i want to say that sometimes the work you go for is not always as you imagine it will be, like all dreams when you get there the reality is usually different. i don't mean this in a negative way only, sometimes the it is different in a good way. the best thing i can think to say is know what it is about dancing that makes you happy and go with that. and keep re-creating your dream if it needs updating. i have had to keep up with myself, changing what i want and like about the business and dance, and found that for me it is the actual act of dancing and sharing that experience with people that gives me a kick, be it in a rehearsal room, on a night out or in Buckingham palace. great dancing is great dancing. so that is what i aim for at the moment, enjoying great moments of dancing wherever i may find them. (and getting paid for some of them is of course very helpful)
hope that is useful, -sometimes i believe we get bogged down with 'proving' ourselves to people- usually urself - and aiming for work that has a good name or high reputation, rather than filling your life with stuff that makes you happy and feel alive. if they happen to cross over great, but if not, also great.
what is wonderful about the world is that there is room for everyone's expression and creativity; when you find your way to do that and in a way that you can make a living then you've hit the jackpot!
Hope your all well! Just a quick tip about company class. From my own experiences and now being able to have the opportunity to watch people come and take class, I would strongly advise you to try and do more then one class.. I would say 3days of company class being the min and around 2weeks being the max!(consecutively if poss.) It may sound like a lot but 1. This gives you a good opportunity to show all areas of your ability 2. The people you are trying to impress(ie. Rehs Directors & A.D) may not even be there to watch you! &3. It shows greater interest in the company and they will recognise your face!
Also don't be afraid to ask if your able to stay and watch rehearsals, this way you can get to know the dancers better..chat & make contacts! (the worst that could happen is they say no.)
Good luck!
(& Don't forget to tell me if your heading up Phoenix way,I'll fill you in on the best days and gossip)
Hey Guys A couple of things, firstly it's great to see the blog back. Make sure you all use it, it'll be a great aid.
My main point is I just wanted to share my experience. As some of you know I'm now working for Carnival cruise line - the worlds largest cruise company. Although I always wanted to try a term on cruise ships, I didn't plan to do so until after working in the UK and eroupe on the contemporary scene. However, after my injury last year I couldn't physically complete contemporary auditions so I decided to go to the open audition at pineapple. In all honesty, it was just for the audition experience, it's good practice for a mass open audition, we had 650 people, 150 of those were boys, only 50 girls and 12 male places were given. So fairly tough and you do have to ruff it till the end. We danced 9.30 till 5 learning and then dancing the routine, didn't stop at all. It's been the hardest audition I've done to date.
So now I'm here in-between the USA and Mexico, working hard on the shows. 2 shows a night, an hour long each, 5 nights a week. So lots of stage time, which is lovely, big theatre and full audience every time. The choreography is not always the most technical, but requires lots of energy, fun, partner work, lots of tap in one of our shows, all really cool stuff. Some parts I would say are very much like Matthew Bourne.
Ship life is great, it's like having a whole new family all looking after one another. With carnival we have very few duties so a lot of spare time to enjoy the locations we go to as well as working hard in the shows.
But one of the best things for me is its paid tax free work, travelling, dancing, and also giving me the opportunity to rehab my injury, and get back in shape with the free onboard gym thats situated at the front of the boat looking out to sea.
All in all I'm getting paid to have wonderful once in a lifetime experiences doing something that I love. So forget a lot of the stigma around cruise ships, and any other types of work you may not wish to do? Sometime you go where the jobs are and make it work for you, even if it's just short term.
But most Importantly, just keep trying and it'll happen one way or another.
Hi everyone hope your all well and enjoying third year!!!!
As I think most of you know I'm with Tavaziva at the the minute and proper loving it! If anyone is interested in doing class we are back in the studio in November, our base is in seven sisters and really easy to find. Loads of people come in to do class and as Ness said its probably worth doing a good few classes during the week if you can, as every day varies a little. Bawren teaches most days but we also have Denzil Bailey for ballet on a Tuesday and one of the other company members normally teaches on a Thursday, we also do the odd african class now and again (yes!! lauren is doing african!!)
