Part 3 :The Networked Professional

This part of the module is perhaps the section that I am most familiar with. Networking is something that most professionals will encounter in their careers and I believe that within the Arts, in particular, it is very important for professional development. So, what is Professional networking exactly? I began by doing a mind map of everything I already knew and had thought about networking. This was anything from examples of networking, to words I felt related to it. I began to build upon and expand on the mind map by using Reader 3 to deepen my understanding of what it means to network professionally. Below is a picture of the finished mind map, as you can see many of my thoughts linked with one another and I suppose this echoes the connective nature of 'Professional Networking'. 

According to Reader 3, the literal definition of Professional Networking is "A work related community held together by either close working affiliation or more distant but common work interests or needs" (Reader 3, 2015). Professional Networking is an extremely effective tool for bettering yourself within your field and if used cautiously can aid your career immensely. One of the main words that sprung to mind when thinking about the concept of networking was 'community'. Anyone in the dance industry will know how tight and small the world of dance can be. It very much is a community which makes networking more accessible to dancers. There is a group on Facebook called 'The Hustle!'. This is essentially a large scale network for performers, actors, models, photographers etc, with over 34700 members. As a dancer, in my opinion, this is perhaps one of the most effective and popular methods of networking around today. Auditions, workshops and industry discussions are posted very regularly (several an hour), which allows you to communicate and network with other professionals within your field. I have been contacted by other members regarding work and have also messaged others myself with questions or concerns within the industry. 'The Hustle!' is referred to as a community which again demonstrates this idea of unity and friendship. I feel that within this community there is an element of "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" so to speak. By this, I mean a mutual respect. If you help someone they will do their best to help you out in return. This is the beauty of networking - it is a two way street. Using acquaintances or fellows performers to aid your professional development is a fantastic tool to have but you must remember to help in return when you can. 

Issues of Professional Networking:

There were some issues that began to arise in my exploration into Professional Networking. Dance is renown for being a competitive industry and exchanges between dancers can turn sour when the element of competition is brought into the equation. This is something that can actually hinder networking as someone might not want to give away advice, help or information in case it gives another 'the upper hand'. As ridiculous as it might sound, that is not something that cannot be dismissed. A wonderful quote I found in Reader 3 describing professional communities is "A network of support that will help us when we are in need" (Crisp & Turner, 2007, p266). This is how it would be in an ideal world, helping one another when we can, however with the element of competition that might not always be the case. Another interesting point is that of "be nice to everyone on your way up as you never know who you might need on your way down".  With networking within the dance world being so rampant, it is important to remember that you might need the assistance of anyone you encounter at any point. The dance world is very small, everyone knows everyone and word of mouth can spread fast. If you gain a bad reputation with an employer or colleague, this could reach any number of industry professionals and could have a detrimental effect on your future endeavours. If you are pleasant and helpful whenever you can be, then this shouldn't be a problem, however it is easy for a bad reputation to spread and you may need someone in the future who won't be so willing if that reputation has reached them. 

With the idea of a community comes the added issue of hierarchy boundaries. Understandably, one must be cautious when trying to network with an individual that is perhaps high up within their field. Despite everyone starting out at the bottom, professionals that are highly regarded need to be approached with respect and professionalism. Acting over confidently or friendly may put them off and they may not wish to be bothered. Privacy is a right and although once upon a time they would have been in the shoes of the eager new beginner, they may not appreciate pestering. Is there a particular way to approach this issue?

Types of Networking:

• Agents - In my opinion the champions of networking. The job of an agent is literally to network with industry professionals, build rapport and put forward dancers they deem suitable for a role or job. They have to gain the trust of employers and expand their contact list through networking on a daily basis. Reputations are a huge factor in Networking and building rapport with a variety of individuals is a great way to achieve this. 
• Acquaintances - Networking with people you have met on your journey is an excellent way to better your career. Fellow dancers can help one another to find jobs and gain experience - something I have experienced first hand. In fact I got my current contract through a dance friend as she set up for me to take company class and when a dancer went down through injury, she told the director I would be available. All of these things would not be possible without using the contacts you have made along the way.
• Teacher /Student - Remaining in contact with teachers you have had can also be a good way to network. Teachers tend to have a good knowledge of the industry and may also have useful contacts in the profession. likewise a teacher remaining in contact with past pupils can be useful when it comes to sending current students out to company auditions

Connections, be it personal or professional, can be the making of someone's career. Networking is using these connections to aid yourself professionally and it is a powerful tool to have. It has been said that you are never more than three people away from anyone and this shows how connected we are as the human race. Professional Networking can be used within a multitude of settings as long as we remember that like anything there is always an element of give and take. Don't expect to have someone help you if you do not offer it in return, if you remember this, then networking has the ability to aid you to the top!

