A triple "sweat" - My first job!

Apologies for not being active on the blogosphere over the past few weeks, this is the first time I have had proper wifi (sat in a local spoons) and so I am just catching up on myself!

So I have started rehearsals for my first professional contract and well, they're pretty much what they told us in college they would be... And then some!!!

My amazing team - Balmoral 2014/15

So yeah, rehearsals have been really intense! I work 12hrs a day, 6 days a week with a day off but that is usually spent rehearsing! Obviously Id be lying if I said I love EVERY minute of it because it is really hard, Im only 19 and being my first contract emotions are running high, luckily, I have an amazing team and we all support each other no matter what! It sounds so cheesy but we genuinely have become a family and its inspirational working with such talented people!

I won't bore you with all the details but we are learning all our shows which are your typical revue shows, however unlike most companies we are all expected too sing and dance and act throughout all of them, so the amount I am learning is incredible, but also teaching as well, we all have our niche within in the team whether it be singing certain styles or having the edge in certain genres and its just incredible working as part of a team that has the same goal and the same drive for perfection!

The days can be long and hard though, my brain was frazzled in the first days learning all the singing then my body was destroyed with 5 days of physical before starting the process all over again! The pace in which you have to learn shows is crazy too, but if it was all a breeze, we wouldn't be there would we?! We learn a show in 6 days, thats vocals, dancing, the lot. We also have the help of amazing choreographers and Musical Directors and an excellent rehearsals space. We do get treated really well and I do feel very blessed.  

The interesting part will be when it all transfers to the ship, we dock in southampton but we found out during install we dry dock in Hamburg for 2 weeks which will be incredible! I shall try and keep you posted but I just thought Ill update you all and let you know that I will be catching up on all the blogg work! Anyone started considering their essay for the module 1? Let me know :)

Ant x

Feathers, Fans & Flamenco: Benidorm palace's "Efex"

Benidorm Palace, the cabaret gem found in of course Benidorm, home to a revue show like no other! There current show Efex, by Moore Entertainment, is a perfect blend of dance, magic, and specialty acts. With exciting special effects and dramatic music choices complimenting the stunning cast of dancers and performers to really produce an unforgettable show!

For, of course purely professional reasons, I went to Benidorm to watch my friend, and fellow graduate of mine, dance at her new job in Benidrom Palace. The stunning beaches and gorgeous weather were just a mere perk of my professional exploration. However, again this post is not directly related to the module 1 tasks that have been set, I really wanted to attempt a "review" style piece of work, as to be honest I was blown away by just how incredible the show was. As I sit here now with the DVD of the show on in the background the music brings back those almost cliché goosebumps that I got when sat there in awe at the actual show! As part of our professional career as artists, we need to immerse ourselves in performances to develop our artistic understanding, it was such an incredible opportunity for me as not only was it a learning curve but I also got to see my best friend and also 2 other Northern Ballet School graduates in their element, performing on a professional stage!

In the heart of Benidorm, lies the Benidorm Palace, a breath taking building from the get go, the metal like infrastructure glistens with light, a curved, elegant building that really draws you in from the start! I bought my ticket outside and headed into the palace to be seated. At first I was speechless, the cabaret style theater is huge! With a live in house band, you have the option to be serenaded while enjoying a luxury 3 course meal, or like me, arrive just in time for the show - with a free beverage included of course!

The live band looked almost minute on the huge stage, but I have to say the live singing in both Spanish and English was stunning. "New Bambú" are a credit to the Palace and with the option of a pre-show boogie on the central dance floor, the atmosphere and ambiance is that of a friendly and enjoyable one from the start - non of that awkward pre-show silence that makes the time before curtain up seem a million years. Then the lights dimmed and the orchestra said their goodbyes and everyone k

new it was time for it to begin:

My view

After a quick "no photography" announcement the lights dimmed again and smoke billowed from the top right hand corner. The dramatic 'Una Odisse En L'espai" started playing, that unmistakable sound of brass and timpani start building up the anticipation as a space age looking tube is lowered from the top corner and the dance floor lifts up to become an extension of the already large stage! Powerful silhouettes of dancers are lifted up along with it as this empty tube is lowered onto a landing pad! Filling with smoke in a slight pause, a climaxing piece of music blares and the tube is lifted to reveal David Climmont (magician and laser extraordinaire) who has magically materialized within the tube! A fantastic use of music and set to create such a fantastic illusion. A brilliant opening, I was on the edge of my seat already.

