I suppose I have always used reflection-on-action as well, as I would come off stage and think about what went wrong, or what bit I went blank on or what went well. I might not have written it down before, but I would then get back into the rehearsal studio and practice what I thought I needed to improve on.
When teaching, I would use reflection-in-action if the students were finding the routine too hard or too easy and I would have to accept this and adapt the routine on the spot to their ability. Also, if a teaching method wasn't working and I was losing their attention I would need to do the same. I have been using reflection on action after the class, as I would think about what exercises or movements the students needed more work on and plan to do this in the next class.
I also use reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action during an audition process. During the audition, whilst learning the routine, I would evaluate the standard of the other auditionees and how they compare to myself, to know whether I stand a chance of getting through to the next round or not. Without realising, I am also sub-consciously evaluating the standard and style of the choreography and if it suits me in order for me to project my strengths and perform to my best ability.
After the audition if I was unsuccessful, I would reflect on how it went and if I felt I had done my best or not and if not what I need to go away and work on so I am more prepared for the next upcoming auditions. However, unfortunately we are in a profession where you could have done your absolute best and it went exactly how you wanted it to but you still didn't get through!
I feel the performing industry is extremely shallow and focuses a lot on looks. This is unfortunate, as they can miss out on a lot of amazing talent because of this.
What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?
I have seen many performers change career paths as the pressure and rejection in the industry is too much. I have also seen friends become psychologically ill as the pressures of being thin have taken over their bodies. As auditions are a major part of my life I feel very passionate about exploring the questions below for my inquiry:
- Do looks override talent?
- Does this prejudiced attitude lead to psychological problems for a performer?
- Are the standard of shows decreasing due to more focus on image than ability?
- Is so much rejection psychologically healthy for an individual?
- Is it better for a performer to be skinny or muscular?
I admire the performers who don't give up because for the majority of performers the amount of rejections are considerably more than the number of successful auditions. I also admire performers who prove they are capable of a career in this industry after being told otherwise. For example, Wayne Sleep started a project on Channel 4 called "Big Ballet" and on the programme he spoke about how he was told he was too short and would never make it as a professional dancer, but his reply was it meant he had to "jump twice as high and turn twice as fast as everyone else". This determination is what I admire. The programme "Big Ballet" on Channel 4 was a good representation of women who loved to dance and whose technique was of a good standard. However, all their lives they had been rejected because of their size and the majority of them suffered from low self-esteem because of this. I admire Wayne Sleep because he wanted to give them a chance to perform and do what they love doing without being judged, this could be because he can relate to being discriminated against for his size in the past. This leads me to believe he must have also recognised discrimination in the industry for him to have made the programme.
What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?
I feel passionate about this because I have experienced how it feels to be rejected over my size. I am a healthy average size 8-10, however whilst at college it was obvious to everyone that people were often chosen for certain things because of their size rather than their ability and this used to make me angry. I lost a lot of self confidence over my years of training which lead me to believe I wasn't good enough and came close to giving up. However, an employer picked me out from my 3rd Year Musical Theatre Show and asked me to audition. This gave me confidence that I was good enough and it was good to feel like someone believed in me.
Here is a link showing the point of view of one of the dancers, Hannah Baines age 18, who took part in the "Big Ballet" on Channel 4.
She quotes, "Just because I'm big doesn't lessen my dancing ability" and "There's no movement I can't do". I admire Hannah Baines who is a size 18, for doing the programme and proving to the nation that women of a bigger size can still dance. It could have been easy for her to not apply for the show and carry on her everyday job as a council administrator, but her passion for dancing made her not hold back along with 500 other applicants for the programme.
Monica Loughman, an Irish Prima Ballerina speaks about Marilyn Monroe being a size 14. I feel Marilyn Monroe is a perfect example of a successful confident curvaceous performer, who many people found attractive.
I feel self-belief and self-confidence is key as a performer because if you don't believe in yourself, how do you expect others to? This plays a major part in overcoming sadness and anger and it is good to use those emotions in your performance and prove the people who thought you couldn't do it wrong.
What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?
