Did Facebook kill the Christmas Card ?

Read an interesting article in the Metro paper whilst travelling to panto on the tube which suggests  we are all receiving and sending less Christmas cards  and instead putting a post on Facebook without the bother of choosing cards, writing them and then sending them and of course the saving on the cost of the cards and postage.  

The Christmas tree is up and the presents bought and wrapped and the parties are in full swing but what about the traditional Christmas cards? Are our mantel pieces bare?

I think it is rather sad. Whilst Facebook, email and Twitter are fine for quick catch ups I don’t think they compare to the handwritten genuine article. I think it is much more personal and nice to choose something original and personal for the ones you love. According to Cosmopolitan your choice of Christmas card can say a lot about you as a person!

I have sent out cards to all my close friends back in Yorkshire as I am in London doing panto for the festive season and I haven’t had one card back just messages on Facebook saying thanks for the card and a Merry Christmas to you too!

Does anyone else feel we need some Christmas card love even in this technical age ?   

When I was a kid it was always assumed if someone who normally sent a card didn’t , they were either dead, or in jail and if someone committed something bad you’d say they were being “struck off the Christmas card list!”. You even got cards from the local butcher and the milkman. We got so many cards by Christmas Eve there were strings around every wall of the living room!

On Christmas Day I know my Blackberry will be filled with Happy Christmas messages but I think there’s more to Christmas than that.

 Anyway I wish  all you fellow BAPPers  a wonderful and peaceful Christmas and if like me you feel the need for some Christmas Card love you can print this out and stick it to your mantel piece !!!

The Networked Professional

Reading through lots of blog postings, like everyone else I agree my main source of information and tool I use to access information is the internet. I use it to look information up for auditions, performances etc and for any research it is always my first port of call, to go to the web and google or You Tube to watch performances.

For example I had to research Lady GaGa’s “Bad Romance” for panto so I watched her over and over on You Tube.

I do use Wikipedia a lot as I find the definitions and basic information is in an easy to read and easy to understand format and then you can go onto other links to check out the information is reliable and backed up on other sites and read about a subject in more depth.

It is so easy to find anything you need just by a few clicks of the mouse and all the information is just at your fingertips and you can even access the information via your mobile phone or on a train or a bus -  wherever you are. I think it’s important to investigate people you are going to meet, people who it would be good to know and learn more about them by checking out there on line presence. I also research companies before an audition to get to know a little about who I am auditioning for and the reputation and work of the company. If you get to chat to a producer or casting agent it’s always handy to have a little background information as a head’s up. Shows you’ve done your homework!

The most important communication tool I use is email.  I have weekly alerts from dance agencies, Spotlight and Star Now and The Stage so I can apply for auditions and jobs. With a PIN number I just press apply and the agency automatically sends my CV and headshot.
I also email dance companies to ask to attend company classes when I can as they get to see you work as a dancer.

 I also network through face to face contact at auditions and at promotional events and after show networking, at professional classes and workshops. I think this is as important as on line networking – both are of equal importance to increasing my web of contacts and by sharing experiences with others we learn and develop. I agree with Ross about connecting with other dancers at auditions and see my blog – “Schmoozing the night away” – where I discussed the importance of face to face networking and “Do we reap what we sow?” which continues with the ideas around what motivates us to help each other.   

http://emilyrose91.blogspot.com/2010/12/schmoozing-night-away.html

http://emilyrose91.blogspot.com/2010/12/do-we-reap-what-we-sow-i-have-been.html

I use Facebook primarily as a social networking site to stay in touch with friends and family but I realise its potential to promote my professional self as well and that I can have a separate professional page and I am going to look to develop this in the future. Like Mark has joined the Peter Pan Facebook page to promote his pantomime so have I the “Snow White” Facebook page. It’s all about exposure and getting yourself known to a wider audience, a wider network. You never know who may look the page up after reading the reviews, seeing a promo or a flyer or after seeing the show and this inevitably could lead to an employment opportunity.

One of my blog entries on dance science was followed by Ava Barron who is a professional dance scientist and I contacted her via email with some questions about how she viewed the idea of critical reflection and it’s use for the well being of the dancer from a psychological point of view (still awaiting a reply) - but here is a link to her web page as an example of how you can really use the power of the web to promote your professional self and I think my ideal would be to have my own web page eventually.

http://www.dancescientist.co.uk/

I also use “flyers” to advertise dance workshops at local schools and dance/theatre companies as you tend to get work by “word of mouth” and personal recommendation. So I send them out to all the local groups  in my area and any groups that use me I ask them to put my advert in their show programmes. I also leave adverts at local theatres where they have flyers on their counters. Alana seems to have had a similar success advertising her singing lessons in a similar way. I think I need to add this to my professional Facebook page and the clips from my workshop on Wizard of Oz that I show reeled – it shows me at work as a choreographer.

I also use books and have several I use on a regular basis for my professional work and contacts.

 One is “Contacts” published by Spotlight which is an essential handbook for anyone working in the entertainment industry  - it has very useful info pages and lists of contacts for everything in the business – agents, show reels, photographers for stage , television, film and radio.

I also use the Dance Companies Handbook which is a directory of all the dance and ballet companies around the world. It gives you contacts and how and when they audition and whether you can join company classes.

“Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology” by Karen Clippinger is my bible along with “How to walk in high heels” by Camilla Morton  which is the essential girls handbook of etiquette for everything, it so funny. (I haven’t mowed the lawn in high heels yet though!)

Another is my “Diet for Dancers” an essential book to have at one’s side + “the students guide to cooking for one” and I wouldn’t be without Bobby Brown’s Make up Manual.

I think reading others’  blogs  and sharing ideas on networking helps me consider all the possibilities that I may not have thought of on my own or maybe not realised I was already doing and gives me an awareness of others’ perspectives and views. I think Alana brought to my attention the use of Wiki in one of her blogs and that is something I intend to do some follow up on later in the New Year when I maybe have more time to play and experiment.

I also thought Amanda’s mind maps showed how we network very well as many of the methods we use work hand in hand alongside each other and our networks grow as we make more contacts.

Ross’ little picture from  google  demonstrates the idea well too I think –the more people you  meet and connect with the more you can network and the more information is gathered and shared.

I think considering all the possibilities through the various concepts and theories has helped me decide what really matters and what actions I need to take to improve my professional networking.