The lights changed to a blend of reds and yellows, illuminating these stunning dancers in long flowing skirts and tight fitting bodices. Hair slicked back to perfection into a classic Spanish side bun and poised in that typical Spanish profile angular pose with fans! Now having never really studied Spanish dance I was excited from the start. My first impressions were that the choreographer had tried to go for a classic Spanish style with a cheeky sassy twist. The music was heavy with rock elements but a classical Spanish origin. You were drawn into the eyes of the central girls as they posed and fanned and chaîné-d across the stage. The back drop was an audio visual explosion of fire and exciting lights to top of thee dramatic mood. Speaking choreographically, the producer has used every down beat and every isolation with the fan perfectly to contrast then with the flowing classical movements, the girls fanning themselves and smirking making the intricate work look easy... I had an opportunity to have a practice in my own time with a fan and can tell you now, they are one of the hardest props I have ever attempted to use. The way the girls opened and closed the fans was just spot on, that sassy feel as whipped it open then luxuriously fanned themselves enticing in every member of the audience.

Then the men boldly came onto the stage, an air of power and passion, as they walked forward to partner the girls. As if fan work wasn't hard enough, the couples then both manipulated the fan, using it to intertwine with each other. The girls left, leaving the men on stage, as a male dancer I am probably a lot more biased towards the male dancers but also have higher expectations. I must admit although being blown away by the phenomenal intricate flamenco work displayed, the synchronicity was at times a little off. Coming from a very balletic background I am used to the drilling that as a corp de ballet they face, however as a dancer swaying towards the jazz elements, I also understand the raw passion and personal desire to ooze style rather than being a robotic clone of the dancer in front, so I guess I could excuse the odd timing mishap due to the powerful choreography displayed. Saying that, one thing I would be loathed to excuse is the pirouettes, some did a double some did a triple some did more. With a mish mash of turns I feel the choreography became temporarily watered down and it was a shame!

Girls then flooded the stage with "pasodoble" capes and mesmerized us with the sleek powerful whipping of the capes. An excellent idea, the use of props were well thought out and purposeful. Then as if they couldn't include more, the men came back on with castanets to mark the start of final part of the prologue. The castanet work had to be my second favourite part of the opening, the flamenco work was powerful and a stunning female dancer, elegantly walking forward before leading the pack of men in a divine 5-some took my breath away but then all dancers came back onto the stage and the music switched back to the opening sharp music, and the dancers filled the central stage creating a fierce pack of castanet dancers, sharp sequences of isolations were repeated to almost blend the dancers into a Spanish sea of passion and just as you thought the dance was over they exploded back with flamec-splosion of very intricate choreography before building up to the ending where the dances froze and a swift blackout of the lights marked the ending of the prologue.

It took every ounce of theatre etiquette I had not stand up on table and cheer, I do not know whether it was my unfamiliarity with this Spanish fusion or the combination of exquisite choreography and dramatic lights and effects that really had me going, but I was just blown away by the first opening number. Which is how it should be in my opinion, it sets the mood and the mood that was set was of fierce Spanish passion and drama!

A comedy speciality act followed, using members of the audience to create a short sketch about creating a film. Using charismatic actions and sound effects along with hilarious props and the odd "mishap" made for some real classic entertainment. The use of speciality acts is one that is common in revue shows across the globe but they are essential I feel so the dancers can 1. rest and change but also 2. to stop them becoming stale, having a break from the dancers makes every number as dramatic and fresh as the opening. Not that I would get bored of seeing the dance but I am a dancer, speaking as a member of the general public I feel it is vital in creating a well balanced show that will lead to overall enjoyment for all audiences.

On to the next piece, we went back to the dancers, in the piece Andamios. Here we see again the classic Spanish skirt and bodice but with a definite modern flare. Denim and bold patterns grasped the eye. The number began with a fantastic male solo, straying away from the previous Spanish style we see classic jazz work, leaps and kicks and knee slides all performed with a rock star attitude and the soloist really did draw my eye before finishing with a devilishly difficult grandes pirouettes in seconde. My only criticism that I would want to see more, his technique was exceptional and I thoroughly enjoyed his performance.

The next part is what I would describe as West Side Story meets Flamenco. There was almost a modernised flamenco dance off between the boys and and girls using two halves of the stage, it was very good yet I feel my attention was occasionally lost as I was trying to focus on too many things at once. As a style I feel it is incredibly precise yet fluid, so I can imagine how difficult it is to be in perfect timing as there are no definite positions all the time.

The use of scenery again was good, the metal scaffolds were moved across the stage with ease and the lighting followed, really adding to this modern almost back street feel. This lead onto then probably my favourite part of this piece, the acapella dancing. The music was cut and the beat was produced by claps and heels, the rhythms were exciting and dramatic. Men using the wooden boxes as drums really added to this rockish, modern theme. And then as if you thought it could not get any more dramatic, 2 men having a dance battle using rhythms and claps were showered in sparks as surrounding men used rotary saws to hack away at metal plates either side, metallic sparks showered the dancers, it was exciting and also something I had never seen before. Again a fantastic use of prop.

