Dance Advantage » career in dance

Connecting the Dots from Dance Major to Dancemaker

Lauren Warnecke — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:45:58 +0000

Of the hundreds of college dance programs available, no two are completely alike.

The atmosphere and curriculum at each school vary based on the faculty, location, administration, and the student body (that is, the dance majors).

These differences can be seen in the “real” world too; one will often see entire dance companies established by and composed of alums from the same college dance program.

So, while it’s really hard to generalize whether or not college dance prepares the choreographers of the future,

I’m going to take a stab at it anyway.

After our recent chat about my upcoming show, Nichelle asked me to get a little more personal about my alter ego as a dancemaker.

With DA focusing in on college, career and choreography this month, I’m offering up some musings on how majoring in dance prepared me for a career as a freelance choreographer.

Honestly, when I entered college I had zero experience with choreography aside from the masterpieces I created alone in my bedroom.(...)

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The Pros and Cons of Dance Crossover

Roger Lee — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:28:28 +0000

A crossover dance artist is a dancer that works in multiple genres or in both the commercial and concert worlds.

Classically trained ballerinas are trying their hand at music videos while break dancers are experimenting with modern dance companies. Crossover is common for dancers, especially in a rough economy!

If you are considering a career as a crossover dance artist, here are some pros and cons to consider:

PRO: Heightened Exposure

One of the perks of being a crossover dance artist is the heightened exposure that comes with the territory. Dancers who crossover into the worlds of commercial and concert dance are seen by a wide range of diverse audiences. They are also seen by influential choreographers, directors, producers, and agents who can grant them their “next big break!” This heightened exposure grants crossover dance artists with larger fan bases and professional networks.

What dancer couldn’t benefit from more visibility?

Photo by Kat Baulu

PRO: Diversified Income

Crossover dance artists benefit from having multiple income sources.

It is common for professional dancers to supplement their primary income by taking side jobs(...)

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What The Ailey School’s Melanie Person Knew When She Was Twelve

Nichelle (admin) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:28:02 +0000

In 1977, Ebony Jr. featured a photograph of a young girl at the ballet barre.

The caption reads, “Dancing means everything to twelve-year-old Melanie Person, who wants to become a prima ballerina.”

By this time, Melanie Person had already been training for about 6 years, starting first in Jackson, Mississippi and later in Columbia, South Carolina. But in the winter of 1976 she auditioned for the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) Summer Intensive. She was offered a full scholarship, went on to an apprenticeship and, after graduating from Professional Children’s School, became a full member of the company. For twelve years Ms. Person was a ballerina with DTH. She later earned her B.A. from SUNY Empire State College.

Then in 1999, Denise Jefferson invited her to join the PPAS ballet faculty at The Ailey School, appointing her a year later as Co-Director of the Junior Division beside Tracy Inman. Fast forward 11 years, and Ms. Person is again serving with Inman, but this time as Co-Director of The Ailey School, a position she’s held since Ms. Jefferson’s passing in 2010.

Ms. Person is Chair of the ballet department as well as Co-Chair of The Ailey/Fordham B.F.A program, and has served as a judge for Seoul International Dance competition and Japan’s Grand Prix.

Of course, I had quite a few questions for this teacher and administrator but first, I couldn’t resist a quick look back at the young dancer in that photograph.

Dance Advantage: What’s one thing you know now about a dance career that may have surprised this young lady?(...)

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Who Inspires You?

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:33:44 +0000

By rough count, I have over 300 dance-related blogs contributing to My Own Dance “Magazine”, otherwise known as my Google Reader.

These display varying levels of activity, of course, but what matters is that people of all ages, abilities, experiences, and walks of life are excited enough about dance to want to write about it.

Inspirational Blogger Award

Recently a young blogger named Melissa created her first blog award, naming 11 of her favorite blogs/bloggers and encouraging them to pass it on. Not all are dance-related but you can see her Top 11 at contemporarydancing.co.uk.

Among these recipients was Jean, of 52 Weeks of Ballet, a relatively new blog which chronicles Jean’s journey as an adult ballet dancer in Sydney, Australia. She’s about 32 weeks in but I encourage you to catch up at www.52weeksofballet.com.

