3C- SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Before I started this task I had a look and payed attention to what sources other people had used in this task , I noticed that almost everyone had made referance to the internet as one of their main sources of information, this I found very intersting as it shows how much it really helps people and there professional practice including myself. I will start with the Internet as for me I find it the most useful out of all my information sources.

 1. Computers/Internet

As soon as I login I go to the dreaded site that has everyone hooked, facebook ! Not only do I waste hours of my time socialising staying up to date with friends and family from home but I also use groups and applications that inform me of future auditions in the world of dance, Once theses are found I can use the internet to share them with my friends and in return they will do the same for me. With being such a long distance from home I use the internet outside my professional practice to freely talk and see my parents all those miles away on a webcam and speaker.From looking at Jess Hunts internet example I also found she applies the same practice as myself when ordering dance shoes and clothes which can save me money than ordering by post or phone. Thinking about dance clothes I also remembered how as a company we rely on the Internet to stay in touch with the agency who sent us out onto the ship.If we ever get short on tights or need new shoes sent over we inform them over email and they get back to us straight away.When meeting new choreographers I have had many add me on face book or we have exchanged emails, in future situations when I am perhaps looking for direction or guidience in my career I can get in touch with these people that could essentially help or boost my career ! One of the Agencys I am on will inform me monthly with auditions commng up perhaps ones that alot of dancers dont know about and I am able to easily repply back saying whether I will or wont be atteding. Jess Hunt cleverly mentioned how she uses the internet to find certain CDS and I remembered how I use the internet to search, listen and hunt down tracks to use for choreographing, this way I can usually find wonderful tracks by artists I have never heard before and this will inspire me to start creating a dance. Staying on the same subject of music I can then use computer software to cut, edit and trim track I want to use for choreographing for my own specific needs. As computers get better I am given more options to play around with and in overall given a better chance to create my perfect track for my choreography. 

I recently bought myself a new Mac Book Pro as i realise the importance of my laptop in the career that I am in and as i have now been away from home for nearly 4 months, I felt it was a good investment in my money.Whilst experimenting on my laptop I found the movie making softwware and from playing around with it I will at some point make myself a show reel as I have been so impressed with the quality and amount of things you can do with your video clips.Again using a showreel is an important part of my professional practice and If I can do a professional and quality looking one myself then I will have saved myself alot of money. My new Laptop will allow me to successfully do this.

When creating a piece of choreography I sometimes watch clips on you tube to inspire me and to get the ball rolling creating ideas and starting points for my piece. In the Hammond we also did integrated professional studies, the written side of the course. For this we had many set tasks where I used computers to clearly print and display my work and in many of the tasks I used search engines like Google and Wilkipedia to research my work.

Computers and internet are an extremely important part of my career and have helped me to succeed so far in life, it is very exciting for me to think how computers are getting better and how much easier everything is becoming.

1. talking/verbal communication

I feel I started the process of my career from my very first audition at the Hammond school, if I hadn’t have got in and received my scholarship then I wouldn’t be here today. I remember a specific part of that audition that was particularly important for me. This was the interview, by verbally expressing myself through speech and not through dancing I was able to show how eager and excited I was to be attending the audition and was able to express to them how much I wanted to get onto the course.If I had shown the opposite and negative approach then they wouldn’t have perhaps considered me and I could have not got into the school.

Since then from experience with talking with the public through teaching and even waitressing I can confidently approach people. This is especially important when I meet important people that I need to make a good impression with, this may be with teachers, choreographers and even audiences. I agree with Natalie Less who says “Even though you can create a relationship with someone online, it doesn’t compare with the relationship you can create in person”. I agree with this if you’ve met a person and have generally got on well with them ,6 months later  online then they are more likely remember you by remembering what you look like and the conversation you had. Thats why its great to leave a good impression and fantastic social skills will help you. You never know but that particular person may be able to help you in the future maybe in a project you are undertaking. A small blog and picture of yourself on social networking sites such as face book don’t have the same impact and after all what is to say that that person described online is the person that they state to be. Its great to have lots of contacts not just in dance, but friends or people you have met everywhere.