Prior to the module I didn’t realise there was so much I could do to improve my professional “self” and I have so much to do to improve my networking to market myself. I have a long list of “things to do” to start on the road to getting a much better professional profile of myself. I need to revisit my CV, get some new photographs and a show reel , create a professional Facebook page and then eventually move to my own web page.


References:
The Networked Professional - A Course Reader forMiddlesex University 2010

How many sheep ?

Interesting article in the news today about whether we can trust the information we access on the internet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11985896

Made me wonder with my thoughts this week on image being to the fore again  how we can trust the information that is the on the internet about anything or anybody  and how do we decide in our daily lives  whether what we research can be trusted or not. We all access the internet for information, increasingly relying on that information to be correct. But when we have found that information, how do we decide its relevance and trustiness.

With searches for celebrities, are we measuring popularity, or just attention?

Does this have any impact on our attempt to develop our on line profiles and our image as a marketable product? Can we really trust what we see in someone’s on line profile? We have the capacity to become who we want to be and hide behind our real self. What do others think? Would potential employers be able to decide whether to trust what we put about ourselves? Is it as in Darwin’s theory always to be “the survival of the fittest”? Hmmmm?

Do we reap what we sow?

I have been looking back over earlier blogs and through my journal as I prepare to write my essay and I came across some notes I had made to post a comment re motivation. This was when my PC had it’s virus and I must have overlooked this particular blog when I was back on line and I didn’t post it at the time.

It followed a comment Alan Durrant made on Ross’ blog about critical reflection and considering the theories of Cooperation and Affiliation, what motivates us to help others………….. so a bit late but an interesting concept so I thought I’d post it now!!

Nicholas Norman had commented that people help each other “to give back and repeat the cycle of someone who once gave to them!” I think this is very true but I think it goes much deeper beyond the concept that individuals don’t share knowledge and experience because they fear the competition from others and only help those less experienced than themselves. I think most of us instinctively have a desire to help others as it makes us feel good about ourselves.

I researched further and found an interesting article, “Born to be good? What motivates us to be good, bad or indifferent towards others?” by Celia Kitzinger, who investigates the psychology of morality.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0JQP/is_289/ai_30027760/

Kitzinger says that, “most of us, most of the time act to benefit others, ie small kindnesses of everyday life like holding a door open, sharing food or expressing compassion for others in distress. Things that are so ordinary we take them for granted.”

We all see evidence all the time of people helping and caring for sick relatives or they give money to famine relief, Children in Need etc, or they do voluntary work for charities or hospitals. A lot of this can be as Norman says “to give back” because they have been personally touched by a certain event, ie; a loved one who was cared for by a particular organisation may in return raise money for that cause.

Psychologists describe this as being “pro-social” animals. “Why do people spend time, money and effort on others when they could keep it for themselves?” Kitzinger argues that self interest lies at the root of all socially “moral” behaviour and we are biologically driven to improve the survival of our genes instinctively,  ie by caring for our families, such as a mother bird will put her own life at risk for her chicks.

She argues that helping people who are not genetically related to us can also be in the best interests of our genes as it sets up the expectation that we will be helped in return. Normally altruism is reciprocal and we do things for someone expecting we will get something back.

An old saying my Grandma often used rings true of this concept and puts it into layman’s terms, “We reap what we sow”. I think often this is true if you are a person who is prepared to share and help others, you are soon known as that type of person and people will share things with you. If you are selfish and don’t share then people won’t share with you and in the end you will lose out, both socially and professionally.

It is the rewards that we get from helping others which serve our self interest, eg; the praise of onlookers, gratitude from the person being helped, the feeling we experience when we know we have done something good and the benefit of avoiding guilt and shame. It is our moral development from childhood that motivates our behaviour and gives us the ability to imagine ourselves in the place of another and to feel their emotions and this then triggers our behaviour. I don’t know if there is a scoreboard in the sky keeping track but I strongly believe in returning favours for people who have helped you!

In the context of our professional practice I think it is important to establish relationships with others who share similar interests and develop contacts where you can share information and experiences with each other. There will always be a natural rivalry and competitiveness amongst professionals but there is also the human instinct where we group together as comrades to help one another and an instinct to feel that we belong. I think the holding back of information is futile in the end as it is always available from another source and if someone does have a selfish attitude then they will soon not have many contacts socially or as  a professional. If you are a good “networker” you will give favours and receive them in return.  Most people feel guilty and indebted to return a favour and this clears the way for a whole new round of give and take -   as my Grandma puts it, “you have to reap to sow !!!”

Hmmmm.......... maybe men are from Mars and women from Venus but sometimes they do say some interesting things??!!

As I’m working on a pantomime with primarily men – there’s only me and another girl in the show – and we’re all sharing one dressing room -   you do have some very interesting conversations and find out all sorts of diverse, random and rather strange things and opinions. We also have a cross section of gay and straight men in the cast so it is a very varied opinion.

Yesterday afternoon, as I whipped out my Cosmopolitan magazine in between shows, all the guys rolled their eyes and groaned!! I chirped up ‘What on earth? You can’t go wrong with Cosmo, it teaches a girl everything she needs to know!’  Their response was somewhat surprising, instead of them flipping through to find a ‘hot’ girl they just said ‘yeh, it teaches you a wrong image of what you’re supposed to look like!’
Following this we had a group discussion on women....  about how models are all airbrushed and quoted by one guy ‘look like aliens  – they might as well computer animate models into adverts as it looks nothing like them in real life’.

They went on to discuss how magazines give out a false image to young girls and women, making us believe that the way models and celebrities look in photographs is the way we should look.

Funny, as I’m hoping to book a photo shoot in the New Year to get myself some new photographs to promote myself in the performance industry, I have been turning down pages in magazines of poses and styles I like that I may copy.... maybe that’s not such a good idea now?! I mean I can have myself airbrushed but will I be recognised if I was to walk into an audition??

