The Company Culture Of Enron Management Essay

The Company Culture Of Enron Management Essay Just as the destiny of individuals is determined by personal character, the destiny of an organization is determined by the character of its leadership. And when individuals are derailed because of a lack of character, the organization will also be harmed (Josephson, 1999). The merger of two Houston-based pipeline companies in 1985 led to the creation of Enron. It started as an energy delivery company, but the deregulation a few years later helped it change its focus and become an energy matchmaker or energy broker. The company started matching the buyers and sellers of energy and utilised creative trading methods to generate profits. So in a short span of time, Enron corporations fortunes changed from just a surviving company and it become a thriving company- a symbol of successful American corporation. 1.2 The Company Culture The deregulation in 1988 led to a dramatic change in the corporation. Enron had become the symbol of dynamism and aggression. The culture at Enron was to encourage creativity amongst the employees. It embraced a culture that rewarded cleverness. The employees were motivated to explore innovative approach to their work. The limits were pushed for performance on the individual employee level to sustain the astonishing growth levels that the corporation was experiencing. It was slowly moving towards a culture that admired unchecked ambition. In the pursuit, Enron led a culture which believed in stretching the performance until the limits of ethical conduct were overlooked. We will also see ahead how the leadership at Enron affected a change in the culture of the corporation. If corporate leaders encourage rule-breaking and foster an intimidating, aggressive environment, it is not surprising that the ethical boundaries at Enron eroded away to nothing. Schein (1985) has focused on leaders hip as the critical component of the organizations culture because leaders can create, reinforce, or change the organizations culture. This applies not the least to an organizations ethical climate (Sims, 2000; Trevinoet al., 2000; Sims and Brinkmann, 2002).According to Schein (1985) there are five primary mechanisms that a leader can use to influence an organizations culture: attention, reaction to crises, role modelling, allocation of rewards, and criteria for selection and dismissal. Scheins assumption is that these five criteria reinforce and encourage behavioural and cultural norms within an organization. So to summarise the culture at the company as depicted in the movie which was influenced by the following factors. Leadership Behaviour (reference?) Espoused values and visions Communicating the vision for the organisation through stated strategic long-term objectives in the vision statement/annual general meeting statement. Role modelling and attention There were multiple instances of Management-Employee seminars. There were also Enron Gas services solution days, where the management would use motivational speech to inspire employees. Reaction to crisis Initially in the nascent stages of the accounting misdemeanours the management devised way to avert crisis with efficient use of Public relation to make the event look insignificant. Programs , structures Criteria for rewards and personnel decision Enrons remuneration system rewarded individuals who adopted Enrons aggressive, individualistic culture and were based on short-term profits and financial measures. Symbols , rituals and stories The enron management way of celebrating success- organising weekend adventure trips. Jeff Skilling mantra- Do it right, do it now , and do it better 1.3 The External Environment Enron had become an energy trading giant in the US market and it was expanding in more sectors and international markets. The surprise with the companys growth was not its ingenuity of doing business but the speed at which it was expanding. But with a careful balance of public relation and good CSR skill, Enron had succeeded in developing a niche amongst the American corporate houses, the American media and the masses. It was a symbol of corporate excellence teamed with an ambitious zeal to succeed at all cost. Enrons spectacular success was receiving positive reviews from the press and the financial analyst community which was incremental in adding fuel to the companys competitive culture. So the movie very succinctly describes the leadership at Enron which encouraged a culture that was morally flexible leading to ethical degeneration in the name of ambition. Leadership at Enron The pillars of Enron were the top management team which always believed in exuberant performance. They were driven in their pursuit of delivering on the bottom-line numbers at all cost. This attitude was percolated to the complete organisational structure at Enron by dividing the company in either the high performing employees or the so- called low-performers. The employees who were a part of the upper-crust were handsomely remunerated. This led to a negatively infected passion amongst the employees to break the performance bench-mark in the organisation to happily afloat. The reflection of the leadership style in the movie is Indirect leadership It is evident from the movie that there was a heavy influence of the top management on the culture of the organisation which cascaded down to all the employees of the company, but indirectly. A form of indirect leadership involves leader influence over the organization culture, which is defined as the shared beliefs and values of members (Scheinn, 1992- trice Beyer, 1991). Leaders may attempt either to strengthen existing cultural beliefs and values or to change them. There are many ways to influence culture, and they may involve direct influences (communication, a compelling vision or leading by example) or other forms of indirect influence, such as changing the organization structure or reward system. Transactional leadership It refers to the leadership style wherein the leader exchanges rewards of economic or financial value with the follower. These rewards are based on the premise that the leader recognises the parameters and the levels of performance which justify reasonably the task and also clarifies the conditions under which the rewards are available for justification. The goal is to enter a mutually beneficial exchange, but not necessarily to develop a enduring relationship. Although a leadership act transpires, it is not one that binds the leader and follower together in a mutual and continuing pursuit of a higher purpose. But in the movie it is also seen that leaders were in a constant pursuit to convince their followers about their genuine interest of promoting the welfare of the stakeholders, which was not the case in reality. Yet they were