Hello bloggers, I hope everyone is feeling slightly relieved after completing their essay drafts!
Now that I have began creating my artefact and undergoing further research, I am beginning to see my practice through a different lens, which has been quite refreshing and is giving me some different ideas for my essay. As I have been reflecting on my practice thus far, I have questioned 'Do I consider myself successful?' and more importantly 'What defines a successful career?'. After searching for answers on Google, I came across a page that reveals "7 skills you need to succeed in performing arts" (Prospectus, 2020). The skills mentioned are;
- Confidence
- Resilience, self-discipline, stamina
- An analytical mind and the ability to self-reflect
- Flexibility (not just physically, but the ability to adapt)
- Teamwork
- Organisation and time management
- The ability to network and market yourself
My also consider my personal network a necessary element of my practice. Being able to talk to close friends/family members about issues is crucial for my well-being and development. Additionally, I recently asked a family member for their opinion on my practice, which lead me to discover different aspects of my professional practice and how certain situations have altered my choices, morals and ethical considerations.
Networks plays an important role when it comes to aiming for success. As performers we have constantly been taught how to achieve a successful career, however the meaning of success can be differ depending on the individual. Personally, I have always aimed to be happy and if I can achieve this (in any chapter of my life) I would consider myself successful. During my training, I always knew that to dance professionally on a cruise ship would make me happy and ultimately feel successful. How would you define success?
References:
Smith, J (2020). 7 skills you need to succeed in performing arts. [online]. Available at: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/creative-arts-and-design/7-skills-you-need-to-succeed-in-performing-arts. [Accessed 10th Nov. 2020]
Hey Alice! Very interesting blog, defining success is so difficult. I think it's ever changing, once you achieve a dream or goal, your mind can continue and set new bigger challenges. It is important to take a step back and remind yourself that at one point your dream would have been to professionally train at a Performing arts school and you did that very successfully. Never forget where you once wanted to be (if that makes any sense). I also completely agree with your point about happiness! Good luck with your artefact x
ReplyDeleteHi Rhian, I completed agree with you, success is so hard to pinpoint and it definitely adapts depending on what stage you are at during your life. I remember being at college and feeling like I had succeeded after one of Tony's body-cons! It is important to remember where we once wanted to be so we can appreciate our accomplishments and be reminded of what we have over come - surely this is success in itself! Good luck with your artefact too, I hope it's going well x
ReplyDeleteHi Alice,
ReplyDeleteI remember the relief I felt when I handed in my first draft, so hold onto that feeling and be proud of what you have achieved. I think success is different for everyone. I feel in society we are very concerned with what others think of us and we let that define our success and our self worth. For instance, if I post a dance video but it didn't get many likes of views, I may feel like I'm not good enough. What I'm beginning to learn is that everyone is on their own journey. You have to do what's right for you, if you are true to yourself that is where the real success lies. As performers we sometimes get carried away in the external idea of success and worth, but our internal success is so important. These are just a few ideas I have :)
Thank you
Alys xx
Hi Alys, I really like your ideas! I definitely understand the importance of being true to ourselves and our ideas often adapt due to the circumstances. When I was at college, I told myself that I didn't want to work away from home because I didn't want to be apart from my boyfriend at the time, little did I know what I really wanted. Things happen for a reason, and we need to accept our development through life and realise that success is internal, and should not represented by expectations. Thank you for sharing x
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