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10 MINUTES WITH… PHOEBE THOMAS

06 Mar 2023

We were joined in the DanceEast office by University of Suffolk Dance student Phoebe Thomas for her six week placement. Find out more about her experience below…

Why did you choose DanceEast for your placement?

DanceEast was the perfect place for me because I have danced and performed for all of my life and have always had a huge interest in the arts and community dance. For one of my modules in my final year studying on the dance course at the University, it was a requirement to do a six week placement at a local organisation. Already knowing a lot about DanceEast and their projects, I was eager to find out how these are initiated and finally get produced. 

What were your top moments?

I explored a range of various activities over the six weeks which were all equally interesting, however one of the stand out moments for me was being one of the assistant dance artists for the half term holiday club. I had freedom in creating and planning activities for the children and then got to be actively involved when the project took place, it was a really rewarding experience. I was also introduced to the Digital Primaries project, where I was able to see how these sessions ran, first going into the studio to see how the green screen is set up, then joining via zoom to see how the schools experience this new way of learning. I was so amazed at how this was facilitated. 

Can you tell us more about what you were involved with whilst you were here?

During my placement, I have been involved and engaged with different projects by observing, coordinating (admin and logistics), and assisting with various activities and projects. Some of the main things I have focused on were U.Dance, HAF Half term Holiday Club, Dance for Parkinson’s, Digital Primaries and Dance from Home. As well as these projects, I was pleased to be asked to fulfil other duties such as preparing all of the CAT print, ready for workshops and taster days. This really made me feel like a valued member of the team during my placement.  

What was your biggest takeaway from your time here?

I believe from being a part of the small, busy team, one of my biggest takeaways is how important time management, organisation and communication are. Each member of staff plays a vital role in the smooth running of the programme. I have observed how collaborative the planning for the projects really is and how much thought needs to go into every detail, such as the marketing, funding, logistics, planning and evaluation. I have been inspired by the team’s effort and enthusiasm. 

Has your time here influenced your future career plans in any way?

Spending time working at DanceEast has definitely influenced my career aspirations and helped guide my passion for dance. I received so much helpful advice during one to one conversations with everybody. I would love to take my ambition for dance and teaching further and hopefully pursue it in the future and continue my journey with DanceEast after my graduation.