do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic
My aim is to complete the BAPP course and then move onto a PGCE to enable me to become a GCSE dance teacher. After completing college my aim was to become a professional dancer however it all changed when I was offered a teaching job which admittedly I took because the money was good and it would pay for the frequent trips down to London to audition. I fell in love with teaching and took on more and more classes..mainly in the evenings - to fill the gap in the day I took on a job in a local Pharmacy. I actually really enjoy it as its different and dancers would say it's a 'normal job' but when you need money or a stable job so you can get a mortgage you take on anything. Juggling the jobs and having 5 employers is hard - my sleep pattern - well it isn't a pattern. My work life is my life as I work everyday apart from Sundays ( when I tend to try and catch up with BAPP!) So I looked at all possible options and because I love to teach I decided I wanted to have a Monday - Friday teaching job in a school. So was it to be primary or secondary? It was something that could be decided at a later point but I had made up my mind eventually - and why I hadn't thought of it straight away I don't know but I knew I wanted to teach GCSE dance! I want to know what it's like? My GCSE dance teacher was someone I always looked up to. I will never forget how she was the 'best' teacher and It makes me excited and really want to work at it to become like her! Helen Butler - full of energy all the time and so bubbly, what is it like to be a GCSE Dance teacher? I have actually tried to contact her to see if I can volunteer in what little spare time I have as I just want to experience it. A line of inquiry I am interested in is - How do School teachers maintain enthusiasm with pupils? How do you engage the less enthusiastic pupils in the class? I am used to people coming to a dance class by choice and not because it is a class they have to do.
What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings
or has found away to work around the sadness or anger
As a freelance dance teacher the pay is quite good and makes up for the minimum wage I get at the Pharmacy, However, during school holidays you don't get paid at all and it is a real struggle, especially when those are the times when you need money most as you may want to go on holiday. When trying to save for a deposit on a house it makes me really sad to see nothing in the bank and having to go into my overdraft. Luckily with the Pharmacy you get 'Holiday Pay' but still it is only part time and hardly makes a difference. I often wonder how others cope? Something recently has really angered me yet there is nothing I can do about it. I work for a dance school and used to get paid monthly however, parents aren't paying the children's fees on time and a lot have dropped out due to lack of money to fund it - so the dance school pays the teachers each half term now- which at first I didn't mind as they were waiting until all fees were paid so they can pay the teachers. Now my feelings have changed as I depend on that income and waiting 8weeks instead of 4 when using petrol etc.. it is very difficult. I would like to know how other dance teachers cope who are in the same situation. I admire my old dance teacher and her husband as although she owned and ran the dance school it was only a small school that she had built up her whole life and she used to say to me that she only just breaks even and sometimes she even lost money but she used to do it as more of a hobby and didn't ever want to let anyone down and always thought about others before herself. Her Husband someone else I admire because of the way that he 'put up' with Susan not earning much because she was doing something she loved and they coped and had a lovely house and family. A line of Inquiry I am interested in is - When I come to find a job after completing my qualifications will there be a full time salaried job available? Will it be near by if there is on or would I need to move?
What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this
or is an example of what you love
This is so easy for me, and when I think about it - it brings a smile to my face. My Mum always said to me whatever job you choose just make sure it is one you like as she hates her job and wanted it to be different for me. From that day on I have never stopped wanting to follow a career in dance. I love being a teacher although it wasn't what I started out to be - I can not imagine myself doing anything else. I Love passing on my knowledge and experience and love for the dance subject., especially Flamenco dancing. Flamenco is something I loved from the first day I did it! At Hammond I chose a Musical Theatre course and to my disappointment they stopped the Musical Theatre students doing Spanish (flamenco) which I was gutted about. A couple of us were upset and took the issue to the Head of dance who allowed us to continue which made me so happy. I transferred to Kate Simmons Dance, where my Spanish teacher (Gillian Hurst) was Head of Dance. I ended up taking my Instructor De Baile and I am very proud to be a qualified Spanish dance teacher for the Spanish Dance Society! I love teaching Spanish and I would not be where I am today I it wasn't for my Idol Miss Hurst! Miss Hurst has been the biggest inspiration to me and I strive to be as amazing as she is. Miss Hurst is very high up in the Spanish Dance Society (along with Ballet societies too), she examines and is highly sought after. She has helped me and guided me with teaching and I could never thank her enough - she is also always at the end of the phone ready to listen, help etc..I could go on! She is a Goddess! :) A line of Inquiry I am interested in is - When I hopefully become a GCSE dance teacher will I still be able to fit in Spanish ? Will I just do it as a hobby?
What do you feel you don’t understand? Who do you admire who does seem to
understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or
beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you
Some people love to choreograph - maybe it comes naturally to them? I don't understand why I find choreographing such a chore? I used to love making up dances when I was younger but now with the added pressure of having to choreograph I find it very difficult. With teaching Flamenco I teach the Spanish Dance Society Syllabus but Jazz and Tap I have to make up exercises or dances. I have a studio which I go in to practice or choreograph but I find myself just looking in the mirror thinking help! and nothing comes to me. At the moment I have the pressure of a show coming up which I need to choreograph four dances for...I have only ever choreographed one full dance before! I find it easier when there is a style to the dance or a theme - but I don't want a certain style sometimes, I just want a plain old jazz or tap dance. I do not understand how this can happen - I have had extensive training, been in numerous shows and yet when I am trying to choreograph nothing comes to me. I tend to look on YouTube for inspiration as I mentioned in a previous post and there is one person that stood out in particular. This is not even my style of jazz I teach it is more street dance style but I am just so impressed at her choreography. Jasmine Meakin ....How does she do it? I wish I could teach a new dance each lesson but I tend to stick to stretches and short exercises and leave the choreographing until a show. A line of enquiry I am interested in is - how do others start to choreograph? Is it something that most find hard at first? Will it get easier?
Hi Sina-Jayne. I think you might be stressing over it too much. When I have a writer's or director's block, I leave things for a hour or two, I relax (take a bubble bath or a walk in the local park for example) and after relaxing I find that I come up with ideas instantly or if I don't it comes to me within the hour. Maybe you can try this technique to help you?
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