The role of visual documentation in supporting the emerging dancer to self-reflect: embedding graduate employability via visual literacy.

12° North Graduate Dance Company is an innovative Arts Council England funded project, and supported by regional partners maximising existing and emerging graduate opportunities. Engaging national choreographers and key practitioners, the project embeds employability, and advocates an entrepreneurial approach in both preparation for employment, and in parallel development of self-reflexive visual literacies. Newall photographed classes, rehearsals and performances. Jaundrill-Scott then filmed the dancers’ responses to these images. This resulted an exhibition of photography and two films, Do You See What I See? (2014); and Disco(urse) (2015), all of which have been exhibited at The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays; The Citadel, St Helens; and The University of Chester. This exhibition addresses how imagery was used to facilitate dancers’ self-reflexive recognition, artistry and awareness of employability; and how the researchers’ own experiences during this process enhance the development of personal practice in: documentary photography; film making; and undergraduate teaching.