From posts to people - my first BAPP campus session

The campus session at last. I'm aware that due to my recent disaster it has been a while since I attended the session, but I enjoyed the afternoon so much that I simply had to share my experience. Surreal, I think was the word of the day. I don't know about anyone else, but until I attended the campus day and actually met my course mates (and of course Paula), I had a hard time comprehending the reality of the situation. All the communication I'd had up until that point had been words on a screen or an array of voices on a group Skype. It is easy to get lost in the virtual world and forget that the people you are communicating with and reading about are going through this experience with you but in completely different circumstances. Seeing the faces of people whose blogs I had been reading, put everything into perspective and I suddenly felt involved in a whole new way.

(To the left -  Myself, Laura and Maddy in a group discussion)

We began the session by introducing ourselves and playing a few games. Although these games were primarily ice-breakers, they had some really interesting ideas behind them and it was fascinating to see how several people can interpret the same instructions very differently from one another. The first game was given to us in the form of a page split into 20 blank squares. Paula's instruction was to fill all the squares in one minute. We all gave each other blank expressions, puzzled by the ambiguity of the task. Once time was up, we all showed our pages and the diversity around the room was evident. I had chosen to fill my squares with a variety of things, such as symbols, pictures, words and numbers. Some students chose one medium, whilst others made patterns. The open ended manner of the task highlighted the individuality in the room and demonstrates how everyones minds work completely uniquely. Amusingly, it appeared we had all over thought the simple task and Paula had in fact expected us to fill each square with the same thing. Is this something we all tend to do in life? Always looking for the more complex route doesn't always benefit us and in this case it meant we spent more time worrying about whether or not we were doing it right and less time listening to the task's more blatant solution. The second game was to draw the person next to you in three minutes. As someone who is perhaps somewhat artistically challenged, this was not a simple as it sounds. I managed something that vaguely resembled eyes, nose and eyebrows -  a far cry from a portrait you may say. Again, the variety in people's approach was extraordinary. Some chose to go for a full body in less detail and others concentrated on getting the face right. This sparked a question in my head regarding what we deem the most important part of an individual, particularly one we have just met. I began with the eyes, and largely speaking, the eyes are what I notice first about someone. Those who began with the full form, perhaps that is what they look at first? An interesting exploration can be made from simply drawing the person next to us. 

The third and final game was the most exploratory in my opinion. This task was to create a concept drawing. A concept drawing is a compilation of shapes and lines portraying a theme or idea. The rules stated you could not draw a picture of an object but purely use lines and shapes to display our ideas. This task definitely showed the difference in the way our minds work and think, as many of us did the same or similar idea but there was no similarities between our end products at all. Below I have done a new concept drawing to depict the theme of "Love". Perhaps the most generic and overused theme, however I have chose to base mine on my love and relationship with dance. I have no significant beginning or end, as with dancing I can't pin point an exact start. I have also used a mixture of soft swirling lines and harsh jagged lines to show how things aren't always plane sailing.

As you can see I am not the most artistic person, but the concept remains the same and I think it is an excellent was to express thoughts in your head creatively. 

The learning part of the session brought the idea of an "Appreciative inquiry". Paula explained that an appreciative inquiry is something most organisations use to help expand and improve their working environment. It generally takes form in the 4 following stages:

Discovery - What has been done well? Discussion of what is good, usually taken from a questionnaire sent throughout an organisation.
Dream - What might be? Exploration into what people would like from the organisation, thinking big and creating a dream working environment.
Design - What should be? Creating opportunities to make the dream scenario happen. Making choices about what areas could be improved upon.
Destiny - What will be? This is where action plans are made to make the plans come into place. Usually creating a middle ground between the dream and the current state.

The inquiry is aimed to create a positive reflection on an organisation, as opposed to focussing on the negatives and what is wrong. In small groups we created our own appreciative inquiry on the BAPP course using the four stages we had learnt about. In my group, we discussed the pros of a distance learning degree and how it allows time for other work and professions. We all came up with some ideas about how the course could be improved, taken from our experiences so far. Below is a copy of what we discussed.

As you can see, our main areas of discussion were the location of the campus sessions - as some students have to travel a lot further than others, and the possibility of making the module information and calendars more individual as some of us got a little confused. Our solution for the campus sessions, was to make links with other organisations in order to make arrangements to use their space. We also discussed the possibility of having group sessions set up purely for the students in different areas to make it possible for more people to attend. We also came to the conclusion that it might be a good idea to have individual module sessions to help clarify what needs to be done and when. I think the appreciative inquiry is a really useful method for evaluating and improving an organisation and I definitely think it is something I will consider in the future. The session was very useful and I am looking forward to attending the next.