Part 2: Reflective practice

This part of the module is centred around the idea of using your daily events and thoughts to enhance or improve upon your practice. There is a lot to be learnt from sparing a few moments each evening to reflect on your day and what it meant to you. Interestingly, I have found this the most difficult task to date, despite being someone who reflects on past events naturally. I suppose it's the idea of relating my thoughts and journal notes to my professional practice that has me stumped, or perhaps just the idea of a more structured reflection. As suggested I began a reflective journal a couple of weeks ago. As someone who works largely with lists; shopping lists, packing lists, lists of blogs to write, lists of things to do etc etc my journal began with just bullet points of events and thoughts.

Finding the time to write in my journal was not an issue at all. Which is perhaps something I might have thought would be. With countless, mundane, tour bus journeys, I didn't struggle to get thoughts typed up on my iPad (although, I admit it is a lot easier, motivationally, when I sit next to a fellow BAPP student). I found recapping on the day and writing about it, was somewhat therapeutic and it helped me to have a period of unwinding which is always nice after a busy day. I know this was perhaps a little ignorant of me, but initially I did struggle to find a major benefit of a reflective journal other than its therapeutic effect, nevertheless, I enjoyed it all the same. 

To the left is a screenshot of my first few days in my journal. As you can see, it was very basic and written in note form just highlighting key thoughts, feelings and events as opposed to going into detail. I was beginning to think about what each event meant in relation to my professional practice and the life of a professional dancer. The additional thoughts put after the hyphens show how I believe it relates. For example, On day one I was particularly anxious about doing my warm up class on pointe shoes as I hadn't done much pointe work since breaking my ankle and I wanted to save myself for the rehearsals. I added a comment about self management and adapting to suit your needs, which I feel is very important for professional dancers as you are in charge of your own bodies and know your own capabilities. This deeper thinking into small events is the essence of the reflective practice and encourages you to take lessons from your day and your thoughts rather than letting it pass and moving on without any kind of absorption. 

As I was now just touching on the deeper concept of reflective practice, I decided to do a little bit of research into the benefits and found two wonderful quotes which I believe 'hit the nail on the head', so to speak, of the real reasons for reflective practice. They are as follows:

“Reflection is a basic mental process with either a purpose, an outcome, or both, applied in situations in which material is unstructured or uncertain and where there is no obvious solution.”

This was said by Jennifer A Moon in reflection in learning and professional development : theory & practice. This quote shows the reflecting and writing about every day isn't necessary unless there is a purpose or something to be gained by it. I agree that simply writing down events for the sake of it, perhaps doesn't have the benefit of writing about a particular event with a lesson or meaning. The idea of reflective practice is to learn from past experiences as opposed to just noting them down. I think the section about an uncertain solution is interesting also, as it approaches refection in a direction I hadn't necessarily considered. Writing about situations which confused you or you feel leave unanswered questions is a good way to take more information from the event than you had at the time, thus gaining more knowledge and perspective. 

"Reflective practice is 'a dialogue of thinking and doing through which I become more skilful'" 

This quote comes from The Reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action and it was said by Donald A Schon. Again, this highlights the importance of using your reflective practice as a learning experience and to gain skills that weren't as developed before. I think the use of the word "dialogue" is really interesting and it evokes imagery of your thoughts and actions conversing and almost working in opposition. Your thoughts and actions are very independent from one another and your reflection should show this. They can influence each other, but one doesn't always happen as a result of another. Using reflection for self improvement is also a very interesting point. There is little benefit in writing down events if you don't use them to improve how you may act in the same situation should it arise. 

