Question from Alicia:

Dear Nicole,
I am a student at a community college in California. I have danced for most of my life and have recently decided that you only live once and so I am going to follow my passion for dance and give up on the more practical job in architecture. I worry because I fear that I will not be able to support myself by becoming a dancer or a dance instructor. What I would like to know from you is, how you decided on the particular path you are on? How you broke into the industry? What were your options on where to go from there? What kind of salary can I make? (please note, I'm not out there to make a fortune, I simply wish to make enough to get by on). I would also like to know if there are any clubs, groups, or associations in which you recommend getting involved to better my chances in the future. and if you have any recommendations for graduate schools for my degree, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and your help.
 
Nicole's response:

Dear Alicia,
Worrying about your future is a major part of launching a career as a dancer! I, also, was EXTREMELY anxious about whether I would be able to support myself as a dancer, or if, by pursuing a graduate degree in dance, I was effectively dooming myself to a lifetime of waiting tables to pay off those loans. (Ulp!)

There's no denying that dance is a daunting field. The competition is fierce, the hours are long, and the pay is low. Passion is absolutely the only reason to choose dance as a career. That said, most of the people I know who have been passionate about dance and have prepared carefully, have also managed to make a career of dance that pays their bills (or more). For myself, I started with a very honest assessment (not based on whether or not I could make a living at it!) of exactly what I was interested in within the dance realm. I knew that I loved to dance and to choreograph, but also that I loved to work directly with less-privileged people in a way that might tangibly improve their lives. I thought that if I could combine my dance interests with my community interests, that that would just about be heaven for me. I came up with a concept that at that point was so unheard of to me that I actually thought I invented it: Community Dance. And I defined minutely for myself what I thought that would be.

Then I did a little research and discovered that, in fact, Community Dance is a well-established field in England, and that I could actually go to school in it! Once I did that, new passions and pathways opened up that I hadn't even known existed. My interest in performance and community work led me to the British company that I thought was doing the most stellar work in both realms at the time, CandoCo Dance Company (a company of disabled and nondisabled dancers); I hounded them for a week-long internship which went so well it lasted months, and I ended up working for them for years. In the end, I emerged with a terrific training in teaching and admin, with an enduring fascination with physically integrated dance, and with enough experience to be a specialist in an exciting and growing field.

So my advice for you would be:
1) be as specific as you can about your primary interests in dance,
2) pursue them both narrowly and broadly. By that I mean, be focused about your goals (i.e., if you know you want to dance for a jazz company, find the best jazz training you possibly can and make every class count), but open to distractions (i.e., but you find that your eye is always drawn to that interesting little glass brick feature distinguishing one wall of the studio... so you decide to translate your interest in architecture to a minor in Design. Years later, you have become a cutting-edge jazz choreographer renowned for designing your own stunning avant-garde sets!)
I absolutely believe that following your own passions will open up all sorts of pathways, because that's how it worked for me, and for dancers I know who support themselves by teaching dance to kids, by working as graphic artists or massage therapists or costume designers, or by landing that rare full-year contract with a big touring company! In each case these artists succeeded just by honestly following their heart (and their art).

And now to practicalities: some resources!
- Make sure you don't miss the "Career Planning" section of the Dance pages on this very website!

- While you're at it, see my list of dance-related careers in my response re: Job prospects for dance majors in Recent Questions.

- Check out Dance Magazine's classifieds at the back of every issue (or on-line) for perspective on dance jobs, training required, salaries etc.
http://www.dancemagazine.com

- Also at Dance Magazine you can find information on Stern's Directory (the most comprehensive resource on dance companies and businesses in this country) and their equally comprehensive College Guide, two utterly indispensable resources for anyone considering a leap into dance as a career. Make sure your college career center has a copy of both!

- Dance/USA has some very succint and practical advice for those just starting out and/or looking for college programs. See in particular:
http://www.danceusa.org/advice/high_school.htm
http://www.danceusa.org/advice/college_choose.htm

- Internships can be invaluable when you're just starting out. There's some great internship programs attached to dance festivals around the country, or find a company you admire and see if they have one to offer. (If not, design and propose one of your own!) Internships have launched many a career.
Good luck out there!

NICOLE RICHTER works as a dancer, choreographer and teacher with AXIS Dance Company in Oakland, California. She has previously served as Co-Artistic Director and Education Director, launching the company's acclaimed Dance Access and Dance Access/KIDS! education programs for students of all ages with and without disabilities. As a dancer with AXIS, she has originated roles in commissioned pieces by artists including Bill T. Jones, Stephen Petronio, Joe Goode, Joanna Haigood, and Sonya Delwaide. Her choreography has been nominated for an Isadora Duncan Dance Award, and she has been the recipient of four California Arts Council Artist in Residence awards. Nicole discovered dance by accident while at Oberlin College, and became interested in physically integrated dance while working with CandoCo Dance Company in London. During her years in England, Nicole also founded Detours Performance Company and gained a Professional Diploma in Community Dance Studies and an MA in Dance Studies from the Laban Centre. As an independent dance artist, Nicole choreographs and teaches modern dance, Contact Improvisation, Pilates and creative dance to all ages. She is particularly interested in collaborating with artists of disparate media, in structured improvisation as a tool for performance, and in clambering about shamelessly in odd spaces. Nicole's latest work-in-progress, her daughter Kisa, premiered in October 2002. www.Teachingarts.org

Photo copyright Steven J. Gelberg