8th September

Well then, it's time for me to switch off my overheated laptop! I feel as though I've fulfilled my POA for today, having:

- familiarised myself with Google Docs
- set up my Delicious account -I'm simply under 'laurabentley' should you want to add me
- enrolled for this semester
- visited various course related websites (there's a lot of information out there!)
- completed an application form for the university's Web Helpdesk (visit http://webhelpdesk.mdx.ac.uk )
- organised my laptop (favourites bar/documents folder) to make way for plenty of new work!

Small steps I know, but they've certainly helped me get the study bug back!

Here starts my blogging of the third and final module...

With a day off from work, and an aborted journey from Southampton to today's meeting with Peter, I have finally sat down to kick start this module into action.
Today's POA is to familiarise myself with all of the 'tools' stated in our handbook.. to get myself set up and ready to work.

I will have a busy work schedule throughout this entire module, so will need a lot of motivation to keep on top of both my job and academic studies. The plan is to broadcast my POA every time I sit down to study, hopefully ensuring that I complete a substantial amount of work to report back on. (Although I won't be offended if you want to scroll past my posts on Google Reader.. I don't want to bore you all with my lesson plans!)

Here goes...

Award Title Rationale

My proposed award title is:

BA(Hons) Professional Practice (Work Ethos)


Rationale:

“Work Ethos” is drawn directly from the title of my proposed project: The Impact of Unemployment on the Work Ethos of Professional Classical and Contemporary Dancers. It is a theme on which I will focus directly; investigating work ethos within the context of professional dancers whilst holding an acute awareness of its relevance to all members of society.

In selecting a full award title I considered both the focus of my proposed project and the credentials that permitted my inclusion on the degree course. My project is based on three elements, as depicted in its title: “unemployment”, “work ethos” and “dancers”. My diploma, and therefore training, is also focused on the latter of the three, being a National Diploma in Professional Dance. Three options are thus provided for my award title, although a degree concerned with unemployment may not be viewed favourably by potential employers. ‘Work Ethos’ and ‘Dance’ therefore stand as the two rational contenders for my award title.

The BAPP course is designed to “achieve the development objectives of organisations and individuals” (Middlesex University). This notion of personal development was my primary reason for taking the course, and one that I would like my degree to reflect.

For this reason I have not proposed ‘Dance’ as my award title. My training, diploma and work experience all clearly demonstrate my extensive involvement in dance. If the focus of my degree was to be stated as ‘Dance’, a continuation of learning in a specialised area would indeed be expressed, but no other merits gained throughout the course, or my vocation, would be represented. For a degree course designed to stimulate and accredit development in an individual’s professional practice, I believe an award title reflecting the key driving force of professional practice would be of greater relevance, and certainly more noteworthy.

As stated above, ‘Work Ethos' is the central focus of my proposed project. Moreover, my training and work have enabled me to understand the components of a good work ethos, as well as those of a poor one. Observing my own work ethic and those of my colleagues has taught me a great deal about its key role in the career of a professional. I consider my project to be the missing piece of the jigsaw in learning about and achieving a good work ethos. A professional’s work ethic must be maintained, and ideally improved, throughout the three common components of a career: training, work and unemployment. In studying the matter amongst unemployed dancers, I will be completing my understanding of the trilogy of circumstances to which work ethos is so relevant. Hart considers acquiring an overall “understanding of your topic” to be “part of your academic development – of becoming an expert in the field” (Hart 1998: 1). I believe my endeavour to achieve an inclusive understanding of work ethos promises sufficient personal development to warrant its place in my award title.

When applying for this course I expressed in my personal statement that I was keen to “continue fostering my academic ability” due to my concern that a career in dance is not representative of my “academic potential” (Bentley 2009: 1). I have thus chosen an award title which demonstrates a facet to my character besides that of my ability to dance. Furthermore, this facet has been crucial to my progress as a dancer, as well as to any other venture undertaken. Work Ethos is a phrase that incorporates my eight years of professional training and the development of my work ethic during subsequent jobs. It also recognises the studies undertaken through this degree course, especially with regard to the core focus of studying and improving professional practice.

