Madeline Scott, director of the Ohio University School of Dance, said dance is not a realistic life-long career. Dancers need to take special considerations when planning for their futures because most of them retire in their early thirties, according to a recent report.
The short-lived career of dancers was studied in a report released Sept. 28 by Advance Project, an international coalition of dance professionals based in New York.
The physical demand and low income in the dancing profession causes them to transition into other jobs, according to the report, titled Making Changes: Facilitating the Transitions of Dancers to Post-Performance Careers.
Three noted researchers in the field of arts and economics, William Baumol, Joan Jeffri and David Throsby, wrote the report. It persuasively demonstrates that around the globe
dancers tend to be poorly compensated not only in comparison to the general workforce but in comparison to other arts disciplines. The research indicates that forced early retirement hinders the ability of dancers to accumulate savings that might facilitate their transition into new careers according to the press release from http://talkaboutdance.com.
The School of Dance does not have a specialized program to help students within the school to find a job, but students gain experience that would aid them in their future, Scott said. Skills are acquired through their senior project, which allows students to learn how to market a dance production, incorporating skills that include everything from teaching the choreography to selling tickets.
The total mean income of current U.S. dancers surveyed was $35
123
with dancers often supplementing their income with other work
according to an article from the Sept. 28 issue of The Wall Street Journal.
Career Transition for Dancers is a New York-based non-profit organization that helps dancers to determine the next step in their careers and provides them with services to aid in the transition.
Kevin McAnarney, spokesman for the organization, said, The most important thing for a dancer is to know that a professional dancer has a short-lived career. They come to this part of their lives where they cannot dance anymore. Just because of what dancing does to you
they have to do something later in life to make a living.
Jennifer Rusynyk, a junior dance major, said the school of dance focuses on teaching students about their bodies and how to take care of themselves so that they can have the longest career possible.
The school offers classes about grant-application processes because there is a lack of money in the business for funding productions.
Rusynyk said the senior project is useful.
It is the best preparation we can get without actually being in the professional world
he said.
Dance professor Mickie Geller said that as dancers grow older, they have to transition into a different kind of performing but still can stay in the field by becoming Pilates instructors, physical therapists and dance teachers.
Gellar said injuries and a lack of work are reasons for dancers leaving the profession.
We don't live in a society that fully supports the arts. Frequently
people leave because they just can't make a living.