Also anyone who is interested in Tav. should get used to Gina making you do phrases in front of people on your own because I would say we do at least one phrase every day by ourselves and if you come and do class you won't get out of doing it either. I used to hate the moment when Gina said to do stuff on our own but just go with it as it feels completely normal to do it now, although I still sometimes dread it.
No joke though I have never been worked so hard and there's never a dull moment in the company so definitely come and do class, Bawren's work is amazing and you'll seriously get something out of it!
We are also touring at the minute so if your interested in watching the nearest venue to London is at The Hawth, Crawley on Tues 1st Nov. we are performing Double take which has been brought back from the last tour season but now has a good few newbies. :)
Hope to see some of you soon, let me know if any of you will be in for class.
Third is proper scary isn't it?! and bloody hard!!
As you know I'm currently working at DisneyLand Paris and I rocked up to Paris yesterday.
All I can say from my lack of audition experience is DO EVERYTHING. A job is a job, and you never know, it could possible turn into your dream job. I've gone to audition for company's and jobs that I thought I'd hate and actually fell in love with them, and visa versa.
I would also say make yourself a plan. My plan was to leave school in one piece, work at topshop full time for the summer, get the money I needed to audition and then either change job so i have more free time or hopefully get a job somewhere performing. It doesn't sound a ground breaking plan, but it helps you get out of bed in the morning and do something with your day.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK. If you want to do something or do class and you know someone there, ask! If you want to know where to take class, ask! Never be afraid because it's sooo worth it.
One last thing is don't compare yourself and what you're doing to what other are doing. It's for you that you started dancing, don't be bothered by what others do and say. Stepping stones and learning curves are what it is all about.
I've got so much Gina and her rehearsals about being disciplined on yourself. When you get a job, it doesnt mean you keep it forever. I'm on an eleven day trial. A lot can happen in that time.
Work Hard, Play Hard. And in that order too!
Best of luck sweets and I'll see you on the audition scene in January!
What a great idea to create a blog so we can all stay in touch and share our experiences! Great idea Gina! So I thought I shall write a little comment as well.
I have to admit it was quite a change being a graduate from Rambert..missing the lovely people and the great days at school, but then again Rambert is the start of everything in your career! Since Rambert I had quite a few adventures myself and I wouldn’t have experienced those had I not been at Rambert.
I feel when you leave there is a little pressure on finding a job, maybe not even said by people but that inner voice that is like I need a job and what am I going to do when I leave Rambert?! Looking back now I wish I hadn’t been as hard on myself, I truly believe that there is a path way for all of us and that the right things will come to you at the right time. And even if you might not see the reason why something doesn’t happen straight away, I am sure you will see the reason later! ( this all sounds very reasonable when I read it back but maybe we have to go to the bit harder times first to see the more positive side later..because when I left Rambert I didn’t think like this myself either..I had to experience certain things to come to this conclusion..)
I have been dancing in a company in Sicily which has been a great experience! It wasn’t exactly what I wanted but I learned so much from it, on many levels, learned things about myself, what I really want and how I deal with situations, and of course learned on the dancing front! I love moving country and building up something new, meet new people and get a taste of a new way of living. Even though it wasn’t exactly what I wanted it am very glad I have experienced it! I think that’s another thing, not to stress to much about this is not what I want, because it might be good to take some steps in between. This way you might discover things that you would never had considered otherwise. As for me, I am currently working in Disneyland Paris in the character and parade department and I am loving it! It is a wonderful place to work, such great people at work and a truly magical place! Seeing the guests so happy with the work that we do, and the magic we create is a very satisfying feeling! Without my dancing education I would have never been here! So take the chances that will come your way, even though it might not have been what you had in mind, who knows what will come out of it! I think everything happens for a reason and that there are wonderful opportunities for all of us, I think the trick is to be able to open your eyes to them!
I hope that everyone is having a great time and are busy doing things they love!