Another ‘dressing room’ conversation we had was discussing me dying my hair, I get easily bored with my hair, my make-up, my style and I’m constantly changing my look  and coming up with new ways to re-invent myself! I quite fancy for Christmas and Winter time dying it a rich brown but have quite a reddish tint to it. I think it would be very daring and different – a lot of my friends think it will be great and that I should go for it! But chatting to the boys they told me that I could lose employment because I will not look like my headshot and my CV will be wrong! But surely I can change these to match my current image? They said that casting directors and choreographers etc will expect me to look exactly like my headshot and I’ll get a ‘no’ as soon as I walk in the room because I’m not like my headshot! So does that mean I have to always look like my headshot?? That I can never change anything about myself? I’m not allowed to experiment and create different looks..... isn’t this industry mainly about the way that you look? Lots of questions that I need to ask and I need to find out the answers. What do any of you think!? We were constantly told at college to change our image and develop a unique look. It was always the girls who had that type of magazine “look” that were chosen for things not because they were the best dancer or singer or actress but because of the way they looked. Certainly our commercial jazz tutor said in the commercial dance world it is always about look and image.

Celebrities are always changing their style, their hair and getting tattoos, piercings and no one seems to question them or is that because they have a celebrity status and it no longer matters? Personally I don’t want to be dictated to by a headshot and make myself look like that every time I go out for an audition but I don’t want to lose out at an audition either because I have different coloured hair to my headshot or do I have different headshots for different looks which would be expensive . When I go to auditions I have noticed that most people don’t look like their headshot anyway and some still manage to go through to the next round and get the job! So what is the answer to this question? Has anyone got any opinions on the matter?  I thought with the art of make up in the industry today you can reinvent yourself overnight anyway – you can be blonde today, brunette tomorrow and a red head by Friday.

I’m sat right now with one of my new housemates watching Live from Studio Five and they’re going around the streets of London asking women what they think to Cheryl Cole and Danni Minogue’s dress sense over the course of the X-Factor! They’re comparing their dresses throughout the shows – does it really matter? I mean they’re both very, very wealthy and can afford to buy beautiful dresses from top designers and have the best make-up artists and stylists work on them and airbrush any “blips” .... normal people can’t!

So the conclusion according to the guys in my dressing room is ......

·         Men like girls who look real! But what is “real”?

·         Men like girls who have ‘a bit of meat on them’/’something to grab’

·         Models are aliens and don’t look human

·         Girls never look like their photographs – in the flesh they look different!

I thought it was an interesting debate really and surprising to find out their opinions. It is a pressurised industry for girls especially as we are expected to be “glamorous” and there is a lot of pressure put upon us to be a certain size and have a certain look. 

Connectivism……………….

I have just read Mark’s blog on Connectivism which made me think again about this way of learning. I agree with Mark it is quite a confusing and difficult concept especially all the technical bit about nodes but I found the definition on Wikipedia the easiest to understand;

“Connectivism is based on the premise that knowledge exists in the world rather than in the head of an individual.”

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectivism_(learning_theory)

“It is learning for the digital age as learning methods have changed as technology has affected how we live and how we communicate.”

Therefore my understanding of this theory is that it is knowing where to find information and to maintain connections to learn. In simple terms we are learning by plugging into existing networks – ie; e mail, communities, conversations, web search, email lists, reading blogs etc.  I think most of us have been learning through this method for a long time but just haven’t analysed the theory as “Connectivism”. As I have read many blogs of other students we all have identified that  we use the internet to find information, we communicate via email and network through social websites such as Facebook  and through these main methods we set up networks of contacts.

I think this method of learning puts a lot of responsibility on the individual student as you have to think independently for yourself and assimilate and retain the knowledge and skills but I think on the plus side you can learn a lot more from the interests and experiences shared with other students as the theories are applied to practical experiences which I think you remember more than facts presented to you as a transfer of information in a traditional lecture scenario. They are linked to people’s everyday experiences of “real life” and you can empathise with them more than mere theories.

David Cohen (1989) said, “Teaching is telling, knowledge is facts and learning is recall.”

Students teach and learn from each other by telling their stories – this may be a very simplistic personal view of connectivism but that’s how I’ve put it into context and translated it to understand it if this helps anyone else understand it.

 I think the down side is you can feel quite isolated as you are reliant on tutors and students conversing with you and giving feedback which I touched on in my “Crisis? What crisis?” blog.

http://emilyrose91.blogspot.com/2010/11/crisis-what-crisis-technology-is.html#comments

I think you can be left feeling uneasy about the outcomes when spontaneous discussion doesn’t happen and a little sceptical as to whether there is a real interest in your comments or are people responding in kind, ie: going through the motions to complete “tasks”?.


References:

The Networked Professional Course Reader - Middlesex University

Schmoozing the night away..........................

Well, after an exhilarating opening night in the West End, I'm very much on a high and last night was “buzzing”!! I really do enjoy it when you have such an energetic and enthusiastic audience it really gives you a feeling of excitement and a rush that you can't quite describe.... like in Kylie's song, 'Like a Drug!'
Throughout this week and next the cast have been invited to various venues to promote the show which also means opportunities for a lot of face to face networking to be done!
 I think it is very important to network offline! Whilst online networking is very valuable I think it should work hand in hand with networking off line, they are both equally important. It’s about exposure and getting your face known. I think there is no real substitute in cultivating new relationships especially the first contact. People remember you much easier when they have met you in person. Increased personal contacts also help to increase on line contacts and so your networks grow. If you meet someone face to face  you can add them to your on line networks, such as Facebook, and strengthen the relationship on line and some of these people may have the power to boost your career.

For example;  after last night’s sell out show I was talking to a professional photographer who specialises in headshots and fashion and boudoir style photography, the producer and another cast member  and they were discussing  all different ways to help me pursue my career, giving me lots of good advice and tips they have learned along the way and we had a discussion about corporate gigs.  The photographer mentioned that she knew quite a number of people who organise these type gigs and so she took my details and said she will email me with all her details and will keep in contact!!!

I think many people enjoy meeting you in person and if they have enjoyed your performance they will tell their friends and invite them to your next show. It establishes a good rapport and gives  a more favourable,  humane  impression of yourself.

As my mum always says, "you never know who you're going to bump into" so you should always look presentable and professional when you go out to events and performances!
I've learnt to always carry some CV's and headshots in my bag, just in case. I’ve not got round to business cards yet but these would work in theses types of situations.