For the reasons stated above I consider my chosen award title to be an accurate reflection of the project I am undertaking; representative of the objectives of the degree course, and an embodiment of a major aspect of my vocation. When placed together with my diploma, training and work experience, it observes capabilities and interests besides that of dance, whilst still acknowledging my background due to its auxiliary role in my vocation. I also believe the title to be a sensible choice with regard to approaching potential employers. It recognises a vital component of my professional practice, but in a way that is accessible to a wider field of work.






Sources:

Bentley, L, 2009, Personal Statement [essay]. Submitted to Middlesex University: June 2009

Hart, C, 1998, Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination. London: Sage in association with The Open University

Middlesex University, 200? probable decade, Excelling at University Level-Learning in the Workplace [online]. London: Middlesex University. Available from: . [Accessed 22 April 2010].

A note for Laura-Beth:

Hi Laura-Beth,
Just to let you know that your Module Receipt form was accidentally posted to me! I'll post it back to Middlesex tomorrow so they can send it on to you... but I thought I'd try & let you know in case you were wondering where it had got to!? :)

Congrats to everyone for reaching the end of the module!!! :D

Where's that bullet now?...

Well, after having bitten the bullet I've certainly got my teeth stuck into it! This topic is one that is reallly gripping me... What better way to combat the woes of unemployment than to engross oneself in a project? And to base it on the very subject of unemployed dancers makes me feel as though I am tackling the problem head on and defeating not the issue itself, but its negative symptoms at least.

A section of the video entitled "Designing a research question" posted on Peter's blog hit the nail on the head in summarising how I feel about my topic choice. Around 2 minutes 45 seconds in, the speaker advises:

"Choose something that nags away at you; choose something that sort of creates an itch in your thinking, as it were; that you really really want to get to grips with, you want to solve or find out more about."

The more I put into the task at hand, the more I feel I am getting to grips with the issue of unemployment. What better motivation to drive my project forwards...




Designing a research project, 2008 [Videoclip], YouTube: strideproject.
Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEuzeL061wM [Accessed 29 March 2010].

And My Project Is...

The Effects of Unemployment on Dancers.

As Abbi quite rightly stated, it is a title that has been staring me in the face since the collapse of the company that I worked for; but after careful consideration and some extensive mind mapping, I really do feel that this topic has gripped me.


My Title:
I have not yet constructed my title, but I do know that it will be along the lines of ‘An Exploration of the Effects of Unemployment on Dancers’, with perhaps the addition of ‘...and Methods of Managing Them’.


Areas of Investigation:
I have concluded that the effects of unemployment fall into four key areas, all of which I plan to explore. These are the physical, psychological, financial and vocational effects of being out of work. This is a conclusion that I have come to based on my own knowledge of the topic, but some exploratory research may suggest otherwise.


Who to conduct my study on?
Due to the nature of our industry, most dancers will have experienced unemployment. I am looking at the personal effects that a dancer experiences under these circumstances, so any dancer’s opinion –whether currently or previously out of work- will be valid.

The term ‘dancers’ is a broad one, incorporating any form of dance, an assortment of ages, and varying levels of professional experience. I imagine this will cause a bit of a headache when it comes to composing a cross-section of dancers to research!

In terms of locating dancers, I have –throughout my training and work- developed a large network of contacts. Evidently I cannot only use personal contacts, as they will mainly be linked to the genres of dance in which I have worked, and therefore not representative of the industry as a whole. A fantastic pool of dancers will be readily available to me in London, namely at DanceWorks and Pineapple Studios, where classes and auditions in various genres occur on a daily basis. These organisations are popular amongst dancers who are seeking work or keeping fit in between jobs, making them ideal venues for me to locate people to research. I must, however, also make an effort to study dancers living outside of London. I know from personal experience that an unemployed dancer in London lives under very different circumstances to one living elsewhere in the country. Without easy access to dance classes and auditions, the effects of unemployment can feel harder to manage.