Right, I have been meaning to write on this for a while now. I think the most important thing is adapt to survive. By this I don't mean to compromise as you should always go straight for what you really really want but along the way be open to new styles, people and worlds and just see where it brings you. Very often it may seem like you are doing something quite strange which you later discover actually gave you the one skill you were missing in order to get that job you are after. Doing class is ofcourse important, you need to stay in shape in order to feel confident and give your best but maybe try some new things aswell and don't get bogged down in the nitty gritty of technique. Yes, you will often need to demonstrate a good technique to pass the first few rounds but after that you will often find that choreographers are looking for a person, someone they can work with and who will bring something to the table. I say this from a contemporary dance perspective so perhaps it is a little bit different if you are persuing a strictly classical road. So, listen carefully to what is asked of you and try your best to provide it but ultimately ....and this is a cliche because it's true but be brave enough to really be you, then if you get the job you want by just being yourself you will really be happy. So, work hard, try to stay relaxed and open and oh, do workshops! I have gotten most of my contracts that way!!! Erin x
Hi All- Finally got round to writing a little something on here… hope it makes at least a little sense!
-Do Everything and be open… the more genres and skills you have then the more you have to offer, as soon as you put yourself into a category or decide you are one certain type of dancer you have closed off a load of opportunities for yourself. Be willing to learn from everyone, even if you think its not your thing and your feel like a bit of an idiot doing it...stick at it and it will more than likely pay off… also respect other peoples stuff, you might not like it but they love it, so take a sec acknowledge it.
-Work hard, and enjoy working hard… I think there is too much to do in this career to find working hard difficult! On the same kinda note, really put yourself out there, speaking as a terrible ‘networker’ this does not mean you have to schmooze loads of random people, there are other ways… only you can make yourself take an extra class, go to a workshop or take the time to research everything that’s currently going on.
-If you can afford to, with money and time, going to lots of auditions in UK and Europe is great… go with an open mind and its always more fun to go with someone else then at least if you don’t make it past the first round you get a little mini holiday package. (happened a lot!)
Finally… try not to be stressed, caffeine is good and so is cake!
Just a wee tip for you Aussies and other non EU's trying to find work: make sure you are organized when it comes to visas! They are long-winded processes and if you're lucky your employer will help you out. If you don't have it already get copies of your birth certificate, passport and current visas if you have one. Get a list of websites and contact numbers that may come in handy like the federal police (you often need to provide a background check), translation services that sort of thing. Also do a bit of research on schengen visas. They are the standard three month working visa for Europe. Often the process of acquiring a visa isn't so much hard as it is long and keep in mind that documents take time to process and go back and forth from your country of origen to the country of employment! But if you plan your time and stay on top of it you won't have a problem :)
Hey guys, if you have time and some money and want some inspiration get yourself to Madrid for the Madrid en Danza festival from 7-27 November. There will be loads of different companies performing and it could be a good way to research some companies by watching performances and taking class. Check out the website www.madrid.org/madridendanza/2011/index.html for the list of companies. To join company class it's best to email in advance, with cv and a picture. I definitely think that taking company classes is the best way to check out a company you're interested in. When you email make sure you suggest dates that you would like to come so that they can give you a specific answer. Hope everyone is happy and healthy, please Facebook me if you make it to Madrid :) always nice to see a familiar face! Xo
Hey guys soon the main audition season begins and I know most of you will be mainly auditioning in the U.K, but I have to say after living in Germany the U.K dance scene is very limited, of course you have all you major companies Rambert Dance Company, Phoenix, Mathew Bourne etc...... but the competition is so high that it might also be wise to spread the net further and go abroad. That’s where I think Germany is an amazing place to look. Here is a link all of the companies in Germany...
and I tell you there are over 100, so the chance of gaining a first job gets slightly easier. Lots of money is pumped into the arts over here in Germany so in every major city there is a main theatre, but also in every small town as well. So if you have not thought about Germany then it might be a good idea to do some research. ☺
First of all is all about luck or even better it is about finding yourself in the right place at the right moment.Sometimes you find yourself in an audition and people that you think are not good dancers pass no the next phase or cut while you are going home in a Grey fog of negative thoughts.
My experiences is very positive as a dancer,because i started late and as soon as i got out of Rambert i got a job in It dansa,company in witch i grew up a,ot and i understood how to move in the dance world.
Now im freelancing in Holland with a contract for Random Collision witch is definitely an organization to check out.They have amazing stuff that gives everything to art for the sake of the love for it! I find that freelancing is great but very hard for most people,and i think that an experience in a Company is needed for a dancer to feel completed. Of course i must say that you will always better be thinking what you really want in life because if you want stability and comfort you might have to go back to Uni!!!
