activity to be converted into an artistic expression, there must be excitement, turmoil and an urge from within to go outward. Art is expressive when there is complete absorption in the subject and a unison of present and past experience is achieved."
This concept can be related to when we perform a dance routine in class. We are taught a series of 'steps', which are then carried out, and come to an end or conclusion when the music finishes. We are only able to perform the routine, through drawing on past experiences, for example, technique classes. We reflect by using the corrections we were given and by applying them to the routine. We can also reflect on experiences of observing our peers perform, and by using what we learnt through watching them. We are completely absorbed in the activity, dancing 'in the moment' whilst experiencing some sort of emotional connection to the steps.
Kolb's Learning Cycle shows the importance of being able to identify that you have had an experience and the importance of having tools to be able to reflect on that experience. It features four key stages of learning: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation. We all differ, in where we enter the learning cycle, or at which point we start to learn and find meaning.
When learning a dance routine, I learn by active experimentation or by 'doing' the routine. However, this would be harder to achieve If I hadn't previously had the steps shown to me by the teacher, and by using a combination of abstract conceptualisation and muscle memory in order to carry out the task. In knowing that I learn by, and benefit from active experimentation, I can endeavour to engage in future tasks and assignments in my current practice with a more 'hands on approach'.
Howard Gardiner introduced the idea of multiple intelligences, which challenges the traditional model of what a learner looks like. This theory makes us aware of and validates a number of different ways to engage with 'turning experience into learning'. He said that people can be intelligent in spatial, verbal- linguistic, logical- mathematical, bodily- kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic ways.
Critical Reflection
Donald Schon brings reflection into the centre of an understanding of what professionals do. He introduced the idea of reflection- in- action, and reflection- on- action. Reflection- in- action occurs during 'an experience', and is the ability of a practitioner and often artists to respond to what is happening as it happens, or 'think on their feet'. It revolves around the idea that within any given moment, when faced with a professional issue, a practitioner usually connects with their feelings, emotions and prior experiences to attend to the situation directly. Reflection- on- action is the idea that after the experience a practitioner goes away to conceptualise it and analyse their reaction to the situation. This is usually conducted through a documented reflection of the situation.
As dancers, we are often required to 'think on our feet'. There have been many times during my career where the spacing or 'blocking' of a particular number in a show has been changed very last minute. Usually due to injury or a wardrobe malfunction and consequently, there is little time if any, for it to be rehearsed. I have often been required to quickly find the solution to a problem, and change my position and 'track' on stage, whilst actually performing the number, so I am reflecting- in- action.
Jennifer Moon (Moon, 1999), and others have argued the importance of finding ways to articulate tacit knowledge and experiences. They show that reflection does not have to happen as a written process, but they also stress the importance of being able to articulate and communicate the reflective process so that you can recall ideas, plan or link.
A journal can be a powerful tool for learning. More than being collections of required tasks and assignments, they can be used to empower learners to take charge of their own learning process by reflecting upon it on a regular basis and by assessing their own progress over time.
I have been writing in my journal for a week now. It isn't a huge amount of time, and it is taking some getting used to, but I've made a start. I have tried a few different approaches to my writing, beginning with the 'list' method. I've always found writing lists a good way of prioritising, and making things seem simpler and more manageable. I then began to expand further on each bullet point in the list, by using the initial reflection method and finally the evaluation method. Writing in this way, has made me realise that I find it really difficult to articulate how I feel about certain things, and that it was only when I wrote something down, that I realised how I truly felt about it.
I hope that through my journal I will develop a more thorough response and opinion to an event or experience, and a questioning attitude towards different issues and problems.
References
'The Reflective Practitioner' (Schon, 1983)
'Art as Experience' (Dewey, 1934)
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dewey-aesthetics/
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/development/reflection.html
Sunday 9 November 2014
Reflective Practice.
Reader 2 gave an interesting insight into the ways in which we learn, and the importance of reflective practices as a key tool for understanding and learning from experience. Having experience and then reflecting on that experience, are the means by which we can start to come across new ideas and the means by which we can learn something new.
