Pilot Survey

I have now managed to create my own survey in relation to my Inquiry.
Although I have decided to change my award title, I still feel that the basis of it comes from the topic of injuries, but from there is where I hope to discover more about how it can challenge you as a performer.
It only takes a few minutes to fill out so I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to complete it, thankyou.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/39R5BTV

Task 5c, Professional Ethics

As I was looking over the reader for this Task I found myself listing in my head my personal and professional ethics.  At first I compiled them as one big list, then I decided to decipher which ethics’ belonged where.  I have categorised them into the tow different ethic formats below:

Personal Ethics:

·         Positivity

·         Honesty

·         Encouragement

·         Dedication

Professional Ethics:

·         Discipline

·         Confidentiality

·         Communication

·         Punctuality

·         Respect

The first question that caught my attention was “Where do limits for responsibility lie?”.   As a Teacher, I am responsible for my entire class, their safety, their discipline, their attention span, etc.  These are all professional ethics, where as when it comes to my own responsibility, my own personal ethics come into play.

It is the personal ethics that control the way in which we make our professional decisions.  Metaphorically, our personal decisions create “a wheel” which decides for us in which directions we go in and how we behave in our professional environment.

Professional ethics in Teaching are more like a set of guidelines/ rules which have already been decided for us by a professional body.  However, it is our personal ethics which decide for us how we take on these set of regulations, and more often or not, it is our conscience that decides for us.

The reader states that “ethics is frequently not a case of black and white”.  This statement is true as there are so many options, opinions and other ethics around us which can trigger these opinions, and therefore set off a whole other set of questions. The reader addresses the topic of how the media industry has explored ethical issues in greater depth.  From observing these shows as a viewer (such as those used as examples in the reader), I find that those who remain firm on their own personal ethics, become biased to the topic in hand and will rule out all the other possible ethics (sometimes unknowingly).  Personal form is the strongest form as all your thoughts can be affected by your conscience and therefore shape the way you look at our society.

A Case Study in the Reader named “The Dance Class”, which focuses on how warm-ups are used, relates directly to my profession and in a sense to the topic of my inquiry.

The following quote from the case study states “Alicia subsequently observed two classes. The first teacher she observed, Bing, spent less than a minute on the warm up and did not do any cool down at the end of the class. The second teacher she observed, Flint, did no warm up at all and belittled one dancer in particular.” From a teachers point of view ad from someone who has done their 3 years of professional training, I find this outrageous.  From a professional perspective, not warming up a class of student dancers will lead to injury.  By not cooling down a class of students means their muscles are exposed to the outdoors straight after vigorous exercise which could lead to the muscles seizing up and therefore causing an injury.  From a personal point of view, because I have been seriously injured in the past, I do not wish that upon any of my students which is why I do everything possible to stop that from happening to them. 

         The case study goes on to say that “She interviewed Flint at the end of the class and asked if he had been aware of how he had singled out this one person for ill treatment. Flint replied, “I am only preparing her for the real world – if she can’t survive a bit of criticism in my class she is not going to last too long in a dance company”.  After reading this, it is hard to evaluate the situation without knowing exactly what was said to the student by the teacher.  However, if a teacher was publicly humiliating a student’s work in front of a class, then it is not acceptable.  It is possible the student may not have been able to do their work to their full advantage due to the fact they had not been warmed-up.  However, if it was a harsh criticism of their work, then I may have thought differently.  A student’s work can only improve further if they themselves decide to practise outside of the classroom.  Plus, when I was in training, there was one teacher in particular, and when he gave you a criticism and constantly went on at you for your work, it was considered a good thing.  It meant he had faith in you that you could do the work and was only pushing you to reach that goal.  If the teacher paid no attention to a student, it was because they didn’t have the passion or determination in his classes; therefore, there was nothing he could do for them.

I like the idea of what this student has done, and I shall use her ideas and transfer them in relation to my own inquiry to develop my practise further.

Task 5b

I decided that in order to compare my own thoughts on “code of conduct for dance teachers”, to use an accredited professional format such as “The Code of Conduct and Professional Practise for Teachers registered with the Royal Academy of Dance.”

The link is below:

http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART255_Code%20of%20Conduct%20English.pdf

What I noticed when comparing my own thoughts to the RAD’s Code of Conduct was that my own regulations were in the RAD’s, but in a different form of wording.