Technology. Can't live with it, can't live without it!

This post is essentially an elaborate rant. At this very moment in time, I despise technology! A little extreme, you may think, but my frustration is certainly justified. Last week, I returned home from the BAPP campus session, feeling enthusiastic and inspired. I opened up my Macbook and began writing a blog all about the session. If you know me, then you know I'm not often stuck for words and writing about the day was no exception. An hour later, I had finished writing a long post about my day on campus and what I had learnt from my tutor and fellow course mates. I re-created some of the tasks we did, I explored the appreciative inquiry in more depth and spent a lot of time on this particular blog. Where's the catch? That comes into the equation when you take a moment to think, that instead of hand written, this work relies on the use of the internet and a computer. Normally, my posts are written, completed and uploaded with no real issues at all. This was not one of those occasions. My wifi at home can be temperamental at times, but all seemed well as I saved my post on completion. I left my laptop to have some dinner and when I returned, my draft no longer existed. "How is this possible?" I said with utter despair, I had even clicked the 'save' button several times to protect myself from this very situation. The internet in this instance had clearly worked against me and despite saving the draft, it had been lost in the gaping hole of the web. The feelings of anguish and frustration were rife and I just couldn't fathom the idea that my hard work could vanish in an instant. My point is, that as wonderful as technology can be, I just can't help distrusting it. Our world relies on the use of modern technology in almost everything, from flying a plane to an operating theatre in a hospital. How can we rely so heavily on something that we can't be 100% sure will work every time? I know I'm talking about the extremely unlikely and you could argue that everything in life carries a risk and a sense of unreliability, but with technology, we can't always be sure it will do exactly what we want.

                                                   

I have had many experiences of technology working against me, but it seems to strike a nerve every time. Maybe it's because it is usually paired with inconvenience, or maybe it is something deeper. I think the advances made in technology in such a small space of time are remarkable. From the moment we wake up, to going to bed at night, we rely on the technological advances of the 21st century to pass our day. This is certainly a good thing, but what happens when it goes wrong? I suppose you could say I'm somewhat skeptical, but I find it hard to comprehend that these devices and systems can be entrusted, in some situations, with our lives. The moment we step foot on a plane, for example, we have to have full confidence in the technology that keeps the plane in the air. We at times struggle to trust the people close to us, yet we fully trust a piece of machinery that can break or shut down at anytime. I think that the direction technology is taking us in is exciting and innovative, but at what point do we start relying too heavily on it and forget to use our own ability? Can technology take over even the most simple of task and make us redundant? All I know is, that when it comes to my posts, from now on I shall err on the side of caution and be aware of the unpredictable nature of the internet.

Professional communication - where is it going?

Change and development in technology is fundamental -  I am the first to back it up when it's being criticised - but sometimes the old-fashioned way is the best way and I believe that more often than not, when communicating professionally, that is the case. As someone growing up in the most significant period for the introduction of technology, I appreciate the importance of the internet and how much of an effect it's had on the world today, but I can also acknowledge the more traditional means of communication. Traditional communication methods are cherished for a reason and perhaps they were successful for so many years, because they are the most reliable. This is something that I wanted to explore further and look into the pros and cons of modern communication via the internet.



     The Telephone was of central importance in communication since it was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. It converts sounds, such as the human voice, into electric signals which can be transmitted via cables over great distances. Prior to the invention of the telephone, communicating with those at a great distance, was far from instant, relying on letters being sent by horse which could take weeks and in some cases even months. This innovative creation changed the way people communicated forever and was the primary source of conversation right up to about 5-10 years ago. The picture above is a very primitive example of a phone and as expected it has progressed a lot since its invention, but the concept remains pretty much unchanged. When you start introducing the mobile phone, then things become far more contemporary, but the telephone is found in most homes and businesses worldwide even today.

The internet is a mind-blowing phenomenon and has completely altered not only how we communicate, but how we live our lives today. Modern life is centred around the existence of the web and believe it or not it controls many of the decisions we make on a daily basis. Emailing has become rife in our society and it is a key form of communicating both professionally and for our own socialising. With the introduction of emails, came a whole new ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world instantaneously and that is why it is so popular today. But are we becoming obsessed with having to have an answer immediately and is this effecting the way we expect things to happen in life outside of the internet? food for thought.

