About Me

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Born in Toronto, I began dance training at an early age starting with ballet which eventually progressed into a main focus of jazz. Starting at the age of six I began my constant flip flopping of living in England and Canada. When in Toronto I attended the Interplay Dance School. In England I attended classes at Bodywork Studios. After alternating between living in England and Toronto with my family, I graduated from the Bethany Hills School near Peterborough, Ontario, to attend George Brown Dance with their foundation program. After George Brown I flew back to England for the third time in my life to attend the Cambridge Performing Arts College for three years, my major being dance, but discovered my true calling was the fashion industry. I have worked as a freelance model for three years and a stylist for just a year, also freelance. I put a lot of what I learned from my years of performing arts study into my modeling and into my styling, on occasion have actually had to model as a ballerina or style for dancers. I have worked with many prestigious people in the fashion industry already.

Monday 31 October 2011

Log Three- Reader Two: The Reflective Practioner

So I'm not exactly sure where to begin with this entry. As usual I've had a lot of different jobs during these last couple of weeks, which explains the delay in this entry.
One thing that has just come and gone was Toronto Fashion Week. It was something I've lately been longing to be a part of. Unfortunately this year they have strictly said ONLY agency models can be a part of the shows which made things extremely difficult for me obviously being a freelance model. It made me realise despite the fact I have done very well for myself there are still many closed doors for me. For some reason being with an agency gives you more entitlement and credentials rather than years of experience. I am also vulnerable still to people scamming me out of more money that I deserved from jobs. At the same time, the issues with signing onto an agency is they could be scam artists themselves, they may not be getting in enough castings, they may just put you into one category of modeling when I want to do it all and also the fact they cannot actually get you the jobs, they can only get you the castings. I have started agency shopping but it has not been easy. I've sent emails to agencies with either no response or saying they were not interested. I've also gone to see agencies, two of which were interested but I've had some bad reviews on them. I also had one agency tell they weren't interested and leave within five seconds of myself arriving at their office. There have been positives though from these last couple of weeks. I've had confirmation from the photographer from the hair shoot that he is submitting still the pictures to hair magazines. The shoot Tara Wright, Stephen Loban, Linda Pazic, Lisa Jackson and myself has gained interest from W25 Magazine, asking for all the hi-res from the shoot. I also participated in a photo shoot yesterday for designer Arnaldo Santos with his dresses and a new online magazine for Fabulous PR. I also modeled for friend and fabulous knitwear designer Dylan which you can see on his website www.dylaniumknits.com. Here is just a few of my favourites from his site...





So even though I've had some pretty negative moments especially with the agencies. From this experience and others in my past I've learned to not give up so easily. Whether it is the fashion industry or performing arts industry, I find both can be equally brutal and pretty self esteem destroying. But you need to keep going if you really want to be successful in what you do, because even if everything seems hopeless things will work out in the end. I've also seen in my many years of doing the modeling and the performing, people giving up the minute things don't go right I guess expecting things to come easily and always be smooth sailing, especially when you have made a pretty strong resume for yourself. But it will always be tough and you must persevere no matter how bad it gets.
The bad experiences have also made me even more determined to crack this industry. I've just signed up for a competition where I could win a front cover shoot with Wowza Magazine which is this fantastic high fashion but alternative magazine. My model friend, Dalia has been lucky enough to appear in their pages already. In order for me to win my photo, on their Facebook page that I uploaded, it needs to have the most "likes" by December 1st. It's been pretty competitive so far but I have been really determined and asking for as much help as I can. People have been  really fantastic so far and this has helped me reach out to more networks and connections. I've also really got my face out there to others. If any of you would like to help out here is the link to the photo Victoria's front cover photo on Facebook, just simply click "like" on the photo and share with others. I really hope I can win, it would be such an amazing opportunity and another job I can add to my ever growing resume. Like I said, I am even more determined now than ever and will not allow the bad experiences to effect me.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your recent experiences - the learning theories that go with this part of the professional practice can be applied - in fact - theories are good for looking at difficult situations. Carly Osborne is doing her final inquiry now and she is looking at how dances respond to auditions and the repeated need to 'submit' and compete for performance jobs. I hope I succeeded in signing your Facebook page and hope others on BAPP do the same - stunning photo. Look forward to see how the theories compare to your real world.

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  2. Hi Victoria
    Wow! what amazing photo's. In any 'art' form life is a roller coaster. From years of experience, I have found that you musn't give up. It can be a torturous feeling! Just pick yourself up and off you go again. If one gets down on their luck over and over, then this would be a good time to 'Reflect' and ask your self about self improvement and other avenues you could follow later on down the line of your life. I'm still around at the age of 53 teaching, dancing, some modelling and some acting.. I will certainly have a go at voting on your FB page.
    Best wishes
    Corinda

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  3. Hi Victoria,

    I have also "voted" for your picture on facebook. I think it is possible for you to win and I hope you will do.
    Yes, you are right. Sometimes it is not so easy to find the right way and some people try to make it even harder. But in german we say: "Who falls off the horse has to sit back." and their are much more phrases, which express that we have to go on... that is what you have said...

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  4. Thank you Paula, Katharina and Corinda! Really appreciate it, be sure to share with friends too ha ha! When things do get tough you just have to keep going. You really have to develop a thick skin in this business. I've still been keeping busy with the modeling despite the let downs. I'm not ready to give up quiet yet! And thank you Paula for your advice, I will be applying the learning theories especially in a difficult situation. New entry coming soon! Thank you all again! :)

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