Schmoozing seems to be the buzz word for offline networking. In fact some would say how well you network depends on how well you Schmooze and schmoozing isn’t necessarily about glad-handing or insincere sucking up or ego stroking , I think you can soon recognise that in anyone very quickly, but it is making casual, easygoing conversation with strangers and networking is the art of follow up and this can be a necessity  in advancing your career especially in the performing arts industry. 
No one wants to be known as a “greaser” and schmoozing if handled correctly can project your professionalism and etiquette and people will remember you more as a very personable individual. Being natural and being yourself lets people see who you are as a person and not just a glossy headshot looking at them from a screen.  

“Schmoozing is the grease that starts the wheels of networking” says Susan RoAne , author of “How to work a Room”. Social networking can be very effective and should be utilized when opportunities arise and good schmoozing opens the possibility of future contacts.
“It’s not what you know or who you know, but who knows you!” (Susan RoAne  -  “How to work a Room”)

I know some people find this quite difficult – I commented on Mark Iles blog as it is something he feels he struggles with but I think anyone  can improve and become more confident in face to face networking the more practiced they become.  I think sometimes you have to remember too that your new contact may feel just as nervous and uncomfortable as you do. Just because someone makes it look effortless doesn’t mean that’s how they feel inside.  I have always loved meeting people and chatting conversationally with people – I think you can find out so much more about people and the business  but I appreciate some are not comfortable and it can be a nerve wracking experience.

I go to Pineapple a lot at the moment to do classes to keep up with my technique, stamina and training and you never know who may just be in there walking around just watching. There are so many professional auditions at Pineapple and most of the studios have windows where others can easily watch classes!! One day someone of extreme importance who could offer employment opportunities could be watching you..!
I just believe that in this profession you have to be constantly aware of who is around you and who may be watching you, at all times.... and take advantage of any opportunity to promote and market yourself.

I remember reading a magazine article about Lily Cole and she was “discovered” just walking down the street, Daniel Radcliffe was sat in the cinema when he was approached and asked to audition for Harry Potter.

There's lots more promotions coming up in the next few weeks for the cast of Snow White so I will be making sure I look good and have a couple of CV's to hand. On the 20th of December we have a promo at a top West End club and is where most West End stars (actors, dancers, directors, agents etc) go after they've finished their Monday night show!! How exciting is that? I can't wait as I never know who I'm going to meet and I'm really hoping we get to meet some really exciting and interesting people.... and of course "schmooze the night away !!!"

References:

Course Reader - The Networked Professional - Middlesex University 2010

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/schmoozing

How to Work A Room - Susan RoAne .

http://markgraemeiles.blogspot.com/2010/11/changing-practice.html

Even in the quietest moment......................

(an extract from my journal I just thought I’d share, rather topical and seasonal)

Midnight and the house is so still and quiet and I’m looking out of my bedroom window just watching the snow falling – what a wonderful experience – how quiet and peaceful, how gentle and still, how beautiful!. I felt this was a very private moment. I felt very calm, very peaceful and serene – nothing moving, no sound, just the sight of the falling snow from the night sky.

I thought back to the many times I’ve stood at the same window watching the snow fall as a kid, excited, anticipating, hoping it would snow all night so tomorrow I could go sledging with my friends, snowballing , build a snowman and those memories made me smile.

How differently we view things as adults!?
I now appreciate the chaos and disruption it will cause for many tomorrow morning  when people try to go about their normal daily business but for now looking out on this lovely scene it feels like something special like when I was a kid and I had a very warm feeling inside, I felt secure and safe and warm in my bedroom and  it makes you put your life into perspective, all the stresses and strains of the last week just melted away. I realised looking out on that scene that for all our knowledge and intellect as human beings there is one being more powerful than any mortal and that is Mother Nature herself.

I found this poem by an anonymous poet,

Falling Snow

A snowflake fell upon the ground,
And turned my frown into a smile.
And after all these years I’ve found,
That laughing can be still in style.

When you’re a kid you love the snow.
You’re not sure why but it makes you glow.
When you’re a kid the world is yours.
It waits for you outside your doors.

But with time, as you grow,
You forget to enjoy the falling snow.
And so quick, it may seem,
That you’re changing so much, you forget to dream.

Just stop, look around,
Make an angel on the ground.
Just stop, take time,
To find your rhythm and your rhyme.
Just stop…
Just stop…

http://poemsondemand.com/uncategorized/falling-snow/

Crisis? What crisis ?!

“Technology is a wonderful invention when it works! However, not so good when it doesn’t!” quote Emily Harris November 26^th 2010.

Ever had one of them weeks when you just know the gods or some higher being has it in for you? You know when Jupiter has aligned with Mars or something? Welcome to my  -  “the week that was !”

I should have known it was an omen on Monday morning when my hair straightners  blew up. Actually they didn’t blow up they sort of fell apart and dropped to pieces. As every dancer knows, a dancer just can’t function without her hair straightners!
And then how come when you pack your case to come home for the weekend there’s plenty of spare room but it doesn’t all go back in the case when you come to pack to travel back to London and you desperately need to fit that extra pair of boots  in and your woollies because they’ve forecast snow?
And why have they not built escalators and ramps at Kings Cross station and instead have 3 flights of stairs to manoeuvre with a case, computer and 2 bags?And why, oh why, when you are so close to a deadline for your first module of your degree course and need to get some blogging done does your computer crash and die ?

I have heard many people use the saying, “A person makes their own luck!” Where on earth does that saying come from and if you can make it I need to know how to make some pretty quick. Trying to write reflective blogs and journals and comment on other peoples blogs is pretty difficult with a dead PC.

Not that I ever have any  great connection with my lap top anyway. I use a  t mobile dongle  and  depending where I’m living at any particular point  can vary to the quality of the connection I get.  At my student flat in Sidcup the best place to network or do emails was sat on the loo as that was the best connection – in the bathroom! But when you’re on the move you cannot always connect to a landline so the dongle it has to be. 

Perhaps it was the entries in my journal for the beginning of the week that caused its malfunction  as I reflected on my life experiences this week in graphic details  in my journal and the most traumatic experience of my life so far – signing on for Jobseekers Allowance in an inner city office !! Not for the faint hearted or those with a delicate disposition I can tell you. This opened my eyes to the difficulties faced by the unemployed – it is depressing, dehumanising, degrading and disillusioning. I have enough material in my reflective journal for a full episode of “Little Britain” from this one experience alone and one day I may just share it !!

