A blast from the 'potentially predicitve past'



Having come to discover an exciting new path I wish to fulfill post BAPP and performance, I looked into other successful career changes of dancers I admire, when I came across the following familiar article.

I remember a few years ago, as part of a personal diary and 10 year projection I made (and toally forgotten about) until reading this article online once again. As it rang bells I looked on to my hard drive and found it tucked away nicely for another day…and here we are!

Beyond Performance: Charlton Boyd, Massage Therapist

By Rachel Berman

Published September 1, 2010.

 

Boyd today (courtesy of Boyd)

For a dancer, the art of finding equilibrium is an ongoing practice achieved through continuous subtle adjustments. After 14 years with the Mark Morris Dance Group, Charlton Boyd is finding balance in both body and soul and helping his massage therapy clients to attain the same.

It was with the Inner City Ensemble, under the loving tutelage of director Ralph Gomez, and later at Juilliard that Boyd developed his dance technique, artistry and strong work ethic. Sidelined from the Limón Dance Company with a torn medial meniscus, he explored the acting and singing talents learned at ICE.

In 1989, he was hired to perform at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, as a “supplementaire” dancer for Mark Morris’ L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato. Returning to New York City, at a crossroads in his dance career, he appeared in musicals and sang in nightclubs. Morris hired him as a full-fledged company member in 1994. His long line, quiet spirit and can-do attitude graced many a Morris work for the next 14 years. A total of three arthroscopic surgeries later, the job he loved had become an overwhelming source of stress. “Anyone in concert dance knows,” Boyd says, “company life, not the healthiest of environments, can be all consuming. It’s a vicious cycle of constant wear on the body and psyche.”

With a leave of absence, Boyd did some research—and a lot of soul searching. “I sat down and asked myself, What do I value most? What makes me happy? In what kind of atmosphere would I find fulfillment?” he says. He knew his calling lay in a healing, nurturing environment and his dance training had instilled in him an understanding of body mechanics, anatomy, and sensitivity to energy flow.

Using resources and support from Career Transition For Dancers and The Actors Fund, he entered a rigorous 1.5-year program at the Swedish Institute. He got his license as a massage therapist in 2009, and before going into
private practice, honed his skills at a local spa. “It’s the best place to refine your technique and find your rhythm when first starting out,” he says.

“Charlton had the same intelligence, sensitivity, and intuition as a partner that he now utilizes in his massage practice,” says MMDG dancer Amber Star Merkens. “His holistic approach is deeply compassionate. He has a natural gift as a healer.”

Boyd’s dream is to open a wellness center that will be a therapeutic gathering place for artists and musicians. The biggest challenge he finds is managing the business end, something most dancers have no experience with. What he is certain of: his relationship with movement continues to provide the balance in his life.

www.nusolcyclewellness.com

It is funny how circles in life are made…starting life as a dot/an idea…growing in to a line wandering off into the future on a journey…curving, growing and coming back nicely to the idea or thought with it a spiral of knowledge gained in time.

Maybe I had always hoped to find a time where I can develop a further understanding in to the body and how, as dancers, we can exploit the musculoskeletal architecture to our athletic and artistic advantages.

Positive words shared from one professional to another



‘’With everything that has happened to you, you can feel sorry for yourself, or treat what has happened to you as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow, or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose’’ Wayne Dyer

This was a lovely quote that was brought to my attention from a guy who has taken part in my inquiry; I think it reads what I now confidently believe. Hopefully when a tricky situation occurs I can share these words and give the chance to actively decide an outcome, be it with my own challenges or with fellow professionals who may face uncertain times in personal and professional life.

Then and now...career change



Thanks to my inquiry I have found a solid standing where I can see, happily, my career changing direction allowing me to go with the flow and accept change as a good thing.

I have subconsciously used the process, learning and experiences of BAPP as a ‘self-help’ progression where I can take an external and diagnostic view of my own career…by means of conversing with and taking advice from others about their careers and professional transitions.

