Tilia Lawson: My Ambitions and Progress

Individual Skills Audit 1 - Induction Project

1. What performing arts skills and abilities do you have? What can you bring to the course?

My performing arts skills evolve around singing and acting as I've been singing since a young age and took part in an acting club when I was in primary school. I will bring excitement and enthusiasm to the group.

Singing: 7

Dance: 2

Acting: 6

Performance: 5

2. Where have you demonstrated these in the past?

I achieved a full scholarship at my secondary school for singing and therefore had free singing lessons for 4 years. After I left secondary school, I continued having singing lessons outside of school which i now pay for. The only experience I have in acting is from watching plays, films and also taking part in a drama club when I was younger. I have no experience in dance except for compulsory short dance classes I had to take in PE at secondary school.

3. What do you consider to be your strongest skills and which need most improvement?

My strongest skill is singing as I have been doing it for a lot longer than acting and dancing. I need to improve my dance as I have never taken dance classes before.

4. What particular practical/technical skills would you like to work on/gain/improve?

I would like to improve my jazz dance technique (e.g getting the perfect jazz fourth position).I want to improve my ballet leaps. I would also like to improve on the speed of my jazz and ballet dance and be able to process it faster.

5. How would you assess your 'study' skills? Are you confident with research and essay writing? Are you good at keeping up to date with your work or do you tend to get behind? Have you had a problem with lateness in the past?

I'm not the best at studying, especially from a book, however, I can do it if I put my mind to it. I'm confident with researching but not to much with essay writing as I find it difficult to put what I find down in a structured way. I'm good at keeping up to date and i don't have a problem with lateness.

6. Are there any particular weaknesses you struggle with in your academic work?

Sometimes I find it difficult to spell certain words if I am writing too fast and its a word I'm not comfortable with. I find it difficult to structure an essay.

7. What are your ambitions for a future career or study at the end of your course?

I want to go into a further musical theatre college and later on get a job within the performing arts industry (e.g in a theatre) and then go into performing professionally.

8. What skills and behaviours will you need to use to achieve your future goals and how will you get them?

I will need to stay optimistic, positive and grow a thick skin so that I can keep fighting towards my goal. I also need to majorly improve my dance.

What are performance skills?

Staying in character
spacial awareness
stage presence
audience awareness

Progress over last half term

1.What have you learned? What skills have you gained or improved?

I have begun to improve in dance technique, particularly ballet. I have improved more in singing and am able to hold notes longer and control my breathing better. I have also gained skills within acting.

2.What do you need/want to work on now? What are your priorities for skills development?

I want to work on my stamina and strength especially in ballet and jazz dance. I find it difficult to balance for long periods of time which is essential in ballet and most types of dance so my priority is this.

3.Was there a 'high point' for you?

I started understanding ballet technique more and in Singing I am also getting better with different techniques.

4. Set 2 targets based on the above.

1. When I rise in ballet with no arms on the barre I want to be able to balance longer.
2. Improve my Jazz technique.

Individual skills audit - Term 1 reflection

1. At the beginning of the course, you talked about your performing arts experiences before coming on the college. What other skills and experiences have you improved, developed or gained over the first term?

I have begun to improve in dance and my ballet and jazz technique. I started off completely confused in jazz but once I got a more positive mindset going I feel I was able to make noticeable improvement.

My acting skills are improving more and I have learnt to use different techniques such as emotional memory.

Give yourself a number from 1-10 for each of your singing, dance, acting and performance skills after the first term.

Singing: 8

Dance: 5

Acting: 7

Performance: 7

2. Where do you think you have best demonstrated these?

I think I have best demonstrated this in class.

Individual Skills Audit - Terms 1-2 Reflection

1. At the beginning of the course, you talked about your performing arts experiences before coming on to the college. What other skills and experiences have you improved, developed or gained over the past 2 terms?

I think I have improved my ballet technique, especially in barre work and balancing. I have also gained a better understanding in singing for breathing techniques. I have begun working on breathing through my ribs instead of into my stomach.

Give yourself a number from 1-10 for each of your singing, dance, acting and performance skills.

Singing: 8

Dance: 5

Acting: 7

Performance: 8

2. Where do you think you have best demonstrated these?

I think I have demonstrated my improvement in my dance skills in performance. I also found that I was able to sing alone better in rehearsals than I could when I was on stage. I believe this was because of my nerves. I was able to perform better in a group when it came to singing.

3. Where have you gained new experience?

I was able to gain an experience in prop making because I was on the prop team for this units Musical. I learnt how to be more creative and open to ideas when creating props.

4. What do you consider are your current strengths/strongest skills? Where have you demonstrated these best?

Singing is my strongest skill because I have improved it the most out of my other skills. This is because I have become more open to singing higher notes using my head voice, which is gradually getting stronger. My power behind my belts has also improved and I find it easier to find the right place in my voice to carry out belts correctly.

5. What are your progression aims in terms of further H.E training/study or work? What skills will you need in order to achieve these?

I want to continue in theatre, mainly musical theatre however, I would like to get a job in theatre whilst I complete my training (such as an usher). This way it allows me to stay involved in theatre however, still continue my training as a performer.

6. Are there any other skills you would like to work on/gain/improve?

I would like to improve my arm, leg and direction coordination in jazz dance.

7. What are your weaker points? reflecting on your progress in term 2 class work and performance, what skills do you need to work on to develop and improve in order to achieve your aims?

I'm weakest in my dance skills. To help me improve this I must work on my strength and flexibility but also make sure I pay more attention to detail.

Professional skills Audit Term 1/2

Acting:

Vocal skills - resonance, breathing, vocal variety, diction/articulation, pitch, volume: 8

Physical skills: 6

Monologues: 7

Sight reading skills: 7

Audition prep: 8

Characterisation: 8

Singing:

Pitching: 7

Rhythm: 8

Harmonising: 5

Phrasing: 7

Counting: 6

Diction: 7

Breathing: 8

Ensemble skills:

Listening and responding to others both in role and as a performer: 7

Kinaesthetic awareness: 7

Spatial awareness: 8

Ability to contribute to group and team developmental work: 7

Study Skills:

Research: 4

Ability to work independently: 4

Organisation and planning: 6

Evaluation and reflection: 5

Fitness Skills:

Muscular Strength: 4

Cardiovascular Endurance: 6

Flexibility: 3

Muscular Endurance: 3

Understanding of safe practice - warm up/cool down: 8

Working knowledge of the body systems: 5

Discipline:

Attendance: 9

Punctuality: 9

Consistency of training: 8

Attention to correction and direction: 7

Ability to absorb and respond to direction: 7

Ability to work within a time frame: 6

Technical Skills:

Use of the breath: 7

Balance: 6

Coordination: 4

Precision: 5

Control of energy: 6

Drawing the space: 5

Movement Performance Skills:

Focus: 7

Musicality: 6

Projection: 8