  There were a few that were in the RAD’s that I had not necessarily included in my own, but I still agreed with, such as:

·         Not misrepresent their qualifications or experience

·         Registered teachers are required to teach constantly to a high standard and to encourage students to have high aspirations and expectations.

One regulation in particular caught my attention which was “work in a positive and cooperative manner”.  For me, positivity is such an important aspect in teaching.  Any negative energy that the teacher is feeling will automatically reflect on the students.  In the previous topic of questions, I explored how encouragement and a positive attitude work as a great advantage to any student.  Surveys and research even showed that those who received this kind of treatment in the educational environment showed improvement and therefore received better grades/ results. 

Task 5a, Codes of Practise/ Regulations

Codes of Practise/ Regulations for Teaching Dance

·         Demonstrate and maintain a high professional standard at all times

·         Co-operate with other members of staff in the same working place

·         Approach the students with an open minded attitude

·         Treat all students in a fair and non- intimidating manner

·         Ensure that students are not discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour, religion, age, disability, national or social origin or other status

·         To practise in a fully skilled manner

·         Constantly look to develop professional knowledge within the workplace

·         A teacher should justify student trust and confidence

·         A teacher should ensure that any confidential information should be handled discreetly and never used for their own personal advantage

·         That the facilities that they have for teaching in include:

1. Suitable flooring appropriate to the technique taught, with a clean, safe surface; to minimise the risk of injury
2. Adequate heating levels and ventilation
3. A secure and safe area for changing.
4. Understand their responsibility in case of a medical emergency. 
5.  Record all accidents in an accident book.
6. Ensure that all fire regulations are displayed and understood by all participants

·         Obtain lesson plans or some thought of guideline of learning objectives for the student to be able to follow

·         Communicate a sense of passion/ love of dance

·         Demonstrate professional attitudes, e.g. punctuality, discipline, etc.

·         Recognise and develop each students own potential

·         To be able to recognise the different levels of technical/ physical ability in a class and to be able to provide work for different abilities

·         To make sure all participants have the correct attire/ uniform for the lesson in hand

·         To encourage the opinions and choreographic input of all students.

In order to compose this list of regulations, I had to rely on my own personal ethics for what I feel makes a good teacher (coming from their own personal input), but also the professional ethics such as health and safety regulations as I know this is essential for any teaching environment.

Task 4d, Award Title

From the beginning of this module I have known what area I wish to develop my current knowledge in.  All my questions and research are all related to injuries and how we each individually respond to them.

    However there are different areas and questions that I have been looking at on this subject which is why I do not want to make my award title too specific as I wish to cover all these areas.

   The award title that I propose is as follows:

“BA HONS Professional Practise (Injuries and their Outcomes)”

I chose the word “outcome” because this word can mean a variety of things, from the person’s feelings, their career prospects, their outlook on the industry, etc.  This means there are plenty of different fields of interest that I can get my teeth into.

I’d appreciate any feedback anyone can give me.  This Inquiry is a working progress and I am constantly looking to improve it.

Task 4c

Upon the completion of my questions and research for my Inquiry, I then decided to question others who are related to the same profession in order to gather together different peoples opinions, views and values.

    I first decided to question a professional associate of mine.  Hayley Bence is also completing this course and after I read her comment on my blog post I decided to get in contact in order to find out more information.

    I asked Hayley for more information about her back problems and she told me that she first started having problems in her first year of training.  It was something she has been constantly battling with throughout her training.  Hayley stated that she never felt fully comfortable having to constantly explain the extent of her back injuries, which is why she found it easier to learn how to handle her injuries herself as she knew from experience, what her body was capable of doing.  This is where her opinion on whether to notify others of her injury came from.

  Hayley stated in response to “This has made me question the idea, that if we find ourselves injured or with a disability, does this stop us in continuing with our chosen profession?” that as long as we have the correct knowledge of how to handle an injury, then we can still continue to work in our chosen profession.

    Another person i decided to question is my boss Chris Tierney.  Although he has not had any dance training himself, he still trained as an Actor and now is head of Drama at Upton High School.  He was explaining to me how he had injured himself a year ago when he slipped on some ice.  He badly injured his ankle by tearing one of the ligaments in his foot.  He stated that his ankle has never been the same and he suffers with pain from it still to this day.  Although this did not effect his working environment, he stated that as a Teacher who has been injured, he is able to be more sympathetic towards those who suffer from injuries also.  This then made me want to add another question to my inquiry.

“Can we only have a true understanding of having an injury/ disability if we have been through that experience personally?”