By stepping out of my personal journey and looking at others from the objective, non-biased view I have been able to find answers to my own questions that were perhaps in areas of the scary unknown that seemed to present themselves as obstacles as I was too afraid to accept that the next step was imminent in happening.

Having discovered that denial can be part of transition, as it is in the stages of grief, I understand that timing of the change can differ between people and their personal experiences of career transition.

By actively choosing/accepting my transition and the possibilities that lay in store for me, starting with a sabbatical from performing, I am super energised about my future.

Looking back over the last year I was thinking that I was a dance teacher and taking time to do BAPP before performing again…this has developed somewhat! I know have redeveloped my interest in dance injury and rehabilitation and have since taken extra studies for this next step

Since June this year I have started a new job. I have begun work in an osteopaths and chiropractors.  I remember thinking when I was in training how amazing it would be to become a dance specialist in the injury rehabilitation world (mainly due to my interest in the body and my countless sessions i personally had with physicians tending to my injuries.) When this opportunity arose for fulltime work in this environment my tummy skipped…this only ever happens when the passion kicks in, so I knew it was a must! I automatically started planning my next move, my next study course, my next 5 years and my next graduation…jumping ahead there I know! This is the excitement I had been lacking with my current work…bouncing from job to job.

‘So alongside my teaching (I haven’t cut this out completely) I am now in a clinic manager role and getting hands on experience and training that will develop into a proper course next year to become a practitioner.

Never underestimate the power of the SIG



Prior to the start of the course, the introduction of and deeper understanding of professional networks and special interest groups, I admit that I was not aware ‘its’ power of being.

There have been many occasions during this last year where I have found a level of support (where within this industry we are lead to believe through some experiences as being  a bitter, selfish and pretty much bleak vacuum of none existent team values) that without pleading for it has come my way through the community spirit from fellow professionals. They (…you), have been able to see obstacles through the same lens as me with an objective view, holding with it self-experience, offering the valuable word, ear and shoulder that you cannot always able to rely on being there at ones disposal. 

I say this as a great thank you to many of you on BAPP and more still in my own ‘outer’ circle of professionals, as without this I am sure I would have flaked onto self-deferral once again leaving a further sense of self-doubt and postponement failure which, to be honest, we could all do without.

During the last two months the devastating hurdles that have cropped up in my way have seemed higher and wider than ever…with a constant yell from my inner self ‘please can I get a break!?’ I won’t go into too much detail as many of you are aware, but alongside the usual full time work/life/study/rehearsal challenge that is an on-going battle I have had two tragedies within the family which has taken me aback with a full on crack. It is in times like these where life seems to hurtle past you when you yourself feel stuck at glacial pace unable to see…never mind chase or catch up with the day. Excuses excuses I hear you say, and I too can agree to an extent, but as we all have heard from time to time ‘things happen for a reason’ and it is to this reason I am now in search for discovering with great passion.

The continuous flow of ideas, themes and developments within my inquiry and the support (personal and professional) has kept me grounded and the stronger half of me on the right track; albeit in the slow lane of the track, shall we say!

My journal has been invaluable tool once again, although reading back some of the chapters I honestly do not see what use the words are…other than the initial export platform of emotion as a release to clear the head and heart. On the other hand some is comedy genius; I knew I still had my sense of humour! You never know I may share a few of these ‘light releases’ with you to bring a giggle!

My uploading of blogs may come as a flurry now as I seem to be in the right mind set and timing to share my thoughts, ideas, progressions, set-backs, revelations and the reciprocation of support for you all via the means of the blog, especially. After all this element is a requirement of the module…not only the interaction in person, phone calls etc.

I will begin by publishing my summary, my thoughts from the summer leave, the inquiry as it stands today, and how my professional practice has seen a great shift all thanks to my light bulb moments that very much frequent my being during the course!

Every experience good or bad, is indeed valuable for my line of inquiry as the ‘finding ones feet’ and psychological struggle of transition (of any kind) in general is giving me further knowledge and appreciation of the results/personal stories I am currently analysing.

I am LOVING this discovery.