successful in blinding the stakeholders (employees) with their leadership position and skills. So here we see an overlap of transactional as well as transformational leadership traits as the leaders at Enron were successful in their motive. Effective transformational leaders may exhibit transactional behaviors, but their leadership style also includes one or more of the following characteristics: idealized vision, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Bass, 1985; Bass Avolio, 1994). These characteristics are assumed to transform followers and motivate them to do more than initially expected. This transformation presumably occurs through raising the followers awareness of the signi ¬Ã‚ cance of designated outcomes, getting followers to transcend their self-interests for the good of the organization, or augmenting followers needs on Maslows (1954) hierarchy of needs (Bass, 1985). Although leaders and followers purposes may begin as separate but related, they eventually become fused into a linkage of power bases that provide support for both members of the relationship. Leadership is about making choices (Kouzes and Posner, 2003). Choice is a binary action that divides options into two sets, the desired and the undesired ones, according to a higher principle or value (Rawls, 1999). Mostovicz (2008) posits that the way people choose is a reflection of their worldview. This discovery can be approached in 2 ways (1) By the need for achievement (the Lambda worldview); or (2) By the need for affiliation (the Theta worldview). Both the world views have a unique set of characteristics. The Lambda are self- motivated and highly driven to attain individaulistic goals whereas the Theta are more society welfare oriented. The Lamba have a narrow prespective towards the society as such whereas the Theta have a much broader view. The unique characteristics of both the worldviews along with leadership approach is as mentioned below. Theta Lambda Motivation/reason Socially oriented Personally oriented Goal Seeking unity and certainty Seeking challenge and creation Behaviour Communion Agency Benefit Building respect Looking for personal freedom Leadership principle Authenticity = truthfulness Authenticity =genuineness Inclination Toward choice Toward contrast Perception of truth As an objective As a set of rules Transformation of a leader A leader is born. Qualities are subconscious A leader is developed consciously So the reflection in the movie about the leadership at Enron is more on the Lambda worldview. The attitude induced by the top management through the company made the organisation develop a Lambda view which led to the massive breakdown of the ethical machinery. The Leader Jeff Skilling- the man with the ideas. He was the kind of a person who had big vision of things. One of his favourite books was the Selfish Gene, which was a description about the human nature being steered only by greed and competition in the service of passing on the genes. He wanted to alter the way in which Energy was being traded. He succeeded in initiating a market for natural gas wherein it started being traded as stocks. He converted energy into a financial instrument and this led to Enron becoming the largest energy trader in North America. Kenneth Lay was a visionary and he liked people who shared this attribute. Jeff Skilling fit in the picture perfectly. He was aggressive, intelligent and possessed exemplary leadership qualities which was incremental in creating a culture of aggression and incentivised competition in the organisation. Under his leadership the organisation transformed from a small energy market player to the biggest energy trading company in North America with a rapidly expanding global operations network. The company was being driven by the aggressive and individualistic attitude which was strongly ingrained in the system by Jeff Skilling and the policies of the management team for attaining short term profit. These were successful in achieving the results in hindsight but were seriously damaging the ethical balance in the system. According to the Big Five model (Hogan, Curphy Hogan, 1994, Page 61), Jeff Skilling exhibited the Surgency personality type which had specific traits of Extroversion, High Energy/activity level and a Need for power. Charisma was the most important aspect of his personality. He believed in gaining power and self glorification, caring very little for his followers, the ideals or values. This is usually seen in the case of negative charismatics. He used his charisma, to influence people in a way which made them awe-stricken, wanted his acceptance and hence they could not criticise him or his actions. This not just has an influence on the followers, but has an effect on the leader as well. The leader in such cases become not only over-confident but also delusional of their infallibility. To describe further we utilise the following table to understand the charismatic leadership and its effect on the organisation. The leader has total and absolute authority. Leaders build their eminence and maintain their grip on their followers throught a well-articulated ,emotive communication of their vision. The leader cultivates a compelling and captivating self image Immense faith invested in the leader Heavy emphasis on the charismatic attributes of leadership. The CEO had immense and unchallenged authority. Events such as the annual management conference, where leaders promoted themselves in a thearitical manner. Intense faith exhibited by emploess in Lay and Skilling and a declining confidence in the quality of their perceptions Charismatic Leadership A totalistic vision, leading to a higher sense of purpose and achievement. Employees assured they were transforming how business was conducted in the world. An intense transcendent ideology. A high degree of personal commitment by followers, to the goals of their leaders. The replacement of the followers existing belief system with a sense of being involved in a meaningful or revolutionary change. A compelling vision and intellectual stimulation Intense recruitement rituals, designed to engage employees in a process of affliation. The transformation of attitudes, behaviour. Constant messages that those hired were part of a special elite and were the brightest and the best in the world Indoctrination rituals that alternate between stressful and exhilarating. A process of conversion enacted Continuous indoctrination ,to reinforce initials sense of affiliation Individual consideration Perceived dissenters marginalised Financial data falsified Cultivation of obscure jargon, familiar only to people within the organisation Punitive internal regime. Promotion of a Common Culture Punitive internal environment: dissent demonised Unidirectional communication Negative information