Peter’s blog has been invaluable in helping me to further develop thoughts and considerations about my topic choice. Below are some of the important questions raised in his blog entries “Setting your topic” and “Evaluating you topic” and my responses to them...


What do I know about the topic? What don’t I know?

I know that unemployment is a significant part of most dancer’s careers. (I recently heard a statistic that 85% of people in the performance industry are out of work at any given time! Of course I shall need to verify this, but it's a pretty clear indication of the nature of the profession.)
I know that unemployment personally affects me, and that I can find the situation difficult to manage.

I don’t know if the way in which it affects me is representative of other dancers - if my personal ‘symptoms’ of being out of work are common?

I don’t know the methods that other dancers use to manage the situation.


...So, I want to find out how unemployment affects other dancers.

-What are the common/main effects of unemployment?
-What methods can be adopted to manage the situation?


Is the research feasible?

Resources: My resources will be dancers, of which there are certainly plenty in London as previously mentioned. It will be feasible to incorporate my research into the trips I often take to London, and also to use the network of dancers I know based in other locations.

Skills: I have a personal understanding of the topic as a starting point.

Time: Provided I don’t make my topic too broad, time should not be a problem. There are always dancers out of work, so I am not limited to carrying out my research during a specific window of time.


Is the topic interesting?

It is certainly a relevant topic for anyone associated with the performance industry. I hope that my findings will be insightful, and that they will help people to learn more about the effects and management of unemployment past simply their own experiences. By learning how others deal with the situation, individuals have the opportunity to improve their own personal practice if necessary.


Is the topic novel?

I think so, but I need to check to see... I’ll let you know!!


Is the research ethical?

I don’t envisage my research running into too many ethical issues, but I must be careful when exploring the financial effects of being out of work. Finance is a personal and sometimes sensitive area, so I must seek advice on how far I am allowed to take questions of a financial nature. I must also carefully consider my exploration of the psychological effects on dancers. To gain a true insight I will require a great deal of openness from those I am researching, which often requires a good trust-relationship to be built up. Where possible, the promise of confidentiality and anonymity may be of benefit to these areas of my research.


Is the research relevant?

Most certainly!

i) Can it improve practice?
Not the principle issue of unemployment itself, but the practice of managing its effects

ii) Can other people use it to investigate further?
On an individual basis, I hope my project can facilitate the improvement of personal management of unemployment.
To further my project, other people could certainly look to investigate how organisations –such as dance studios, agencies and audition websites- help dancers who are out of work, and what improvements could be made to them.


And to one of my favourite questions of Peter’s: ‘So What?’

In terms of the industry: Unemployment is a relevant issue that virtually every dancer will experience. Admittedly, my project will not tackle the issue of unemployment itself. It is an inevitable feature of the industry, and pretty much an unwritten agreement between a dancer and their profession. BUT, despite its inevitability, it is a major downside to the job, and one that I want to research how to manage.

=Research that will apply more to the individual dancer than to the industry in general (which is too big a monster to tame!!)

In terms of practice: My research could be furthered to improve practice in existing –or perhaps new- organisations that are used by unemployed dancers, but I envisage focusing primarily on improving individual practice through my project.

[Especially as I am an individual within the industry at the time of selecting my topic –ie, not currently part of a company/organisation. Therefore my individual practice is the only one readily available to me! Interestingly, the largest group within my industry at any given time is those who are out of work. They are all individuals, with only their circumstances causing them to be a part of this ‘group’ (rather than their geographic location, or company name badge, so to speak). So, to investigate and improve the practice of the ‘group’ I must focus on and deliver suggestions about individual practice. In conclusion, I hope that my project will benefit the largest sector of my industry. This sector is not an official organisation, merely a statistic, so it therefore receives little help and attention.]