Jean was kind enough to include me in her Top 5 favorite dance blogs and I’m in good company. Check out the others here.

With A Twist and Shout Out

Now, you may know Dance Advantage hosts its own little award showdown, wherein we name Top Dance Blogs based upon your votes. News of our 2011 awards is coming soon so get ready!

Since Melissa’s Inspirational Blogger awards can go out to any type of blog, I’ll be naming my Top 10 inspirational NON-Dance blogs later. I hope you’ll find at least one new blog on the list that will inspire you too.

But first, because I can’t seem to do anything strictly by the book, I wanted to use this opportunity to feature Jean and Melissa, and their respective blogs with an interview. And, because Melissa’s blog award rules originally calls for recipients to give some tidbits about themselves, I’ve added a little twist and asked these two ladies to interview me with 3 questions each of their choosing. So let’s get on with it, shall we?

First a little background:

Melissa splits her time between dance, blogging, and friends.

Melissa is a teenager who loves dance so much she signs off on all her posts as ‘Lover of Dance’. She’s been dancing for roughly 10 years and has been exploring different schools and genres. When she’s not dancing or blogging, she’s socializing with friends, going shopping, or to the cinema. “Friends and family are really important and I love that they are so supportive of me.”

As you might expect, Jean has a contrasting answer when asked what she does outside the studio and the blogosphere. “Previously I would have said – working too hard!” She runs a Procurement Consultancy with her husband but ballet actually seems to improve her work/life balance. “I have found myself more focused at work so I can get out of the office in time for my evening dance classes. I used to play squash, tennis and do lots of bush and harbourside walks around Sydney, but unsurprisingly I’m finding a lot less time for these lately!”

You can bet that like most adult dancers, Jean has a story regarding her path to ballet. She started ballet as a 9 year old and continued until her late teens. She describes it as her greatest passion. “Growing up in a country without full-time ballet schools, it remained an after-school activity for me,” she explains. “Unfortunately, ballet eventually faded into the background as academic opportunities presented themselves and the general distractions of life as a university student took over. For many years, I did very little dancing, always remembering how much I loved it, but I believe I also sub-consciously suppressed my passion for it because I felt I had somehow left things unfinished.”

She threw herself back into ballet 10 years ago, obtaining her RAD Intermediate certification but afterward felt that maybe ballet was too technical and that there was nothing more she would gain. She expected to find joy through other forms of dance. So, for the past few years Jean has been attending Lyrical and Contemporary open classes on a weekly basis. She has enjoyed them, but notices that many teachers view adult dancers as seeking recreation only, rather than continuous improvement.

Jean got hooked on ballet all over again at age 40.

Earlier this year, she was persuaded to join a ballet class ‘just for fun’. “I thought I’d give it a go for a week or two,” Jean says. “I didn’t expect to be hooked again before the first class was over.”

She credits her teacher, Tibor, for this. “He paid a lot of attention to technique, pushed us to our individual limits, worked us very hard but also took time to acknowledge it when we did something well. In that short time, I was reminded of how addictive the quest for perfection and the thrill of achievement can be.”

Within her first few weeks, Jean decided that if she was going to improve, she’d need to do more than one class per week. Before long she’d worked up to five classes each week, mostly with Tibor. “Unlike other forms of exercise like going to the gym or doing yoga,” she remarks, “I look forward to every class and the sessions never seem long enough. Besides getting very fit and toned, dancing ballet nourishes my soul. My passion for ballet has certainly been re-ignited!”

From dancing to blogging

Jean’s return to ballet coincided with her 40th birthday. Though she wanted to share her experience with others traveling a similar path or thinking about beginning ballet, documenting the 52 weeks began as an exercise for herself. “The challenge is to rebuild my strength and technique in 52 weeks so that I’ll be able to stand beside all the other dancers in class and have the ability and vocabulary to dance well with them. I felt that blogging about my first year back in the ballet studio, as a 40-year old, would help keep me honest to my goal, motivate me to be timely with my journal entries,” she explains.

Melissa, on the other hand, set out to express her passion for dance to a much larger audience. She wanted to interact with people with similar interests and as a result has found a community of dance bloggers. “I am so grateful that I am now connecting with people and people are enjoying my blog,” she says.