I then decided to speak to one of my students whom I teach.  At present she is recovering form a back injury which led to her needing 6 weeks off dance.  At the moment she is having to play “catch up”, and she has had to defer for her next assessment as she is still not fully capable of completing the required assignment full out.  She told me that she found it frustrating that she had missed so many dance classes, and that she still couldn’t commit herself fully to the exercises, etc.  However, she felt that her time off dance only made her more eager to recover quickly and get back into dancing.  Amy came to every single class, even though she could not dance, to make notes, keep track of the choreography and to make certain she would not be missing out on any vital information.  By watching the other girls in their lessons, Amy said it only inspired her to really make the most of it once she came back to dance, and to savour every moment.  It has been a hard process for her to deal with, but she claimed that it has made me a stronger dance in the sense that her overall knowledge has improved just by observing the classes.

I am still yet to interview more people, my aim is to obtain an extensive variety of responses, any by doing so, help me to find more questions and theories along the way.

Task 4a, Inquiry Questions

Before I embarked on this task I decided to look back at Task 2d from the first module.  Although the topic I was researching at the time (visualisation) did interest me, I recently discovered something else that I feel more passionate about.

   Towards the end of my training in college, I injured the ligament in my right foot, this was called a “Lisfrancs” injury which can be very difficult to treat.  I went through months of intensive physio treatment until I finally went for an x-ray which led to an MRI scan, and it was here that the injury was discovered to its full extent.  By this point, it was so severe that I was persuaded to go into a plaster cast for 2 weeks and then an air cast boot for 4 weeks.  This interfered with my training and therefore made me re-think my future plans.  I always knew I wanted to become a teacher, but because I had to go through an intense recovery program once the air boot was removed, I decided to stay closer to home as I needed extra help and plenty of encouragement from friends and family.  I was lucky enough to be offered two teaching jobs in my hometown area at different schools, and since then I have been offered another job at another theatre school and I’ve become more than settled in this area and with my line of work.  At the time, the injury made me extremely depressed and out of sync with everyone around me, however, where I am now in my life, now I can see it was the best thing that could of happened to me as I am now the happiest I have ever been.

    This has made me question the idea, that if we find ourselves injured or with a disability, does this stop us in continuing with our chosen profession?

In my case, no it did not, teaching is still linked directly to my chosen profession and I find it a very fulfilling job.  I believe this can only stop us in our tracks if we mentally aren’t prepared to continue to try another path.  Every person I know who has been injured and had to re-think their future plans has still decided to stay within their chosen profession.  I have decided that I will conduct interviews with these people to gain an insight into their lives, their choices and the events that have re-shaped their lives.

Does the past experience of having a serious injury put you off having to inform others about it?

When applying for jobs, in the application form there will be a section where you are to fill in if you have had to have any time off work due to an illness/ injury, etc.  Depending on the circumstances, that piece of information could affect your chances of being offered that position.  Whilst I was researching, i came across one woman called Lauren Warnecke.  She had a very serious injury where she tore her ligament and dislocated her toe.  She went through years of agony and pain, and earlier on in the stages of her injury, she was actually asked to leave the company she was dancing with.  In this situation, the injury was ongoing, she was constantly off dance, and the company directors had no choice.  However, a situation like this, would prevent you from wanting to tell future companies about your injury at the risk of past events repeating itself.

Are there any support programs for those who find themselves in this situation?

I decided to take out an internet search for support programs for injured dancers, I found many websites all connected to this, here are a list of the selected following:

·         http://www.citraining.com/Injury-Stress-Perfectionism.html

·         http://www.actorsequity.org/newsmedia/misc/seminars.asp

·         http://www.citraining.com/Teachers-Guide-to-Help-Young-Dancers.html

·         http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1083/is_n12_v68/ai_15953383/

·         http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2010/12/03/kirsten-patrick-on-dance-medicine/

·         http://www.citraining.com/pdfs/Psychology-of-Injured-Dancer.pdf

Are the opportunities limited drastically once in a situation such as this?

I came across this website whilst I was looking for support groups, this website shows a detailed list of all the opportunities there are in this profession, besides performing.  I decided to include this as proof of all the other opportunities there are for people.  There are not just two options, dance or don’t dance, but there are many.

Artistic Career

The Artistic Director sets the artistic vision and direction for a dance company. Often in a modern dance company, the artistic director is also the primary choreographer.

The Choreographer creates and in some cases performs the dance pieces. Also, he/she teaches the movement style or repertory of the company.