I will never forget when one of my best teachers at Rambert(Therese Cantine) told me that Nureyev thought that if you can live with out dance is better that you do because is way harder to cope with life as a dancer ! Never give up,find alternatives and adapt and believe in yourself if dancing is really what yo want to do in life.
Adrian funny that you posted about Siddhartha it was given to me by my dancing partner in the show i was in as a graduating and moving on present- definitely worth a read guys!
I thought i would just tell my story as i have very little other wisdom.
So my first job was dancing in Opera North's production of Carousel. I really was a wonderful first job but not all fun and games and it allowed me to learn a lot about working and myself. I played the character of the principal's (billy) daughter, so i had 3 dialogue scenes as well as a 12 minute ballet it was great to be challenged in different ways in all of the performances. The choreographer was Kim Brandstrup (for those of you who dont know him his work is very fluid, lyrical and really lovely and indulgent to dance)he recently collaborated with Wayne McGregor on the Olymipic Festival with Royal Ballet if any of you saw that.
After the first month of rehearsal the actor playing billy (my father) fell ill and ended up in hospital so they had to find another big name opera singer to fill his role the new singer they chose was black.. So slight issue with me being his daughter, however my understudy has darker colourings and hair. So i didnt get to perform opening night, and she got to perform the majority of performances in leeds, where as i got to perform the matinees with the understudy billy. As a repercussion of this i also had to swing the 4 other female dancers tracks for the 3 hour show. This was a new challenge and a lot of work, and also very stressful getting told you are going on half an hour before a show starts as someone else!! eeek! But it was very testing in a positive way and was really great fun to be part of the ensemble when that happened. The show came to the Barbican on the 15th of sept and the cast were then double cast so i got to do an opening night and more than half of the shows that time round. Everything else has been great fun though, long rehearsals and hopefully some really special friendships.
The most magical past of the rehearsals and production were the creating of the pas de deux, the sitzprobe (first time you hear the orchestra) and the stage rehearsals where the theatre starts to feel like home. Try to be respectful and not judgmental to anyone, i know that sounds like a obvious thing but i noticed that a lot of the performers i was working with (possibly because the were slightly older) could be slightly rude to the other people working on the show, stage staff, wiggys, makeup, dressers. There are so many people involved and it is really special that you are one big family.
I hope you all have a fabulous 3rd year and any queries then you can always contact me and probably all the previous 3rd years on facebook.
YOU CAN DO IT!.... and it really is worth the fight!x
Hey Guys! Hope your all well, i have just done a week with Retina dance company in Leicester and would like to share what i learnt with you, the main thing i'd really like to stress is this company in particular (can't say for all contemporary companies) want to see you have basic technique but really aren't bothered whether you point your feet or not but want to know you can MOVE AND TRAVEL, and have quality and flow in your movement and also they are a close knit company so what to know you are easy to work and get a long with i guess what i'm saying is the finest Ballet technique is over rated for these type of companies, so don't swear it tooo much if your not perfect at ballet!!! lots of love and God Bless Rose xx
i want to say that sometimes the work you go for is not always as you imagine it will be, like all dreams when you get there the reality is usually different. i don't mean this in a negative way only, sometimes the it is different in a good way. the best thing i can think to say is know what it is about dancing that makes you happy and go with that. and keep re-creating your dream if it needs updating. i have had to keep up with myself, changing what i want and like about the business and dance, and found that for me it is the actual act of dancing and sharing that experience with people that gives me a kick, be it in a rehearsal room, on a night out or in Buckingham palace. great dancing is great dancing. so that is what i aim for at the moment, enjoying great moments of dancing wherever i may find them. (and getting paid for some of them is of course very helpful)
ReplyDeletehope that is useful, -sometimes i believe we get bogged down with 'proving' ourselves to people- usually urself - and aiming for work that has a good name or high reputation, rather than filling your life with stuff that makes you happy and feel alive. if they happen to cross over great, but if not, also great.
what is wonderful about the world is that there is room for everyone's expression and creativity; when you find your way to do that and in a way that you can make a living then you've hit the jackpot!
good luck rambert crew!!!!! xxxxxx
Hi All,
ReplyDeleteHope your all well! Just a quick tip about company class. From my own experiences and now being able to have the opportunity to watch people come and take class, I would strongly advise you to try and do more then one class.. I would say 3days of company class being the min and around 2weeks being the max!(consecutively if poss.) It may sound like a lot but 1. This gives you a good opportunity to show all areas of your ability 2. The people you are trying to impress(ie. Rehs Directors & A.D) may not even be there to watch you! &3. It shows greater interest in the company and they will recognise your face!