Thank you once again! xxx

Critical reflection of module 2

Having finished module 1 with a great sense of achievement and development within my practice I look forward to facing 'QUESTIONS PROVOKED BY QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY QUESTIONS THAT LEAD TO FURTHER QUESTIONS!!!!!' (Dixon, H. 2013) Appendix 1 

Heading into module 2 saw me going from a position where I simply looked at myself as a sole transitioning practitioner, to exploring how the network and SIGs I am in and have developed can be the much needed support for one another. This notion is at the heart of not only my inquiry But of BAPP. Due to the nature of this task and the practitioner research within shows that reliance on others and the support you yourself offer in return is key. Personal struggles and a bereavement that arose in October lead to a deferral of module 2 to this term. Typically, for my luck, the lack of internet and computer troubles has lead me to hand write my blogs, and find other ways of interaction that doesnt rely on the blog. With this shift brought with it many a change in lines of inquiry. As the course relies heavily on time management, fellow students within the Special Interest Groups (SIG) (seen on facebook, whatsapp, meetings in person and via the blogs) dealt with the reciprocation well in order to give a helping hand. The 'sharing' is what the course is all about.

Principles of professional inquiry.

Reader 4 allowed us to understand certain theories that are integral to inquiry which helped us to begin to focus and streamline areas of interest. By creating SIG and developing our professional network (further from module 1 Appendix 2) we could engage with members of BAPP and allow our questions and ideas to develop intellectually. The tasks within this module prove useful and the comments/interactions highlight the importance of asking clear and concise questions without knowing what you want to find out. The open ended questioning has opened my eyes as to see what others think, what have they experienced? I had stepped back and realised that instead of trying to prove something I needed to discover something new that would aid my own professional development and transition. Appendix 3

Ethics

In every day professional life a certain level of ethics has to be considered, especially in my line of work. yet having read Reader 5 I became more aware of the code of conducts within my practice. This enhanced awareness has allowed me to explore the inquiry in a protected manner as to bring no harm to my participants is vital when conducting the investigation. rather than a set of rules, i look at ethics as moralistic guide to ones actions within the professional and public sense.

Tools

To understand which tools would work best for my I carried out piot tests then discussed the ideas within my SIG. I had decided to use questionnaires and interviews as they seemed the ideal methods available to discover personal experience and provide comparison s for the study.

I came to the conclusion that both qualitative and quantitative data lend themselves to this inquiry.

Conclusion

This module has allowed the room and the subjective look on ,my transition that is happening within my career, it began as a negative shift but as I am delving deeper and questioning constantly, I have seen a motivational boost within my application to not only the course but to my professional practice. i have (and still am continuing to) overcome certain tragic struggles in my personal life along with the challenges my career throws at me. I think the support network systems that are within BAPP and those that I am investigating are the success here.

From establishing my practice in module 1 and developing practitioner research in module 2 BAPP is helping me shape my own direction to which I am beyond excited...the most challenging task yet.

Reviews of tasks 4...question development

Before I publish the continuing findings within module two I thought best to recapp and touch base with my blog ensuring I keep my reflections up to date on here too.

I originally created a set of questions that were aimed at looking into how people are to make the initial move in to the career transition from performer to teacher, with certain reference to financial difficulties.( blog- Initial export of ideas and questions) I have since realised that as this could be a rather specific/restrictive look of the 'transitional professional' (and somewhat biased as it was what I am currently experiencing within my own practice) I have decided to broaden the investigation. I am to aim my surveys to not just individuals who are in the bracket of 'dancer/performer to teachers', but to 'dancer/performer to general career change'.
Also, after further thought, I would like to discover what possible support systems/organisations that are out there whos intention and purpose is to be at the dancers disposal for help with their change of career paths. I know that it is something that is worth looking into as there are lots issues (psychological, physical, educational and financial) that are invaluable areas needing supporting, thus paramount to ease the transitions.
Hopefully I can identify how some dancers may have already benefited from such organisations, and their experiences post transition. My aim is to accumulate information that I can cross refernece in the reults section of the inquiry and discover how these career transitions support companies help and focus their advice...and if at all if there is a gap in the market, where there are ways to offer improved services to the dancing community as a whole.