suppressed and positive information maximised. Total conformity from followers Power and Influence- Amongst the different types of powers Skilling had both at his disposal. He made use of his position power due to his position in Enron and also the personal power. In terms of position power it appears that applied the reward power which meant that his followers complied in order to obtain rewards and also legitimate powers where in the followers complied as they believed that he had the right to make the request due to his position. Also, we could see the use of his personal powers to a great extent where in his vast knowledge about the subject enabled his followers to comply. The followers also admired him and aspired to be like him due to his charismatic personality which also gave him the referent power which helped him gain loyalty and commitment. In order to influence his followers in supporting him he did use rational persuasion to show them the logical side of his argument based on factual evidence. The followers at some time did realise that Skilling was being unethical in his practices and in spite of this realisation still continued to support him. To explain the influence Skilling had on his followers we can make use of the 3 well known experiments-Milgrams experiment, Solomon Aschs conformity and Zimbardo prison experiment. Milgrams experiment tells us how people conform to an authority figure. The agentic state theory explains this further by stating that the person comes to view himself as an instrument in carrying out another persons wishes and therefore no longer sees himself responsible for his actions. Similarly the other 2 experiments highlight the human behaviour in terms of role conformity and social conformity where in people have a tendency to come under the pressure of social acceptability and conforming to everything they feel they need to in order to be a part of the group. Leader-Member Exchange Enron was a company of believers. In a survey in 1997, employees who were surveyed for a feedback faced tremendous faith in the leadership of Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling. It has been discussed in this analysis that the company had an indirect leadership style, whereby influence of the top management percolated to all the employees in the company through the use of multiple communication strategies (Enron Gas services day) when the top management discussed the future strategy of the company, the importance of employee contribution, commending excellent employee performance etc. So the employees became blind believers in the methodology adopted by the leadership at the organisation and started working with the win at all cost attitude which led to the slow erosion of the ethical fabric. Also the reward system that was created in the organisation, reflected the expectation of the management. The companies reward system only appraised employees who performed consistently with little re gard to ethical conduct. Overall, Enrons reward system rewarded individuals who embraced Enrons aggressive, individualistic culture and were based on short-term profits and financial measures. Leadership development at Enron Leadership calls for total commitment to the perpetual process of purpose seeking. While leaders are usually concerned with their legacies, their commitment to purpose has to go far deeper. This total commitment implies that, in reality, leaders seek either my way or nothing. However, this commitment is intrinsic; it calls for the leader to mobilise himself, body and soul, but in no way does it imply extrinsically that what is not my way is wrong. Ideal leaders do not exist in practice. Thus, we can relate to leadership as a progressive development only. Since humans cannot be fully conscious of our emotions, a posteriori, we cannot fully mobilise them in order to understand and attain our life goals and purpose. Because our purpose remains opaque at best, it follows that leaders will act unethically even when they do so unwillingly or unconsciously. The only way for leaders to improve their ethical position is to interact with others in society to help them reveal their hidden agenda over time. The particular worldview, in turn, shapes these agendas, either Theta or Lambda, that a person embodies in his search for greater self-awareness and contextualisation with his external environment. Appendix

Wind Power :: essays papers

Wind Power The wind turbine, also called a windmill, is a means of harnessing the kinetic energy of the wind and converting it into electrical energy. This is accomplished by turning blades called aerofoils, which drive a shaft, which drive a motor (turbine) and ar e connected to a generator. "It is estimated that the total power capacity of winds surrounding the earth is 1 x 1011 Gigawatts" (Cheremisinoff 6). The total energy of the winds fluctuates from year to year. Windmill expert Richard Hills said that the wind really is a fickle source of power, with wind speeds to low or inconsistent for the windmill to be of practical use. However, that hasn't stopped windmill engineers from trying. Today, there are many kinds of windmills, some of which serve differen t functions. They are a complex alternative energy source. What to consider when building a windmill In choosing where to build a windmill, there are many important factors to consider. First is the location: 1) Available wind energy is usually higher near the seacoast or coasts of very large lakes and offshore islands. 2) Available wind energy is gene rally high in the central plains region of the U.S. because of the wide expanses of level (low surface roughness) terrain. 3) Available wind energy is generally low throughout the Southeastern U.S. except for certain hills in the Appalachian and Blue Rid ge Mountains, the North Carolina coast, and the Southern tip of Florida. This is because of the influence of the "Bermuda high" pressure system, which is a factor especially during the summer. Also important to consider is the wind where you are going to build: 1) the mean wind speed (calculated my cubing the averages and taking the mean of the cubes) and its seasonal variations. 2) The probability distribution of wind speed and of extreme wi nds. The mean wind speed must be high enough, and the distribution must be so that all the data points are very similar. 3) The height variation of wind speed and wind direction. Wind cannot be too high or too low in relation to the ground or it is too difficult to harness. 4) The gustiness of the wind field in both speed and direction. Gusty winds greatly affect the power output of the windmills and are usually harmful. 5) The wind direction distribution and probability of sudden large shifts in di rection. The wind must be unlikely to suddenly shift direction.

