Work Experience: Inside The Place

On the first day of my work experience at The Place we firstly met and spoke with Richard Lawrence-Allen (who ran our entire work experience) about the week and what it was going to look like. We were given printed out schedule for the entire week so we could visually see what was happening each day. We then had a tour of the building which I thought was beneficial for the entire week ahead and maybe also beneficial in case I choose that this as the university I come to, and I get accepted. It might give me a step forward and a way of getting settled in quicker than I would if I didn’t know the surroundings and atmosphere.

From what they said, Mondays are normally a day to ease into the week so there is not normally a lot of atmosphere and not much going on. This first day was mainly about settling in as there wasn’t a huge selection of activities, but there was small things that we could learn and do to help understand about the school and how a dance university/company work with all the different areas. We watched a contemporary dance class at the end of the day which was interesting to watch and great to observe the creative and original approaches of teaching also including how the dances took in information and worked off feedback. I love how they use live music in practical lessons, and I feel this is such a cool way of working for the dances to experience this type of atmosphere.

The next day we started off by joining an over 60s class, this was enjoyable and really inspiring to watch. They were really interested in me an Izzy and asked where we were training, etc. and it felt human and natural and something I found intriguing since I don’t talk to many strangers that aren't at a similar age to me. It showed me the importance of inclusivity, what great opportunities they hold at The Place, and how they hold activities for everyone. We then went onto working with the Classes & Courses office and what they do for the school. They mainly were the people to arrange and set up people of all ages to come and work with The Place and experience fun, existing activities for them. They contact companies and communities around London that they think would benefit and enjoy being taught or helped in anyway The Place can. We created schedules for the companies and communities that will be coming in and this felt useful to look at for me since there where interesting ways of organising things and sorting out times which is something I would benefit learning how to do properly for me now and especially in the future when my life becomes a bit busier.

We then had a short tour around the tech offices, tech boxes for sound and lighting, and then had a look backstage to see all the equipment, etc. We spoke to Marco Cifre who is part of the technical team about the software they use to organise and set everything for the shows that come in. It’s done as if an architect was making the space, and it was interesting learning about how they put together a show and how much goes into it. After that we spoke to the Development team which was a conversation about what they do and what charities they want to help and work with side by side with The Place. This was also fantastic to learn about and talk about.

Next was a longer day and we managed to get through a lot of stuff. First off, we were in the HR office with Richard. We created a page for the Artist Development page on The Place's website which was great since we could read about the opportunities they provide, meaning I got a bit more of an understanding of that area of The Place. Soon after that we had a fantastic time watching lots of different dance piece made by students set up in a little showing that was also set up by students. I saw a lot of my friends perform and it was interesting to watch since some pieces where quite abstract and different which was great to see. It also gave me an idea of what kind of things you do and create when you are studying at The Place.

Not long after we spent a few hours in the Theatre and Artist Development office with Will Bridgland. We started off having a chat about the school in general and what he and the team his involved in do towards the school. The main thing we focused on in those few hours was the show Resolution. I was massively interested in this since anyone could enter and how it’s a space to show your work and pieces. People like Botis from Far From the Norm and Hofesh Shechter with his company have been involved in this show and I just think it’s a cool experience to allow around 60 people in and around London to share something they have created and what to show off. There’s also a possibility of earning money since it's done by the amount of people that come to your show that day.

After learning about that we joined a 7-14 technique class that’s put on for local kids to do some technical dancing which I thought was amazing and the standard was high for their ages. It was good fun work long with other ages and helping around when and where I could.

On the fourth day of my work experience we joined in on another over 60s lesson which was filled with people which was really inspiring to see. T0he standard is very high, and they all work hard and seem to really enjoy it. It’s lovely to work with different ages and be able to talk to them and for them to ask questions. I find it interesting and inspiring. After lunch we worked in the Classes & Courses office again and carried on what we were doing last time which was researching and finding companies and academies in London who we think could benefit from working with The Place and to set up classes for children, teens, and adults to experience and explore new things and to work with professionals.

After, we watched a LCDS class which was amazingly intriguing to sit in and take in what a class is like at The Place. They had to create a piece in groups but with rules and boundaries and I could tell it was challenging for them, but they really created some imaginative and original ideas. It allowed them to push their minds out their comfort zone.

Our final day was a nice way to finish the week we came in and worked with the Communications and Marketing team talking about the marketing of the school and the degree courses they offer at London Contemporary Dance School at The Place. We conspired about what works well about the postcard they hold currently which promotes the degree and thought about what could work better to really capture people’s attention when reading it. After that we watch the community project. The dance piece we saw was inclusive an amazing to see everyone coming together no matter about your background or your lifestyle they all danced as one which was amazing to see.

I think the whole week in general helped me figure out a lot of things about what I would like my future too to look like. Overall I’ve had a great week and I’ve learnt a lot.

Thank you for having me!

By Harry Pepler