Pros and Cons

The benefits of the internet and online communication are undeniable, however I do feel that the more traditional methods are overlooked and can actually have huge perks. When trying to get in touch with a potential employer to secure an interview, sending an email might not always be the best way about it. For employers that receive hundreds of emails a day, it is quite easy for an email to get lost or forgotten about and that is something traditional communication has over the internet. If you pick up the phone and speak to someone, you are much more likely to get a response and gain the respect of an employer. Showing the determination to pick up the phone and the confidence to ring is a very attractive trait in an employee and it something I think will work in your favour. Not only that, but phone calls give you the ability to show your personality to whom you are contacting and enables you to make them warm to you as an individual.
The english language is constantly evolving but the recent addition of abbreviations and "text language" has had an effect of the way we converse with people over the internet. In my opinion this can be a bit of an issue as it becomes a habit and is engrained in online communication. Sending a quick message or email to a friend using abbreviations is not a problem at all, in fact it's very convenient. The issue arises when this becomes such a habit that this language creeps into our formal emails when communicating professionally. The use of abbreviations can appear lazy, rude and to some employers may show a lack of education and understanding of formality. This is a con to online professional communication and is something that needs to be addressed. I also feel that language can be misinterpreted in a digital format. A sentence that would otherwise sound completely ordinary may come across blunt or surly in an email or text message which you should be wary of when conversing online. Body language, tone of voice and intonation has a vast impact of the way speech is interpreted and this is missing from communication online. Sarcasm, for example, is something that will not translate well unless heard directly. Intonation is a key aspect of speech. One sentence can completely change its meaning depending on which word you place emphasis and accent on. Take the following sentence as an example : "I didn't say we should kill him!" by changing the emphasis you can utterly change the context of the sentence. Below I have re-written the sentence several times. Each time I have highlighted a different word in colour. Read the sentences and put accentuation on the coloured word and see how the context changes.

"I didn't say we should kill him"

"I didn't say we should kill him"

"I didn't say we should kill him"

"I didn't say we should kill him"

"I didn't say we should kill him"

"I didn't say we should kill him"

"I didn't say we should kill him"

When communicating online it is vital that you are aware that your language can be misinterpreted and that is perhaps why I feel it is often better to communicate via the phone or face-to-face. There are so many aspects to language and this does not always translate well into emails, therefore when trying to impress a potential employer or colleague you must be wary of the way it might be received.

To sum this all up, I certainly cannot ignore the great advances made by technology and I can't deny its usefulness in society, however I do feel that professional communication online needs to be approached with caution and although it is a lot quicker, easier and less daunting to send an email, it often pays off to take the time and do it on the phone, old-fashioned way!

Thanks for reading :-)

       

     

BAPP Task 1 - edited CV

CV attempt number 2:  Nora gave me some great food for thought regarding, primarily, the layout of my CV. I think she made some excellent points so I've given it a good old makeover to make it more readable and accessible to employers. I'm sure there still a lot of room for improvement, but for now I think it looks much better and I agree that it needed a bit of a sort out!
I started by moving my personal profile to the bottom as more of a conclusion rather than an introduction. This way, an employer can have clearly my work and performance experience in front of them for ease and speed. The personal profile can be more of a final sell at the end rather than unnecessary waffle at the beginning this way. I then edited the layout of my performance experience, to make it more clear what I have done and who with rather than it all being mixed up in a chunk of writing.
I hope this is looking better and please feel free to give any more advice! So here it is...

BAPP Task 1 : Professional Profile - CV

A professional profile can come in many different forms. For this particular task, however, I am taking a look at the art of CV writing and how it is an important tool for any professional.  A survey showed that on average an employer takes about 10-15 seconds to decide whether to reject or shortlist an applicant due to the quality of their CV. That is an extremely short amount of time to create a good first impression, so writing a CV is not a task to be taken lightly. At some point in their life, everyone will have to write a CV, but how many of us give it the thought it deserves? I wrote my first CV in my graduate year at Elmhurst and since then I haven't altered it much, just adding to it when necessary. Is this the thorough attention a good CV needs? My guess, is it is far from adequate!

Having read the blogs of my fellow BAPP students, I accumulated a list of questions regarding CV content and here are a couple of them:

 Is it necessary to write academic achievements and qualifications on a CV aimed at dance related jobs? - this seemed to be a question raised by several of my course mates and in my personal opinion I think they should be included. Although many of the jobs of that nature will be based on artistic talent, I still believe that a wise and intelligent dancer would be more desirable and I think it is important to show you are a rounded and academic individual. As someone who takes pride in their academic achievements, I believe it is important to show off all of your skills, however going into detail about each individual exam and grade isn't necessary - a summary is more than sufficient. Any other thoughts?

What should be included in the biography/ introduction of a CV? - Again, this is something that is often queried as I don't think there is a black and white answer. This is more down to personal opinion and in my view keeping it concise and clear of too much "waffle" is key. Highlighting personal attributes and skills is an important part of 'selling yourself' to an employer but you don't want to go overboard! Thoughts?