I love performing and I feel the people who don't love it enough are those who are most vulnerable and might not have the strength to continue in the industry. The main part of performing is entertaining an audience and a teacher at college told us "All performers are a bit insecure as they do it because they want reassurance from an audience". This has always stuck with me and I feel this is true. Many people become someone else when they perform or take on a character. Even Beyonce has her alter ego who goes by the name of "Sasha Fierce". Performing helps you to escape from what might be going on in your life at the time and for the time you are on stage you are only concentrating on entertaining.
My favourite style of dance is Tap and I have loved Tap from a young age. I admire the work of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. My dream job would be to perform in the musicals "Top Hat" and "Singing in the Rain". Even though these performers were incredibly talented, people doubted them! Gene Kelly was told by Louis G, Mayer at MGM that he was "too short" and executive Eddie Mannix said "I see no motion picture potential in Kelly". In Fred Astaire's first screen test for MGM the testing director noted the following, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little". Despite others doubting them, they carried on to have a long and successful careers, both making many films and creating a name for themselves as iconic dancers in the performing industry which will live on forever.
Here is a link showing what they achieved in their performing career:
What do you feel you don't understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it, or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions about you?
I often go to see shows and I have noticed recently the standard of the performers in the cast are of differing abilities, but the over all look of the performers are standardised. This sends out the message that they have employed certain performers so they all look the same rather than those who might have had a higher standard of dance at the audition. I feel the industry is also very determined by people you have worked with before........like they say "It's who you know, not what you know". A lot of choreographers use the same people as they know they are reliable and I can understand why they wouldn't want to take a risk on a new performer. However, by doing this they might be missing out on others who are just as capable or even better.
I also feel sometimes the industry gives mixed messages. For example, some auditions state "Must be strong tappers" and then I turn up and the first round is a commercial round. I never understand why they do that because people who are good at tap aren't necessarily strong at commercial as well and by doing this they could be sending away the "strong tappers" they are looking for.
I have several friends who trained with me and who I have worked professionally with who all share my views on this, which leads me to believe it is an issue in our industry and is making a lot of people unhappy. We realise this profession isn't a fair one and is extremely tough as so many people want to do it. All you need is that one break which will lead you to the next job and so on.
Someone who I perform with was getting disheartened with going to auditions and dealing with the negativity of the industry, so she started up her own company and now experiences the other side of it. She has her own group of dancers working for her company and she now choreographs and performs in her own shows, both in the UK and abroad. This way she can still perform but be her own boss so she doesn't have to rely on anyone and makes her own work. I feel this was an interesting and clever way of staying in the industry without all the pressures of auditions and being rejected.
I also feel sometimes the industry gives mixed messages. For example, some auditions state "Must be strong tappers" and then I turn up and the first round is a commercial round. I never understand why they do that because people who are good at tap aren't necessarily strong at commercial as well and by doing this they could be sending away the "strong tappers" they are looking for.
I have several friends who trained with me and who I have worked professionally with who all share my views on this, which leads me to believe it is an issue in our industry and is making a lot of people unhappy. We realise this profession isn't a fair one and is extremely tough as so many people want to do it. All you need is that one break which will lead you to the next job and so on.
Someone who I perform with was getting disheartened with going to auditions and dealing with the negativity of the industry, so she started up her own company and now experiences the other side of it. She has her own group of dancers working for her company and she now choreographs and performs in her own shows, both in the UK and abroad. This way she can still perform but be her own boss so she doesn't have to rely on anyone and makes her own work. I feel this was an interesting and clever way of staying in the industry without all the pressures of auditions and being rejected.
How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to that you might expect more generally in society?
Teaching
The question above is a very controversial and important one. Teachers throughout my training whilst growing up were very "hands on" while giving corrections and during limbering classes. However, I feel this was very beneficial as we were physically moved into the right positions so our body could feel where it should be. The dance school was known for being a brilliant school in the area and everyone went onto a professional dance college afterwards, unless they didn't want to continue dancing. This proves the training we received was very good and their teaching methods must have been effective. However, now-a-days there has been a lot of awareness about having a "hands on" approach. What is now acceptable? Will the standard of dancers suffer because teachers are too frightened to physically handle their students? It is now important to have someone else in the room or watching the lesson, so if you do need to correct them physically you can do so without it being misinterpreted. Teachers should also now ask permission before physically correcting a student.