Does anyone else care about what I find out?

My topic will be relevant to plenty of others, but whether they will be as thirsty for advice as I am is yet to see! I may find that unemployment is far less of an issue for everybody else than it is for me. Perhaps no one else is particularly bothered?!


And finally: Do I want to share these burning questions of mine with the world?!

I do believe unemployment to be a sensitive issue, for me anyway. I would rather brush over my current circumstances and pick a study area that doesn’t highlight my employment status to other people in such a glaringly obvious manner! However, learning to deal with periods of unemployment is vital for most dancers, and something you certainly don’t learn how to deal with when you are spending six days a week in the studio training for the profession. I hope that by addressing the issue head on I can help myself and others to eliminate any shame in the situation (should this be applicable), and to discover the best possible methods of managing it.

Thoughts on the Position of a Worker-Researcher:

The dual role of a Worker-Researcher comes with simultaneous advantages and disadvantages. This is an inevitable consequence of adopting two opposing positions. However, provided the disadvantages are recognised and managed well enough, the benefits of such a powerful combination of roles can be very rewarding.

The immediate advantage that a Worker-Researcher, as opposed to an outside researcher, has is a previously acquired knowledge of their organisation. This allows easier access to interviewees and to company data, as the Worker-Researcher can use contacts that have already been established. Another important advantage is that a Worker-Researcher is often more qualified than an outside researcher to identify an area that requires improvement. A Worker-Researcher has first-hand experience of the day to day running of their company, so is familiar with the areas that run efficiently, and with those that are more problematic, or cause unrest amongst fellow employees.

However, the fresh view of an outsider can bring many advantages too. They may not be considered qualified by the organisation to waltz in and suggest possible alterations, but it is easier for an outside researcher to make objective observations, and to therefore carry out neutral research with reliable results. Without any personal attachments to the organisation, the outside researcher is more likely to analyse its structure in a straightforward manner, without any preconceptions or bias.

‘Preconceptions’ and ‘bias’ are two words which highlight the main disadvantages of adopting a Worker-Researcher position. In order to deliver accurate results, research needs to be carried out in as neutral and fair a way as possible. When one researches an area of an organisation with which they are very familiar, one is prone to anticipate the outcome of the investigation. This can affect the way in which information is collected, with, for example, the researcher devising surveys that lead the participant towards particular answers. This does not necessarily mean the researcher has intentionally created a bias survey, but subconscious expectations of its results can influence the composition of a survey. Once the information has been collected, a Worker-Researcher’s preconceptions are also likely to affect its interpretation. One must be especially cautious when the research is of a qualitative nature, as the results are not always clear cut and can require some interpretation by the researcher.

I do, however, feel that there is one overriding advantage to research within an organisation being conducted by a Worker-Researcher. In many cases, research is carried out with a view to discovering improvements that could be made to existing practice. If an investigation ascertains a change that an organisation would benefit from, it is far more likely that the change will be trialled –and if necessary maintained- should the researcher suggesting it be continually present within the organisation.

Time to Bite the Bullet...

These past few weeks have not been the best of my life: with the company that I danced for folding, leading me to move back in with my parents and to start looking for new work.

To lose a job is tough for anyone, especially when it's one that you deeply loved, gained a lot from, and had fantastic colleagues to work with. However, for a dancer you don't only lose your job but also your lifestyle. To secure your next job, fitness needs to be maintained to as high a standard as possible; but without daily classes and rehearsals your previously attained standard of dancing is sure to slip, unless you pay to attend public dance classes all day everyday.. but money doesn't grow on trees and, oh yes, you don't have a job anyway. There are also the psychological effects to consider. Dancers thrive on the thrill of performing, and on spending hours upon end in the studio; so without a regular dose of rehearsals and performances, it's easy to feel less and less like one. This loss of identity is difficult to cope with as, in the case of many professional dancers, it is a vocation that you'll have been living, eating, breathing and sleeping for most of your life. A dancer's mentality is equally as important as their physicality. This applies to the times when you are in work and performing, but even more so to when you are unemployed and competing against hundreds of others for your next contract.