The Rehearsal Director helps the choreographer run and schedule rehearsals and also gives the choreographer artistic feedback or criticism.

The Dancer learns and performs the works. The dancer may have a lot or a little creative input when the dance is being made. Also, the dancer may teach the dance style or repertory.

The Composer/Musician creates music to accompany the dance. The composer may collaborate with the choreographer on a new work or may have already written the score before the choreographer started making the dance.

The Set Designer works with the choreographer to design set pieces. The sets provide a more specific atmosphere for the works and are often tools that enhance the movement itself.

The Lighting Designer works with the choreographer to create an atmosphere of light. The lighting designer can create effects like colour wash, silhouette, making the stage look outside, or inside, night, day or dusk.

The Costume Designer works with the choreographer to design then construct clothes for the dancers to wear. This can add important elements of setting, or atmospheric texture and colour.

The Make-up Artist designs and applies make-up to the dancers. They can make a person look young or old, human or otherworldly.

The Wig/Hairstylist designs and creates wigs or hairstyles for the performer.

The Dance Teacher teaches the technique of dancing. The technique may be specific like Vaganova ballet, Graham, or Cunningham or the technique may be a conglomeration of the teacher’s own style and others.

Therapeutic Support Careers

A Dance Therapist uses movement as a means of therapy for people with mental or emotional difficulties. Dance therapy can help people express themselves or release energy

The Physical Therapist rehabilitates injured dancers. They may use a wide variety of techniques for example physical therapy, acupuncture, or massage.

The Masseuse / Masseur massages the members of the dance company. A massage is great for both preventing injury and rehabilitating one. A masseuse\masseur can work for and travel with the company or work independent of the company.

Administrative Careers

The Administrator organizes performance tours and outreach programs. Also, the administrator is responsible for overall financial, business and legal issues.

The Fund Raiser generates income for a dance company by writing grant applications to corporations and foundations, encouraging individual donations and organizing special events like benefit parties and auctions.

A Researcher seeks out information about a variety of topics including grant requirements, performance venues and marketing ideas.

Public Relation personnel are responsible for promotion of the company. They do this either through marketing like making posters, flyers and websites or through media like newspapers, television and magazines.

Documentary Careers

The Videographer films the dance both in performance and rehearsal. The video is used for documentation or promotional purposes.

The Photographer takes pictures of the company during the performance or dress rehearsal or in a studio. Usually the purpose for the pictures is for documentation, promotion, and in some cases personal, or office use.

The Dance Notator records the dances on paper much like music notation. The two main forms of dance notation are Laban and Benesh. These records are very useful when reconstructing older works.

The Critic watches the dance performances then writes reviews for a newspaper or magazine describing and\or giving an opinion about the company or individual pieces.

Technical Careers

The Production Manager coordinates the different aspects of the theatrical (as opposed to business) side of dance, such as lighting, set, costume and sound design. They can work for either the theatre or the dance company.

The Stage Manager calls the lighting and sound cues during the show, communicates between the performers, the technicians and the front of house staff and sometimes recommends adjustments to the staging.

Stage Hands raise the curtain, arrange the props and execute any technical elements required prior to and during the performance.

The Electrician hangs and focuses the lights in the theatre. The electrician also deals with the various sound and light wires and cables. And in some cases helps with the sets and/or curtains.

The Carpenter builds sets (not necessarily made of wood) for the dancers to dance in, on or around. This helps the dances have more specific settings or atmosphere.

Public Service Careers

The Ticket Seller is responsible for the front of house. They make reservations, sell tickets, and handle complementary tickets. They also are responsible for arranging standing room for or turning away people if a house is full.

The Usher takes the tickets of the audience members and directs them to their seats. Many theatres will give the ushers free tickets to the performance.

No matter how much pain it may cause emotionally, over time, does everything happen for a reason?

Although I felt for me that the whole injury process was seen as a good thing in the long run, I decided to research other dancers who had been injured to find out how they felt about the whole process.

   One woman I found called Rachel Whiting had been through a very long, painful and challenging injury process. However, here is a quote from the story she published onto the internet: “A friend told me that my hip surgery would make me a better teacher, and it has, especially to the extent it has helped me to become a more compassionate practitioner.  I am more sensitive to what it means to be in pain, and how it conspires with physical limitations to manifest feelings of hopelessness, which can become overwhelming.”

I have included a link to her story, I would advise others to read it as it really is truly inspiring.

http://www.themotionlab.com/injuryrecovery.php