Task 3A

Networking is one of the most important part in the arts industry. It is all about who you know and who has got the most contacts. You are always driving to get to know as many people as possible and to make people remember/knowing you. It might seem a bit desperate but that is just how it works.

I have been lucky enough to meet some amazing people in the industry that has helped me become the dancer I am today and been blessed to be able to build my network bigger and bigger and that has and will be great for future work.

What are the current and different ways (tools) that you have, or do, engage your professional network?

Facebook and Instagram is the main tools I use right now for networking.

Facebook is great because everyone has it nowadays. It makes it easier to get hold on someone if you dont have time or dont wanna meet face to face. Facebook is with us wherever we go because of the high technology in the world so it makes it really easy to access and people are constantly updating and looking through it. If I work or take a class with someone that I want to have as a contact I add them on facebook and make sure I keep myself updated on what they are doing and when they are holding an audition or something similar.

Instagram is also very popular right now, more and more people are using it. I have one normal and personal one that I use to follow my friends and family but I also just opened another account that is my ChrysalisLondon account where I only put up dance pictures and updates on whats going on in Chrysalis. Same as I said about facebook is that I make sure I start following the people I am interested to work with etc.

Other networking tools I use are:

–      email

–       twitter

Other places where I try to get new contacts are different dancestudios like Pinapple and Studio 68. There you can always talk to other dancers and people from the industry, and you always hear about different auditions etc that you didn't know about that is very helpful for you. Another place is of course auditions. You usually see a lot of big and important people that you would like to work with and you give your cv out and try to make them remember you for maybe next time. It is always a huge help if you go to an audition and someone that is sitting in the panel recognize you from somewhere, you instantly have got a better chance than most people in the same room. So it all comes down to knowing people and to make sure that you are making youself rememberable.

What are the established (and different) ways that other use their networks, especially if they are more established or experienced practitioners that you admire?

Websites:

Some people that I have seen have got their own website that they use as a cv and/or a showreel. So when people needs to know who you are and what you have done etc they email their website adress to them. I think this is really clever and it is a good way to show who you are and it looks and sound really professional if you’ve got your own website. My dad is a graphic designer so I asked him if he could do one for me and we are in the process of making it so it is not done yet but here is the outline of it: http://www.nicolealphonce.com

Please check it out and tell me what you think!

Youtube

Youtube is another thing that people use as a network. They upload videos of themselves dancing/singing/acting and share it so people can watch it. This is a very good way to get people to want to work with etc. I dont have a youtube channel myself but it is a thing that I would like to get and that would help me with my networking. I think I would like to concentrate to get my website finished first though, if you have got too many networking tools it can be too much and you would not use any of them fully. Its better to have a few tools where you really put alot of work in instead of too many and they all would lack of work and time.

My ideal network

-       choreographers/ Directors (matthew bourne, Drew Mconie etc..)

-       Dance teachers

-       Musical directors

-       Casting Directors

-       Close friends

-       Family

-       Dancers

-       Theatre staff

-       Photographers

-       Fashion People

-       Stylists

-       Famous people

What realistic things could you do to work towards developing your ideal network?

I will always keep contact with people I have worked with from the past and I will make sure I keep getting more contacts from classes/auditions etc.

I will go to different company classes and getting to know people that is already in big dance companies. I will continue go to different auditions and showing my face to important people and trying to get them to remember me. Workshops and classes will be a priority for me so I keep myself in shape and to meet new people all the time.

Another thing I will try to do is to invite people to come and watch me in shows I do for Chrysalis London. We recently had a big show in London and I invited loads of people from the industry to come and watch. That is a very good way to make people that you want to work with see you because you make it very personal if you email them yourself to ask and offer them a ticket.