A magic trick followed continuing the saw theme. A huge rotary saw sliced a poor dancer in half, a shrill scream pierced the audiences ears as the table was separated in half, detaching her legs, only to be magically put together unharmed by the magician David. Its a classic magical illusion but I enjoyed how the theme was continued fluidly, blending dance and speciality act. It was short and sweet and the two magical assistants performed well.

We were then brought back to the men, a static use of heel beats and almost tap like leg work with jazzy arm work and isolations. This was the link to the final dance routine of the 1st half, where a female clad in an Irish skirt and curly head piece came on to Celtic music. I know what you're thinking, a flamenco fusion of saws and sparks to Irish? I was apprehensive at first but the tap element was almost similar to the flamenco foot work and actually it was incredibly refreshing. The scaffolding was used as girls danced on top of it building up physical layers to the stage and the again being unfamiliar with Irish dancing I couldn't say whether it was legitimately typical but it definitely had that Irish jig air to it and I thoroughly enjoyed it, the lines and patterns were exciting and there was a lot more movement round the stage that previous numbers which was enjoyable.

This marked the start of a 30 minute interval where we were to be entertained by the in house band once more.

Another 8 hours round the globe, Act 2 started with origami, an Oriental themed part of the show, girls in bright kimonos ran daintily onto the stage. A scenery of pagodas and large Bonsai trees decorated the set, really setting the scene! Continuing with this Oriental theme, the choreography involved 2 different coloured fans and matched the music perfectly. The overall performance was fantastic, the girls were in sync and this Asian fusion with the flamenco dancers worked so well. The men came on in bright red harem pants and sandals, again their dancing followed the same theme and instead of fans nun chucks were used adding a whole new masculine element to the piece. Following on from this came a group of girls in a fantastic costume: a simple short kimono however they were carrying this almost carpet like drape which hung box like down from their shoulders, on the back was exquisite Chinese embroidery. The costumes were to die for but the choreography had to be kept simile due to the sheer width and size of them. Then as a finale for this dance number, a soloist clad in an exquisite kimono did a cheeky removal of several layers, each a different, beautiful kimono of delicate silk until she was in a light yellow number. I found this interesting because in Chinese history, yellow was typically only allowed to be worn by an emperor, this may have been a coincidence but if not, it was clever how the yellow silk was used for this costume to almost bring out the soloist as a main part. 

Again, another magic trick, the samurai swords through the box containing the main girl dancer. the trick itself was incredible but in my opinion it was upstaged entirely by the next act. The acrobatic trio performing incredible, gravity defying balancing acts, I was stood up clapping by the end, the tricks were amazing, I was speechless. 3 men using sheer strength to lift each other in hand stands and counter balances. Furthermore spray painted gold, they really gave the justice the notion of being brass statues. The music and slow motion linking movements and the tricks were indescribable. I haven't seen anything that impressive in terms of acrobatics in a show like this, they would not have looked out of place in Cirque De Soleil. My only criticism is they only got one bow and that was as they were lowered into the floor off stage!

Now from China to the future, Technologic Robotrock! This section was full of brilliant costume ideas and modern, funky choreography. The first number involved both girls and boys in the same guard like outfit with a criss cross of bright lights across the chest. A complete change in the choreography  bought a refreshing new style out onto the stage. Fist pumps and body isolations touched on the break dance genre, which was performed very well considering these dancers are probably classically trained - showing quite just how versatile the cast were. Furthermore it was nice to move away from feathers and high kicks. Then the robot number where a blacked out stage and dancers in morph suits with lights on just took my breath away! It was funky and fresh, the use of lights on the costume and perfect timing with the tech team meant that the dancers were lit on and off, giving the illusion of them disappearing and reappearing almost instantaneously. I have never quite seen anything like this, the use of the morph suits is quite common but the on and off choreo was just incredible. Again the funk genre strayed away from struts and flamenco but it really was performed brilliantly.

A laser act followed on from this, here we saw David Climent in his other speciality masterpiece. Green lasers and pyrotechnics created a fantastic effect, it was dramatic and different! Any member of the audience would enjoy this, and it was cleverly linked with the previous section.

Now onto the final part of the show before the finale and my ultimate favourite part of the show, Pick a Card! Men brought on huge playing card models on wheels and girls entered the stage clad in huge feathered headdresses and shiny harem pant trousers.  It was sassy and sleek! This choreography oozed showgirl passion and although the girls were topless, it was not provocative and I didn't feel like it was seedy. It was pure class and refinement with a hint of that naughty sexy wow factor as the girls strutted forward. The choreography here was my favourite. As much as I loved experiencing the Spanish style that we see throughout, I feel you cannot beat the classic showgirl jazz! The music was amazing to along with the scenery, I was really sad when it ended!

