Thursday, February 9, 2012
A realisation...
I've been looking through everyone's blogs and my eyes have been widening with fear, but I'm also glad to see that a lot of you are feeling the same way as me. As performers, generally we don't see ourselves as big academic people. I use this term loosely as I know this isn't the case for everyone. But going back to university at my age is a little daunting, and I look at what everyone is coming up with and I'm a little shaken to say the least. Thinking "how am I going to come up with and compare against everyone else". Then I realised, that this course is not about everyone and their abilities, but how I can use their knowledge and skills to better my own.
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That's right John-Paul. At first I had the same fears that come with being a mature student. But as soon as you get stuck in you find that all sorts of useful knowledge will come flooding out that you didn't even know was there.
ReplyDeleteAs performers we are condition to think about the competition. Its not like that here, its not just one degree on offer. We all have our own individual journey that we will make and learn from each other along the way...
John-Paul good to get this thinking out in the open - and then you can go on to integrate these newer 'academic' or 'professional' skills into your everyday persona and work. There is a chap I have looked at in my research called Mezirow who talks about transformational learning - for adults that is- so you are in the driving seat and the point is to provide something that can be important to you. That is built into the methodology - learning that is based on your experience. I would bet that many who have some of the skills you are now acquiring would like to have acquired your performance skills! In fact looking at your pictures - many would like to work on a team that looks like your team in terms of looking like they belong and like working with one another - this is from the Flikr pics... What is your experience with team work in the work that you do? It looks like it must be high on the agenda?
ReplyDeletePaula thanks for commenting, I have already looked up on transformational learning, it has some interesting theories.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question: Team work is highly essential when it comes to my job. As a cast if we don't work as one, then the show can look sloppy and non-cohesive. For example: our featured dancer in our 'Bollywood' show - the Princess dropped out due to illness the morning of our performance last cruise, so we had 12 hours to teach the track to one of our other dancers and then as a cast we had to re-block the entire show, and make sure everyone was comfortable especially our 'new' princess for the night. During that day it was quite stressful as she had to learn aerial work such as silks and web with a partner too! Also we have to work together and have awareness of our space and if there's a space that needs to be filled, e.g if someone gets injured mid show, we have to then fill that gap so the audience aren't aware of any problems Also our shows have many formations onstage and if there if one piece of the picture missing then it looks wrong...so team work and awareness is definitely high on our agenda.
Outside of the shows, we use the team for support as none of us have our friends and families to hand, we only have each other to get through anything that may be thrown at us whilst onboard, our cast mates become our mums, dads, best friends and co-workers or simply a shoulder to lean on...We are reinforcements & encouragement when we miss our families, or things happen at home. If we don't have each other's backs it can be a very lonely experience on a ship, as we spend 24 hours with each other, we eat, work, & play with one another. Thankfully, 95% of the time you have a team that's willing to make it work and help each other out as we're all in the same predicament as each other.
Hi John Paul,
ReplyDeleteI want to join you as a follower but it wont let me click on the follower link.I am definately new to all this and very old! so we are it together! I think your CV is clear and the info is the important stuff,so I like it.
Pauline
Hi Pauline. Thanks for your comments! :) I have no idea why it won't let you follow me? Maybe try another time? I like the fact that we all come from different backgrounds of experience and jobs, it will make this course interesting hopefully... :)
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