I am now going to use the table given to us in the handbook to explore alternative methods of reflective practice. I will also use what I have learnt from the above quotations to re-evaluate the purpose of my reflection and direction I shall approach it in for the remainder of the course. I shall write a post shortly about my discoveries and I hope you gained something from the quotes as much as I did!

Time to get cracking - Using 2D images for professional promotion

With a new busy schedule I have found that, with regards to my BAPP work, my structure has gone completely out of the window. My blogs bare no correlation to the suggested order of tasks and despite already being well into my journal writing and other aspects of part 2, there are elements of part 1 which I am yet to write about! I guess I have been working and writing about things that are relevant to me at the time, even if it means skipping ahead slightly and I think it's time to get back on track. I had a little panic the other day, looking at the time limit on module 1 and how far I had to go, so I feel I need to crack down and get some work done. It's funny how time can run away with you and you suddenly find yourself lagging behind. As someone who is not long out of school, I'm used to a strict timetable and structure so this is perhaps one of the things I have found most challenging about the course. Anyway, enough ramble... time to get a move on.

The use of 2D images in the professional world

I briefly touched on this in my latest blog about the use of social media, discussing the use of 'instagram' in my professional practice, however for this I had decided to use a new application that I am unfamiliar with to develop my understanding further. I am the first to admit I am a prolific 'instagram' user! I am not someone who posts several times a day, however, I will scroll through my "newsfeed" often and will upload something myself weekly. As a dancer, I think I like working with visuals and the use of 2D images is no exception. With 'instagram' being my go-to forum for post images on social media, I decided to set up a 'Flickr' account and explore an alternative medium with regards to my professional development as opposed to personal and social also. 

Getting started

I began by downloading the 'Flickr' application onto my iPhone which took a matter of seconds. Getting a new app is always exciting but it is always clear how it all works at first. I set up and account and gave myself a profile photo, which is known as an "avatar" on this particular programme. As I have decided to keep this purely professional, I used my dance headshot as opposed to an ordinary photo of myself or dare I say, a "selfie'! Just this one simple decision completely changed a number of factors in my approach to social media, such as:
1) My market and following
2) The way I will be viewed by others
3) The style of my profile
It just shows how many different ways a programme can be used and simple decisions like your choice of profile photo can determine the direction of your experience. My next step, was to use the search bar to follow other accounts related to my field of interest. I typed in a couple of words which I felt were relevant to myself as a professional.

DANCE, ART, MOVEMENT, MODEL & PERFORMERS were just some of the words I used and I began following accounts that I found captivating or interesting and others that I feel I could utilise in my professional journey. This is a very important part in making the most of social media in a professional manner and it can enable you to connect and communicate with individuals within your area of practice.
My third and final step was to begin uploading images! I started by posting my dance portfolio photos as I feel these are the type of images that would promote myself as a dance in the best light. They say "a picture is worth a thousand words" and in the performance/dance industry that really can be the case. I think the use of 2D images can have a great effect and advantage professionally if used appropriately and it is something that should be used and encourage more widely. The danger comes, when people blur the lines between using social media as a platform for their careers, and using it for social climbing. By all means social media can be used for personal reasons and I myself use it alongside friends and family, however a professional account should remain professional in order to avoid negative views from prospective clients or employers.

Here is a screenshot of my new 'Flickr' page, admittedly there is  a very long way to go but I am happy with the layout of it so far and I am excited to see how it progresses and helps me professionally. Last week, I did a photoshoot for the new IDS (International dance supplies) catalogue. This consisted of two full days modelling a large amount of dance wear and costumes for the new catalogue that is coming out. This is a prime example of using 2D images to in a professional capacity. The images will be used world wide to sell dance wear to dancers and without this the products would fail to sell. Clothing and dance wear is the type of product that MUST be seen before it can be bought, so the use of images in this instance is a vital part of the business. Not only will these images be used in campaigns and catalogues, but they are what the business website consists of. Once I get the a copy of the images, I will no doubt post a few on various social media platforms to help promote the products and this is where 2D imagery on social media is most useful.

I decided to use my personal 'Instagram' account to post a photo of some of my BAPP work. I took a picture of my blog page and posted it on 'instagram' to encourage other dancers to read about my journey and hopefully inspire them to look into and consider the course. Social media can be very powerful in that respect and although this was a task given to me in the module, it can spread the information about the course and I think that it is a great promotional tool.


