Guest blog – Sara Dos Santos

Post- Studies Reflections
Original Blog – https://www.saradossantos.com/post/graduation-2021

Career Transition isn’t easy, but the interpersonal and financial support from Dancers’ Career Development offered me a chance to take a risk and step out into the unknown.

I’m Sara Dos Santos, a Cultural Producer, Strategist, and Artist with a Dance, Theatre, and Movement direction background. Having recently completed my Masters in Cultural Policy, Relations and Diplomacy at Goldsmiths University, I look forward to getting stuck in and shifting invisible boundaries and raise the profile of unrepresented voices in the UK and beyond.

The last two years of part-time study, while freelancing and navigating global chaos, was made a little more accessible through the support of Dancer’s Career Development.

I stumbled upon Dancers’ Career Development (DCD) several years ago, during a One Dance UK conference held at Trinity Laban. I attended because a role model of mine, Ingrid MacKinnon – an artist and co-founder of Movespace, participated in one of their panel discussions. Long story short, I got in touch with DCD, attended their EVOLVE workshop(s), had one-to-one sessions with Isabel Mortimer and went to a few other events, which eventually led me to apply for a retraining grant.

The financial support received by DCD offered me a moment to breathe and confidence in my new research area. Not only because someone else believed in me, but also because they were willing to invest in my future – this was paramount for me and propelled me forward with a spring in my step.

As I stand now looking back on what once felt like an impossible dream, I step once again into the unknown with great expectation that the best years are ahead.

Here’s to a future that demands us not to give up and offers us a chance to adapt, unlearn to relearn, step out of our comfort zone and build each other up!

Feature By:
Sara Dos Santos

www.saradossantos.com