Also don't be afraid to ask if your able to stay and watch rehearsals, this way you can get to know the dancers better..chat & make contacts! (the worst that could happen is they say no.)
Good luck!
(& Don't forget to tell me if your heading up Phoenix way,I'll fill you in on the best days and gossip)
Ness x
Hey Guys
ReplyDeleteA couple of things, firstly it's great to see the blog back. Make sure you all use it, it'll be a great aid.
My main point is I just wanted to share my experience. As some of you know I'm now working for Carnival cruise line - the worlds largest cruise company. Although I always wanted to try a term on cruise ships, I didn't plan to do so until after working in the UK and eroupe on the contemporary scene. However, after my injury last year I couldn't physically complete contemporary auditions so I decided to go to the open audition at pineapple. In all honesty, it was just for the audition experience, it's good practice for a mass open audition, we had 650 people, 150 of those were boys, only 50 girls and 12 male places were given. So fairly tough and you do have to ruff it till the end. We danced 9.30 till 5 learning and then dancing the routine, didn't stop at all. It's been the hardest audition I've done to date.
So now I'm here in-between the USA and Mexico, working hard on the shows. 2 shows a night, an hour long each, 5 nights a week. So lots of stage time, which is lovely, big theatre and full audience every time. The choreography is not always the most technical, but requires lots of energy, fun, partner work, lots of tap in one of our shows, all really cool stuff. Some parts I would say are very much like Matthew Bourne.
Ship life is great, it's like having a whole new family all looking after one another. With carnival we have very few duties so a lot of spare time to enjoy the locations we go to as well as working hard in the shows.
But one of the best things for me is its paid tax free work, travelling, dancing, and also giving me the opportunity to rehab my injury, and get back in shape with the free onboard gym thats situated at the front of the boat looking out to sea.
All in all I'm getting paid to have wonderful once in a lifetime experiences doing something that I love. So forget a lot of the stigma around cruise ships, and any other types of work you may not wish to do? Sometime you go where the jobs are and make it work for you, even if it's just short term.
But most Importantly, just keep trying and it'll happen one way or another.
Hi everyone hope your all well and enjoying third year!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs I think most of you know I'm with Tavaziva at the the minute and proper loving it! If anyone is interested in doing class we are back in the studio in November, our base is in seven sisters and really easy to find. Loads of people come in to do class and as Ness said its probably worth doing a good few classes during the week if you can, as every day varies a little. Bawren teaches most days but we also have Denzil Bailey for ballet on a Tuesday and one of the other company members normally teaches on a Thursday, we also do the odd african class now and again (yes!! lauren is doing african!!)
Also anyone who is interested in Tav. should get used to Gina making you do phrases in front of people on your own because I would say we do at least one phrase every day by ourselves and if you come and do class you won't get out of doing it either. I used to hate the moment when Gina said to do stuff on our own but just go with it as it feels completely normal to do it now, although I still sometimes dread it.
No joke though I have never been worked so hard and there's never a dull moment in the company so definitely come and do class, Bawren's work is amazing and you'll seriously get something out of it!
We are also touring at the minute so if your interested in watching the nearest venue to London is at The Hawth, Crawley on Tues 1st Nov. we are performing Double take which has been brought back from the last tour season but now has a good few newbies. :)
Hope to see some of you soon, let me know if any of you will be in for class.
Lauren xxxxx
Hi y'all!!!
ReplyDeleteThird is proper scary isn't it?! and bloody hard!!
As you know I'm currently working at DisneyLand Paris and I rocked up to Paris yesterday.