Generally speaking, I think the use of 2D images can be very helpful in a professional forum, particularly in the dance industry as it is primarily a visual art form. 'Instagram' and 'Flickr' along with other image based social media sights are useful tools for professionals and ones that I feel should be utilised much more.

Social media: It can be professional too?!

Social media is a great tool for both personal and professional communication when used appropriately. I have had several social media accounts for many years and I think they are fantastic for communication on a large scale. Facebook perhaps being the most popular of all sites can be used in many different ways and I have used it for my own enjoyment as well as for business purposes also. Instagram and Twitter are also extremely useful particularly in the development of professional communication worldwide. There are understandably people who are perhaps against the use of social media, however with the progress made daily in technology it may be that those individuals hinder themselves professionally if they continue to resist it.

FACEBOOK

Personally, I have used Facebook in a multitude of manners but it is a very useful tool for professionals to use to promote their business or communicate with their market. As a dancer I follow several companies on Facebook which helps me keep up to date with what productions they are doing and more importantly their upcoming auditions. I have been to many auditions which I have seen advertised or shared on Facebook and for a company it is a great way to spread the news on a global scale. Dancers I know are constantly sharing posts regarding auditions and it is extremely helpful to find the necessary information on company Facebook pages. Where I have been teaching, we have recently decided to create an associate programme for dancers that are not only members of the school, but externally too. We are due to be holding auditions in the summer and our primary source of marketing has been Facebook. We have all been sharing adverts and the Information page to spread the word, which has been very effective and well received. We have an upcoming open workshop which again has been advertised as an event on Facebook. This is where the medium of 2.0 two way communication has been extremely useful. On an event you can state if you are attending which is a great way to keep track of numbers which wouldn't be possible if advertising was done using flyers. It also allows those that are interested to post questions or comments, which again isn't ordinarily an option. Furthermore, due to my recent commitment with Vienna festival ballet we had to change the date of the workshop. This is all only possible because of the use of Web 2.0 and social media. The two way communication allows details to be clarified and the word to be spread further and quicker.

INSTAGRAM

Primarily a visual and image based site, Instagram is another popular programme amongst social media fanatics. It is however becoming increasingly evident in the professional world also. Having an Instagram account as a dancer, has its benefits in more ways than one. Dance is a visual art form so using a medium that is primarily image based is a great way to promote yourself online. The majority of dancers have an Instagram account and it is perfect for uploading dance clips and portfolio shots for employers to view worldwide. I know of dancers who have booked photoshoots and modelling jobs through their Instagram accounts and it is important for companies to use social media to broaden their name internationally. I follow a few professional dancers on Instagram and another thing that seems quite popular is dance wear companies using professionals to promote their products via Instagram. One dancer  I know works with Grisko, taking pictures in their leotards and warmups to encourage other dancers to buy the products. It is an extremely effective advertising technique particularly when well known dancers are used with a very large following. The use of Web 2.0 with social media brings its uses up another level. The ability to communicate online with other professionals and companies is something that more conventional methods don’t allow. Being able to comment on and show interest in the posts of prospective employers is a great tool for professional development.

ISSUES OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Although social media is undeniably a vital tool for professionals currently, it doesn't come without controversy and it’s problems. Having yourself so visable online, worldwide, is very revealing and you have to be wary of the way you present yourselves on the Internet. Companies will often Google applicants before inviting them to interview to get some insight into them as a person and how they conduct themselves online. Facebook profiles will also often be viewed and employers can be put off by how you're presented on social media.
In an article I read by R.Kay Green, who is the CEO of a large marketing organisation, she talks about the topic of present yourself realistically online, versus presenting your ideal persona. She said “ If you're consistent and transparent in your online and offline persona, you have nothing to fear from exposure.” Which I think is an extremely relevant point in today’s society, as lots of people are fixated on competing online to make their life look the most impressive and eventually they're going to get caught out. There is a lot of debate surrounding how you present yourself professionally on a personal social media account and I think as long as you are aware of the fact anyone can view your page then you shouldn't cause too many issues. Another common mistake found on Facebook and Twitter, is posting about a colleague or boss in a negative manner. This is very dangerous as these inappropriate comments can be viewed by said person and can land you in a lot of trouble.