Another ethical issue is "Should tutors only be able to physically correct students of the same sex?" From my point of view I have been taught by both genders and I feel if it is going to help me improve then I am happy to be corrected by whoever my teacher is at the time. However, some people may feel differently. What are your thoughts?
I feel reflection-in-action is necessary in this case as you need to constantly be reflecting on whether your approach is ethical. For example, it is not acceptable to shout at a child or ridicule a child. However, instead you would praise the children who are doing it well, so the others inspire to be like them in order to also be praised. As a teacher it is important to never put yourself in a situation that could be misread.
It is also important when teaching a class to chose age appropriate music and movements, as there are a lot of songs out in the charts that use explicit language.
Performing
There are also ethical issues as a performer. In the past I have been performing and when the stage area has been very close to the audience some drunk male audience members have got on to the dance floor and started dancing with us. Our safety is important and I feel any performer in any show should feel it is acceptable to leave the stage if they are in a situation they don't feel comfortable in.
I also think it is important to consider the age group of the audience you are performing too because certain movements and music might not be appropriate if a younger audience is watching.
As a performer I am constantly changing costumes during the show and sometimes these changes need to be done backstage due to the short time between routines. I feel privacy is still important in these cases as there are always stage hands backstage who are often male and even though it is normal for dancers to change in front of one another, for other professions this is not a daily occurrence.
As I said in my blog for Task 1b on Web 2.0 it is important as a performer to be ethical on the internet. You shouldn't post anything on social media sites that could jeopardise your career or make you look unprofessional. Once something is on the internet, it is no longer private!
In conclusion, I feel there is no universal definitive answer. However, I feel if you are working with children you definitely need to take into account all the above points, as child protection is a very serious matter and not to be taken lightly and should always be considered when deciding what is ethical or not. Ultimately it comes down to what you feel is ethically and morally appropriate. This may be interpreted slightly differently by the individual depending on their own life experiences.
Conclusion After answering the questions for this task it has confirmed to me that this is a topic I feel strongly about and want to explore in more depth. It has been an issue that has been on my mind for a long time and I have seen close friends suffer as a consequence of it. Therefore, at this moment in time I would want to explore:
The question above is a very controversial and important one. Teachers throughout my training whilst growing up were very "hands on" while giving corrections and during limbering classes. However, I feel this was very beneficial as we were physically moved into the right positions so our body could feel where it should be. The dance school was known for being a brilliant school in the area and everyone went onto a professional dance college afterwards, unless they didn't want to continue dancing. This proves the training we received was very good and their teaching methods must have been effective. However, now-a-days there has been a lot of awareness about having a "hands on" approach. What is now acceptable? Will the standard of dancers suffer because teachers are too frightened to physically handle their students? It is now important to have someone else in the room or watching the lesson, so if you do need to correct them physically you can do so without it being misinterpreted. Teachers should also now ask permission before physically correcting a student.
Another ethical issue is "Should tutors only be able to physically correct students of the same sex?" From my point of view I have been taught by both genders and I feel if it is going to help me improve then I am happy to be corrected by whoever my teacher is at the time. However, some people may feel differently. What are your thoughts?
I feel reflection-in-action is necessary in this case as you need to constantly be reflecting on whether your approach is ethical. For example, it is not acceptable to shout at a child or ridicule a child. However, instead you would praise the children who are doing it well, so the others inspire to be like them in order to also be praised. As a teacher it is important to never put yourself in a situation that could be misread.
It is also important when teaching a class to chose age appropriate music and movements, as there are a lot of songs out in the charts that use explicit language.
Performing
There are also ethical issues as a performer. In the past I have been performing and when the stage area has been very close to the audience some drunk male audience members have got on to the dance floor and started dancing with us. Our safety is important and I feel any performer in any show should feel it is acceptable to leave the stage if they are in a situation they don't feel comfortable in.
I also think it is important to consider the age group of the audience you are performing too because certain movements and music might not be appropriate if a younger audience is watching.