Oh, and guess where my passport details and the application form I need to print off for an audition on Friday are? Yes, of course, in my e mails !

So what on earth has any of this to do with my BAPP course? Well, it not only gave me plenty of life experiences to reflect on in my journal and record my thoughts and feelings of the 4 days events this week  but it also made me realise just how important my PC is in my life, just how dependant I am on being  able to access my emails, the internet and Facebook  not only for my professional life but for  my personal and social life. I realised just how much I rely on emails to communicate.
 
Quoting from the reader (Siemens, G 2004 on Connectivism) – “Over the last 20 years, technology has reorganised how we live, how we communicate and how we learn”. This is very true for me , the internet has become a very real part of my everyday life, I just didn’t realise how much until it was sick.
Having no computer for 3 days made me realise just how relevant and important my on line life is to me. My main source of accessing information is the internet and my main form of communicating with my agencies and applying for jobs is by email. I was almost bereft!

Of course I had my “blackberry” so all was not lost  - I can actually access my emails and apply for jobs and keep in touch with agencies, I can social network and text friends and family  and even look up anything I want on the internet via my phone but blogging was the difficulty on a 3ins x 2ins screen and accessing my reflective journal and updating it and of course printing important documents for my audition. I’ve learned that without the aid of all the technologies at my fingertips my scope is extremely limited. Fortunately for me it was a quick fix virus problem and my trusty Sony Vio was back on its feet by Saturday and I have my on line life back!

Thinking about critical reflection, it was also a good example of how reflecting in my journal was an evolving personal awareness and how these miniature crises in my life made me feel and my emotions  at the time. It made me put things into perspective and what seemed like mountains became molehills. My journal is almost like talking to a therapist or priest. I was able to recount the intimate details of my experiences through my journal and through this process find meaning and understanding.

Tufnell and Crickmay ( 2004) describe the importance of being engaged with reflection,
“It is through the sensuous world of the body, through our eyes, ears, skin, muscles and organs that we see, feel and respond to all that happens. The body is the ground from which all knowing of the world begins. It is within our bodies, in our instinctual and sensory responses, that we discover the changing field of what is happening to us. In the rush and pressure of our everyday lives we easily become numbed, cut off from our bodies. Without a sense of the body , of sensation and feeling we lose connection to what is around and within us, to the immediate and present moments in our lives.”

In the grand scheme of things my crises were quite trivial but this to me demonstrates that with our own reflective journeys of life experiences we can make sense of ourselves in the world. We tell and retell episodes both minor and major and discussing these and sharing with others we learn and develop.  The significance of these experiences was it made me think about how we view things. We are individually influenced by our moralistic, cultural and socialistic backgrounds. The way I saw each event as it happened is very different to how I view them now. I can see that how I interpreted each event as it happened was in a manner that was consistent with my emotional frame of mind at the time. But how could I have seen it differently? I was rushing to catch a train and several things happened to cause me stress and my emotional state was I saw them as great big issues.

Putting things into context,
(a) my straightners had been on their last legs for months and it was only a matter of time before they “fell apart”, so I should have replaced them weeks ago, I’ll just have to put up with the “kinky” hair until I can afford new ones. No one is going to die because I don’t have straightners.
(b) I have to learn to travel lighter and not take so much with me. I have been travelling the East Coast route for 3½ years and know there are stairs to encounter at Kings Cross so I should ensure I don’t have all that baggage to carry.
(c)  I need to get a paid job asap to avoid having to repeat the experience of signing on again and I now appreciate the plight of the unemployed!

I noticed now how to go back over the things that have happened this week I can view them differently. My mind set and my emotions are different.

Lewin, Kolb, Gardner, Honey and Munford help us explore how we can be  “active and persistent thinkers”. Dewey asks us to be “active, persistent and carefully consider.”

Analysing life experiences and choices provides the foundation for our future learning. Developing the ability to think critically enhances our academic writing and presentations and our ability to argue convincingly. The reflective person has the advantage of being able to cultivate these skills by taking responsibility for their disappointments and seek ways to enhance their professional competence.

Having a clearer idea of who we are as a person and a professional highlights our strengths and areas of challenge. Reflection requires that a professional can critically reflect on their decisions and behaviours.
“Reflection is indicative of deep learning and where teaching and learning activities are missing only surface learning can result” (Biggs 1999 in King 2002).

 
I have been blogging and reading other blogs and making comments frantically since getting my PC back. Alan Durrant advised, “I think it is really worthwhile to read and comment to Blogs to help develop critical thinking. Blogging your ideas and then commenting builds a dialogue with yourself and others and like any conversation has the potential to build deeper understanding and insights.”

 This was probably my other crises of the week. Being totally honest here, as I reflected in my journal, I often felt when reading blogs that I was reading the course “Reader” verbatum over and over  again and I went into total panic that I had totally misunderstood the requirement of the first module as others seemed to work their way one by one through each task quoting the “Reader” where as I was trying to apply the models that were in the “Reader” to everyday life experiences either personal or professional .

 Adesola said in one of her blog posts  “Positioning of Self”, that the tasks are “experiences” and that it is not like “hide and seek” or a “treasure hunt” where the treasure is hidden and we as students find it with the BA (Hons) as the prize!” I was not thinking of them as a list of  tasks  to be completed like maths exercises in a text book rather that I used experiences as a basis to look at how I learn from my experiences through networking as a professional and using the models to try and see how I learn? 

I would be interested what others think!?

I think this is probably why I thought people’s “Inquiry” blogs were much more interesting to read as they were what individuals really felt passionate about  - real issues that made you think  and have an opinion about to comment and debate and it was interesting from the point of view each said something about the individual person. You learned something about each person and what their goals are as a professional  and that made you think about your own hopes and aspirations in comparison.

I always engage with something that sparks my interest or thought processes  like Stephies blog about discipline, or Melissa’s about American dancers, or Ross’ about the spine or I read a newspaper or magazine article, something happens in the news or I have a personal experience that evokes a response and a debate. Such is the content of my own blogs, reflection on something that has engaged my interest  that I think improves my understanding of professional networking and reflective writing. Issues and events that I thought others with similar interests would like to share. I have read the module notes and the “Reader” over and over and over again and thought, ok yes I think I’ve covered that in my blog of................... , I’ve considered that there ......  etc, but this week I really don’t know !? Maybe I am just in total crisis here ? Help me out !