However after we were taken right back to Spain with an amazing number using huge ruffled sleeves that the girls could wave about and drape! Including some intricate partner work as well, the costumes were managed perfectly as I imagine it could be quite awkward. None of the girls had any major mishaps so a lot of rehearsal and drilling must have gone into it! We bounced back after this to diamonds, a show palace classic! Using a set of girls and very well animated male, it was not only sexy and fabulous but also rather comedic. The gentleman was flirtatious and funny and really played up for the girls which was good to see and the girls played back! It was also the first time we saw lip syncing being used which actually was quite nice because it really brought alive and animated the girls expressions in a way we hadn't seen previously - adding layers like this really finished off a number.

A short sound clip from the one and only Lady GaGa's poker face brought us to the next number, this time a sexy girl clad in a black leotard and a headdress in the shape of a spade (as in the one on cards)! An amazing routine again, just adding another layer to this amazing section. She lead the men, had them memorised along with the audience. The choreography was very well thought out, they were in perfect sync and it suited both the men and the soloist! The men upped their game massively but the female soloist really shone for me! It is a shame because I feel the men are overlooked in shows like this the whole time, but with a dancer as stunning as that centre stage its hard not to take your eyes away!

After that it was then time for finale! Much to my displeasure as I wanted the show to continue on into the night! On one half the Spanish girls in ravishing red dresses and glittery fans and the other sexy international dancers in feathers and divine headdresses! I enjoyed how the choreography here was separated into almost two halves before merging into one finale. Showing both strengths of all the dancers. As far as I could tell from the applause and ovations that the cast were receiving, it cant have just been myself who thoroughly enjoyed the show. A release of balloons into the crowd really finished of the show on a high as the curtains shut and marked the end of the show.

Overall I would rate the show 9/10 - on the night I watched it was excellent, a few sections with the more detailed Spanish work fell out of sync and there were some sections where I felt a bit more polishing would really lift the choreography to its maximum potential. However 5/5 for music and song choice, and it was matched perfectly by the choreography. The speciality acts were well placed and the transition of themes was cleverly thought out and a lot more modernised which I enjoyed. I feel that this show is a hidden gem though, as we the instance we think of show palace cabaret we think Paris and Moulin Rouge but this really is up there and beyond those shows. In fact the blend of fans and feathers with modern day magic and choreography is quite unique to Efex and quite revolutionary and forthcoming within the genre. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is able to go and see it!

I hope you have enjoyed reading this piece and hopefully I have inspired more people to go and spectate such a spectacle. I was blown away and I am sure you will be too! I also hope that my review has given justice to the show, I have not had much experience writing something like this so feedback and comments will be helpful! 

Advert from the website

Dancers: Athletes Of God

One of the best things that I am just getting to grips with is just picking up my laptop and writing! I often find myself lay there thinking about things and now suddenly I have a way of putting them out there in the universe! Anyways, as the nomad that I am, I really like the idea of my laptop just being there, transported around with, I do not like to work in any one spot, I enjoy having various areas where I can get stuck in anywhere! In this case I was just staring at a poster I have above my bed and on it is a poem by Martha Graham,  with the ending line of "An Athlete of God". This sent my mind racing back to the conversation I have had previously with a fellow dancer friend, discussing injuries and to be honest how useless mainstream doctors are when treating dance based injuries! 

 

The view from my bed!

Excuse the wonky poster but that last powerful sentence really suddenly hit home with me, as a dancer I know the physical strain we put on our body, it is one of the most physical art forms - fluctuating into the realms of sport! In short, we really are expected to be athletes yet the recognition we get from a medical point of view is pretty dire!

A very close friend of mine has recently had to leave vocational training due to a hip injury, yet after X-Rays and consultations, medical professionals have not been able to come up with a diagnosis and therefore the prognosis was "Well, just don't dance on it"! I know I am biased and I know every dancer whines about the same thing, but we well and truly are NOT recognized as athletic individual that have to train and look after their body a way an Olympian would!

I am aware that many professional companies have in house physios and even many vocational schools have the same! But they come at a cost and also not as accessible as your generic NHS GP. But even so, the research that goes into sport science and sports injuries seems to be non existent when it comes to dance! Theoretically there is a lot of dance bases research into the anatomical capabilities of a perfect dancer and what we aim to achieve, but not all of us were born that way if anyone is! The friend I mentioned earlier is having to travel down to London from her Midland based home to go to a specialized dance clinic, an amazing place I am sure but at what cost?!

