- (used with a singular or plural verb) a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture.
- the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.:
medical ethics; Christian ethics.
- moral principles, as of an individual:
His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.
- (usually used with a singular verb) that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethics?s=t
I have signed many contracts/codes of conduct during my career at the beginning of a job. I knew it was a guideline for my behaviour and what was thought to be good and bad behaviour by the employer. However, I had never connected it with the word Ethics.
It is hard to generalise the correct ethics for a dancer because every company/employer will have their own codes of conducts and regulations to abide by. However, the basic principles and morals will be the same. I have seen Dani and Sarah have spoken about the 1945 "Theatre Workers Code of Ethics" by Kathleen Freeman, in the LA Stage Times and I couldn't agree more with what Kathleen Freeman has written. Even though these codes of Ethics were written in 1945, it is interesting that they still apply today. This shows peoples expectations of morals and professional behaviour has not changed.
The rules stated:
1. I shall never miss a performance.
2. I shall play every performance with energy, enthusiasm and to the best of my ability regardless of size of audience, personal illness, bad weather, accident, or even death in my family.
3. I shall forego all social activities which interfere with rehearsals or any other scheduled work at the theatre, and I shall always be on time.
4. I shall never make a curtain late by my failure to be ready on time.
5. I shall never miss an entrance.
6. I shall never leave the theatre building or the stage area until I have completed my performance, unless I am specifically excused by the stage manager; curtain calls are a part of the show.
7. I shall not let the comments of friends, relatives or critics change any phase of my work without proper consultation; I shall not change lines, business, lights, properties, settings or costumes or any phase of the production without consultation with and permission of my director or producer or their agents, and I shall inform all people concerned.
8. I shall forego the gratification of my ego for the demands of the play.
9. I shall remember my business is to create illusion; therefore, I shall not break the illusion by appearing in costume and makeup off-stage or outside the theatre.
10. I shall accept my director’s and producer’s advice and counsel in the spirit in which it is given, for they can see the production as a whole and my work from the front.
11. I shall never “put on an act” while viewing other artists’ work as a member of an audience, nor shall I make caustic criticism from jealousy or for the sake of being smart.
12. I shall respect the play and the playwright and, remembering that “a work of art is not a work of art until it is finished,” I shall not condemn a play while it is in rehearsal.
13. I shall not spread rumor or gossip which is malicious and tends to reflect discredit on my show, the theatre, or any personnel connected with them-either to people inside or outside the group.
14. Since I respect the theatre in which I work, I shall do my best to keep it looking clean, orderly and attractive regardless of whether I am specifically assigned to such work or not.
15. I shall handle stage properties and costumes with care for I know they are part of the tools of my trade and are a vital part of the physical production.
16. I shall follow rules of courtesy, deportment and common decency applicable in all walks of life (and especially in a business in close contact with the public) when I am in the theatre, and I shall observe the rules and regulations of any specific theatre where I work.
17. I shall never lose my enthusiasm for theatre because of disappointments.
In addition, the document continued:
“I understand that membership in the Circle Theatre entitles me to the privilege of working, when I am so assigned, in any of the phases of a production, including: props, lights, sound, construction, house management, box office, publicity and stage managing-as well as acting. I realize it is possible I may not be cast in a part for many months, but I will not allow this to dampen my enthusiasm or desire to work, since I realize without my willingness to do all other phases of theatre work, there would be no theatre for me to act in.”
All members of the Circle Theatre were required to sign this document. And they must have-because the theatre, and the group into which it evolved, was successful for many years.
http://lastagetimes.com/2009/08/a-1945-code-of-ethics-for-theatre-workers-surfaces/
These are all important ethical codes in which all performers on stage should follow, in order to keep a happy work ethos between the cast and production team as well as produce a successful show. It allows the cast members to all be of equal importance. I found the last point very interesting as it links in with what I have been researching for my Inquiry.
"I shall never lose my enthusiasm for theatre because of disappointments".
"I realize it is possible I may not be cast in a part for many months, but I will not allow this to dampen my enthusiasm or desire to work, since I realize without my willingness to do all other phases of theatre work, there would be no theatre for me to act in."
I have been looking into how constant rejection can affect a dancers well being. It is easy to say you shall never lose your enthusiasm for theatre because of disappointments, however it is hard to accept and can be soul destroying. Some dancers are emotionally stronger than others, so they won't be affected as much as the ones who aren't. I think the idea of still working in the theatre even when not performing is a good one, as you are still in the environment you want to be in and you don't lose sight of your ambition as you are still part of it.
I steward at a theatre part time when I am not performing and I love watching the shows because it inspires me and reminds me why all the hard work and knock backs are worth it, making me more determined for my next audition.
I can not put up copies of my contracts on to my blog for privacy reasons, however a lot of the points stated on the contracts are very similar to those above. Some consequences of not abiding by these codes, even result in having to pay fines to the company. For example, if I use any of their material such as choreography, music etc and pass it off as my own, I have to pay the employer up to £500. Also, if I confirm a booking and then can no longer attend the show three weeks prior to the performance I have to pay 80% of the performance fee and 100% of the performance fee two weeks prior to the performance. However, if a show is cancelled on their behalf, they don't have to pay me any percentage of the fee. I also have pay deducted from my fees if I am late for any rehearsals. I have also had other contracts were it states, you will get a set amount of warnings before they take it further and replace you.
What are your thoughts on this? Should we be made to pay? Does it make dancers abide by the rules more seriously if they know they will be fined? Or is it an easy way out for the performer, as they would rather pay than get fired?