I think the questions I am to develop will look further in to

1. What main reason initiated the transition?
2. Was there time for pre transitional preparation.? (looking at the timeline/age of the dancer).
3. What was the length of time taken to become adjusted, whether it be pre-during-post transition
4. Is the individual aware of any support that is offered (either within employment or as an organisation not directly related to the company that can aid freelance workers too?)
5. Has the individual recieved support, on what level was this and in what area, from where?
6. What are their thoughts, could there be more available...is what is out there sufficient in their experience?
7. Maybe look into questionning the founders or advisors in such companies to take another perspective on their work and how they facilitate such bands of support.

As I am not too sure what is available I have taken into looking into this further. I have identified a few services online, yet I wish to discover more what is available in the UK

My original ideas have lead me to look into the support systems, so are still useful questions that I aim to develop with my new directions in mind.
I do hope that for some of you, this has sparked interest and i look forward to communicating along this train of thought in the SIGs.

Revisiting my past for a little more insight

Last night I found myself re-reading through an old diary from a period where I was going through a difficult time within the beginning of my professional career, in a hope to trigger memories and emotions that I went through. Here I found an entry, within week 6 of the professional graduate dance company 'Transitions Dance co', the title was DISASTER! I had suffered a torn aductor in a Horton based class, I was confused as I was unable to put weight on my left leg half way through class, but there was no pain... for about 15 mins at least! Adrenalyn was most definitely present, as it wasn't unitl I was sent directly to the physician that I had realised the possible extent of my injury. I don't want to sound dramatic, but whilst I was getting the diagnostic review, my career flashed before my eyes leaving me with fear and devestation as my mind jumped to so many conclusions.
I was in the most important stage of my career so far and the thought of having to sit out during the creation of the first piece we were to tour hit me hard like a train. I was lost and left with a huge amount of fear that my career could be on the way out before it actually hit anywhere near its peak! I lost all enthusiasm to even go to the studio as every minute I observed felt like a year that I was missing out on. The choreographer and the teachers at the time didn't have an awful lot of input or words of wisdom that I felt could be put to use...but then again, why in their view should they be bothered with one 'lame' dancer when they had 11 others to play with :-(
I found that keeping a diary in this time helped me address the grief of being physically held back. Looking back on it this was the only support I had (other than family of course). I tried hard to keep ideas and creativity flowing whilst carrying out my rehabilitaion fitness, trying tirelessly to keep my presence in the studio and creative process known in order to have some control on the future of my role in the performance. All I needed was a little acknowlegdement and maybe for the director to appreciate my tenasity towards the sad situation I found myself in. As this was not there Istruggled through, luckily it was only a recommended 6 week time out ( of which I could only bear 3 before graually imposing myself  back 'in' the space) but it did get me thinking of the future career and the potenial factors that can add up to termination/retiremant of performance and the inevitable 'real world and real jobs' where my identity would most definitely have to take on a different face.
The emotional impact having an injury has on a dancer, psychologically, is immense. That with the added fear of 'another career', finacial hardship, loss of identity, to name a few got me to thinking about support systems that could be available for dancers during the perfroming career and those who are reaching the end, leading to a directional transition.

I hope to discover possible support systems for dancers within the UK, and identify what they offer to company dancers and freelance dance artists. What organisations are out there that can help dancers come face to face with the transition they face, and give the helping hand/words to make the circumstantial move (or transition of choice) easier to bear?


...So within more of my scribbles in a later diary (funnily enough when this particular injury raised its ugly head once more) was a name of a journalist and article that I must have read. Not sure as to why I had noted it down I searched archives and the internet hoping that it would offer extra input in to my investigation. I came across it a few weeks ago.

''Dont give up the day job- how artists make a living''

As I am thinking of taking a different route in to my line of inquiry I guess it is not as directly linked anymore, yet it illustrates that 'financial-passion-professional development' balance is a major factor for most artists.