All I can say from my lack of audition experience is DO EVERYTHING. A job is a job, and you never know, it could possible turn into your dream job. I've gone to audition for company's and jobs that I thought I'd hate and actually fell in love with them, and visa versa.
I would also say make yourself a plan. My plan was to leave school in one piece, work at topshop full time for the summer, get the money I needed to audition and then either change job so i have more free time or hopefully get a job somewhere performing. It doesn't sound a ground breaking plan, but it helps you get out of bed in the morning and do something with your day.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK. If you want to do something or do class and you know someone there, ask! If you want to know where to take class, ask! Never be afraid because it's sooo worth it.
One last thing is don't compare yourself and what you're doing to what other are doing. It's for you that you started dancing, don't be bothered by what others do and say. Stepping stones and learning curves are what it is all about.
I've got so much Gina and her rehearsals about being disciplined on yourself. When you get a job, it doesnt mean you keep it forever. I'm on an eleven day trial. A lot can happen in that time.
Work Hard, Play Hard.
And in that order too!
Best of luck sweets and I'll see you on the audition scene in January!
Reece
xxx
Hello everyone!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to create a blog so we can all stay in touch and share our experiences! Great idea Gina! So I thought I shall write a little comment as well.
I have to say that thinking back at the 3 years Rambert I can still miss being there! The amazing classes, the lovely studio’s, the beautiful Richmond but especially the lovely people! The students and let’s not forget all the wonderful staff, because without them there wouldn’t be such a lovely environment to work in. So to everyone who is at Rambert now, enjoy this amazing time! I am sure there will be days where you don’t really feel like it, and as cliché as this will sound, this time will not come back and you will probably miss it!
I have to admit it was quite a change being a graduate from Rambert..missing the lovely people and the great days at school, but then again Rambert is the start of everything in your career! Since Rambert I had quite a few adventures myself and I wouldn’t have experienced those had I not been at Rambert.
I feel when you leave there is a little pressure on finding a job, maybe not even said by people but that inner voice that is like I need a job and what am I going to do when I leave Rambert?! Looking back now I wish I hadn’t been as hard on myself, I truly believe that there is a path way for all of us and that the right things will come to you at the right time. And even if you might not see the reason why something doesn’t happen straight away, I am sure you will see the reason later! ( this all sounds very reasonable when I read it back but maybe we have to go to the bit harder times first to see the more positive side later..because when I left Rambert I didn’t think like this myself either..I had to experience certain things to come to this conclusion..)
I have been dancing in a company in Sicily which has been a great experience! It wasn’t exactly what I wanted but I learned so much from it, on many levels, learned things about myself, what I really want and how I deal with situations, and of course learned on the dancing front! I love moving country and building up something new, meet new people and get a taste of a new way of living. Even though it wasn’t exactly what I wanted it am very glad I have experienced it! I think that’s another thing, not to stress to much about this is not what I want, because it might be good to take some steps in between. This way you might discover things that you would never had considered otherwise. As for me, I am currently working in Disneyland Paris in the character and parade department and I am loving it! It is a wonderful place to work, such great people at work and a truly magical place! Seeing the guests so happy with the work that we do, and the magic we create is a very satisfying feeling! Without my dancing education I would have never been here! So take the chances that will come your way, even though it might not have been what you had in mind, who knows what will come out of it! I think everything happens for a reason and that there are wonderful opportunities for all of us, I think the trick is to be able to open your eyes to them!
I hope that everyone is having a great time and are busy doing things they love!
Love,
Malou
Yo Rambert peeps,
ReplyDeleteI'd just say;
Don't be scared, tentative, or fake yourself.
And be overconfident!!! You are all good enough to rock the real world.
Lots a love,
Ryu x
Right, I have been meaning to write on this for a while now. I think the most important thing is adapt to survive. By this I don't mean to compromise as you should always go straight for what you really really want but along the way be open to new styles, people and worlds and just see where it brings you. Very often it may seem like you are doing something quite strange which you later discover actually gave you the one skill you were missing in order to get that job you are after. Doing class is ofcourse important, you need to stay in shape in order to feel confident and give your best but maybe try some new things aswell and don't get bogged down in the nitty gritty of technique. Yes, you will often need to demonstrate a good technique to pass the first few rounds but after that you will often find that choreographers are looking for a person, someone they can work with and who will bring something to the table. I say this from a contemporary dance perspective so perhaps it is a little bit different if you are persuing a strictly classical road. So, listen carefully to what is asked of you and try your best to provide it but ultimately ....and this is a cliche because it's true but be brave enough to really be you, then if you get the job you want by just being yourself you will really be happy. So, work hard, try to stay relaxed and open and oh, do workshops! I have gotten most of my contracts that way!!! Erin x
ReplyDeleteHi All-
ReplyDeleteFinally got round to writing a little something on here… hope it makes at least a little sense!