Most of the research I could find on reflective writing using technology was in the nursing, health and social education field.
The students were given a set of tasks to complete via blog postings and given specific instructions. They shared feedback through a comments section following every posting and instructors gave comment on each blog entry.     

http://www.springerlink.com/content/jh037p741n254775/

Interestingly for me in my crisis mode, one of the criticisms was that because students were not required to formally respond there was not enough evidence to form an impact on the student’s ability to reflect. Some students were more active than others and some put off posting so there was limited potential for peer interaction.

Looking at this course I wondered if there was any indication of your success or failure on your ability to reflect from the number of followers you had and the number of comments on your blogs. Certainly some students had many comments from tutors and other students, others very little and some none at all. Despite my efforts to engage I had not found anyone to interact with. I’ll be really honest here, it makes you wonder if anyone has read anything you’ve actually blogged!

It reminded me of Facebook and teenagers who measure their popularity from the number of “hits” they get and the number of “friends” they have in their directory. Perhaps Adesola’s reminder that we are nearing the deadline for the first module sent me into my final crisis of the week but I do feel I am swimming against the tide a little as I have had very little feedback or peer interaction. I think this is a very crucial part of our learning process and the reflective models we have read about.

I came across another interesting article that didn’t necessarily agree critical reflection is always a good thing – this was based on Meirow’s  Critical Reflection (1990)  who said, “perspective transformation is the process of becoming critically aware – that adults are better motivated to better understand the meaning of their experience.” The article went on to suggest that reflection on its own doesn’t lead automatically to integrative perspectives. In a real world it could lead to self-justification, self-indulgence and self-pity. Without feedback and criticism it does become very self –indulgent – we are not learning because we don’t know where we are going wrong or could improve. Extending evaluative feedback provides the learner to continue to think about the topic, pointing out other possibilities to encourage additional thinking. Dialogue with one’s self through experiences is very useful but deeper learning I think can only come with feedback.

Alan said, “Do try and keep up the blogging and commenting even if it does seem artificial at times.” I think perhaps, and this is just my opinion, that people are just ticking off the tasks and not engaging in conversation via the comments as I have not had one response to any of the comments I have made to then engage in dialogue so I feel that my comments have been artificial, they’re merely comments not opening up discussion. Does this make sense to anyone else? In lay mans terms, are we not just working through the tasks like exercises in a book and therefore it loses its true meaning!?  [For example task 3d – choose 10 other blogs randomly to comment on and I’ve completed the task!? ]

As a dancer I am used to constant critique. In classes, rehearsals and auditions we are constantly corrected, criticised, praised and given feedback as we are learning a piece of dance and this is the only way  you can analyse where  you need to improve, where you are and which direction you may need to change to. Without feedback and input from others how do we know where we are and whether we are learning !?

I think I may be nearing the end of my crisis today!


References:

Establishing Professional Practice - Module Handbook for WBS3002    - Middlesex University 

Reflective Practices - A reader complied by Adesola Akinleye (2010)


Tufnell, M & Crickmay, C L 2004 A widening field.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/jh037p741n254775/                                 

Atherton JS (2010) Learning and Teaching; Criticcal Reflection [On line] UK -

http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/critical1.htm

 

 

The Science of Dance....
....(Inquiry Task)!!

My passion has always been Dance ever since I can remember. In fact it’s not just a passion it’s an obsession and my dream has always been to perform. Dance is like the air I breathe and it is something I cannot live without. However I am also realistic and realise that any sensible person has to have a plan B.

Bird College (where I did my professional dance training) is one of only a small handful of colleges in Britain that include modules in their professional dance course in dance science and this quickly during my second year became my Plan B.

I am really enthused and fascinated by the way we can explore the mechanics of dance movement and optimal performance by promoting the health care of the dancer. I always found information about the body and its mechanics and functions particularly fascinating and I constantly try to apply this knowledge in my dancing.
It is exiting to  discover the physics of how a dancers body works and why, for example, a female dancer's co-ordination and balance can be affected by her menstrual cycle!

As an academic discipline this is a relatively new phenomenon.
Dance science is the scientific study of dance and dancers as well as the practical application of scientific principles to dance. Its aims are the enhancement of performance, the reduction of injury and the improvement of well-being and health. Its specific concerns include the biomechanical, physiological, nutritional and paediatric and psychological aspects of dance.

Increasingly more and more dance companies employ dance scientists to provide support services to their dancers – physiological and psychological.

One such company is New York City Ballet as I remember researching this for an assessment essay in my 2^nd year at Bird. 


Dancers are tremendous athletes who are both artists and athletes performing at the highest levels of human performance and a strong knowledge and appreciation of “dance medicine” will help a dancer understand how to help prevent injury and stay healthy and have optimum performance.

A dancer needs to be constantly aware of the body and focused on the process to achieve their goals by getting there in a healthy way through diet, exercise, well-being and a knowledge  in the prevention of injury. This is the bare bones of dance science.

I am always amazed when talking socially with other dancers that they don’t realize that their lifestyle could be preventing them from achieving their full potential and their goals. This may just involve a change in diet or sleep patterns.

For example;  at college my main frustration was for some reason, although I am extremely flexible, I could not manage to get a very high developpe in second position. The highest I could go was just above waist height. I really wanted to improve it. My developpe devone & derriere was fine. I discussed this with all the ballet staff and they gave me various exercises to do every day which were supposed to help but despite my frantic efforts, with my leg up on the door every night, it did not improve. Then in second year I discussed this with Drew, the dance science tutor, and she asked me to write down everything I ate for a week and go back to see her. Analysing my results Drew suggested the level of fruit in my diet was far too high. How can that be? Fruit is the healthy option is it not? But actually fruit has a very high content of natural sugar, fructose which was affecting the strength of my gut no matter how many abdominal exercises I did. So I reduced the amount of fruit I ate dramatically, replacing it with salad or vegetables which don’t have the fructose and after many weeks of following this diet of less fruit (nothing happens overnight I’m afraid) I can say my devloppe is at shoulder height. I found this fascinating! It’s purely science!

I think this whole concept appeals to me as it is so closely linked to physical fitness and “sports science” and as I have said before in my blogs I am a bit of a sports nut  and health freak too.  I had to make a big decision at 13 years old whether to follow the sports or dance path as I was a championship swimmer as well as a dancer and I couldn’t train and follow both pursuits to the level required as the commitment and dedication needed to both as individual pursuits were too demanding to pursue both but I do still have a love of sports too.

