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!