Upon doing further research I did come across something rather amazing however, a center for dance medicine! A weekly clinic run by a network of professionals, working closer together to provide specialist treatment for dancers. But this is in London, I know the dance world does pretty much revolve round the capital, but surely, if I can go to physio in my local NHS clinic then why can't dance be integrated into umbrella that is Sport Medicine. I am not asking for a whole stretch of clinics just for dancers up and down the country, that would be financially ridiculous let alone redundant, but too many dancers are brushed aside by NHS doctors and told that its tough and if it hurts just don't do it!  

But how has this ended up this way? Well personally, I feel it is down to the lack of research! Or maybe even too many contrary debates when it comes to dancers health! I mean comparing a dancer to an athlete: training, diet, job prospects are all completely different! Many dancers are told they are too skinny, but they are just as strong as an athlete! Again I am not asking for dance to be an Olympic sport but a little bit of research could go a long way! What exercises could work along side dance training to help and rehabilitate an injury?! In a period of non dancing, what ways can a dancer keep a level of what I like to call "dance fitness" without working or damaging certain muscle groups? Dancers are told to do Pilates and yoga and to stretch etc and this is all well and good, but that's just injury prevention, the way an Olympic diver does weigh training pool side to prepare the body for impact. But if that Olympic diver tore a tricep, there would be a physio with massage, treatment and exercises to help it recover... Dancers are told its tough or more often than not with dance based injuries, told that findings are inconclusive and to sit out and not train for a period of time!

Again, I will admit I am biased, but it is just not good enough! We work as hard as athletes and are looked down on because people assume we just prance about in leotards and tights! But what can we do about it?! Sadly, I am no medical expert, but I do feel maybe as artists we should club together and constantly share health tips and training ideas that we have found effective, if the professionals won't do the research for us then we can do it ourselves! If anyone has any gym routines or exercise programmes they have found particularly effective for an injury or just general training, please do let me know! I know for a fact I will definitely be constantly on the go, researching different techniques and reading up on how I can maintain a fit and healthy "dance fit" body!

This does not really have anything to do with my course module at the moment, but the more I blog, the more I find it an effective release to sometimes put thoughts and frustrations down and help myself reflect! I always like to think of a blog post to not be conclusive statement but the building blocks and foundations for ongoing research! So please share and comment with anything as it would be really interesting to hear your stories and experiences! 

#Web 2.0 - The worldwide network at your fingertips!

We hash-tag, comment, share and like, from formal emails to friendly chats, Web 2.0 has revolutionized the entire world, and in this post I wish to discuss the ups and downs of this phenomenal invention and how it has transformed the dance industry!

A few logos of Web 2.0 dependent brands

I mean, just as I sit here typing this blog post, I am reminded that without such an incredible tool, I would not be able to do my degree... Well I wouldn't have a way of writing this "blog' at all! I have been lucky enough to grow up with the internet, have lessons on how to use this amazing recourse, be lucky enough to develop vast virtual networks and absorb the vast amount of knowledge that is accessible with just a simple click. However, I wish to focus on its uses within the dance industry and I hope to discuss and develop my knowledge of how I can use it to my advantage and also inform others as well!

Take 2.0

I for one, and potentially many other people, did not actually know what Web 2.0 was, despite being an avid internet user. So naturally the first thing I did was type it into Google and do some research...

Safe to say I came across vast articles, as I sifted through web page after web page trying to educate myself, I had many thoughts! The first one being that I am so glad I chose dance and not IT because it is really hard and secondly there is no real conclusive definition of Web 2.0 but I feel that  just reflects the vast potential and never ending uses of Web 2.0! One quote that I did find was from the inventor of the World Wide Web himself, Tim Berners-Lee:

"Web 1.0 was all about connecting people. It was an interactive space, and I think Web 2.0 is of course a piece of jargon, nobody even knows what it means. If Web 2.0 for you is blogs and wikis, then that is people to people. But that was what the Web was supposed to be all along." 

developerWorks Interviews: Tim Berners-Lee

Web 2.0 is limitless, it completely revolutionized social interaction! There is a lot of stigma behind the internet, especially from the older generation, from a 19 year old's perspective I would argue that anyone who disagrees with the vast, amazing capabilities of the web, are very backwards! However, with the requirements of a well rounded argument, I do understand there are some downfalls and flaws in how reliant today's society is on the web. In some cases there are almost issues with addiction and then of course there are awful cases of cyber bullying. Yet I feel that with the constant development of the web there is also constant education in terms of correct and safe usage or "netiquette" as it is fondly known as.

Like, Share and... Poke?! The development of Social Media

Social media websites, such as Facebook or Twitter are probably the center point of everyday social media usage! They are now integrated directly into our mobile phones, used by commercial companies and even in some cases schools! It has almost become a stage of friendship, a transition from acquaintances to "Facebook friends", social media has grown and is growing exponentially! But what is social media and how does it affect us?

