Life after graduation.

On the 19th July 2014 i graduated my college of 3 years with a national diploma in dance, music and theatre performance. today's post is going to be about life after graduation for me. this will particularly be aimed towards dancers and actors, as that is what i am, but some points i am positive can be related to anyone just graduated.



Graduation

The day I graduated was one of the most emotional days of my life to date.
Good emotions and bad alike. I woke up at around 6.30am, we had to be at the theatre ready to have our pictures taken for 9. sounds silly now, but the first thing I did when I woke up was to write a speech on the notes part of my iPhone. I later posted this to Facebook, It wasn't planned it that way but I knew whatever I said on-line that day needed to be good. not only that, but I was writing for myself.. so that in years to come I could look back at that status and know how proud of myself I was that day.

Pictures were taken and the ceremony was done, my certificate collected and lots of tears accidentally shed. There was one major thing that separated our graduation to a normal university graduation.. And that was that we then had to do 2 shows! we all had to pull ourselves together for the final shows to be done all together, but they were by far the best, most atmospheric most emotional shows we have done as a college to date. 

'Summer Holidays' after graduation..

My summer holidays were great! I chilled out, caught up with friends, went to Madrid, ate as much as i wanted when i wanted. then i realised something.. this isn't a 'summer holiday' any-more .. I am not going back to an institution of any kind.. this is actually just life. So in came the auditions, the gym, the eating slightly healthier. i am very lucky in the fact that before i had left college i had nabbed myself one of the best agents going. having an agent is not the be all and end all of your career as a dancer or actress.. i have friends that are doing very well without one and keeping everything they earn for themselves! (Bonus), but it is so much harder to get in the door of the London west-end theatre land without one, so the fact that that was already sorted was a bonus.

Then starts the real job hunting..

Now.. This is where the industry can make or break you. Audition after audition with no luck at all. Sometimes audition after audition getting to the very final of every single one, and then STILL not getting the job. I'm not sure what's worse.. To be told 'No' from the start, or to be lead into believing you were perfect for the role, only to be told no (or to never hear back) at the very end. 

i think the key thing to remember is that every audition and every job interview that you go for has something very specific that they are looking for. There is no point trying to completely change yourself to suite one job.. you may still not get it, and then you've made yourself unsuitable for other jobs just around the corner. 

Keep going!

The more auditions and job interviews you go to, the better you get, the more confident and comfortable you feel, the more likely you are to get the job. its a matter of statistics. Go to 2 auditions, and you'd be very lucky to get the job out of just those 2. Go to 50 auditions and the odds are increased dramatically. That goes for every type of job interview. Weather that be an audition for a musical or an interview for a job opportunity to be a secretary. Keep going.

                                         Myself..

I have auditioned for a hell of a lot. From the lion king west end, to Matilda, cruise ships to dance jobs in Germany, Japan and more. So far i have had 1 job offer after maybe.. 30 auditions? by the time this post goes up i should be in full swing of my rehearsals for a pantomime. i will be in Cinderella over the Christmas period. i will be a dancer and understudy fairy god mother. And let me tell you i can not wait to get back onto that stage performing every day for hundreds.

When you haven't been on stage for a while as a dancer or actor, its easy to loose sight of what all of the hassle is for. One second on that stage and it is all apparent once more. I LOVE to perform, and i love to dance.. I am extremely excited to have a job, my first professional job, for the Christmas period. 

a sunny OOTD and the answer to where i have been...

top-H&M

shorts- Primark

shoes- river island



Hello darlings.. how are we all?! First thing first, where on earth have i been and what on earth have i got hanging out of my shorts?? trust me, im used to the question at the moment. as i had a little accident the other week. well when i say 'little'....



























