Current Networks

My current networks are a vast, interlinking, ever-changing connection of individuals; each individual offers and takes something from being actively involved within the network.

I imagine my networks are like layers of an onion. The inner circles are connections of family and close friends. The outer circles are the numerous dancers, choreographers and teachers I know but don’t have close affiliations with, they are acquaintances and their sole purpose is for self progression within my profession. This network is vast in comparison to my close friends and family, this is an advantage us it gives me more opportunity to learn and develop within my profession. 

My current Networks

• Family
• Close friends
• Dance teachers
• Part time work peers
• Dancers worked with
• Choreographers worked for
• ISTD associates
• Dancers I trained with
• BAPP associates

Technology and the World Wide Web is progressively becoming the most important tool in participating and discovering networks. These are some of the tools I currently use to partake in my networks on a regular basis.

• Email
• Facebook
• Spolight
• DTOL
• Dancers Pro
• Web 2.0

Although my main tools in building and maintaining my networks are mainly technology based I still use some non-technology resources.

• Letters
• TES magazine
• The Stage paper

Within my networks I play different roles dependant on my experiences, this creates status within the network. There is almost always someone at the top who holds the most knowledge and someone at the bottom who acquires it. Professional networks are largely based on the giving and receiving of information.  As I increase my skills in dance teaching I climb the ladder of learning and my place within my teaching network shifts. Someone less experienced enters and my position changes because I now attain experience and wisdom to pass on to the less experienced, they can offer fresh new methods of teaching and become another individual with a common interest within the network. Networks are continually changing, I leave professional networks once I have a feeling of self fulfilment and I enter new networks that take me on different paths of my learning journey.  

My networks all hold different values and again this differs in each individual. I feel as we grow, we only have a select few that are friends for personal, pleasure and recreational reasons and with whom we have found balanced levels of affiliation and so feel comfortable with. These networks are formed on close relationships in contrast to my professional networks. This is because I use my professional networks to progress and gain independents. Each network I’m in is significance to my growth as a person. I value every single network; however the inner circles hold more emotional value than the outer circles.

Developing my Professional Networks

I’m still training with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing so my teaching networks are still growing. I have taken a few approaches in expanding these networks; firstly I have updated all my web 2.0 platforms, Dancers Pro, DTOL and Facebook, including teaching briefs and courses I’m currently undertaking, to catch the attention of prospective companies and other teachers. I have emailed hundreds of dance schools and asked them to keep my cv on file in case they need cover teachers this is an easy way of maintaining involvement within dance teaching networks and making new contacts.

It’s important  that I keep a record of choreographers and teachers I have worked with as all networks are interlinking you often find that past choreographers can sometime aid in getting and introducing you to networks of interest.

I'm fascinated in the learning theories within networking, this is an area I don't have much knowledge on so I will be exploring these theories further and there relationship to my professional networks.