Artistic Directors visiting schools/employment processes

[Picturesinthefirelight]

But as I said before, performing artists have an exemption to many parts of the Equality Act 2010 under Schedule 9 Part 1.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Picturesinthefirelight

[Tulip]

But in normal industry people can be head hunted. My husband has been head hunted a few times, simply because he was known to be exclent at his job. Discrimination on merit is just good recruitment. In my line of work if I need a position filling and I hear of a candidate who has all the right skills and is passionate about their work, I won't even advertise, I will take the right person for that position.

[aileen]

But fair recruitment is not just about not discriminating. It's about giving people the opportunity to apply for jobs. In the past many people got jobs by word of mouth recruitment; for example, jobs were given to people in the same family. This is a difficult area and of course people who are at the top of their profession are headhunted but less exalted jobs, which are nevertheless in great demand, are often not advertised openly. One example is classroom assistants. I had an issue with my children's former state primary school. These jobs, which many people want for obvious reasons, never seemed to be advertised and suddenly a parent at the school or a relative of one of the teachers would be announced as the new classroom assistant for x class. I thought that it was unfair, not least because even the existing parents at the school didn't hear that the school was recruiting.

[balletqs]

We were basically told in school when recruiting into the company there were different categories of recruitment into RB those who were basically going to fly through the ranks on merit and we could all see that those people had that something extra apart from being incredible dancers, difficult to explain but if you meet Lauren C or Marianela or Steven McRae you will understand. Then there were those who were good 'jobbing' corps dancers and probably would never be much more. They are recruited essentially in pairs ie clones! So if a clone/half a pair leaves they will recruit another similar who is in the pile of cvs unless they have their eye on someone in the school. Then there are those recruited for long term character part careers and then the very select few who are gifted choreographers that can give something interesting to the company. It isn't enough to just be amazing for then it's about having the style without being taught and if you fit into the allotted box.

[Nina G.]

I have often wondered what percentage of ballet graduates remain professional dancers after their initial "Apprentice" year(s), or after let's say  3-4 years dancing with a ballet company.  We all read about graduate contracts at the various vocational schools but what percentage (if such statistics exist) carries on as a professional ballet dancer, and not only for just a few years?  (knowing, of those who do succeed, only a few dancers will make it out of the Corps de Ballet and become Soloists and Principals).

 

Perhaps the same question can be asked about university graduates...how many make a profession out of what they've studied?

[balletqs]

I don't know how my post got in here I thought is put it on the artistic directors... page?! Apologies. Maybe it could be moved

[Nina G.]

Mine was in response to yours so I think both our posts have to be moved to ".....Artistic Directors..." page. 

[aileen]

I don't get the impression that many dancers who actual get a permanent contract with a company give up after 3 or 4 years unless they have had a lot of illness and injuries. Of course, we are aware of one who did do so recently and I have read of dancers leaving their companies to study or train for another profession (there was someone at BRB about a year ago) but this is usually after more than 3 or 4 years. I think that there are many more dancers who don't manage to get a permanent contract and who do a few short term contracts before giving up as they can't really make a living from dancing.