Nicole's BAPP Blog

I drew a spider diagram of where I first established my existing networks  and how they are valuable in developing my professional network.  I noticed most of my contacts are people who started as friends, teachers or colleagues. The important networks were not only dancers, teachers, directors and choreographers but also individuals who could help my professional portfolio. For example photographers and technicians who have access to the video footage of the shows.  It is very important to always present myself in a professional manner, being polite, friendly and confident because you never know who will become a future contact or recommend you to an employer. I find that being under-confident in myself makes me hesitant to approach a new ‘network’.  When I was looking for work I attended open class with teachers who had their own business, and were also very popular, the busier the class indicated the better the teacher was! Stretching before and after class ...

I remember when I first got accepted into The Royal Ballet School and my dad bought me a journal, he said 'You have been given such a wonderful opportunity to go here and you will make so many memories, I want you to remember them all and one day sit with your grandchildren and read to them the experience you had!' I kept my journal for the first year and a half of being at the school. I stopped when I got a back injury, I remember feeling like I had nothing positive to write about as I was miserable sitting out of class in pain constantly. After nearly a year of pushing through the pain (14 years old) the doctors explained I had a back fracture in L5 and it was permanent. I am pleased to say that after medical treatment I am no longer in pain and still perusing my dance career! Just now, writing about this experience, I realise stopping to write my journal during this critical time was a big mistake. The bad days and disappointing experiences are important to address in ref...

Here are my answers to task 2D • What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic? I am very enthusiastic about a patterns and unison in a group of dancers, my favourite part of a ballet performance is watching the corps de ballet, the synchronism and unity is very powerful to watch and when I dance in a group I get very excited when I feel the whole cast moving in unity. Gailene Stock (1946-2014) director of the royal ballet school was an inspiration through my 5 years at The Royal Ballet School. At the end of each school year all 8 year groups would dance 'Defile' on the Royal Opera House stage, Gailene Stock would critique every small detail from the head angle being exactly the same to the count we started running on stage from the wings, ensuring all the dancers were perfectly in time enforcing the 'corps de ballet' rules from the age of 12! • What gets you angr...

I am a methodical learner and enjoy following a organised plan step by step with a routine, I think this is shown in the way I write my blogs, plan my day and analyse reflective practice. Kolb's learning cycle allowed me to reflect on how I learn in my professional practice. In an unfamiliar situation, for example learning choreography in an audition in a style of dance outside my comfort zone, I use 'Reflective observation' watching the choreographer or other dancers auditioning doing it and learning from their movement style and using the knowledge I saw to improve myself. By contrast I enter the 'Kolb learning cycle' in 'Abstract conceptualisation' in my current job as a dancer for Tihany Spectacular. For example, walking up the stairs on the stage in heels, I work it out in my head first how will be the safest and fastest way to clime the stairs before having the concrete experience. Gardner had the idea of multiple 'lenses' of learning - ...

The key words I needed to get my head around after reading Reader 2 EXPERIENCE- 'Observation of fact(s) or event(s), practice in doing something' (Oxford English Dictionary) REFLECTION = LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE- turning information into knowledge. I love voice notes, occasionally I feel like a crazy person sending myself messages and from an outsiders point of view just talking to myself! It is very difficult to find the words when your brain is working faster than your hand, I also find myself constantly wondering if I am spelling words correctly therefore stunting the organic thought process! So it seems without realising it I have began formulating a reflective journal mainly about my ideas and thoughts of the reader 2 in the form of voice notes. I noticed usually my reflection takes place in the gym, I think maybe the repetition of weights or consistency of cardio gives my mind time to wonder. I also find the same when I put my make up on before work! Talk at my room...

In this Skype session we mainly discussed Module 1, reader 2. I discussed that I have been doing the same show for 7 months and find at the end of each day when I go to write my journal I don't have much to write about. Turns out I was not alone in feeling a little stuck. Adesolaa suggested some questions we should ask ourselves... Why am I writing a Journal? What is the purpose of journal writing? Why is it something encouraged in BAPP? From these questions we concluded that, the experience is not important the important part of journal writing and could be the same experience every day, but it is how we reflect (feelings, emotions, what we learn) on the experience. 1. Having an experience 2.reviewing the experience 3.concluding from the experience 4.planning the next step (taking action to better our professional practice)! Also we discussed how different the BAPP programme is preparing us to motivate ourselves- for example if you are given a specific role, we need to take ...

A question for all BAPP students... I have been doing my research for the best way to promote myself professionally via social networking sites here are the sites I am considering. Wixs, linkin, instagram, flickr, facebook page. I have started forming a professional website using Wixs- on this I can upload my CV, performance videos/ showreels and images in albums such as headshots, movement shots and performance images. The benefits of using a website is so all of the information is in one place, sending the link of my website to auditions means they can she all the information they need in a professional portal. Disadvantages to a Wixs website is that people cannot comment on the site to offer advice and it is a private link. I also began forming a professional Instagram account separate from my personal account. I can upload many images and videos onto this platform where people can 'like' and 'comment' on my media. Instagram also has a 'scroll' or ...

At first read of section 1 in the Module 1 handbook, Web 2.0 sounded like a completely new concept that I was just learning about now. On a second read I see Web 2.0 has many communication platforms I use every day! Social Networking sites I use include: Blogs and Skype = BAPP programme, Facebook and Instagram = personal and professional sharing of my life and information from others I am 'facebook friends' with or 'follow' on Instagram. I read Syanne Day's Blog and noticed she had listed the important professional sites and forums she uses from Web 2.0, I have done the same to understand the impact of social networking platforms. Facebook private group- The Hustle http://balletcompanies.com/Countries/Auditions.php https://www.danceeurope.net/content/auditionsjobs http://dancingopportunities.com/ http://www.networkdance.com/ https://www.article19.org/ As a dancer I have always used communication via email, sending my CV and images for auditions, contactin...