-Do Everything and be open… the more genres and skills you have then the more you have to offer, as soon as you put yourself into a category or decide you are one certain type of dancer you have closed off a load of opportunities for yourself. Be willing to learn from everyone, even if you think its not your thing and your feel like a bit of an idiot doing it...stick at it and it will more than likely pay off… also respect other peoples stuff, you might not like it but they love it, so take a sec acknowledge it.
-Work hard, and enjoy working hard… I think there is too much to do in this career to find working hard difficult! On the same kinda note, really put yourself out there, speaking as a terrible ‘networker’ this does not mean you have to schmooze loads of random people, there are other ways… only you can make yourself take an extra class, go to a workshop or take the time to research everything that’s currently going on.
-If you can afford to, with money and time, going to lots of auditions in UK and Europe is great… go with an open mind and its always more fun to go with someone else then at least if you don’t make it past the first round you get a little mini holiday package. (happened a lot!)
Finally… try not to be stressed, caffeine is good and so is cake!
Just a wee tip for you Aussies and other non EU's trying to find work: make sure you are organized when it comes to visas! They are long-winded processes and if you're lucky your employer will help you out. If you don't have it already get copies of your birth certificate, passport and current visas if you have one. Get a list of websites and contact numbers that may come in handy like the federal police (you often need to provide a background check), translation services that sort of thing. Also do a bit of research on schengen visas. They are the standard three month working visa for Europe. Often the process of acquiring a visa isn't so much hard as it is long and keep in mind that documents take time to process and go back and forth from your country of origen to the country of employment! But if you plan your time and stay on top of it you won't have a problem :)
ReplyDeleteHey guys, if you have time and some money and want some inspiration get yourself to Madrid for the Madrid en Danza festival from 7-27 November. There will be loads of different companies performing and it could be a good way to research some companies by watching performances and taking class. Check out the website www.madrid.org/madridendanza/2011/index.html for the list of companies. To join company class it's best to email in advance, with cv and a picture. I definitely think that taking company classes is the best way to check out a company you're interested in. When you email make sure you suggest dates that you would like to come so that they can give you a specific answer.
ReplyDeleteHope everyone is happy and healthy, please Facebook me if you make it to Madrid :) always nice to see a familiar face! Xo
Hey guys soon the main audition season begins and I know most of you will be mainly auditioning in the U.K, but I have to say after living in Germany the U.K dance scene is very limited, of course you have all you major companies Rambert Dance Company, Phoenix, Mathew Bourne etc...... but the competition is so high that it might also be wise to spread the net further and go abroad. That’s where I think Germany is an amazing place to look. Here is a link all of the companies in Germany...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tanznetz.de/en/forum.phtml?page=showarea&aid=49
and I tell you there are over 100, so the chance of gaining a first job gets slightly easier. Lots of money is pumped into the arts over here in Germany so in every major city there is a main theatre, but also in every small town as well. So if you have not thought about Germany then it might be a good idea to do some research. ☺
First of all is all about luck or even better it is about finding yourself in the right place at the right moment.Sometimes you find yourself in an audition and people that you think are not good dancers pass no the next phase or cut while you are going home in a Grey fog of negative thoughts.
ReplyDeleteMy experiences is very positive as a dancer,because i started late and as soon as i got out of Rambert i got a job in It dansa,company in witch i grew up a,ot and i understood how to move in the dance world.
Now im freelancing in Holland with a contract for Random Collision witch is definitely an organization to check out.They have amazing stuff that gives everything to art for the sake of the love for it!
I find that freelancing is great but very hard for most people,and i think that an experience in a Company is needed for a dancer to feel completed.
