Placing environmental and sustainability responsibility at the heart of all operations.

Past Projects
Dorich House Museum has welcomed and hosted multiple projects. Including dance events, live music events, guided tours and film sharings. For example:

Russian Winter Weekend 2nd-4th December 2021.
Presenting Dorich The Film by Annaleena Piel Linna.
Free Music Performance- Dorich House Museum.
Dorich House Snowflake Template Russian Winter Weekend.(Dorich House Museum | Studio Home of Dora Gordine & Richard Hare, 2022)

Key Audiences
Kingston University students and staff
Community groups, schools or individuals (who study or live in Kingston or visit for leisure)
Researchers, creative practitioners and curators.

Next Thursday I am having a meeting with the events coordinator of Dorich House so after this I will be able to confirm dates and a finalised rehearsal schedule. Please if your interested drop me an email so I have an idea of numbers, which I will need to inform the museum.

my email: K1911490@kingston.ac.uk 

The weblink to Dorich House is: https://www.dorichhousemuseum.org.uk/

The weblink to my rough works: https://youtu.be/Ry69w2wFmYs

My Own Placement Etiquette
-Be open minded to the tasks you are given.
-Trust the process.
-Use manners, be polite
-Time management, No lateness as this will hinder the schedule.
-Keep personal matters outside of the workplace.
-No discrimination whatsoever in the process.
-Respect one another
-Appreciate each other and the talent in the workplace
-Dress appropriately
-Make contribution when necessary and support those around you.
-Work your hardest and celebrate success.
-Be attentive, responsive and proactive.

2. Feelings: what were you thinking and feeling?
I felt anxious and on edge. I was unaware if my self created tasks would get my dancers to fully engage. Overthinking the process and whether my dancers would give off the energy and professionalism I was craving. I felt a lot at stake and a pressure of having responsibility for a vast majority of things. To begin with I was very overwhelmed however with time I sat into my role and was able to balance my nerves and adrenaline.

3. Evaluation: what was good & bad about the experience?
My dancers worked hard to fulfill my aspirations. Acting professionally,arriving on time, responding to emails quickly and taking a positive mental approach to my work making the process smooth and enjoyable. On the other hand the weather was very unpredictable, therefore we had to minimise the usage of the garden however luckily we had already shot the scenes on the terrace.

4. Analysis: What sense can you make of the situation?
I now understand what it is like to direct a film piece of dance work and instruct the filmmaker with correct vocabulary to capture the elements of material I desired. For example explaining my ideas of transitions.  Myself and Frank over the duration of the filming day progressively become more collaborative and inspired by each others creativity. Subsequently I have learnt how to contribute my own ideas when necessary and make suggestions to support other roles.

5. Conclusion: What else could you have done?
I could of made a piece of work that incorporated live work as well as dance for camera. Moreover I could of experimented more with the development of individuality and showcasing different styles. We began to do this for example Samantha and Chloe using Popping and Hip Hop but I believe I could of expanded on this. Enabling the piece to have a climax or even more of a narrative. Finally I could of used elements of other performing arts aspects such as having live music or incorporating elements of drama. Expanding my skill set and showcasing the collaboration of all elements of the arts.

6. Action plan: If the situation arose again, what would you do (differently)?
Next time I would allow myself more time. To having a full day for filming and a full day of practical rehearsals. I feel as towards the end of the day my dancers began to disengage and lack energy. Therefore having more time would of emphasised the projection in the film. To add this extra time would of enabled myself and Frank more time for experimenting with camera angles and collaborating ideas. Which may of proposed a further detailed outcome.

2. Feelings: what were you thinking and feeling?
I felt worried and overwhelmed. Thinking about where to start, trying to take on too many roles and also overthinking about if I was going to recruit enough dancers and a committed filmmaker for my placement. In the back of my mind I had to consider doing this all under strict deadlines and there was a lot of pressure.

3. Evaluation: what was good & bad about the experience?
At this point the biggest challenge was finalising a date that myself, my host and my crew could all attend for the filming and sharing. I had to use my organisation and communication skills to shortlist dates and work around the easter holiday. A good experience was having multiple filmmakers contact me with interest however I did not get the same response from dancers as this was during assessment period.

4. Analysis: What sense can you make of the situation?
To plan in advance. To use my time management skills to assist me in not feeling pressure and staying focussed. Moreover to have started my placement or advertised my placement earlier, so people could rearrange plans over easter therefore resulting in more interest. 