The unexpected turnabout of my situation has left me struggling for ideas as to the direction of my project. The aforementioned 'loss of identity' is something that I am currently experiencing, so to choose a topic from my 'work-place' is something that is, at this point, confusing and frustrating for me. Had this module come about a few months ago, I would have had a clear understanding as to my position and identity within both my company and my industry as a whole, making my thoughts on a project topic much easier to organise.

Until now, I have been skirting around the issue of actually selecting a topic, simply studying the module handbook, Bell book and blog entries from a general perspective. I think I've been half-hoping that one of the two auditions I've recently done would land me an instant contract; that I'd be back working as a dancer and once again feel established enough within the industry to justify my researching an area of it. Despite two fantastic and very enjoyable auditions, I don't yet have any contracts to sign, and must accept the reality of a dancer's working life being uncertain and without much structure or stability. It's time to bite the bullet and throw myself into some structured and organised studying, in spite of the current unstructured and disorganised section of career path that I am walking through.

Academic Writing: Final Version

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: Unreasonably Controversial

For centuries choreographers and audiences alike have cherished the tradition of the female swan. At the time of composing his famous score, Tchaikovsky himself agreed with "the idea of the swan as a symbol of womanhood in its purest” (BalletMet 2006). It was universally acknowledged that “supernatural female creatures” such as swans “appealed to the contemporary taste for idealised, fantasised womanhood”.

Worth noting here is the phrase “contemporary taste”. If Swan Lake’s success is owed to its relevance within society, then surely one cannot fault Bourne for restoring its significance more than a century later. In an online review, Laura Porter of About.com refers to Bourne’s interpretation as having “turned tradition upside down”. To many critics this has been translated as “unthinkable” (Johnson 1997) and disrespectful to Petipa/Ivanov’s original version. On the other hand, Judith Mackrell of The Guardian describes Bourne’s adaptation as “a classic”, a term used to label a work of exceptional standard and “enduring significance” (thefreedictionary.com 2009). Whilst respecting the continuing appeal of a ballet created in 1877, there is no shame in embracing Bourne’s revised perspective on its central issues.

In many respects Bourne stays true to the traditional Swan Lake, using the same celebrated score and exploring the same key themes of self realisation and love. His plot is relatively in keeping with the original too. The Prince still falls in love with a swan; Bourne simply chooses to transfer it to a contemporary setting, whereby the swan is also male. In doing this, a significant element of our present-day society is drawn upon, giving the plot’s themes even more resonance. David Roberts of Theatre Reviews Limited describes the male corps de ballet of swans as:

“the perfect medium for the Prince to discover and celebrate his sexuality... Although the Prince is unashamedly gay, Swan Lake is universal in its appeal and accessible to all persons who know what it means to be misunderstood, confused about sexuality and love, and long for intimacy and relationship... The Prince's Swan fantasy allows the character and the audience to experience at the deepest levels the issues of becoming a distinct, separate individual and the risks involved in ‘leaving the flock’."

The crucial phrase here is “deepest levels”. By exploring the same issues as the original version, but through the contemporary setting of a gay relationship, Bourne is strengthening their impact with the audiences of today.

One further point worth considering is the artistic benefit of casting male dancers as swans. In his programme note, Bourne states that:

"The idea of a male swan makes complete sense to [him]. The strength, the beauty, the enormous wingspan of these creatures suggests to the musculature of a male dancer more readily than a ballerina in her white tutu”.