Of course i must say that you will always better be thinking what you really want in life because if you want stability and comfort you might have to go back to Uni!!!
I will never forget when one of my best teachers at Rambert(Therese Cantine) told me that Nureyev thought that if you can live with out dance is better that you do because is way harder to cope with life as a dancer !
Never give up,find alternatives and adapt and believe in yourself if dancing is really what yo want to do in life.
A thought/state/way of living I enjoy is that everything that happens gives birth to a new opportunity.
ReplyDeleteA very interesting and inspiring book, I would like to recommend is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. :)
And this homepage I find very good for auditions and other information.
www.Dancingopportunities.com
All the best and enjoy,
Adrian
Also just to meet everything with openness, and try to withdraw ones judgement until later.
ReplyDeleteAdrian funny that you posted about Siddhartha it was given to me by my dancing partner in the show i was in as a graduating and moving on present- definitely worth a read guys!
ReplyDeleteI thought i would just tell my story as i have very little other wisdom.
So my first job was dancing in Opera North's production of Carousel. I really was a wonderful first job but not all fun and games and it allowed me to learn a lot about working and myself. I played the character of the principal's (billy) daughter, so i had 3 dialogue scenes as well as a 12 minute ballet it was great to be challenged in different ways in all of the performances. The choreographer was Kim Brandstrup (for those of you who dont know him his work is very fluid, lyrical and really lovely and indulgent to dance)he recently collaborated with Wayne McGregor on the Olymipic Festival with Royal Ballet if any of you saw that.
After the first month of rehearsal the actor playing billy (my father) fell ill and ended up in hospital so they had to find another big name opera singer to fill his role the new singer they chose was black.. So slight issue with me being his daughter, however my understudy has darker colourings and hair. So i didnt get to perform opening night, and she got to perform the majority of performances in leeds, where as i got to perform the matinees with the understudy billy. As a repercussion of this i also had to swing the 4 other female dancers tracks for the 3 hour show. This was a new challenge and a lot of work, and also very stressful getting told you are going on half an hour before a show starts as someone else!! eeek! But it was very testing in a positive way and was really great fun to be part of the ensemble when that happened. The show came to the Barbican on the 15th of sept and the cast were then double cast so i got to do an opening night and more than half of the shows that time round. Everything else has been great fun though, long rehearsals and hopefully some really special friendships.
The most magical past of the rehearsals and production were the creating of the pas de deux, the sitzprobe (first time you hear the orchestra) and the stage rehearsals where the theatre starts to feel like home. Try to be respectful and not judgmental to anyone, i know that sounds like a obvious thing but i noticed that a lot of the performers i was working with (possibly because the were slightly older) could be slightly rude to the other people working on the show, stage staff, wiggys, makeup, dressers. There are so many people involved and it is really special that you are one big family.
I hope you all have a fabulous 3rd year and any queries then you can always contact me and probably all the previous 3rd years on facebook.
YOU CAN DO IT!.... and it really is worth the fight!x
Hey Guys!
ReplyDeleteHope your all well, i have just done a week with Retina dance company in Leicester and would like to share what i learnt with you, the main thing i'd really like to stress is this company in particular (can't say for all contemporary companies) want to see you have basic technique but really aren't bothered whether you point your feet or not but want to know you can MOVE AND TRAVEL, and have quality and flow in your movement and also they are a close knit company so what to know you are easy to work and get a long with i guess what i'm saying is the finest Ballet technique is over rated for these type of companies, so don't swear it tooo much if your not perfect at ballet!!! lots of love and God Bless
Rose xx
Hi Beverley. :)
ReplyDeleteNice to hear about your experience, it sounds nice. :) And that you liked the book. :)
Big hug,
Adrian
Richmond Arts Service is pleased to announce that their annual dance festival
ReplyDeleteRichDance 2013
will take place on 20th - 21st April 2013
at the 450 Hall at Hampton School.
RichDance presents the work of school groups, dance schools, community dance companies, dance students and professionals.
We are looking for a wide variety of groups and dance styles, as well as emerging choreographers, to showcase their work and celebrate dance!
Please put the date in your diaries. Application forms and further information will follow in the New Year.
Kind regards,
Katy Pearce