3c. Sources of information

It has been interesting comprising a list of the different sources I use to gain information to help further my performing career.  It came to my attention that a lot of the sources I used stemmed from using the internet.  

Today the internet plays a key part in life.  I don't know about anyone else but I know it's the first thing I use when I wake up and the last thing I use before I go to bed!  Have we become too reliant?  I feel we have and I think this is simply because of the ease in which we can access the internet and also the vast amount of information you can find on there.  I often find myself "Googling" a question if I don't know the answer and within seconds the answer is right in front of me! 

As I discussed in an earlier task about Web 2.0 "Facebook" is a social media site I use very often.

This is because I have a lot of professional contacts on there from previous jobs and from previous networking.  They also have groups comprised of performers such as "The Hustle", where performers can inform others of upcoming auditions and jobs.  They can also share information on which companies are good to work for and which companies we should try and avoid.  

However, you have to be careful when obtaining information from people on Facebook, as some of the jobs posted aren't always genuine and professional and it is easy for people to write anything they like on there, which leads to the information not always being reliable.

This is why websites such as "Talent Cast", "Dancers Pro" and "The Stage", are also good to find out about auditions, because they can trace back whomever has posted the audition.  Although these websites are good, they do still post up auditions for jobs which are unpaid.  A lot of people have retaliated and formed a debate over this and rightly so. You wouldn't expect anyone else to work for free who has trained to do a specific skill all their lives.

Another way of sourcing information using the internet is via "You Tube".  This is a good way to view show reels and if you know you are going to attend an audition by a certain choreographer, it is a good way to watch some of their work in order to see the type of style they specialise in.  

I use "You Tube" as a starting point, when I am choreographing, as watching other videos inspire me and give me some ideas which I can then develop.

I have to confess I don't read as many books as I should do and I have never really been one to "get lost in a book".  However, I do subscribe monthly to the "Dancing Times".  The Dancing times is a magazine which has interesting articles and interviews on professional dancers past and present as well as information on upcoming events in the industry.


I feel the biggest way to learn is to watch people who inspire you.  For example, when I go to the theatre and watch a show I find it really beneficial to watch the dancers and take note of what I think looks good and what could have been improved on, so I can then apply it to my own performance experiences.   

I personally think the most valuable source of information comes from friends and people you meet in a professional environment.  I am lucky to have a group of close friends in the industry who know where my strengths and weaknesses lie.  Therefore, if they hear about an audition which might not be suited to them, but they know it would suit me, then they will inform me about it.  Also, I feel it is important for friends and family to see you perform in shows as you know their opinion and critique will be honest.  They will feel more comfortable saying what I need to improve upon, than someone who I have just met.

It is important to be approachable and talkative to everyone in the industry, as networking is a very necessary and beneficial part of the industry.  Other people will have contacts, information and opinions on things which you might not have and might be able to help you further your career.  This is why "you should always be nice to people on the way up, as you never know whom you might meet on the way down".      

It is useful to gain information about the industry, but once you have the information it is important to keep it in case you need it again.  This is why it is important to keep all your information organised. I have a folder where I store all my important documents such as CV's, headshots, information sent from agents, invoices and contracts.  By doing this, it is easy to find for auditions and it is all in one place if I ever need recall any of the information again.  I have a separate folder on my email account for emails relating to my work for the same reason.  I personally find an audition process very stressful and nerve racking, so being organised and prepared in advance takes some of the pressure away, as you aren't running round like a headless chicken the night before getting everything ready and printing off headshots and CV's.

In conclusion, I use the internet a lot to access information in different forms.  Whether it's for Facebook, audition sites, You Tube or just to Google where the nearest tube station is to a particular venue or audition location.  We are very lucky to have been brought up in a generation when the internet is around as it does make a lot of things quicker and allows us to access vast amounts of information, which we would have spent hours looking for in a book.  

I guess the ease of which we can contact our friends is beneficial too, because if it isn't possible to meet them face to face we can still contact each other with a quick phone call or text to let them know about something.  

Everything in the world today is very instant and quick paced when you think how far things have developed in the last 50 years, it is intriguing to think how the world will be in another 50 years and what different ways will be available to source information then.