Well essentially, in terms of Web 2.0, social media is all about interaction, it adds another dimension to media, gives a chance for you to voice your opinion or thoughts, whether it is read by select group of friends or public information accessible by everyone! User interfaces, such as Facebook and Twitter, revolutionized social media with mediums such as a "Wall" or a "Feed", constant, almost tangible information there at your finger tips. A newspaper or magazine article is a 2 dimensional one way street, you cannot communicate with it, where as with social media you can communicate with everyone!

Although I wouldn't substitute social media for physical social interaction. There is a lot of stigma between teenagers and social media sites, and where I agree entirely that as a generation we can be too reliant on the web, you would be ignorant to deny the vast advantages of Web 2.0 and social media!

Putting the dance industry aside for a second, and looking at industry as whole, the capabilities when it comes to social media is astonishing. According to blog enthusiast Jeff Bullas, 72% of all internet users have an active social media page - think of that as a demographic, the entire online population, there and ready to be dazzled with product advertisement and it works, 34% of companies now make successful leads using twitter! Look at the almighty Beyoncé, she bypassed all "generic" media and instead announced her new album on instagram to her 8 million followers... She then proceeded to smash her previous sales figure!

The Instagram post announcing her new album

 For privacy or "netiquette" purposes, I have blanked out the user names and comments, although it being public, I do not feel it fair to broadcast it on my blog. This is just a perfect and recent example of the use of social media to completely revolutionise marketing and sales!

Even from a non fiscal point of view, the improvements now being made to customer service is remarkable. Direct contact and help available from companies from just a simple tweet:

XC Trains live twitter feed

In my opinion, this makes a company approachable and it adds a really nice personal touch! You would be stupid to not utilise the easily accessible mediums of customer contact, at the end of the day just as we network, companies need to network to build up a clientele. Brand loyalty would vastly improve if more companies approached customers in a familiar and effective fashion.

 A 5,6... Like and Tweet?

An incredibly cheesy title I know, but I have just discussed and briefly highlighted the benefits of social media as a whole but what about the industry that we care about the most... The arts! Well that's easy, the question I am personally asking is how did we cope before social media? Part of my degree work is developing my understanding of the uses of Web 2.0 within the industry, but firstly looking back at my previous understanding, it made me realize just how just how dependent I was on web 2.0. I got audition notifications direct to my twitter feed, I was accepted onto the Facebook group the Hustle (which if you haven't already got yourself added to, I highly recommend it) where all things artistic were discussed, advertised, questions could be asked and answered - a ready made network of people with the same ambitions and needs!

Example of uses for The Hustle, happening live while I'm writing this post!

We spend our time training being told we need to network and the importance of contacts, well social media and Web 2.0 offers the building blocks to make a world wide network, virtual, but effective! Being relatively computer savvy I do pride myself on being pretty knowledgeable when it comes to resources out there. Yet there is always room for improvement, I still have a lot to learn and consider.

Lets take "The Hustle" for a second, focusing primarily on that, it is easy to see an amazing network of dancers and actors and like minded people, working together, it is incredible to see, there is almost a buzz you get from just scrolling! Yet I have to ask, why is it not developed beyond the realms of Facebook?! A network that substantial could easily be transformed into its own website or smart phone app! I feel that this is potentially down to cost, or maybe I am biased in thinking how amazing the group is but I also do feel that Facebook has become almost integrated into our lives in such a way that using it as medium is almost too convenient to come away from, the statistics are there in black and white, Facebook user figures grow by the second, why try to separate off from such a fantastic tool!

We've got netiquette, If you ain't got netiquette, you can never ever carry it off!

While I am all for social media and Web 2.0 I do realize with such an awesome tool also calls for awesome responsibility. I feel that society is becoming more and more aware, but horror stories of identity theft (or catfishing), cyber bullying and internet scams still haunt every internet user. I think that Web 2.0 requires an almost hypothetical social contract that everyone agrees to, but that is being way too idealistic. So educating yourself on correct and safe internet usage is a must. Privacy is probably the main thing: Do not advertise information online that you wouldn't disclose otherwise, sometimes its in innocence and sometimes in stupidity but people have been caught out using social media! If you're going to pull a sicky, don't brag about it on Facebook because employers will see it, simple as! Being more serious, keep personal information private, if you can lock your profile do so, if not, I would not recommend posting addresses or numbers online! Passwords should be complex and secure, computers these days have so many useful tools, my Mac for instance has a keychain capability which securely remembers complex passwords for me and make it very hard for it to be hacked!