Kolb's Learning Cycle shows the importance of being able to identify that you have had an experience and the importance of having tools to be able to reflect on that experience. The cycle is used as on- going with one point leading to the next.
I thought back to when I created my BAPP blog and how I had gone about doing so. Firstly, I watched a tutorial on Youtube that covered the basics on how to set up a blog, add pictures and links etc. I then looked at my peers' blogs, to get ideas about layout. Lastly, I began creating my blog and played around with backgrounds, fonts and colours. In this case, I think my learning style was 'active experimentation', whereby I started to learn as I was trying out ideas.
I found Kottcamp's views on reflection in action interesting, and the idea that the profession I come from has an impact on the way I reflect. Professional artists are used to being the 'sole collector/ authority' on their work and ultimately they decide what they think of it.
As dancers, we are constantly critiquing ourselves, watching our movements in a mirror so that we can perfect them. After a live show, I would often reflect on my performance. If I had got a step wrong I could be quite self- critical. I started thinking about how this affects my work in my current practice and if I am now overly self- critical due to my artistic background.
I recently began writing my 'journal'. After reading Lisa Axelson's blog, I realised that an online journal writing 'app' was an option I hadn't considered, or even realised existed. I looked into an app she mentions, 'Evernote'.
After considering the different options as to how I could record my thoughts and feelings, I decided a hand written journal would be best suited to me, my time and my resources.
Writing a journal or diary isn't something I've done before, and I have always found it quite hard to articulate my thoughts, feelings and experiences. Perhaps that is why I had such a strong connection to dance from a young age, as this was my outlet and way of expressing myself. I also use other physical activities such as spin classes and playing netball as a way of clearing my head, or 'puzzling through' things.
I recently interviewed for a job role as a recruitment consultant. Part of the interview process was to attend an 'assessment centre'. This involved participating in various activities such as; role plays, group discussions and written tasks. At the end of the day I met with the manger to speak about my experience of the assessment, which task I found the hardest, which I found the easiest, what I could have done better, etc. After the meeting, I realised I could have reflected in more detail and therefore expanded on my view of the day. I decided to begin my journal with writing about the assessment centre and how I felt about each task and my reasons for participating in the way I did.
My reflective journal will be used to support a process of 'critical thinking'- 'active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends' (Dewey, 1933).
My aim in using a reflective journal is to draw on my practice as a professional dancer and to learn from my experiences: how I work best, what style of management I work best under, which aspects of my professionalism needs improving etc.
Kolb's Learning Cycle shows the importance of being able to identify that you have had an experience and the importance of having tools to be able to reflect on that experience. The cycle is used as on- going with one point leading to the next.
I thought back to when I created my BAPP blog and how I had gone about doing so. Firstly, I watched a tutorial on Youtube that covered the basics on how to set up a blog, add pictures and links etc. I then looked at my peers' blogs, to get ideas about layout. Lastly, I began creating my blog and played around with backgrounds, fonts and colours. In this case, I think my learning style was 'active experimentation', whereby I started to learn as I was trying out ideas.
I found Kottcamp's views on reflection in action interesting, and the idea that the profession I come from has an impact on the way I reflect. Professional artists are used to being the 'sole collector/ authority' on their work and ultimately they decide what they think of it.
As dancers, we are constantly critiquing ourselves, watching our movements in a mirror so that we can perfect them. After a live show, I would often reflect on my performance. If I had got a step wrong I could be quite self- critical. I started thinking about how this affects my work in my current practice and if I am now overly self- critical due to my artistic background.
I recently began writing my 'journal'. After reading Lisa Axelson's blog, I realised that an online journal writing 'app' was an option I hadn't considered, or even realised existed. I looked into an app she mentions, 'Evernote'.
After considering the different options as to how I could record my thoughts and feelings, I decided a hand written journal would be best suited to me, my time and my resources.