Right, let's get to it! I have three different CVs.. now I know that sounds a bit excessive but I have one that is aimed at ballet vacancies, one for Jazz and other dance styles and finally on for other types of employment such as retail, bar work etc. Below is a copy of my ballet CV from school, with some notes written in red, which I have made since reading those of my course mates:

Grace Elizabeth Hume 

                                                                                                                             18 --------- Avenue, Maidstone, Kent, ---------                                               grace.hume@yahoo.co.uk07*********

   

 Date of Birth: DD/MM/1996                                                      Height: 162cm
Nationality: British                                                                       Weight:  --kg

 Personal Profile:

  I have had a passion for dancing ever since I started at the age of three years old. I was a junior Associate with The Royal Ballet School, for three years before beginning vocational training at Elmhurst School for Dance in Association with The Birmingham Royal Ballet, at the age of 11. During my training, I have studied a variety of dance styles alongside the strong ballet technique such as; jazz, tap, flamenco, contemporary and national dance.  I am now working as a freelance dancer and teacher in and around London. ( mention personal attributes e.g punctuality, versatility and artistry?) I have been taught and coached by the likes of Marion Tait, Errol Pickford and Desmond Kelly. 

Education:

                                                                                                                                                            2007- 2015   Elmhurst School for Dance                                                                                                         (add currently studying BA hons in Professional Practice)                                                          National Diploma in Professional Dance                                                                                                      (add Benesh notation qualification from school)                                                                                                A levels – English Literature & Maths                                                                                                  RAD Advanced 2 – Distinction                                                                                                  Cecchetti Advanced 1 – Distinction                                                                                                          9 GCSE’s at grade A* - B (individual grades?)

Performance experience:

2015    Dancer in Lovella Ellis’ music video “I’m loving you baby”
            Dancer cirque bijou “Umbrella Project” in Oxford castle  
            Swanhilda in Coppelia (Wright) Elmhurst 10 year anniversary Rep theatre Birmingham 
            Six couples in Les Rendezvous (Ashton) Birmingham Royal Ballet tour
    Four little girls Elite Syncopations (MacMillan) Birmingham Royal Ballet tour

2014    Birds of the forest Beauty and The Beast (Bintley) Birmingham Royal Ballet tour (Sadlers Wells, Plymouth, Salford, Sunderland and Birmingham Hippodrome)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Waltz girl, Façade (Ashton) Birmingham Royal Ballet North tour (Durham, Buxton, and Shrewsbury) and the International Dance Festival (Birmingham)

            Ribbon pas de deux la Fille mal Gardée (Ashton) Birmingham Royal Ballet North tour.
            Guest Soloist Raymonda Act 3 couples Japan International Youth Ballet (Micheal Ho) and    Giselle Pas de six (Petipa)
            Flamenco dance performed at Move it and the Linbury theatre at The Royal Opera House.
2013    Principal in Scene de Ballet performed in the Elmhurst theatre (Micheal Ho)                                         
    Cygnet in Sir Peter Wright’s Swan Lake at the Ruddock Hall 
2012     Filmed for the new RAD Advanced 1 syllabus for the DVD (Lynn Wallis)
     Pas de Trois, Swan Lake (Wright) Finals Elmhurst Solo competition
2010     Dancer Royal Academy of Dance intermediate new syllabus piloting (Lynn Wallis) 
2009     Dancer in Mozartiana (Balanchine) Birmingham Royal Ballet Birmingham Hippodrome
2008     Dancer in Romany Wood (Kit Holder BRB soloist) opening Theatre Severn, guest of honour
HRH Earl of Wessex
2007     Philippa of Hainault Edward II (Bintley) BRB Birmingham Hippodrome, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Sunderland Empire, Sadler’s Wells Theatre.

Work Experience:

2015- present                                                                                                                                                        Private Ballet coach in Kent                                                                                                                          Ballet teacher at Prima stage school, Maidstone                                                                                       Freelance teacher and Choreographer for Dance Centre UK                                                                     2015 - 2016  Fashion assistant Laura Ashley, Maidstone 

Choreography:

2011 – Choreographed a ballet piece for 18 girls which won the audience’s choice award at the Elmhurst School for Dance choreographic competition. It was later selected to be performed in the Elmhurst Summer Show.

Competitions:

2013  Awarded Runner Up for the Fewster Cecchetti Scholarship in London judged by Dame Monica Mason and David Bintley.
2014 I won a scholarship to represent the UK at the Cecchetti International Classical Ballet Competition in Richmond, Virginia where I was awarded a scholarship to a summer intensive in Portland, Oregon. 

So there you have it, my CV! I am going to make some alterations to it, particularly adding in my notes in red. Please comment tips and advice as I'm certainly no CV writing expert.

 Enjoy!