The way dance science differs to sports science is, obviously the focus is on dance and the special considerations that this involves, but also dance science studies somatic techniques including the practices of pilates and yoga, which for any of you who have followed any of my previous blogs are two of my recreational past times. I run and do pilates almost everyday and a full yoga class at least once a week, if possible. Pilates and yoga are fantastic work outs for focusing on the core and particular muscle groups, it also helps elongate the muscles in the body and teaches you how to isolate working one area of the body, although a lot of the exercises do focus on numerous muscle groups at one time!

Dance science broadens the options for dancers, from performance to more academic positions of employment and this is why it became my plan B. The dance world needs healthy, fit dancers and the field of dance science works to help dancers increase performance abilities and bodily awareness while decreasing injuries. I thought that this information would be invaluable to me as a dancer and performer myself but also if my performance career didn’t take off or ended for any reason or I got injured this would be a career path that would still involve me in the subject closest to my heart, dance,  but something else I also feel passionate about, health and fitness.  

I want to have a better understanding of  how people learn complex movement and develop their skills (known as motor learning). I am also really interested in the effects of dance (and the various dance styles) on young people and finding out how it can help their physical, psychological and social well-being and development. Dance can still be deemed as less important than other physical activities  and I think it’s important to show the many ways it can benefit people. I also think I may , after my blog about reflective thinking and my experience, whether having dyslexia would affect your ability to retain movement as a dancer.Dance science is still a newly developing area but I would like to pursue this further in the future.

References:

Establishing Professional Practice - Module Handbook for WBS 3002 - Middlesex University

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_science

Extract from Injury Prevention Essay - Emily Rose Harris, Bird College 2008.

Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology by Karen Clippinger.  

Casting the net !!


At the weekend I decided the big pile of old magazines and newspapers dumped in the corner of my room had to be weeded out and tidied. The pile was unruly and  getting a bit out of hand but I really don’t like to throw them away so I always leaf through them carefully  and select ones with favourite articles, recipies, beauty and health tips I want to hang on to a bit longer and then recycle the discarded ones.

Anyway decided to do the deed and as I was going through a pile of “The Stage” from August the headlines of 2 articles caught my eye about Casting in the online age.

I’d not noticed them before as I normally flick to the job pages and then may read a West End review or something but thought there may be something interesting I ought to be aware of especially as the opening line read,
“Michael Wharley observes the accelerating pace of change and suggests actors and agents need to do more to keep up! For the broader process of casting and the fundamental mechanisms by which actors or agents promote and engage with the profession there is a word that has huge implications – the internet!” One thing this course has done for me is to promote my individual awareness and exploration of such articles I probably wouldn’t have taken much notice of before. I now explore any issues relating to the internet and networking especially issues related to the arts. It has given me the opportunity or should I say “forced” me to think about these issues and how they affect me.

Michael Wharley is a London based head shot photographer and freelance arts writer.

The article states in 2010 there are endless websites for those of us seeking or supplying casting profiles and the options are “dizzying”............. Spotlight, The Stage, Casting Call Pro, Cast Call, Cast Web, Cast Net........ it seems the list of websites to promote ourselves as performers are endless. Some I had heard of others I hadn’t, so I have definitely added to the pool of web sites that I can use in the future.

Obviously Spotlight is the one that is the most well known, of which I am already a paid up member, with over 36,000 profiles.  This implies to me straight away how important a good profile is. As the head of Spotlight, Ben Seale puts it, “Print directories are still extremely popular but are used more as a reference tool these days. The business of casting is largely done on line.”

Spotlight’s Link casting software is now everywhere at once and its strength lies in having integrated the content of  36,000 online directories with the casting communities breakdowns. This is an amazing concept and I was fascinated that the weekly e mail to distribute castings that I receive has gone through this process. Two separate parts of the process have been brought together simplifying casting for actors, agents, casting directors and their clients.  This means performers and agents are not sent untimely and unsuitable submissions and a barrage of casting information from multiple sources. Their Link system cleverly matches the casting requirement to the profiles.

By adhering on line to strict editorial standards Spotlight has a reliable reputation for anyone involved in casting to trust its resources. For me this is of significant importance learning that the information supplied to Spotlight is being used for the correct purpose and that I can trust its integrity. This is especially meaningful when I read other articles showing the downsides of the net, cyber bullying, identity theft, etc and the trials and tribulations of Facebook. I feel it is essential to me in my professional practice to have the confidence in what is out there about me. It made me feel better reading in black and white by a reputable authority that the agency I use to profile myself has a reliable reputation.

One agency I have not previously looked at is Casting Call  (I think this site is mainly used by “pure” actors, I tend to use dance and musical theatre based agencies) which is widely becoming a credible site in the casting process, now having 29,000 members each with a headshot and training credits. Casting Call now offers new ways of searching its actor database and allows actors to connect with each other on a professional networking model. CVs, show reels and photos are shared across the supply chain at the press of a button. So this is one new way in which the internet is taking a fundamental role in casting.

Michael Wharley conducted a survey for the article of 100 casting directors across the spectrum of television, theatre, film and commercials casting.

What was interesting was when asked to select the most important resource for accessing an actor online before audition, casting professional responses were -
9%      specified headshots
28%    said credits
21%    show reels but
41%    said the whole package.

 This suggests that casting professionals are using a performer’s on line presence to dip in and out of various resources and according to the survey many performers and agents need to do more to keep up.
This was suddenly very relevant to me – what could I do to improve my web presence as a performer but ensure the information was being viewed by the most relevant people?

In the survey findings casting professionals commented about the need for credits to be regularly updated. Even though this may seem a very basic requirement in the online era, the CV should be a growing document and an organic representation of the actor’s career and skills. It seems many CVs on Spotlight are out of date. This was a good reminder to me of the importance of keeping my information up to date. We were constantly told at college that a poor CV creates a bad impression and you risk your CV being dismissed before it is even read. You don’t want it to look as though you haven’t been working recently when you have and you don’t want to miss out on an audition opportunity because you haven’t included skills on your CV that you have put time, effort and money into achieving.

