With every profession, especially now when being correct and respectful in the workplace is of high importance, certain ethics are called for. As a professional ballet dancer, I have been taught throughout my training and professional life about what are the ethical standards expected when working within a professional ballet company. Also developing my moral understanding of my profession throughout my career so far.I have thought about what these ethics are .
Respectful
It is important when in a company to remain respectful to your colleagues as well as following the instruction given by my director and ballet mistress. During the rehearsal period,our ballet mistress is responsible for organising the rehearsals schedule. It is my responsibility to be on time and prepared for what I am needed for. It is also important to be respectful of my colleagues needs within the studio time and space as we have the same goal to produce the best production possible for when tour begins.
In the past I have worked with choreographers who will have certain ideas or visuals that have to be considered in my movement of their pieces.
When the company is on tour, we work with a range of staff from the varied theaters, and it is important that a mutual respect is found with them , as well as with colleagues, in order for the performance to run smoothly. Sometimes it is difficult to agree with technicians, who have their own goals and priorities for the performance, of what is important to the dancers and so respectful discussion and compromise is constantly being made.
During a performance, it is very important to be aware that a paying audience is in the auditorium, remaining quiet and professional at all time throughout a performance can make a difference to an audience members experience and impression of the production or company and so must be taken seriously.
On rare occasions, the company I work with also work with small children for the performance. The ethics of working of children therefore changes your attitude to how you may speak or present yourself even in an informal situation so not to offend or make them feel uncomfortable.
Working together with other company members in order to create a productive environment can make a difference to a tours atmosphere and therefore improvement. Is it a company members responsibility, to help other members where possible. this can be with costume, emotional support or even just medical supplies for a performance, however I am of the opinion that this ethical approach is of high importance.
Proactive
It is, in my opinion, expected of all dancers to be proactive about their profession. Due to limited time and space in order to create and improve and choreography, it is within my ethics that I must continue to work on my set pieces when I am away from the studio or theatre. This has the same importance when I am off season as I must keep shape, stamina and strength ready for the following season (this is an example of ethics that wouldn't be necessary in many other professions).
In order to improve within my career, being proactive in how I approach my work can make all the difference for how reliable or promising a dancer you are, and therefore your hiring qualities. My ethical opinion is that as a dancer, a lot more is required of us than we are contracted if we wish to improve. This can be simple things like taking extra care if your costume or shoes and taking the time to educate yourself with the background of my company or production.
This is quite probably a small amount of ethics within my profession that I find most important. I will be speaking to my colleagues and ballet mistress about their opinions of ethics. I will interested to learn about everyones difference in opinion.
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