July 20, 2018

My name’s Libby Stant, I’m a year 12 student at Stourport Sixth form studying A-levels. As a passionate contemporary dancer, I am a member of the contemporary strand of the CAT scheme here at DanceXchange as well ACE Dance and Music and Translucent Dance Company. In the near future I will be auditioning for contemporary conservatoires with the ambition of performing and touring with professional companies and seeing where dance can take me.

I’m often in the DanceXchange studios, have been training here for almost a year yet I had no idea how large DanceXchange as a business was and how important it was for not only the CAT scheme but all dance in the Birmingham area. For work experience I spent the past five days finding out what goes on behind the doors of the DanceXchange office and gaining an insight into many different areas of the company.

My week started with a tour of the building, introductions to the team and I was handed a well thought out plan of my week. Over the course of the week I had meetings with staff from many different areas who were more than willing to answer all my questions and more. I was entrusted in completing tasks such as producing schedules for rehearsals and the CAT summer intensive, writing programmes, risk assessments, helping with the social media accounts, working on the front desk and even washing the towels!

The staff are so friendly here and I’ve really been made to feel part of the team working independently and alongside others to try and help anyway I can. It’s been an extremely enjoyable and valuable experience which my eyes have really been opened to the jobs and opportunities within the dance industry.