Writing a journal or diary isn't something I've done before, and I have always found it quite hard to articulate my thoughts, feelings and experiences. Perhaps that is why I had such a strong connection to dance from a young age, as this was my outlet and way of expressing myself. I also use other physical activities such as spin classes and playing netball as a way of clearing my head, or 'puzzling through' things.
I recently interviewed for a job role as a recruitment consultant. Part of the interview process was to attend an 'assessment centre'. This involved participating in various activities such as; role plays, group discussions and written tasks. At the end of the day I met with the manger to speak about my experience of the assessment, which task I found the hardest, which I found the easiest, what I could have done better, etc. After the meeting, I realised I could have reflected in more detail and therefore expanded on my view of the day. I decided to begin my journal with writing about the assessment centre and how I felt about each task and my reasons for participating in the way I did.
My reflective journal will be used to support a process of 'critical thinking'- 'active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends' (Dewey, 1933).
My aim in using a reflective journal is to draw on my practice as a professional dancer and to learn from my experiences: how I work best, what style of management I work best under, which aspects of my professionalism needs improving etc.
Tuesday 4 November 2014
The Importance of the Use of Images/ Audio- Visual in Today's Social Media.
I have used Flickr to create an album comprising of some recent images of my work as a dancer. I found Flickr to be a great way of storing and sharing images and I enjoyed seeing a collection of my dance photos in this way, as it wasn't something I had done before.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128995167@N06/sets/72157648572609390/
For dancers, images and audio- visual play a crucial role in securing auditions and landing job offers. Without a professional headshot you won't get very far, turning up to an audition without one is highly frowned upon and seen as unprofessional.
Whilst working as a freelance dancer in Asia, obtaining work through my agent was solely dependent on my portfolio of photos, which further highlighted the importance of images.
It's not only dancers that now use a headshot in order to increase their employability. It has been proven that employers are more likely to view your full online profile and subsequently make contact with you, if you include a headshot. Users on sites such as LinkedIn and Reed are given the option to post a photo to their online C.V.
Images and audio- visual are now an extremely powerful means of communication in today's social media. From magazine articles to blog posts, then to Facebook posts and finally 'tweets' (which are restricted to 140 characters), the length of our messaging keeps getting shorter, with more and more information being visualised for easier consumption.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128995167@N06/sets/72157648572609390/
For dancers, images and audio- visual play a crucial role in securing auditions and landing job offers. Without a professional headshot you won't get very far, turning up to an audition without one is highly frowned upon and seen as unprofessional.
Whilst working as a freelance dancer in Asia, obtaining work through my agent was solely dependent on my portfolio of photos, which further highlighted the importance of images.
It's not only dancers that now use a headshot in order to increase their employability. It has been proven that employers are more likely to view your full online profile and subsequently make contact with you, if you include a headshot. Users on sites such as LinkedIn and Reed are given the option to post a photo to their online C.V.
Images and audio- visual are now an extremely powerful means of communication in today's social media. From magazine articles to blog posts, then to Facebook posts and finally 'tweets' (which are restricted to 140 characters), the length of our messaging keeps getting shorter, with more and more information being visualised for easier consumption.
Instead of taking photographs and sharing them with a few family and friends, we're uploading them to our social media pages, photos are becoming the 'universal language'. On Facebook, around 250 million photographs are uploaded every day, and those photographs are prominently featured on the platform. A post that includes an album or picture receives 120- 180% more engagement from 'fans' than a text- based post.
With society responding more to visual stimuli and story telling, Facebook and Google+ have both moved to image- centric layouts (whereby images are used to tell more of the story than text). Twitter's images are much more front and centre, and Pinterest, which is the fastest growing social platform ever, relies solely on picture content.
Companies are now using images through social media to promote their brand. Every company has a 'story' to tell. This could be anything from brand history to internal innovation to customer feedback. Brands are using pictures to tell compelling stories that generate engagement. This is becoming increasingly popular, as visual story telling isn't a high- cost strategy. Consumers aren't looking for the highest- quality visual content, they want stories told in a visual way that encourage, engage, enlighten and entertain.
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