Sources of Information

Task 3C

As I'm currently living in the Czech Republic and don't get to physically interact with a lot of people within my professional network, my information networks have consequently improved in the last year or two.

One of my sources is NETWORK DANCE. The name is self explanatory. During vocational training, we had to set up an account on Network Dance as part of our diploma, and also in order to look for jobs in our graduate year. I'm so glad we had to do this as the site is still so useful for me today. There are other websites that also post upcoming dance auditions, but I predominantly use Network Dance as I also receive emails and I'm familiar with the online layout.

Another source of mine is my previous teachers from school. This might sound strange, and I admit after high school I wasn't interested in keeping in contact with any of my teachers! However I think in a vocational ballet school, you have completely different relationships with your tutors, and at the end of the day most are ex professional dancers and know everything there is to know about the profession. They also understand how tough it can be in the industry which is always reassuring.  Even after graduating the summer of 2016, I still keep in contact and my teachers still ask for recent photos and videos of performances in my professional practice. If they think highly of a certain photo or clip of my class work for example, they will send it to directors they know.

Instagram. A source I'm sure pretty much everyone in my generation uses, whether they realise it or not. As I mentioned in my blog about my current networks, "I use Instagram to follow dance companies and their dancers to see their style, how they work and to see if I could possibly be suited to that company. It's not just about posting photos anymore, you can now also post videos and message others privately." Many companies post about upcoming shows, new dancers in their company and where they're touring to. Dancers within companies also share tips on what they do in their own professional practice, and I'm currently really enjoying Olivia Grace Cowley's (Soloist at the Royal Ballet) website www.Ballet.Style. She has a great blog on "Ballet Hacks". I see Instagram as both a people network and information network, as I use it to keep in contact with people within my network, but also to find out new current information posted by companies and other professional dancers.

An alternative method by which I and others gather information, is through colleagues and friends. Just simply going for a coffee and catching up with what we've both been up to, whether it's in a new company or job and hearing about their experiences and learning about a new area of the professional world, or hearing how they're coping with stress, and any tips they have on a certain role. All of which can be discussed in a coffee shop. 


My other sources are people's blogs. As this is a work based learning course, our community is built through blogging. It's great to read up on other's blog posts who have started the course at the same time, as we can all relate and help each other. I also find it very useful to read blogs of those in higher modules, and it's comforting to see that they were also stressed around the time of writing their critical reflection essays! I also found people's posts of their initial plans for their essays useful, as I have also set my plan out in a similar structure. The blogs I have found especially useful are Jennifer Simm's, Kirsty Haughton's and Lauren Nicole Harper's.

Photo by Leschek Ka

I have completed my initial plan for my essay, and will spend the majority of tomorrow typing up my first draft, as I have a Swan Lake show this evening!

Also, please feel free to follow my Instagram account!