Dance Choreography

RESEARCH PROJECT SUBJECT TITLE: Choreography TOPIC: Choreograph two dances in the school musical, High School Musical ASSESSMENT TYPE 1: FOLIO PROPOSAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT Weeks 1-4: (Background Research) †¢ Plan for the year. Background research – history of choreography †¢ Send letter to Kenny Ortega and Mia Michaels in America †¢ Analyse DVDs of musicals, Grease, High School Musical, Centre Stage, Bring It On Fringe and Festival Performances †¢ Research copyright laws and copying exact moves from the movie Weeks 4-10 (the audition process) †¢ Send email to VN about auditioning techniques Interview ET, ST, AP about auditioning experiences †¢ Interview BS about how she selects dancers for musicals she choreographs †¢ Choreograph audition dance and get feedback †¢ Interview MB about what inspires her choreography Weeks 10-11 †¢ Teach audition piece and select dancers †¢ Weeks 12-14†¢ Research famous choreographers and how people learn Weeks 11-14 †¢ Choreograph dances to teach at the musical camp †¢ Attend camp and teach dances and rehearse them Weeks 15-20 †¢ Continue rehearsals and polishing performances †¢ Discuss my ideas for costumes for the dancers School Musical Performance BACK GROUND RESEARCH ABOUT CHOREOGRAPHY AND CHOREOGRAPHERS (and my annotations in blue) Kevin O'Day: starting at the top – choreographer and dancer Kevin O'Day, the redheaded dancer so familiar to us from his distinguished tenure with the company of Twyla Tharp (he toiled there eight long years), his duties as soloist with American Ballet Theatre, and his current membership in Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project, has made a bravura leap into the tenuous, difficult world of choreography and emerged a winner. makes me realise that choreography isn’t easy, and not everyone succeeds, not even experienced dancers) With astonishing aplomb, O'Day, at thirty-two, seems to have sprung ful l-grown into the arena of making dances, forging a vocabulary that while tinged with influences nevertheless shapes movements and phrases at once formal, musical, inventive, and genuinely felt. realise my choreography will probably show influences from teachers I have had) That his choreographic gifts should have made themselves evident within the span of less than a year, and through only two brief works, each under a distinguished aegis, is a tribute to his finely honed dance sensibilities and to the eyes and minds of his champions, Baryshnikov and Peter Martins.Indeed, so strong was their belief in O'Day's talent and so positive was the audience and critical response to these fledgling works that both directors instantly commissioned new works for their respective companies. (shows that if people believe in you and guide and support you the choreography can become amazing. Also if something is so spectacular your work can get noticed and take you far) On February 9. O'Day's secon d work for New York City Ballet (still untitled at press time) will be premiered.It is set to a score by the young English composer Graham Fitkin. Last December in Tokyo, White Oak unveiled O'Day's The Good Army, to music of John Lurie of the Lounge Lizards, with Baryshnikov as one of its dancers. This uncommon whirlwind of choreographic success (success is hard and uncommon! ) all began in March 1994, when the White Oak Dance Project gave its first New York season at the New York State Theater. There was no question that O'Day's first ballet. entitled Quartet for IV (and sometimes one, two or three †¦ , was the unqualified hit of the company's first New York appearance.While several pleasures were garnered from Baryshnikov's small troupe, not the least being his own masterly and immaculate performances, the company's repertoire was short on originality or genuine interest. When O'Day's moment came, audiences responded with an immediacy that indicated the relief they felt at fi nally encountering a work that, in its exuberance and emotional focus, proved as intellectually engaging as it was entertaining. This para shows that if something isn’t original or interesting the audience just doesn’t respond, but when something amazing is seen before them they react and now are much more engaged) A few critics carped at what they considered O'Day's glaring Tharpisms, such as his noodling with her polycoordinations and her odd manipulations of phrasing. But some, notably Arlene Croce in the New Yorker, found this choreographic debut remarkable and worthy of attention. (His debut shows that even your first show can be great.Gives me hope) When only a few weeks later O'Day presented his second ballet, Viola Alone (With One Exception), set to Hindemith, created at the invitation of Martins for New York City Ballet's prestigious Diamond Project II, the rarity of O'Day's gifts became even more evident. Here was a work of very particular craft and content. (Not all dancers can choreograph) Dance Magazine senior editor Tobi Tobias, writing about the Diamond Project premieres in New York magazine, stated, â€Å"O'Day's ballet, the most vivid and engaging of the seven [seen], shows him attempting to steer clear of the Twyla Tharpisms that are his heritage. (still need to be individuals and break free from your influences)Then, describing the flow and structure of the ballet, Tobias concludes, â€Å"At the end, [Alexander] Ritter gestures toward the onstage violist, as if to say, `The carefree days of my life–gone now–lie in this music,' but sentiment is so ruthlessly excluded from the earlier proceedings that the chief elements of the piece remain lusty energy and bold motion, deftly marshaled. On speaking with O'Day, one learns that the act of choreographing has long been part of his life as a dancer, a by-product of observation and, of course, desire: â€Å"I had always worked in studios on my own whenever I could,â₠¬ . he says. I'd get a video camera, set it up, and I'd dance around. I was collecting material. (I will be doing this this year – e. g. experimental research) â€Å"I learned from Twyla Tharp that if you're going to choreograph, you had to go into the studio by yourself and spend time working. You just had to work and work and work.And you had to work on your own way before working with a group of people or even just two people. The point is, you had to have an understanding of what you want from dancers before you start working with them. You can't just snatch things out of the air. (This is excellent advice – working by yourself before working with the class so you can perfect the piece. It takes a lot of time and lots of practice but this way you know how it looks and what to expect from the dancers) â€Å"The influence of Twyla helps me when I'm in the studio alone.You see, Twyla has a lot of ways of putting movements through a road test. She'll improvise, make a phrase, then turn it into something very solid. She would also change the music. Within the span of an hour she might change the music four or five times. So, she makes a body of material, and that's been her greatest influence on me: how to put together a body of material. â€Å"(a lot of trial and error will be involved, so must allow time to experiment) Thus, explains O'Day, he, like Tharp, will try things on is own body, sometimes to different music, and create a patchwork that may ultimately be used in a work: â€Å"The more I try this, with different textures, different music, different road tests, different qualities of doing a movement, to see how far a movement can be stretched or