Photos - Well with all the celebrity scandals going on with photos at the moment I hope it makes people consider the importance of photos! Photos leave a digital foot print, they can be saved, used, taken and therefore it is important to consider the legalities behind using photos. Make sure you have permission to use them online, do not publish photos online that you wouldn't want your mum and dad to see because you do not know where they could end up!

Cyber Bullying - We are all guilty of occasionally being a bit of a keyboard warrior,  but just because the confrontation is not direct doesn't mean it does not cut just as deep! Cyber bullying is now seen as a form of abuse, so in short, just don't, but also be aware of who to turn to! There is amazing help available online at

http://www.internetmatters.org/issues/cyberbullying.html?gclid=CLuOi6ONisECFbPJtAodGjQAag

All of the above are just simple forms of "Netiquette"! It is vital that as we network online we realize the digital binding contract. There are some malicious people out there and we need to help stop it, just as doctors take a Hippocratic oath, I feel as internet users its our place to make sure our virtual playing field is fun, friendly and fulfilling, helping reach its maximum potential!

Back to BAPP

So far I have explored and explained the meanings and uses for Web 2.0, highlighted how I have used it to help progress my career and touched on safe internet usage! But how is this all relevant?! Well without Web 2.0 I could not write this and in short I could not do my degree!

The Facebook group we have made to communicate easily

As reliant as I feel society is becoming on Web 2.0, I feel that positives by far outweigh the negatives. I have demonstrated just how social media has had an impact on not only our industry but industry as a whole! While I still have much to learn, exploring up and coming mediums such as Pinterest and discovering ones I have over looked such as Flickr I feel that I am pretty confident when it comes to Web 2.0 and look forward to using it to develop an extensive network of contacts to help rocket my career! I would recommend whole heatedly that anyone looking to network who hasn't already should seriously look into the uses of Web 2.0 and would love to answer any questions or perhaps discuss some arguments against this platform I so highly recommend.  But for now I am signing off and wish to lave you with this amusing (and perhaps true) "hierarchy of needs" that I found on my digital travels!

The Dancers CV: Do they even read it?

We have all spent hours, changing fonts, aligning photos, editing layouts, but just how far does a CV get you?

The opening section of my CV

Countless times I have walked into auditions and upon registering glancing over other peoples CVs and just being baffled by how many different styles and designs there are! Generally speaking in the world of "work" a CV is given to an employer before an interview and the idea is to grab an employers attention for them to carry your application further, so theoretically the same should be for a dance panel? However you're already there in person and you're already about to dance (which translates as the 'interview') and 9/10 times, a casting agent or panel will glance at your CV for mere seconds! There is a whole page of information and photos, in fact possibly too much information, but everything you are told is required for a CV and this makes me ask myself 2 questions:

"What does an employer look for on a CV?" and "Does it grab their attention when you're about to dance for them anyway?"

As a professional dancer, we are told to be flexible and versatile and approach every audition open minded as you never know what they will throw at you. Therefore it makes perfect sense that one would require a different CV for each audition thus making the "perfect CV" an impossible achievement. But we are dancers, we strive for nothing less for perfection, and hopefully I can evaluate and critique my current CV and end up with a single CV that, with the occasional tweak, can be used in the professional world and assist me in auditions. 

What does an employer look for on a CV?

I feel that anyone who has embarked on professional training or has any idea of the professional industry could rattle of a list of requirements that a CV should have, however, I would like to focus on the order of importance; is height and weight more important than vocal range? Are photos necessary when you hand in a headshot anyway?

So first things first, lets look at my current CV, I have a list of stats: Height, Weight, Eye colour and Hair Colour. The harsh reality is that before they've even seen you dance, an employer has to work out if your physical looks will suit the show they are casting for.

But saying that, you're most likely standing in front of them, so they can see in an instance, with you there in the flesh, if you're physically suitable, so again that does kind of make render the CV useless.

Yet there is one thing that an employer looks for and thats your past experience! On any CV, most employers will look directly for your past experience because that is usually a big contributor to whether you're suitable or not.

The list of performance experience

Here you can see I have chose to display my experience in a table that is easy to read and clearly labeled. Personally I would be inclined to say that the experience section is the most important part of a CV, because the rest of the information on my CV so far can be found out by just looking at me. 

Although, assuming the experience is so far the most important part of your CV, is it displayed to its fullest potential? I would argue that to avoid risk of drowning key information in useless waffle that the list of experience should be concise and punchy. However although you can clearly see the shows and companies I have been a part of, I have given no information regarding the roles I played or the experience I actually gained from the show! 