In conclusion, social media is an extremely useful tool for developing your professional career online and promoting yourself positively on a large scale , however, it is very important we remain aware of how people may perceive us by the way we conduct ourselves online. By all means, use the advantages of social media for advertising and PR but don't post anything that may hyperbolise your achievements or could rub someone up the wrong way.

Jobs like London busses

I'm sure we've all had the London bus experience at some point in our lives. Waiting ages for one and three come along at once? Well this has happened to me very recently, only to my good fortune it has been in my professional life. I can be rest assured that I'm not alone in the dance world in hitting the wall where you think you can't keep going to auditions anymore and it's no less of a kick in the stomach each time. I reached that point last week and in an instance it all changed for the better. I'm sure all performers can agree that going to countless auditions and getting knocked back time and time again can be extremely disheartening. Just when I thought I'd reached my limit, I got offered two jobs! Last Friday, I went to an audition for a cruise company in London. Just two hours into the audition myself and one other dancer got called over to the table of the casting director. She offered us a job on the spot and told us she didn't need us to stay for the remainder of the audition. I was elated and suddenly forgot about all the upset I had experienced in previous auditions. It was all worth it in this moment. This made me reflect on the commonly used phrase "If it's meant to be, it will happen" - I'm not someone who believes in "everything happens for a reason" but I do feel that the time was right for me and that particular contract was meant to be.

On Sunday, another common saying sprung to mind after my second lucky break of the week. I went along to watch my friend Maddy (who is also doing the course) in her production of Swan Lake with Vienna festival ballet. Having taken class with the company a few weeks ago (after coming back from injury), I was familiar with the staff and other dancers. In the interval, the ballet mistress and company director took me aside and explained that one of their dancers had got injured and they needed someone to join the tour with immediate effect. They again offered me the job on the spot and asked if I could start with them on Tuesday. I was in a state of surprise and gladly accepted the offer. The saying that sprung to mind is "being in the right place at the right time" this really was one of those scenarios. Who'd have thought that I would go to watch my friend perform and walk away with a contract with a ballet company. It made me reflect on how easy it is for your professional life to completely change in a matter of moments and sometimes it can be over just as quickly as it started. As a dancer you have to constantly be prepared to drop everything at a minutes notice and move to wherever the job may take you! I feel in the dance industry, with talented dancers two a penny, quite a lot of it is being in the right place at the right time. For me, being in the audience as they need another dancer,  it was just that. Equally, I couldn't help feeling sorry for the dancer who's path similarly changed very quickly too but perhaps not for such a positive reason. It made me think about the mortality (for want of a better word) of a dance career and how unpredictable it can be. Dancers have to be prepared at all times for whatever might come their way and I think it makes for very strong people. Luck and good fortune play a big part in the profession as well as other unchangables such as height, shape and colourings.

This situation has caused me to reflect on the brevity of a dancers career and how there is this constant battle between body and time. A dance career doesn't tend to extend much beyond early to mid- thirties as the body can't withstand the strain it's put under on a daily basis. Dancers getting injured at a young age is a taster of what is to come later in their careers. Is it a profession people should view as temporary? As someone who likes to have a clear plan, I have always had ideas about what I would like to do post dance career and I've always been aware that I need to be prepared for it to end early, but is this something everyone should consider and is there enough emphasis on planning for your future  career path? With dancers persuing a career from such an early age, they don't always have to give much thought to alternatives as they have a clear idea of what they want with their lives. Is this native though? I believe more thought needs to be given to this as a dance career is very fragile, one injury could end it permanently! I found online a lady called Alison Golding, who had written her MSc Dance Science final paper on the ending of a dance career entitled " A golden thread: Holding up identity in a professional dancers' career transition". Interestingly, she talks about the idea of loss both during a dance career and after. The thing that I found most relevant was the concept that when a dancer retires a part of them is lost and dance was such a pertinent aspect to their being. I can, to some degree, achknowlege the truth in that as dancers are so passionate about dance that it does indeed become part of their identity, however I can't help feeling that it is unnecessary to feel a sense of loss. There is so much out there that means you can remain involved in dance without physically dancing. Should this replace the loss discussed? - I think it's should. What point is there in dwelling on what was, when you could be looking at what could be or what is now?