shrunk. All these things serve to build a body of material, which might then go into forming a piece. † Dance Magazine, Feb, 1995 by John Gruen http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1083/is_n2_v69/ai_16686035/ NIGEL LITHGOW’s line – â€Å"if the choreography is simplist ic it is up to the performer to bring the routine to life. (So You Think You Can Dance) Will really apply to me as most of the students I will be working with don’t have much experience –so will have to have simple steps. This means that I will have to enforce that dancers have to be so energetic to really bring the moves to life. This shows that my choreography, although very important, isn’t everything. There’s a big responsibility on the dancers to bring the dances to life. I will share the quote with the group when it’s looking dull so they can bring it to life.My views on RESEARCH ON HOW TO TEACH: from article in SACE STAGE 2 Physical Education Workbook, Different methodologies (ways to teach or coach) Visual Demonstrations –this is the most effective way of teaching dance. This is the main method I have used so far and it’s the method I will continue to use the majority of the production. This won’t have to be done as muc h once the dance is learnt as the students have to know how to do it without me because I will not always be standing at the front. This method is so useful for them to get a picture of the dance in their head and how to do it correctly.Usually when we start a rehearsal and before I begin to teach a new dance I sit everyone down and stand out the front and do the dance properly so they know what the dance is meant to look like. Then I break down each move, visually showing the cast each step. This would best suit visual learners. Audible Cues – when I am teaching a dance from the beginning this method will only be used in conjunction with the visual demonstrations. Just verbally telling them how to do the dance won’t work. This will be used also when they are doing the dance and I can call out the counts or â€Å"Arms straight! , â€Å"Point your toes† etc. When I am instructing, have to ensure that instructions are short and simple so I don’t confuse/ov erload the learner and once they know the moves the instructions can get more complex. This obviously suits a verbal learner who understands best through written and spoken words. Manipulation – haven’t used this methodology so far, but from past experience in dancing I know it’s very effective. I believe it’s more useful for beginners or those who struggle with dancing. Basically I have to physically put the person’s body/arms/legs through the correct range of motion.Obviously there is a slight ethical concern here, I have to ensure I don’t touch someone in the wrong way. But I think I will start using this more especially with arm movements as they can be quite tricky and visually and verbally showing them how to do it doesn’t always work, Reflections about article Tips for Teaching – Seven Principles of Good Practice http://honolulu. hawaii. edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/teachtip. htm#techniques Use time well – very important – time is everything, to get production ready on time.Have to keep reminding cast and they have to help. I have to completely plan rehearsals and set realistic goals. Communicate high expectations – â€Å"Expect more and you will get more†. – reflects my way of teaching. I have such high expectations of this musical and have a vision of how good it will look. Expecting the cast to perform well is a bonus for me as I will put in the effort to ensure it reaches this standard. Respect diverse talents and ways of learning – have to ensure all dancers have opportunity to learn in ways that work for them.Seize the moment – if people come and ask for clarification – even though I might not have time to help them, I should as they are probably ready to learn at that moment. Involve the student in planning – this could help if I’m stuck for ideas giving the groups challenges to come up with choreogra phy. There is some student involvement in the freestyle parts where students get the chance to be creative and do their own thing. Move from simple to complex- I can use this principle in my teaching for sure – If I teach complex choreography to begin with and then assess everyone’s progress who finds it easy and who finds it difficult.Then if everyone gets it and it looks too simple I can make it more difficult. TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH ST (actor, singer, dancer) + My Reflections (in blue) a) What do you think works well in auditions as a performer? Having confidence is the key to success. Believing in yourself. Forgetting a move – just keep going I will have to reinforce these points to all the cast. They should be confident and believe in themselves and remind them to keep going even if they make mistakes. b) How does a dance audition usually run?Get there and register (giving name, age, details experience). This is a good suggestion; however, using numbers c ould be a bit intimidating for our students. We would get them to fill out their details of experience etc You then sit in a waiting room – most people warm up here. If it is an audition with a prepared dance you practice it. We’d give them time to warm up, but not in another room Usually there would be 2 sessions with 40 dancers. You get called and line up and learn the dance in rows of four. First four would do the dance and then go to the back of the line.Because of the time constraints we’d only have one session but I like the idea of doing it in rows and them moving to the back of the line There isn’t usually a set warm up- done by the performers while they are waiting. I’m considering doing a set warm up – only because a lot of the performers are inexperienced and would not know what stretches to do. c) What auditions have you been successful in and why is that? Is it because of the way the auditions were run? It is mainly the audition s which make you feel really comfortable.You are already nervous enough as it is and the places that make you feel safe and secure make you perform better. The environment makes big difference, for example you would be feeling scared auditioning in a spooky house so rooms with warm nice colours give it a good feeling. I will make an effort to be really friendly, welcoming and kind to make the students feel comfortable. A lot of them would never have danced before and I wouldn’t want them to feel scared and not come back. In no way would I get angry, frustrated or grumpy if they’re not being cooperative. I’ll be the nicest person I can try to be. ) Are the dances usually hard so the good people excel or easy so everyone has the opportunity to shine rather than focus on the moves? Usually you would learn a dance that is either going to be in the show or a similar style to what is going to be in it. At first I wanted to do a different dance rather than one weâ€⠄¢ll use but after hearing this, and after talking to the director, I have decided to do the chorus of â€Å"We’re all in this together† for the audition dance. e) Anything else you would like to add? You would usually receive a phone call, email or letter in the post about 3 eeks later saying if you’re successful or not. I’d have to discuss this with other teachers involved, but we’d probably take 1-2 weeks to decide and let them know by hanging up the parts or telling them in person. You need a large wide room as there is nothing worse than trying to dance when it is crowded and