That breakthrough I wanted? I'm getting there...
Hi there, I know I haven’t blogged in a while, I’ve just had so many thoughts, questions and ideas swimming round; I was really struggling to condense them down and categorise them (still am but I’ve made progress). Since the beginning of this process I felt like I’d fallen at the first hurdle which was literally articulating and describing what my practice is. Towards the beginning I questioned, is it that I’m a ‘cruise ship dancer’, but then I was thrown a bit during one of our initial discussion groups when we were told ‘our practice isn’t defined by what jobs we do’. I kept coming back to the Aims section in the module handbook though, ’you will be looking at your Professional Practice in terms of what you have learnt from ‘doing your practice’ (Page 9) so here is some more focus on that.
Over the past 4 years I have worked for 4 different cruise companies, as a dancer, which has provided a wealth of knowledge and learning opportunities. I have not merely learnt a number of dance routines and shows to perform for the guests on board; I have grown and shaped the individual I am today; how I perceive myself and my industry. If I were to summarise what I’d learnt from each contract it would look like this:
Contract 1: I began to understand what it means, what it takes and what is required to be a professional dancer. I discovered through positive and negative experiences that I could push myself harder than what I thought I was capable of. Also I had to quickly adapt to an intense environment filled with multiple cultures; varying personalities and heightened emotions.
Contract 2: I put into practice what I’d learnt from my first contract (i.e. pushing yourself to the maximum right from the beginning, at all times). This gained me respect and recognition from my peers and directors which was very rewarding. I also began to develop my customer service and interpersonal skills outside of the theatre.
Contract 3: I had progressed from some one with little professional experience to being one of the few members of the cast that had worked in this environment/ any professional setting at all (we had a lot of graduates). Therefore, I tried to lead by example and used my previous experiences to both sympathise with members of the cast who were struggling but also to guide them in the ways things could be done better.
Contract 4: Albeit cut short, this contract did provide some areas of learning although it was a slightly different path to what I’d encountered so far. Previously I’d learnt a lot about how to improve my work ethic as an individual however this last contract, required a lot more partner work than I had previously encountered and therefore opened up a new learning curve of working with others and the communication required for a positive working relationship between us.
Looking back on all of this illuminates that defining my practice was right in front of me all along. I think the notion of ‘our practice isn’t defined by jobs’ is because we are in a global pandemic right now and therefore we may not be able to pursue our ideal career options. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not still doing things right now, to prepare for when I return to cruising! (See photos)
Therefore, to articulate it properly, for now my practice is:
“Providing an entertainment service in the tourism industry as part of a show cast”.
The reason why I add ‘as part of a show cast’ is quite important because when I perform on ships, I’m not a solo/duo act etc, that tours many ships for a few days at a time; but I’m part of a team who works together from 8-12+ months continually and the relationships between us is an integral part.
This brings me to my ‘Areas Of Learning’. As I mentioned towards the beginning of this blog, I have battled to condense and categorise my thoughts but the conclusion I’ve come to are topics that are of most interest and importance to me:
- The Importance of a strong work ethic
- The relationships between cast members and how we influence each other.
- Transferrable skills in the tourism industry
These may change in time and although there are ‘no right or wrong answers’ I’m still apprehensive whether I’m on the right track, but it feels good to make a definitive decision and put it all down on paper.
I am looking forward to divulging more detail for you in future blogs!
Hi Larissa,
ReplyDeleteThis was so great to read. I really enjoyed reading about how you found each individual contract and what knowledge you gained from each one. The idea of work ethic is so interesting. As performers we thrive off our work ethic, the strength we have mentally to overcome obstacles to pursue our dream career, push through fatigue and exhaustion and set a goal and do everything in sight to achieve that goal.
I find that the relationships you have with cast members are second to one. I can relate with your career with working onboard cruise liners. Your workplace is essentially your personal space as your cabins are only moments away from the theatre. The bonds formed in these relationships are unique. Our capabilities and talent could influence one another, appreciation of the arts, and perhaps the extensive range of knowledge of our discipline. If you have a multi cultural cast, exploring the different cultures movement and musical intelligence could influence your movement styles and challenge your muscle memory.
Ellie x