Whilst working aboard the ship I have discovered this for myself. There are many guests that come from all over the world and with many that i have particularly got on well with have we exchanged contact details.If we were to ever visit that specific country they have said that they would be more than happy to give us a tour and in some cases have in fact invited me personally and other cast mates to stay with them. If I was to ever work abroad or visit  a different country this would be extremely useful and could save me allot of money. On board the Silver cloud my cast mates are like my family and they also come from Canada Australia and even london, very handy friends and something to think about when you audition in London all the time!

Teachers and choreographers can give you advice, push you in the right direction and can even recommend you to a company or choreographer they have previously worked for or know in there field. Ultimatley bringing you work! Thats why being socially active with everyone around you can help and has a important part to your professional practice.

3.The stage

When looking for a job I can admit that for me this is a valuable source of information. The most useful part is that the Stage comes in newspaper and as a online website, you can order it monthly to come directly to your door. This is handy as I sometimes forget to check and could miss out on important opportunities. The Stage also informs me about my world of work, keeps me updated and is very interesting to read. I am able to read about new shows that perhaps are coming soon to the West End which I may go and watch, new dancers that are getting noticed and it  also advertises dance schools, colleges and courses that are avaliable, contact numbers are also shown in the stage and it makes it a valuable resource for me to have.When checking out the job opportunities I feel that the stage always has the biggest selection and usually has the biggest jobs around such as west end Musicals, high profile agency’s and big cruise line auditions. A good example of how The stage has benefitted me is the job that I am doing right now, where did I find it? The stage, Jean Ann Ryan Posted a large advertisement in it saying that they would be coming to Pineapple Studios in London to look for dancers for there agency with, that year I was told on board the ship that thirteen thousand people auditioned worldwide to get onto the agency and I am proud to say that i was one of the few to get on. Thanks to The Stage I wouldn’t have successfully received my first job and for that I am grateful

4. TV

I have never really considered this a source of information, but until I think about it I actually realise how much it applies .How many of us dance fanatics simply love to watch flash dance, center stage or dirty dancing. Not only do we enjoy watching these films but we also grab ideas and music for our own pieces. However its not just dancers who watch these films. These days we will often do a number in shows which the audience feel a connection with as they know the number or piece of music. For example how many dance troupes and schools do the classic thriller number ? We do it because we are inspired by the movie and everyone has seen it, therefore it is a brilliant connection between the dancers and the audience. But its not just the movies on the TV that we watch, what about the programes like X factor strictly come dancing and you think you can dance. I often see amazing dance numbers in these as well as programmes like the variety show where I will constantly remind my mother to record the programme or will find myself on the internet spending hours on you tube trying to track the clip or pice of music down so I can use it for myself.From watching these clips on Tv I always remember coming into college the next day and discussing the performance with my fellow colleages and teachers. We found ourselves annalysing what we saw, and discussed what we thought was good and bad and what worked and what didn’t. I still do that today which is great because the things I like will be applied and thrown into my professional practice.

5.Mobile phone

I myself own two phones, they consist of a cheap American phone thatI use in emergencys to phone home, and an English phone which I use when in the uk for texting and ringing.Apart from that I hardly ever use them however from studying peoples blogs such as jessica Hunts and Natalie less I discovered that they use there phones alot to help there professional practice, and I found that this inspired me to maybe get either a blackberry or an iphone when I return home. Why did they inspire me, well they can use them for directions and guidience in an unknown place there have been many times in london where I have struggled to find an audition and places like the embassy where I had an appointment to collect my visa. If I had one of these devices I would have been alot less stressed and would have found these places alot more easily giving me more time. Lots of time is important for when warming up for auditions and for getting a good starting number. Also I could regularly check my emails as it would be on me all the time and again this would mean I would have a better chance of snatching up opportunities and replying to Agents potentially that could offer or mean a job. I feel like I have take something from this last part of the task and found that from looking at other peoples blogs I have found something that I would perhaps benefit from in the future, by buying a good phone device I could maybe extend my job opportunities and give myself more of a chance in succeeding in my professional practice. It is obviously working and helping other students and fellow peers on my course that are in the same professional practice as myself and so I will use this  and see how much more of an advantage I have.