5. Conclusion: What else could you have done?
Reflecting back I could of highlighted the dates prior to sending out the recruitment for dancers and filming crew. Therefore these dates would of been finalised and confirmed and not up for discussion. In depth advertisement may of helped to have had persuaded people to be a part of the project and pushed out to a wider audience from other departments too.

6. Action plan: If the situation arose again, what would you do (differently)?
In regards of recruiting dancers I would of liked to have set up auditions and had made this part of my learning experience as a dance artist. Educating me on how to conduct an audition and hopefully getting more interest due to it being based in the studios on campus. To continue when finalising availability I would next time create a poll or a voting system in which I could measure when works best for the majority, calculate dates and then report back to my host. This would of minimised back and forth individual emails which was time consuming in the process. To conclude If I had more time I would of opened this opportunity to the public, encouraging people outside of Kingston University to be a part of the event which would of also attracted more applications and interest to take part.

2. Feelings: what were you thinking and feeling?
I felt very apprehensive, nervous yet excited about the outcome of my placement. I was overthinking how things would work out, if people would turn up and if the evening would meet my first aspirations. 

3. Evaluation: what was good & bad about the experience?
The best part of this experience was how rewarding the process has been. I have come away from my placement knowing I have the capability to manage and create my own dance event independently. The final film is incredible and showcases my hard work as well as the collaboration from my dancers and filmmakers. Finally I have formed connections and relationships along the way which I will now benefit from having as I develop as a dance artist. I struggle to find bad things about the experience. If I was to state one thing it would be having to take a lot of matters into my own hands, having to problem-solve, be quick in situations of doubt and communicate across large spectrums of people mainly by email.All of which has been very time consuming and challenging however all part of the experience, which I have taken into account.

4. Analysis: What sense can you make of the situation?
I now understand how I could continue to create my own projects and organise events after leaving Kingston University. Moreover I feel I have developed the ability to professionally work with diverse people preparing me for my future and enhancing my collaboration skills. I have used my placement as a opportunity to understand how to use my time wisely, be proactive and explore ways and locations to share my work.

5. Conclusion: What else could you have done?
I could of live streamed the sharing event. Which would of hopefully reached out to public, friends and family who may of wanted to watch but was not able to get to the venue.

6. Action plan: If the situation arose again, what would you do (differently)?
Next time I would consider using community groups and local schools to be a part of my project. Opening up the opportunity to invite them to collaborate. Whether that be dance, drama, singing or helping direct. Reaching my work out to wider communities would make it more inclusive. Inviting all abilities whether dancers or not and abled and non abled bodied. Next time this would expand my experience and develop my adaptability and patience.

(1999 in Sanders, 2016 p79-80)

(One Dance UK, 2016, p16-17)

Goals and objectives
My initial goal was to collaborate with people who I may of not before. I encouraged myself to step outside my comfort zone and take ownership of my own collaborative piece of work. Moreover I was elevated to use the museum to showcase my work, using my leadership skills and own initiative to create a moving piece of work, showing myself off as a artist creator. Finally my goal was to use this opportunity to begin making connections and first hand experience the professionalism behind a self directed project in the arts industry.

Expectations
Going into my placement I had high expectations. I was prepared to work hard and was motivated to be the best I could be. From the offset and throughout, I maintained professional, inquizitive and dedicated with the urge to create something powerful. When at placement I set a high standard of professionalism to reflect on my dancers and filmmaker. My mannerisms and role shifted, this was due to having pre-existing relationships with my dancers, therefore I had to make a clear distinction between friendship and the workplace. Implementing the expectation of how you would behave if you was a hired dancer in the industry, not just making it easy for me to collaborate but educating them in the meantime of the maturity and respectability needed. Finally when starting my placement I was apprehensive, this being the fact there was countless possibilities I could of explored at Dorich House however I am a extrovert and had the willingness to get as much experience as possible.

Tasks to prepare
Email Abbe Flecher, one of the lecturers from filmmaking to broadcast a call out for a filmmaker for my work.
Send out a call out via canvas and Kingston email to recruit dancers for the project.
Schedule a date for a private tour round the museum and to collaboratively fill out a risk assessment form.

Rules Of Conduct
-Have respect for each other.
-Be polite by using manners.
-Treat others how you would like to be treated.
-Act professionally and support one another.
-Listen and learn from each other.
-Try your hardest in order to succeed.
-No judgement 
-No discrimination in the workplace. Whether that be to do with any identity politic.
-Freedom of speech.

(1993) In Touch with Dance. Whitehorn Books: London.