How skilled are you?

During my reflection upon my practice a particular idea has often come to mind, that of skills that dancers possess. Some of these skills are taught in training, others learned through (often difficult) experience. I like to think of those taught in professional training as ‘formal’, and all the others as ‘informal’. I use this terminology because in my opinion, ‘formal’ skills are those that are painted from the outset as essential to success. ‘Informal’ skills are equally important, however these are never expressly mentioned, since they are often acquired from dealing with the dingier side of the dance world, that no school wants to advertise the existence of. Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ dance skills: 

 

Formal

      ·      Picking up choreography quickly

·      Technique (whichever style)

·      Self-presentation – i.e. stage make-up, hair, preparing pointe shoes for performance etc

·      Making a showreel

·      CV writing

·      Choreographic techniques

·      Knowing what constitutes a good head/movement shot

·      Understanding how to cross-train effectively

 

 Informal 

     ·      Dealing with favouritism

·      Dealing with unfair treatment

·      Networking – both in person and online

·      Stress management

·      Mentally dealing with injury

·      Improvisation/staying calm in unprecedented and challenging situations

·      Building strong relationships with other dancers – both professional and personal

      ·      Maintaining motivation and confidence during periods of rejection 

 

 

These are all relatively dance-specific skills, however if we look at the concepts beneath them, we see that dancers have multiple transferable skills that can be used in a variety of fields. Given the current situation, and the lack of respect shown to the arts not only by a large portion of the general public but also by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak who is alleged to have said that musicians and others in the arts ‘should retrain and find other jobs’[i], now perhaps it is more important than ever that we recognise the extent of our skills. Of course, the arts are viable, essential to society, and a huge asset to the UK economy (as of 2019 the arts contribute £10.8 billion to the UK economy per year[ii]), however were we ever to look for work in different areas, we have to be aware of how our skills are transferable in order to market ourselves. Aside from the obvious traits of discipline, resilience and focus, dancers have a plethora of skills to offer, such as problem-solving, adaptability, self-confidence, time management, and the abilities to perform under pressure, to pick up new information quickly, and to work in a team, just to name a few. 

I, amongst many other dancers, have used these skills to my advantage when applying for and working in ‘outside’ jobs. I believe that this experience of using my skills in another environment only served to help me appreciate them more within my practice. A great example of this is adaptability. COVID-19 turned my life upside down, as it did for everyone, yet my ability to adapt quickly to a different and less than ideal situation meant that I was still able to train and find sources of income despite the pandemic. I came back to the studio at the beginning of September, and I have noticed that I am now much calmer when it comes to last-minute changes of choreography or schedule. I feel the strengthening of my adaptability will help me enormously when creating work, since I will not feel guilty about abandoning ideas that are not fruitful, and I will feel less of a need to be completely in control all the time. 

 

Whilst reflecting on the concept of skills within the dance world I also was wondering which skills in particular are highly sought after by companies and choreographers? Are they the ‘formal’ skills we are taught during training, or the ‘informal’ skills gained through experience? I am inclined to think it is the latter. Are some over/under valued? There are some that say that in the contemporary world technique is counting for less and less, and movement style (which is often intrinsic), is seen as more important. I personally feel that this is very much a case of individual preference, however it is interesting to examine this concept. 

 

In conclusion I believe the word ‘skill’ is used too generally. One cannot say that one skill is equal to another, and every skill will be either invaluable or useless depending on the situation. For example, a brain surgeon could not use their knowledge of the brain and surgical technique in a dance class. However, the precision and concentration that the surgeon possesses due to their profession would be highly valuable in a dance context. Therefore, in my opinion it is not the literal skill performed in a specific field we should celebrate, but rather the wider skill beneath it, since it is this that is malleable and transferable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[i]

https://fullfact.org/economy/rishi-sunak-arts-opportunities/

 

[ii] https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication/contribution-arts-and-culture-industry-uk-economy-0