squishy. Mirrors and bars are something you need but if it’s at school you might not have it. The auditions would usually be held in the hall but from past experience this is narrow and squashy. Ideally I’d like them to be held in the spacious gym, but guess it depends on the availability of the gym.The main thing is to talk loud. With echoing rooms the nois e can bounce off the walls and it is hard to hear which is difficult for people at the back. You are already nervous enough and this makes it much more stressful if you can’t hear the instructor. This is a good point. Nothing is worse than not being able to hear the teacher, especially in a big room where there’s lot of people. I’m going to speak loudly and clearly so everyone can understand. This also raises the issue if there’s so many people in rows, it’s hard to see people up the backI think this interview was really successful as ST gave me some really good ideas and insights. REFLECTIONS ON THE MOCK AUDITION AND WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT CHOREOGRAPHY On Monday I gathered 3 close friends to trial the audition process. The aim was to teach the dance I had prepared for the audition and get some feedback on what the dance was like and how I went teaching it. I chose three friends with 3 diff levels of dancing ability: one is a talented well coordinate d dancer; one is a competent dancer but inexperienced and one is not into dancing at all.I filmed the majority of the audition if I need it for future reference. I think this was a valuable task and I got so much out of it as I faced some hurdles but the main thing was they learned the dance in the allocated time frame. One thing I learnt during this mock audition is to be totally prepared. On the day I forgot the CD I was using. I also thought about what was a more appropriate method of teaching; facing the cast and therefore the moves being opposite direction or facing the same way as the cast with them not able to see what is going on the front of the body.I also had to think about how much I would teach at once. For example, teach 4 or 8 counts before renewing it. How competent did they have to be before we tried it to the music? I also demonstrated the moves in different areas around the room so everyone got to see exactly what I was doing and from different angles. I found I n eeded to speak slower and clearer to G as she needed more explanations so I have to remember there will be a variety of standard in the room.Giving the cast the opportunity to do it without me, whilst I sit back and watch not only gives me the chance to see how my choreography looks but makes the students think harder. From past experience I know that doing a new routine without the teacher demonstrating with you gets the routine drilled in your mind, especially as they’ll have to do it alone/pairs at the audition. Giving the cast the opportunity to watch me and the way it is meant to be done will also help. Finally I think I have to show I’m confident and happy with my choreography because I thought I looked a bit embarrassed and worried about what others would think.Things I’ll do the same- filming, deconstructing choreography into 8 counts, demonstrate with them NOT participating, demonstrate with them following, face same way as cast then swap so they get to see the whole picture, stand aside and watch them do it alone, move around room demonstrating + giving advice, get feedback. Things I’ll do different- be more organized, more confident, speak with louder voice, don’t get frustrated as everyone learns at different pace, get into it – be OVER THE TOP, wait till they’re more competent before practicing with music. USEFUL ADVICE FROM VN about how she chooses successful dancers at the udition (from email):Compare the dancers to the strongest performer in the group. Other things like heights to make the sure the group is evenly balanced. How the performer presents themselves for an audition is also important. AUDITION PROBLEM: A problem we encountered during this process was a large number of people pulling out after the audition and callback process This really worried me as I was stressed that everyone would pullout and we wouldn’t have a big enough cast. After talking with the other teachers involved I realized that this was a positive.A smaller cast would be a lot easier to handle and would be easier to get 50 people looking tight and uniform compared to 100. This number would also fit on the stage better and give everyone the opportunity to be on stage for most of the time. Another problem with picking parts was that we had a lack of boys to begin with†¦I think I will have to learn not to stress too easily as things usually fall into place at the end. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS. – keep in mind people’s feelings. A lot of these kids have never danced in their lives so I have to treat them with respect when teaching the dance and give them the time to pick it up.Not that I want to do this, but I can not laugh, or stare or give sarcastic comments or do anything to restrict them wanting to return to practices†¦. Also when choosing parts I have to be aware that my friends are auditioning and not be tempted to favour them and give them important roles if they do n’t deserve them. I have to leave friendships aside and be unbiased, treating everyone fairly. – I also have to remember not to copy the choreography from the movie. The part I did adapt for the finale is the only part I am really going to use.This just reminds me that someone else has spent so much time choreographing these dances and it is not fair if I take them completely and say they are mine. Not to mention legally this would not be allowed. I actually don’t like some of the choreography in the movie so I don’t want to take it and besides a lot of the choreography would be too difficult for our standard of dancers. So sticking with the another method I have just come up with ,where I play the music and just do what comes to my head seems like a good thing to do. PROBLEM: There are not any huge problems at this stage.One thing that I have to go is remember to keep researching. I am doing a lot of choreographing at the moment which is obviously a posi tive thing, but I also have to remember that this subject is the research project. Now the audition process is over I don’t have to keep researching that but I do have to keep looking at ways of teaching and research choreographers and what makes other musicals good. In my last discussion Ms W told me I was not doing enough researching. FEEDBACK ON MY CHOREOGRAPHY FROM questionnaire to a third year Dance student at Adelaide Centre of the Arts (showed him the footage taken at the Musical Camp)What do you think of the choreography of ‘We’re All In This Together’? It’s great, for someone so inexperienced. Looked effective and strong as a large group. Obvious that it’s taken from the movie which is what your audience will want to see, but some of your easier modifications look cleaner. Some students are struggling –especially some boys and some leads. What could be changed? Perhaps some of the hard moves could be modified/slowed down, espe cially in the Wildcats’ cheer at the end. Arms look messy and un-uniform in â€Å"wave your hands up in the air†.It doesn’t even look like there are any set moves. In chorus, â€Å"When we reach, we can fly†, maybe arms could be simplified. Looks all over the place. What am I doing well in the area of teaching the moves? The way you break down every single move helps