Stage 1- Review of feedback

I hope everyone had a great summer and is ready to get back into the inquiry project! I am making the most of the free day I have today to catch up on all the blogs and get some work done of my own!

So I have made a start on stage 1 of the inquiry process by going over the handbook and reader 7 for a second time as there was so much information to take in at once! I have also begun to review my feedback from the inquiry plan. By highlighting the more critical elements of the feedback I have been able to identify where I can add to the depth and clarity of my pending project.  An interesting point made was ‘Be clear in the criteria for sample interview choices.’ (Nottingham 2011).  In my plan I had stated that I was going to choose three dancers from the surveys who had had successful career transitions for further interview. However, I had not specified any other criteria for my selection. I have now identified a more detailed list of attributes these dancers will need to have in order to benefit my inquiry process. Details are as follows;

Criteria for dancers who participated in the survey to be selected for interview:

·         Have undergone successful career transition from dance to another sector or are currently undergoing successful transition.

·          Preferably two dancers who have transitioned to a completely different industry (e.g. television, production, business, management etc) and 1 who has transitioned within the dance industry to a different role (e.g. choreographer, teacher)

·         At least one dancer should be from the BAPP network and the other two will be other dance professionals.

During my inquiry plan I stated that I was going to interview a dancer I know who has been forced into career transition through injury as opposed to choice and a TV publicist who can give views on the television industry. However it was pointed out in my feedback that it may be good to ‘Interview someone in the role of presenter, who could challenge or counterbalance some of the other interviews suggested.’ (Nottingham 2011) Therefore, over the summer I have obtained provisional permission to interview Stacey Solomon who is successfully presenting primetime television shows and hopefully she will be able to talk of the transition between a singer and a presenter. I am hoping that this will show whether career transition theories can be generalised or if transition from dance is unique to other professions.

‘Referencing change management and career change literature might also be helpful’ (Nottingham 2011) I have found and read a book entitled ‘Ballet Dancers in Career Transition-Sixteen Success Stories.’ By Nancy Upper. It is compiled of short stories of ballet dancers who have transition and gone onto other careers. It is diverse in that it explores dancers who have transitioned within the ballet world and those who have completely changed their path, e.g. dancer to accountant. Due to this diversity it draws common ground as well as differences between all the dancers. Therefore, it is useful in providing general theories in relation to career transition. During my inquiry I aim to identify those theories and prove or disprove them with my findings. Full review of the literature to follow soon!

After going through my feedback in more detail I have been able to identify ways I can improve my inquiry process. I aim to maintain the positive points in this module and improve those which were more critical. By doing this I have already been able to clarify parts of my inquiry which may not have been clear to the reader previously.