Task 3a Current Networks

April 03, 2018

Task 3a Current Networks

Task 3a Current Networks

The dance world although extremely competitive is actually very small in someways as many individual networks connect to produce one large one. I currently utilise a number of social media platforms for professional promotion. Having a facebook profile allows me to keep up to date with what my friends are up to around the world and broaden my circle of friends even further through the acquaintances they make. This is useful if I want to attend company class in one of these companies. I also have a Facebook Page purely dedicated to dance allowing people to follow my page and keep up to date with what I am doing. It also enables directors to get a sense of my work ethic and technical abilities that may not be possible to grasp in a 2 hour company class.

I admire a number of professional ballet dancers and find that the most interaction I have with them is via Instagram. Instagram is a brilliant platform enabling its consumers to post photos and videos. I enjoy following ballet companies and getting a ‘behind the scenes’ view of their current works as well as individual artists as I am able to get a detailed insight of their day to day livelihood. I also enjoy posting and sharing with my followers my day to day traditions and frequently make use of the Instagram story tool. This engages my followers and keeps them active.

Social media is so huge nowadays that it is actually possible to gain employment through your online profile. I have first hand experience of this as more recently I created a Youtube Channel posting beauty, lifestyle and dance videos. After only a couple of videos makeup brands were contacting me to send over free product in hope that I would feature it in my videos. I have also got many modelling jobs through my instagram account as photographers see my work and then contact me with job offers.

Upon developing my network I would very much like introduce myself to high profile individuals to seek advice from them and experience more opportunities. One way of doing this could be to broaden my contacts in other ballet companies. The reason I suggest this is since joining Coastal City Ballet and interacting with more experienced professionals, most seem to have a vast number of contacts and it has come to my attention that they find it easier to get company classes and work with other companies. Through the use of social media and asking advice from the more experienced professionals in my current employment I can begin to develop my professional network.

Within my school environment at Northern Ballet I was very much a part of a network. There were students from many different countries all with connections and also very different views on the profession. I was able to learn about the differing training methods and in my final year whilst auditioning for companies I was able to discover the differing expectations from companies all over the world. Whilst auditioning I also met many other dancers along the way, this was a fantastic way of networking as we shared our audition experiences and also informed one another of upcoming auditions. I reached out to previous graduates of my ballet school when auditioning asking advice on particular companies that they had worked with in the past and hearing their thoughts. This was exceptionally useful as I would be able to see if I was appropriate for the audition prior to actually attending. By speaking to recent graduates who had prior knowledge and experience with these companies I was able to see if I was the correct look, body shape and style of dancer. Upon graduating my class and I have a private facebook group to enable us to keep up to date with one another and stay in touch.

Now I am part of a network with my company Coastal City Ballet. We are a fairly small company but known nationwide throughout Canada. CCB has many guest choreographers broadening this network and the current company members themselves have helped me develop my network by introducing me to many other company directors and dancers they know. We also have many guest teachers for company class. For example last month Bengt Jörgen the Director of Ballet Jörgen took Company Class. Through him teaching the company he was able to get a sense of how I work and consider me for future employment.

I created the diagram below to visually view my professional networks.