Through a female corps de ballet choreographers have portrayed swans as graceful and fragile; their aggressive temperament and physical strength have hitherto been overlooked. Now audiences have an opportunity to witness a different, but equally valid, facet of their nature. In addition, Bourne’s Swan Lake also appeals to the “new breed of muscular, masculinised dance” (Johnson 1997) found in productions such as Tap Dogs, Lord of the Dance and STOMP!. Bourne is attentive to this emerging trend, declaring that “the heroes of dance are suddenly becoming males again.''

In short, Bourne has not only created an adaptation of Swan Lake with remarkable artistic credibility, but one that fortifies the story's key themes and values for a contemporary audience. It is the initiative of present-day choreographers, like Bourne, that will help to sustain ballet’s popularity throughout the twenty-first century.



Bibliography:


BalletMet, 2006, The History of the Ballet ‘Swan Lake’ [online]. Ohio: Ballet Notes. Available from: <>. [Accessed 12 November 2009].

Porter, L, 2009, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake [online]. New York: About.com. Available from: <>. [Accessed 12 December 2009].

Johnson, R, 1997, BOURNE’S BRAVE NEW ‘SWAN’ [online]. Los Angeles: Daily News. Available from: <>. [Accessed 12 November 2009].

Mackrell, J, 2006, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake [online]. London: The Guardian. Available from: <>. [Accessed 12 November 2009].

TheFreeDictionary, 2009, classic [online]. US: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Available from: <>. [Accessed 12 November 2009].

Roberts, D, 2004, “Swan Lake” [online]. US: Theatre Reviews Limited. Available from: <>. [Accessed 12 November 2009].

Bourne, M, 2006, ‘The History of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake’, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake Programme, Sadler’s Wells, London 13 December 2006 – 21 January 2007, p12.

Descriptive Piece: Final Version

As Tchaikovsky’s familiar score fills the auditorium, a solitary figure emerges from the mist onto stage. The scene is lit by a single street lamp and the glare of a full moon, which hovers ominously in the sky. Barely visible are the silhouettes of two trees, which are far greater in stature than the Prince standing alone before them.

Seemingly lost in thought, he places his long black coat over a wooden bench and wanders upstage. The gap between the trees indicates that there is something beyond the audience’s perspective, something to which the Prince is being drawn. As the rich sound of the orchestra builds, the Prince steps closer and closer to what transpires to be the edge of a moonlit lake. Without warning, a white creature darts onto stage, startling both the Prince and the audience. This is the swan that will captivate the attention, and later the heart, of the Prince.

The swan’s movements are entrancing. His arms work fluidly, evoking the grace and beauty of a bird’s wings, but his steps are so assured that we are reminded of the power behind this creature’s elegant demeanour. When the dancer leaps, his use of expansive port de bras enhances the impression of flight, and his controlled landings roll seamlessly into another leap or turn. The overall effect is of the swan gliding effortlessly across the stage, demonstrating his marvellous fusion of strength and grace. Amid these elegant movements comes the occasional abrupt, aggressive gesture, highlighting a fiercer edge to the bird’s temperament. The dancer elongates his fingers and draws them together with his thumb into a pointed, beak-like shape. When he directs his hand towards the Prince, we instantly recognise the threatening intent behind the gesture.

The dancer wears dark, streamlined eye make-up, as well as a thin black head piece that sits almost on his brow. Representative of a swan’s distinctive markings, this also emphasises his authoritative gaze. The trousers that he wears are white, and are compromised of many shreds of material. These ripple with every one of the dancer’s movements, depicting a coat of delicate, light feathers.

Before long, the stage is filled with a flock of swans, swirling nimbly across the stage. Their fluid movements echo the continuous, flowing quality of the music, and their ever changing floor patterns are evocative of swans gliding through water. They ebb on and off stage in groups of three or four, giving the effect of constant movement, with each group performing fleeting, graceful sequences in unison.

The swans create a mesmerising scene. The contrast of their pure white costumes against the haunting, dark stage forces their swirling, hypnotic patterns upon the audience. Together with the Prince, we are transported into their world; overwhelmed by the swans’ sheer elegance and supremacy.