Yes. this is the disgusting results of a freshly boiled kettle and a dopey Ella. that little red bit up there is as sore as it looks.. actually the picture doesn't really do it justice! I was filling up my hot water bottle on a hot summers night (Don't ask) and thanks to tiredness and just pure clumsiness,  i somehow, don't ask how, but SOME how pored about half the kettles steaming water onto my leg.

i was with my landlady so we immediately soaked it in cold water for around 45 Min's.. but the damage was done.. thus resulting in a trip to a&e, second degree burns, no dancing and a lack of posts due to me feeling sorry for myself.. lol. no it's not even sorry im feeling, im just so annoyed with myself and have been worried sick about it leaving a scar.

for someone with an office job or something it wouldn't be SUCH a big deal, but when your a dancer and are constantly dancing in skimpy leotards, i feel like it could be the difference between a job and not getting the job. because the industry is(i hate to say it)  SO looks based.

its about 2 and a half weeks since iv done it now and its healing up well. iv been doing everything iv been told to do,and as soon as its all healed i will be immediately  putting a shit load of bio oil on it to try and reduce any scarring! don't worry i will keep you updated on my wound ;) Im sure you'd all love to know! Ha

anyway that's enough of that, and that beast is the main reason for the lack of posts recently so i do apologize!

how are you all doing? not trying to burn your selves alive i hope ?

hope all of you fellow British peeps are loving the jubilee spirit as much as  i am ;) have an good weekend

Ella Martine xxxx

Im Loving It!

Hey you's , just a quickly! iv been online *cough* window shopping like there's no tomorrow recently because the shops have got some absolute beauts  in store. I'm going through one of them times where i just hate everything in my wardrobe, and i think my style has changed quite a bit in the last year. I'm still not quite there with knowing exactly what it is yet, but iv been liking things that are just.. different!

One of my favourite summer trends is crop tops, and this year more then ever as there are some lovely little crop tops around. i do like the look of crop tops but feel they need to be worn right not to look.. tacky, high waisted shorts/skirts/jeans paired with them are pretty much a must for me.

Here are just a fraction of my faves at the mo. annoyingly i did write down a list of where they are all from and the prices, but my computer run out of battery and i lost the list! so for now there is no more than just the pictures, sorry!

My absolute favourites are the dungarees (iv been after a good pair for AGES but am yet to find my perfect ones) and the first crop top which i know is defiantly from river island. i love the back detailing and pattern and will defiantly be getting this in time for summer.

im actually ill with a chest infection at the mo, so haven't been at college. which makes me even more behind than i already am. things arnt good right now, but blogging does cheer me up :)

i was thinking of doing a 'how i do my eyebrows & what i use' kinda post.. would any of you like you see that?
i hope your all well.

Ela Martine xxxx
 

I LOVE A GOOD BARGAIN.

hello beauts, how are you all? i bring you Rather large clothing haul,with the majority of my purchases from h&m. i went shopping with my mum today, and i found some absolute BARGAINS. i wont tell you how much everything costs until the end,until then, ill leave you guessing ;) 

Most of the things i got are pretty little summer dresses etc. this is my way of trying to hurry summer up! ha ha

All above from H&M

Primark

I absolutely love all the dresses, a big thank you to my mum for picking the majority of them out for me!

If you don't like them, maybe the price will sway you a little? 3 pound each.. did you get that? yes, 3 POUND EACH! honest to god i almost had a heart attack when i saw the little red sticker saying 3 pound,and that's when i brought the mother over to the sale rack to help me rummage for some bargains. i cant wait to wear these bits in the summer, and i think the pink and orange dresses are just beautiful, Perfect for a Holiday.. ( just need to persuade either the mother or father to book one now..)

I'm a Little obsessed with the velvet numbers too, and I'm extremely tempted to wear them with tights right now! but i suppose it isn't appropriate seeing as there is still snow on the ground and i am ill already! gorgeous though, i think we hit the jackpot in h&m today. and if you have a h&m near you, i defiantly advise you all to go and have a rummage in there sale rail, the majority of the stuff was under 5 pound and reduced from 20s-40s!

The jeans are from primark, i recently bought a grey pair of these which are featured in this post here and couldn't believe how comfortable they are, how well they fit and how good the quality is for the price. and for 11 quid i though it was defiantly worth grabbing another pair, this time in a light denim colour, which i thought continued my summer scheme in clothing quite nicely ;)

a very successful shopping trip i must say, with everything minus the jeans reaching a grand total of £18 spent,im quite chuffed.

I love a good bargain. in case that wasn't obvious ;)

Big love for H&M at the mo,BIG love.

Ella'Martine xxxx