Moving forwards

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the next stage of my life, the BAPP is nearly over and I don’t know how I want to move forwards next. I hate standing still.

What I really wanted to do was move forward with my ISTD teaching qualifications and study the ISTD DDP from a distance. In fact I applied to do this, and they took it to the board for deliberation.  It took two months to get an answer, and unfortunately at this time it is unavailable to study via distance learning which I’m really disappointed about. As I already have already completed two of the 6 modules (Advanced 1 and Licentiate) I was hoping this would go in my favour.  I am also wondering if the Health and Safety and Lifespan development units are those that moved from CDE, meaning they in fact used to be delivered via distance learning.  Anyway, a no is a no, and I must find other avenues for Continued Professional Development whilst I am in China.

So what other further study options are available to me?

• A Masters degree
• The RAD CBTS
• DDE/Advanced 1 Ballet
• Licentiate in Tap Dancing 
• Fellowship in Modern Theatre

Whilst I know I’d like to do a Masters, the experience of academic study from China has not always been an easy one.  I have committed myself to China for another 2.5 years at least and I have grappled with myself over the pro et contra of continuing on with my academic study whilst I am in the academic mind frame (it was so hard to start studying again at this level after so many years!) versus the relative ease of waiting until I am back in England with a large and easily accessible professional circle, a university campus and libraries . Whilst there is the possibility I could change my mind about this next semester (and I don’t know that I ever intend to come back to the UK) I am looking forward to an academic stress-free 6 months whilst we await our graduation!

The RAD CBTS would be really useful to the school I teach in, and to my future career overseas.  However, I am not a ‘ballet bod’.  I am firmly in the Jazz and Tap camp.  Although I have ISTD teaching qualifications in Ballet, 95% of my current work is Tap and Jazz and I am very happy with that.  However I know if I applied for another job, this qualification would be of benefit, even if it was only for 5% of my work. The principal of my current studio would be able to tutor me, however it is very expensive, and I’m currently unsure if I can afford it. That said I love teaching dance and know I will not be able to teach Jazz in the way I would like forever (throwing yourself across the floor in time with the music really does have a age limit!) and I’d like to explore avenues that could improve my longevity as a dance teacher. Additionally, the RAD has an APL/RoL application process, and so I may apply and pay for that to see how much of my current learning is taken into consideration before deciding on this option.

ISTD ballet isn't widely recognised in Asia, despite their current liaison with Beijing Dance Academy, and therefore if I want to stay in Asia I would be better served taking the RAD option above. 

The ISTD Licentiate Tap is definitely something I am going to work towards, but this will be in the way of independent study in China, and private lessons when in the UK.  The majority of the learning will self regulated due to my location, although I will be able to liaise with my old college principal (my tutor) via email, Skype and videoed choreography.  I am hoping to take this examination in the summer 2015, or failing that at Christmas 2015.

I am in the fortunate position of already holding all the qualification requirements to move forwards and take the Fellowship Modern examination, however do not yet feel ready to even start thinking about actively studying for my Fellowship. I feel my Licentiate Tap is currently a more achievable goal.

Yet this inquiry has made me look sideways at my qualifications and made me ask the question “are there holes in my current knowledge?” Do I need to further expand my qualifications of should I look at ‘filling out’ the ones I’ve got.  Here are a few areas I’ve already done something about, and a few I feel I could use the next semester addressing before I make any further decisions on my future:

Gaps in knowledge I have already addressed

1. Qualifications - I spent most of 2012/2013 getting my qualifications as both a dancer and a teacher to where I felt they needed to be for a teacher of my experience. Teaching/finances had got in the way of further study and as a result I hadn't moved up the qualification ladder quite as I would have hoped or as might be expected. I went back to college and gained my revised advanced 1 and 2 modern, my advanced 2 tap, completed my DDE in Tap and Modern, my Licentiate Modern and started the BAPP the RoL module with the points gained from these qualifications. In addition I took non-syllabus jazz and tap classes and studied Ballet at Advanced 1 level. I'd hoped to complete my DDE and Advanced 1 in Ballet, but that wasn't to be - I'd spread myself too thinly. 
2. Performance skills - Whilst studying for these qualifications I started performing again. Reigniting the sparks of my own performance skills help me hugely when trying to make my students understand what was required from them, and allowed me to more understand their feeling and anxieties regarding performance.  Whilst this was not a skill I’d lost, if was beneficial to re-experience performing again in order to refresh myself and my thoughts.
3. Technique – I’ve always been big on analysis, correct execution of steps, the use of breath, extension, dynamics and floor pressure, however this year I know I have worked harder on my students posture than ever before, talking about the requirements and reminding them to stand correctly multiple times a lesson.  My reflection on this started during the ‘chat’ you have after the Licentiate exam.  The examiner said “you’ve got two children who quite clearly have postural issues” in a way that made me feel I hadn’t done enough to try to correct them – they’d worked so hard, I wanted to counteract with  “you should have seen them when I took them on 6 months ago” but it made me wonder if I had worked them hard enough on it? Had I put enough emphasis on its importance? Had I done everything in my power as a teacher?   Thinking back, I don’t remember any of my teachers talking about or reminding me about posture. However, when I came to my new studio I noticed the principal does not stop talking about posture during her classes.  I have implemented this in my teaching, and as a result of this I have seen a huge change of posture both throughout the jazz and tap programme and in myself.

Gaps in knowledge I would like to address

1. Anatomical Knowledge – I would like to find a dance specific anatomy and physiology examination to study.  Does anyone know of anything?
2. Dance ‘History’ – view more performance on Youtube, at the Theatre, on DVD just remind myself of what’s out there – who is out there and what they were/are doing and how it relates to what I’m teaching the students.

I’m sure over the course of the next semester I will address these, and no doubt in the process discover more that I don’t know. I look forward to continuing with my learning journey, wherever it might take me!