Comparing this with my "normal job" CV:

A small segment from my current CV

You can see instantly a difference, I have listed the same information (Where, when, who) but I have gone a lot more in-depth into what the role entailed! This is all well and good, but its a lot of information to take on board and also, should I do this for my dance CV, would make it impossible to fit onto a single A4 page! As I have never been on the other side, I wouldn't know for certain, but I would argue that should a dancer hand in a CV with all that information in a walk in audition that I would merely skim over it and not pay attention anyway. Yet the ever questioning individual I am, makes me wonder, if a snippet of information regarding what a role entailed would give an employer a bigger insight into what I have done and potentially make them consider me or at least pay me a bit more attention in an audition. 

This brings me onto this, a snapshot of a CV made by an agent wanting to sign me:

Very similar yet very different

As you can see, the layout is pretty much the same, yet the content is vastly different. I like how this particular agent has incorporated the 'Role' column and do feel that it could be useful on my CV. Theoretically this CV has been made by someone with a lot more authority in the industry than I have and therefore one can assume that they have a lot more knowledge about the requirements of a CV than I have.  Analysing this CV from the view point of a panel, the information is concise and easy to read and yet a lot more informative than my current CV. So that is one tweak, just for self criticism and comparison, that may potentially help improve my CV.

The final part of this section is now to discuss the final part of my CV, my training. I am very proud of my previous training, and worked hard to achieve all I did in a reputable establishment of education and dance training. 

The final part of my CV

However other than finding out where I trained and the disciplines that I trained in, this part of my CV could be seen as either useless or my biggest asset. We all know the quote "It's who you know, not what you know" and we all also know the dance world is very small. Part of training and something that you did automatically, was networking, and institutes of professional dance training schools and colleges host a wealth of potential contacts and authoritative people. Even on an international scale, dance schools are like a brand, you ask someone across Europe who is a vague football fan, they will know Manchester United Football Team as it is an international brand as well as a sports team, the same has to be said for dance schools. With magazines such as 'Dance Europe', an ever-growing network of international students and also an ever developing world of technology, providing virtual networks of knowledge about institutes of training, the notion that an audition panel will have some knowledge of where you've trained.

Therefore this could make a difference to your success at an audition, if you come from a reputable background, they may take you more seriously. Yet, on the other hand it could mean that a panel is judging you from the get go, they may not look at you from an unbiased angle. 

Yet this this under there assumption that they even read it. Theoretically it could be wasting precious space that could expended more wisely in other sections i.e.. experience. Furthermore, your training isn't the be all and end all of your career, as much as it prepares you for the real world, nothing can brace you for the harsh realities of the actual industry! A lot of things changed when you're being paid to dance as apposed to paying to do it! This is where I am the most curious into how important this part of the CV is, it could honestly go either way, so although I am opting to keep it within my CV, I will be questioning the usefulness of this segment. 

So... "What does an employer look for on a CV?" well how long is a piece of string? I feel that through comparison I have highlighted parts of my current CV that could do with changing and parts that are adequate and will be suitable for the diverse selection of auditions that I will be participating in. To answer my question would be pretty much impossible, but with all the factors considered I can give my best stab at answering it combining my professional experience and self criticism. A CV should be concise and neat but informative, something that is all well and good saying but hard to put into practice. The layout should be personal, I have opted to incorporate photos because as a dancer, it is based a lot more on my physical appearance than say a singer, and I have chose to keep it simple and monochrome, too many colours would make it look busy. I realise now, that I should include a list of the roles I have played within the 'experience' section as that is the bread and butter of the CV, stats are obvious and training has been and gone, its what I am doing in the real world that could be the difference between an audition or not. So in conclusion, I feel that I can now edit and tweak my CV and be confident that I use it to my best ability... Even if they don't read it, its a requirement most of the time and there is definitely no harm in trying!

BAPP: The Beginning

So this is my first attempt at putting metaphorical pen to paper, after not long getting back from a great induction down in London, where I met some of my fellow uni buddies, I am sat here metaphorically chewing my metaphorical pen because I am incredibly apprehensive of what is to come!

Having never really kept a blog or a journal this will be an incredible learning curve for me, a great opportunity to express myself in a linguistic manner as opposed to a physical manner which I am very used to and very comfortable doing. However I feel the beauty of this blog is that it strips down the make up and the costumes and the lights and helps me express my passion and my knowledge of my art in its rawest form.

I hope to explore my art beyond the fabulous facade of "show biz" and performance and look at what influences my drive and passion in the first place. Discover things about something I have dedicated my life to that I may have previously overlooked and most importantly I want to better myself, because without a constant strive for improvement in this industry you will be chewed up and spat out onto the pavement.


So if this hasn't put you off already then please follow my blog as I embark on my new adventure and feel free to post ideas or express your opinions in any way you see fit!

Keep Smiling!

My Headshot (Copyright Nicola Selby Photography)