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.
Thanks Nicole
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