As a performer I am constantly changing costumes during the show and sometimes these changes need to be done backstage due to the short time between routines. I feel privacy is still important in these cases as there are always stage hands backstage who are often male and even though it is normal for dancers to change in front of one another, for other professions this is not a daily occurrence.
As I said in my blog for Task 1b on Web 2.0 it is important as a performer to be ethical on the internet. You shouldn't post anything on social media sites that could jeopardise your career or make you look unprofessional. Once something is on the internet, it is no longer private!
In conclusion, I feel there is no universal definitive answer. However, I feel if you are working with children you definitely need to take into account all the above points, as child protection is a very serious matter and not to be taken lightly and should always be considered when deciding what is ethical or not. Ultimately it comes down to what you feel is ethically and morally appropriate. This may be interpreted slightly differently by the individual depending on their own life experiences.
Conclusion After answering the questions for this task it has confirmed to me that this is a topic I feel strongly about and want to explore in more depth. It has been an issue that has been on my mind for a long time and I have seen close friends suffer as a consequence of it. Therefore, at this moment in time I would want to explore:
- In the performing industry, do the pressures of having a good image outweigh ability and what affects does this have psychologically on the performer?
That was a very interesting read! Talent vs image is a difficult one. Dance is a visual art form and I suppose the creator of a piece/choreographer would want their work to be displayed in the way that they imagined it. That being said surely you would want healthy, strong, talented performers to showcase your work over someone less talented with a pretty face? Everyone is different and I think celebrating and using those differences on stage can be a huge benefit to a show!
ReplyDeleteThe idea that too much rejection is not psychologically healthy has really got me thinking. Everyone handles rejection in different ways depending on their personality and maybe what point of their career they are at. I think it is a very interesting topic and you have inspired me to look into it further!
Thanks for this post - there is a lot of thinking here and putting information from many aspects of your work into one. Resolving complex issues is not easy - and many of the issues you bring up relate not only to the ideas of performance - the craft - with performance - the industry. It seems that in the 'Trinity' schools both are taken into consideration - and you have taken time to stay in touch with others to develop a wider understanding of your industry. I too say the 'Big Ballet' - I wonder if it would be interesting to get some more background on what the industry relates to as 'image' or 'talent' or ''having what it takes - psychologically' to perform... there are also many variables so you might have to concentrate on a certain section of the industry - maybe the one in which you are working now. You are obviously looking for solutions - so pros and cons - which fits well into an academic neutral way of considering issues - if there is no right or wrong (but perhaps social imperatives or social good) - why does 'image' count in performance?
ReplyDeleteHi Sian, I agree with much of what you have shared and feel it is a very relevant issue. I found it interesting how we have both discussed potential psychological effects of dance....yet in very different contexts. It's interesting that the industry and 'working' side of dance that you have discussed draws to many negative effects. The participation and community involvement area of dance that I have questioned draws to many positive psychological effects. Yet without the person involved in the industry, delivering and sharing dance to participants, the positive effects potential wouldn't be achieved? I hope that makes sense!
ReplyDeleteI have seen many audition applications recently requesting 'real women' ... As a size 10, I cannot apply to this casting because I am not 'real'?! Ethically, I feel whilst this term has potentially prevented some from becoming offended, but in turn has created a problem elsewhere with women feeling they are less of woman for being a different size?
Steph :)
It annoys me when people ask what I do for a living and when I tell them I am a dancer the response I get is, "So you just dance around all day". They do not realise the intensity it has on us mentally and physically! It has been a topic I have been very passionate about, because employers could miss out on some amazing talent by being shallow. Sarah you make a good point saying it is a visual art and the choreographer will want the piece to look how they have imagined it. Sometimes, if they opened up their mind and imagination they could create something even more spectacular than what they had first imagined, but by being so contained and set on what they want they won't ever get a chance to find out (which is a shame). We are in this industry because we enjoy it and it makes us happy and Steph you pointed out there are many positive physiological effects, which there are :) other wise if it was all bad many people including myself would probably question why they are wanting a career in such a negative industry. I have seen a lot of those audition applications too requesting "real woman" , it is hard to know what word to use to not offend anyone. In the "real world" an average size would be classed bigger than an average size in the "dance world" and I think this is the problem.
ReplyDelete