cast know where the placements are. Modifying moves as you go along is a positive as you’re not changing it later when the old move has already stuck in their head. Like the way you demonstrate it alone first. What do you think I could do to improve? Louder voice! Don’t look as nervous, your body language makes you seem not confident.Stand closer to cast, feel free to mingle and help individuals. You did seem more capable and confident as time went on. What did the choreography look like so far in Status Quo? Looked great, loved the big chorus around the tables. Good idea doing it around one big circle so everyone gets a feel for the directions. Good concept – Brainiacs and book dance. Overall looks like a fun piece, shows great potential. What could be changed? Brainiacs’ dance needs to be sharper, maybe tell them to get into it a little more (footwork needs to be the same at the end of the dance).Some small groups could have simple choreography. A lot of freestyle people just need to get right into it or learn how to freestyle better (show them some moves ) Slow motion needs more work (actual moves. ) I do understand this is a work in progress. [pic] [pic] DISCUSSION My notes |How research is developing: |Ideas developing through the research | |firstly – looked at internet, dance magazines for info on choreography. Not all dancers can choreograph | |Was quite useful and made me more confident |Its up to the dancers to make the choreography â€Å"sing†, so simple moves can | |second – interviews with dancers+ choreograp hers about auditions to help|be really effective (good to know as I will probably be | |me get ideas about running auditions and selecting the dancers. Was |Creating a positive atmosphere is important to make performers feel | |really useful comfortable and get the best out of them (particularly important in our | |third – experimental – started getting down my ideas about the |school – with boys and inexperienced dancers) | |choreography for the audition |Need to speak loud | |fourth –ran a mock audition to trial my choreography and practice |Break choreography into small parts, e. g. – 8 counts | |teaching it to a small group |Make sure performers are confident with steps before adding difficulty by | |NEXT – plan to look into learning styles and how to teach, so I get more|doing it to music | |information about how to teach the dances successfully |Good to sometimes demonstrate facing the cast, but also facing same | | |direction as them so they can follow | |Knowledge and skills I am developing and applying |FEEDBACK FROM TEACHER | |Knowledge -Many things about ethical considerations in being a |-Ms W said I need to remember that focus of the task is actually research, | |choreographer, such as: |not the choreography of the dances, that most of what I had done so far was | |how strict copyright laws can be. How important it is not to copy the |thinking about the steps and how I will run the audition, so need to think | |exact moves of the dances in High School Musical, also how to get |of more ways of incorporating research into it. this is true – but am | |permission to obtain performing rights , cant change the American |pretty nervous about what people will think of my choreography –so I keep on| |flavour of it or the script in any way etc |thinking about this) | |being completely fair when selecting parts for the musical – have to be |Suggested I analyse the DVDs of High School Musical and the Behind the | |professional and not let friendships influence my decisions |Scenes extras to get ideas. Also really needed to get on to organize visits | |Be aware of the abilities of the group |to view performances. |Many things about how to teach – importance of things like giving |Also suggested I undertake more research into the features of a well | |students a say where possible (even though this is pretty difficult with|choreographed dance and look at some theoretical writing about choreography,| |dance – would look a mess if I did this) |so that I will be able to base the decisions for my choreography on more | |Importance of using different teaching methodologies |technical aspects drawn from the research. This would show that I have more | |Essential to be super organized ( have forgotten music CDs on a couple |thoroughly researched my topic. Will ask the dance teacher for some | |of occasions – is disastrous and don’t look professional) |sugg ested readings on this. |How high expectations can be really productive- encourage performers to | | |strive – but not be too high that they cant achieve them | | |Knowledge & Skills in Choreography – importance of facing dancers but | | |also showing them when facing the same way. Teaching routine in small | | |chunks, then lots of repetition. Plotting patterns on paper and planning| | |beforehand. | |CHOSEN CAPABILITY: | | |Really enjoying being part of the musical and assisting others to | | |develop their creativity, as well as myself | | |Learning a lot about being sensitive to others- particularly with | | |learning to dance – it’s pretty scary and challenging for some so I | | |really need to take that into consideration | | |Have been getting feedback from a few people (teachers, director, stage | | |manager etc) and taking it into consideration. Is really helpful | | Stage 2 Research Project Performance Standards |Planning |Application |Synthesis |Evaluation | | |[pic] |[pic] | | | |[pic] | |A |Thorough consideration and |Thorough and highly resourceful development|Insightful synthesis of knowledge, |Insightful evaluation of the research | | |refinement of a research |of the research. |skills, and ideas to produce a |processes used. | | |topic. |In-depth analysis of information and |well-developed research outcome. |Insightful reflection on the nature of the| | |Thorough planning of research|exploration of ideas to develop the |Insightful and thorough substantiation of|chosen capability and its relevance to | | |processes that are highly |research. |key findings central to the research |themselves and the research project. | | |appropriate to the research |Highly effective application of knowledge |outcome. |Well-considered and insightful reflection | | |topic. and skills specific to the research topic. |Clear and coherent expression of ideas. |on the research outcome and its value to | | | | | |themselves and, where applic able, to | | | | | |others. | |B |Consideration of the main |Considered and mostly resourceful |Considered synthesis of knowledge, |Considered evaluation of the research | | |area of research and some |development of the research. |skills, and ideas to produce a |processes used. | |refinement of a research |Some complexity in analysis of information |well-developed research outcome. |Considered reflection on the nature of the| | |topic. |and exploration of ideas to develop the |Substantiation of most key findings |chosen capability and its relevance to | | |Considered planning of |research. |central to the research outcome. |themselves and the research project. | | |research processes that are |Effective application of knowledge and |Mostly clear and coherent expression of |Considered reflection on the research | | |appropriate to the research |skills specific to the research topic. |ideas. outcome and its value to themselves and, | | |topic. | | |where applicable, to others. | |C | Adequate consideration of a |Adequate development of the research. |Adequate synthesis of knowledge, skills, |Recount with some evaluation of the | | |broad research topic, but |Adequate analysis of information and |and ideas to produce a research outcome. |research processes used. | | |little evidence of refining |exploration of ideas to develop the |Substantiation of some key findings |Reflection on the relevance of the chosen | | |the topic. research. |central to the research outcome. |capability to themselves and the research | | |Satisfactory planning of |Adequate application of knowledge and |Generally clear expression of ideas. |project. | | |research processes that are |skills specific to the research topic. | |Reflection on the research outcome and its| | |appropriate to the research | | |value to themselves and, where applicable,| | |topic. | | |to others. |D |Basic consideration and |Development of some aspects of the |Basic use of information and ideas to |Superficial de scription of the research | | |identification of some |research. |produce a research outcome. |processes used. | | |aspects of a r esearch topic. |Collection rather than analysis of |Basic explanation of ideas related to the|Superficial reflection on the relevance of| | |Partial planning of research |information, with some superficial |research outcome. |the chosen capability to themselves and | | |processes that may be |description of an idea to develop the |Basic expression of ideas. |the research project. | | |appropriate to the research |research. |Some reflection on aspects of the research| | |topic. |Superficial application of some knowledge | |outcome and its value to themselves and, | | | |and skills specific to the research topic. | |where applicable, to others. | |E |Attempted consideration and |Attempted development of an aspect of the |Attempted use of an idea to produce a |Attempted description of the research | | |identification of an area of |research project. |resear ch outcome. |process used. | | |interest. Attempted collection of basic information, |Limited explanation of an idea or an |Attempted reflection on the relevance of | | |Attempted planning of an |with some partial description of an idea. |aspect of the research outcome. |the chosen capability to themselves and | | |aspect of the research |Attempted application of one or more skills|Attempted expression of ideas. |the research project. | | |process. |that may be related to the research topic. | |Emerging awareness that the research can | | | | | |have a alue to themselves and, where | | | | | |applicable, to others. | ———————– My topic and question. †¢ To choreograph two dances in our school musical, the much anticipated â€Å"High School Musical†. †¢ Really interested in dance. Have been doing calisthenics since I was two and am member of the Junior Crows Cheerleading Team. Have been in two Rock Eisteddfod Team s. †¢ Thrill of performing gives natural high and experiences have brought lifelong memories, lifelong friends and lifelong skills which will get me through life. †¢ Want to try something new now, still in dancing field but in different direction where I can have a say in the choreography and what is going on.Relevance of The Chosen Capability: Citizenship †¢ I will be very involved in, and contribute to, the school community. †¢ Will have to show understanding of other people’s perspectives all along. †¢ Will be taking action to contribute to the school community objectives of giving students opportunities to develop their talents (artistic) †¢ Will be asking for and taking notice of people’s feedback – basically giving them a say in the choreography. Isn’t that democracy? Research processes Background Research- using internet, magazines, journals, newspaper articles. Research topics like: Choreography, choreographers, revie ws of â€Å"High school Musical†, interviews with cast etcAnalysing performances of musicals on DVD, during the Fringe, TV shows like â€Å"Dancing With the Stars†, â€Å"So you think you can dance†; Adelaide Fringe or Festival Shows Interviews – with dancers choreographers, I know + to get feedback on my choreography Will have to work with and negotiate with many others, e. g. the director, stage manager, costume designer, all the performers, choreographers. Be open to suggestions Experimenting with different routines (often in small groups I’ve got to think of the ethical considerations too e. g. : -Safety of the performers – make sure choreography is safe. -Privacy – get permission from people I interview them -Plagiarism – must make my own steps original and not copy the choreo Suitability to audience- make sure moves are suitable to audience of all ages and not offensive in any way. My Outcome The video of the dances + an oral to my teacher explaining my choreography. †¢ My Outcome The video of the dances + an oral to my teacher explaining my choreography (14) This student’s research development was presented in large scrap book folios, too large to reproduce as an exemplar. The following is a selection of this evidence, reduced to 10 pages, for inclusion in the student's portfolio to be submitted for moderation and marking. This selection of evidence, with the student notes to record the discussion, can be used for moderation purposes to confirm the teacher assessment decision for Assessment Type 1: Folio. CommentsOn balance the Folio is indicative of a B standard. Planning: †¢ The research topic is well defined. Thoroughly considered research processes, which are appropriate to the task, as well as manageable and ethical, have been planned. Application: †¢ The research is developed in a mostly resourceful and considered manner, including web-based research on choreography, fea tures of successful musicals, how to teach and the audition process. Feedback from more experienced choreographers, has been sought although evidence is not provided of the way the research develops in response to this. At times, there also appears to be an over emphasis on ‘doing’ the choreography. Information to develop the research has been methodically collected and documented. There is also some evidence of information being analysed in order to develop the research. Some complexity in analysis of information and exploration of ideas to develop the research is evident, such as in the responses to some of the sources located, interviews and the mock audition conducted. †¢ Knowledge and skills specific to the topic are applied in a highly effective way, such as in careful planning of patterns for different parts of the dance, preparation for the auditions. Assessment Type 1: Folio Assessment Type 2: Research Outcome Assessment Type 3: Evaluation

Hamlet As A Tragic Play By William Shakespeare - 968 Words

Hamlet is a tragic play by William Shakespeare. He is known as the Prince of Denmark and throughout the play he displays not only sadness and murder, but his isolation from the people around him. He isolates himself because of his determination to avenge his father’s death and sets a plan to kill his uncle for his treason. The first to receive his rejection was his mother, then his country, and then finally his friends and girlfriend. His rejection of all these people and his own country only help lead to the disastrous end that he went through. The rejection that his mother received from him began at the beginning of the play and lasted through most of the play. His rejection was directed to her on the fact that she got married not to long after old Hamlet died. The first scene of his rejection was when his mother, Gertrude, and his uncle, Claudius announce their marriage to each other; â€Å"Seems, madam! 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