I typed "dance ethics" into the Google search engine and the article by Julia Buckroyd was an interesting read. Within this article she talks about Professionalisation, Values and Ethical Issues. http://www.ethicsdance.co.uk/downloads_assets/Ethics%20in%20Dance%20%20%20A%20debate%20yet%20to%20be%20held.pdf
The sections in the article that stood out to me were:
Ethical issues
My view is that the dance profession is at a point in its history where its importance in
our culture demands that it begins to develop an internally evolved code of ethics and
practice to address all relevant issues within professional dance. There has been an
attempt in the United Kingdom to develop such a code. It was initially devised by the
late Peter Brinson, a dancer with the Royal Ballet, who became a notable supporter of
the development of improved practice in the dance world. The 1990 Dance UK
Healthier Dancer Conference owed much to him and was the first time that what I
should call ethical issues within dance had been aired openly. I was a contributor to
that conference myself and presented one of two papers on eating disorders. I
remember very clearly the mixture of horror and satisfaction which greeted the very
mention of this problem. The Dancers Charter was an attempt to codify some of the
insights arising from that conference. However, it consists of a list of instructions of
what members of the dance community 'should' do. For example: ‘Choreographers
should resist the pressure put on them to innovate and push back the limitations of
physical achievement’.
Although Brinson's charter can still provide a useful beginning to thinking about the
ethical issues that arise in dance, it needs to be preceded by a statement of the values
and principles on which it is based otherwise it becomes yet another list of arbitrary
instructions. It also needs to be embedded within the profession in such a way that
there are sanctions for those who fail to abide by its requirements. Indeed the charter
itself needs to be reviewed in the light of recent standards for the profession and
increased knowledge of the requirements for physical and psychological health. For
example, if I draw from my own area of expertise which is eating disorders, I am
concerned to make it known that failure to menstruate regularly has an absolute
relationship to the thinning of bone density. The demand that dancers maintain weight
below which they menstruate is therefore, in my opinion, unethical.
Peter Brinson (1992), has attempted to put in an ethical code that dancers can abide by called the "Dancers Charter" however, it is describe as a list of "should do's" and the values and principles of which it is based still need to be addressed. She mentions that there should be "sanctions for those who fail to abide by its requirements". This shows it is a serious matter and there will be consequences if you don't follow the regulations.
Is this forcing people to follow the codes of conducts even if they personally believe it is morally wrong? Everyone's morals and values are different depending on their background and experiences, therefore people are not all going to feel the same.
Maybe this is why employers feel it is necessary to fine or fire employees if they don't meet the required codes of conduct?
However, the codes of conduct are not only there for the benefit of the employer but they should be there to protect the welfare of the performer. There could also be consequences for the employer, if they don't treat the employee in a safe and respectable way.
It will be no easy task to devise a code appropriate to the dance profession. In fact I
would like to propose that the development of such a code depends on our capacity to
understand that the dancer needs to be at the centre of the dance. For all our
techniques and traditions dance, as a thing in itself, does not exist. There is no such
thing as 'dance', only people dancing. Our love affairs with technical excellence and
choreographic innovation have allowed us to disregard the physical and emotional
welfare of the dancer and the result is the continuing dismal toll of physical and
psychological injury. Yet fundamentally dance is a celebration of life given
embodiment by the dancer. We need a paradigm shift whereby the dancer will no
longer be seen as an 'instrument' for the choreography or a success story for the
teacher but rather as an equal collaborator in the creation of an art form. On that basis
an ethical code might have power to transform and re-enliven our profession.
Furthermore a code of ethics for dance needs to be evolved from within the profession
and to involve the contribution of dancers and dance students. They are what are
called within the health profession 'service users'. Their point of view is essential
since they are the ones on the receiving end of training and employment and know
best the realities of that situation. If individual organisations can begin formulating
values, principles and codes for dance the debate, which needs to take place, can
begin.
Here Buckroyd has acknowledged that we need to follow ethical codes to protect the individual dancers, rather than dance as a discipline. I agree with this as the regulations need to be there in order to make sure no harm comes to the performer physically and psychologically. Choreographers push dancers to their limits in order to achieve what they have envisioned, however they don't always take into consideration the strain it has on the performer. I think if organisations do begin formulating values, principles and codes for the dancers, I feel it will benefit both the performers and the choreographers. The performers will be prevented from any physical or psychological injury and the outcome of the work will be better for the choreographer as the dancer has looked after themselves and is able to perform to their full potential. I also feel if the choreographer has more respect for the dancer, then the respect will be returned by the performer making it a safer and more enjoyable working atmosphere.
I also teach dance workshops to children aged 6-10, and it is extremely important to follow ethical codes whilst in their presence. Below, Buckroyd explains that by setting in ethical codes and values you will protect those involved from harm. These legislations determine how power is to be limited and constrained.
Values
The fact is that once an activity develops from the private project of a few dedicated
individuals to a large scale activity, recruiting members from a wide range of sources
and in receipt of public funds, it inevitably becomes subject to regulatory authority.
The main thrust of this regulation, whether it is in the health professions, education,
employment or other areas of activity, is the protection of those involved in it from
harm. Dance schools and companies within the developed world are now subject to
large numbers of these constraints.
Underlying legislative and regulatory constraints are values which determine how
power is to be limited and constrained. In some professions these values are expressed
in ethical codes which try to articulate the principles which guide behaviour,
especially behaviour between people of unequal power, and often refer to situations
which are not covered by legislative codes. Ethical codes are particularly useful and
likely to be developed in professions which deal with people in the role of patients,
clients, students and children.
I mentioned in my previous blog, the ethical codes of which I must follow in order to teach dance to a class of children safely. These regulations are important and after reading these articles and Reader 5, it has enabled me to understand the reasons WHY they are of importance in more depth.
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