This made me feel quite pleased with myself because I had just updated mine last week in my personal documents, on Spotlight and Star Now, which are the 2 agencies I subscribe to, to include my latest panto job. However I think I could improve the overall layout and presentation quality of my CV as mine is based on a template we were given to use at college and this is something I could take forward and work on improving.  

Secondly, headshots which are a fundamental, long standing touchstone of the profession are being used more successfully. Performers may select a main photo for the print edition of Spotlight but on line on average four shots are attached to a CV. Being able to select the best photo for any given application with a few clicks of the mouse makes this really useful.

The same survey revealed that,
96%         of casting professionals still view the headshot as important to the future casting process and
48%         prefer black and white,
17%         colour and
35%         didn’t have  a preference.

This implies to me that the headshot is still an important casting tool and will continue to give performers the chance to make an impression on agents and casting directors whether they are new graduates like myself or well established in the industry. It is a good way to sell yourself and in an expensive business, the headshot is still relatively a cheap and cost-effective way to promote yourself. More good news for me!

As the collective understanding of what makes a good likeness for casting purposes, headshots are timeless and have been used since 1927 by Spotlight. Michael Wharley states, “Leafing through the editions of Spotlight from 1927 to 2010 it is amazing just how little the form has changed in 90 years. The headshot is still regarded as accurately previewing the performer”.

Therefore this re emphasises to me what I was taught at college  -  tutors  always stressed the importance of having good headshot photographs. It is an essential promotional tool and they should be updated every couple of years or so. I am quite happy with my headshots, I have 5 different versions, 3 colour/2 black and white, which were taken by a professional head shot photographer who came into college in our last term and I am happy it is an accurate, current likeness.

What I have learned is that I ought to have included on my profile a black and white version and a colour version. I currently only have a black and white headshot as my main profile picture on Spotlight.

The biggest shortcomings according to Wharley’s findings are when it comes to multi-media.
When accessing an actor prior to audition,
57%           of the casting professionals surveyed said they use on-line show reels a lot,
15%            a fair bit and
28%           very little,
which is 72% who use online video resources more than a little and yet, only 29% of Spotlight members and 10% of Casting Call members have video content on their CVs. This statistic quite surprised me.

I hadn’t thought about this till now (I don’t have a show reel) and how this could play an important part in my on line presence. I think this puts a burden on to us as individuals to maintain a diverse and up to date web presence but given the huge potential rewards in such a competitive industry it has to be worth pursuing. It would give me an opportunity to showcase the full range of my abilities.

It was interesting to learn that the average show reel is 186 seconds long but the average casting director will watch less than one minute. Casting directors and agents receive thousands of CVs and show reels and do not have time to watch every performer for several minutes. The first 30 seconds are the most important and should leave a good impression and the viewer wanting to see more!!

Surveyed for the article, 62% said they preferred to view separate short, contrasting clips. Therefore if I have several contrasting minute long clips alongside each other my CV would not only look comprehensive but would give a casting director what they need to see at their fingertips. However it is also interesting that they said they would be put off by a poor quality one.
This is very useful information for me. I realise this could be very important for me in the future. The only downside is the cost of a good quality show reel, as they are really expensive. 
I wondered what other performers who are on the course thought who have quite a lot of professional experience and may have show reels of their work. Do they think having a show reel has been beneficial in getting an audition or jobs?

It was also interesting to learn that in the US, video has become a basic element of any performer’s on line presence whether it is onscreen clips or simply a profile and full length shots while the actor provides a self summary.
Increasingly in the US , casting directors are using video as a first stage audition filter requiring actors to submit set audition pieces filmed on as basic a device as a mobile phone before subsequently seeing a select handful in person.

Wharley asks the question, “could this be the next stage forward for us in the UK?”
He does suggest, however, that whatever the possibilities presented by online tools this will only ever be, in his opinion, a precursor to the audition where actors can show their true talents, characteristics and skills. He goes on to further suggest it can only be a matter of time though before the whole casting process is on line as any time saving device in a budget pressed industry will find its use.

Is it then, that in the future we will only be invited to audition on the strength of our video footage? I realise if this is the future of the industry then I need to move with the times. I don’t mean I’m going to try and film myself on my mobile phone doing some complicated dance move and be all over You Tube tomorrow leaping about in some badly made home movie but I need to consider investing in having a quality show reel made to promote myself for the future to put on my professional profiles .

It made me recall what Betty Laine said to a group of us at an audition; “I am looking for marketable products!” I hate to condone this side of the business but we have to perhaps put that statement into perspective rather than react to what it might mean on face value. We all need to  be “discovered” somehow and we all have to make the best use of the tools available to “market” ourselves even though we hope we are being selected on our talents.  One quote I read from an advertisement for a photographer is quite apt, “Take a step back for a moment and forget you are an artist and concentrate on the product you are selling! Know what your strengths are and then package them in a way that is attractive to the industry.”

Reflecting on my thoughts and feelings whilst reading the article I think this was probably the most significant article I have read and I had almost missed it – August 26^th it was published in “The Stage” and I read on the 20^th November.

Performers need to invest in marketing and promotion as much as any other self employed business person and we should never sit back  to wait for the next job opportunity we have to be pro-active and market ourselves and treat our careers as a “business”. I have realised that having up to date, well produced promotional material makes a performer look professional and serious about their career and therefore a more desirable person for a director or agent to work with. If a performer can get the marketing right then they are putting themselves in the best position from which to approach the business.

I found it made me want to take action to improve my profiles basically I think because of the “real” statistics that were quoted from casting professionals. That really made  me analyse  how in the future my profile could be viewed and could make a difference whether or not I was selected for audition. 

It is going to be up to me as an individual to provide and maintain a comprehensive and up to date web presence and to make sure that what I put on line is of the highest quality.  I have learned I need to explore further in the future the possibilities to improve my on line presence through new photographs and a show reel to enhance my on line information.

So discovering this article has helped me identify what I need to do for my future profiling, and even though for the short term this may have to be piece meal due to the financial considerations it has given me an awareness of what can improve my on line presence and has inspired me to work towards achieving that to assist me in my professional image. My next step is to make my CV portfolio more “glamorous” and to get some exposure.................... I need to cast the net more widely !!


References:

Reflective practices - A Reader compiled by Adesola Akinleye.

The Stage Newspaper - August 16th and 23rd