Jean too has found a large, vibrant, and diverse community of dance bloggers from all around the world. “It has been very heart-warming to find that in general, the participants are very inclusive, dynamic, helpful and passionate individuals and, so far, all my online interactions have only been very positive experiences.”

In fact, Jean never anticipated the feedback she’s received or the bonds she’s formed with other dancers. She recently received a thank you: “…once again as this week i am hitting a high of 5 classes! And I am sure I would not have attempted that without knowing someone has gone before me…,” commented her reader. “I am sure you can imagine how much it just blew me away,” exclaims Jean.

Melissa’s blog, Contemporary Dancing, is her first and only blog. “I started with a very basic knowledge of blogging and technical stuff, and looking back now I am a bit embarrassed of what I started off with in early 2011. Nevertheless, on August the 8^th, I restarted my blog and am proud with my current progress.”

When asked what she felt her best post was so far, she thought a bit and then chose her 10 tip guide to achieving the splits. “Everybody contributed and participated and it was incredibly fun to write. The response was amazing and I hope to go on to do more posts like this in the future. Not only was it useful for me but also for my darling readers!”

Sharing what you know can definitely be useful for your blog audience but blogging can also affect your dancing. “I find that I have become more analytical as a dancer because of my blogging,” says Jean. “Just trying to find something to write about every week makes me look at everything more critically and be more conscious of things around me – whether it’s about a particular step, my feelings, the dynamics in the class, or how our teachers impact my motivation and confidence.”

Dancing through life

Jean points out that there’s a cycle that dancers who are just starting out, or returning after a long hiatus, go through. “First we’re just glad to be dancing, then before long, the better we get, the higher the expectations of ourselves and soon, we are wanting too much, too soon. We look at dancers around us who are so much better, and we start feeling disheartened and feel like we’ll never get there.”

“Patience. Just be patient.” Jean says she went through that whole cycle in her first month, but her teacher Tibor’s words were very comforting and very powerful. He made me realize that if there can be significant improvement in just a month, imagine what can happen in a year and in 5 years, but I needed to be patient and to embrace the process.”

Jean tries to stretch daily

Like patience, practice also pays off. Melissa was more or less an inexperienced dancer when she was granted her first solo performance in ballet, an experience she calls magical. “When you get a main solo part for the first time, you try your best and find yourself practicing all the time – well, I know I did!” For Melissa the reward was the audience members’ applause. She also won a trophy for achieving so much that year.

But what if you’re not performing? Jean says she tries to take each class, one at a time, knowing that everything she does in class is a building block. “I try to stretch and do strength-building exercises once a day at home, without any immediate expectations. But every once in a while, something suddenly comes together unexpectedly – whether an improved balance, or a stronger jump or a higher extension – and it’s these moments that reinforce the need to just be patient and keep working at those building blocks.”

Like most teenagers, when asked about her future, Melissa has many plans. She wants to study dance in college, join a company and perform, go on to teaching, and open a school. “A new contemporary themed dancing school is my ultimate dream and I am hoping for the day where I can be a full time teacher who is teaching others her all time love.”

For Jean, it’s been only 9 months since she returned to class, but she feels she’ll soon be a better dancer than during her teenage years. “Probably due to the greater focus, determination and maturity I now have as an adult student, but mostly because of the amazing guidance I am getting. I feel that I have been gifted the opportunity to finish what I left unfinished, and if the body permits, there could be even more than 20 years of dancing left in me.”

On what the future holds for an adult student, Jean reflects, “I did wonder for a short while if I’d “missed the boat” and whether there was no longer something meaningful to pursue, but I have quickly learned that the pursuit of perfecting the art and enjoying it in itself is meaning enough. That the dreams may have faded but the passion is still fiercely alive.”

Jean and Melissa Interview Nichelle

That's me in my first recital costume.

Melissa: What did you want to be when you were younger?

Nichelle: Dance is the only thing I ever considered, that I recall. For a while, I thought I might double-major in education so that I’d have something to “fall back on.” But during a high school internship at an elementary (primary) school, I realized I was entertaining this out of fear, not because of a strong desire to teach in the educational system. So, my degree is in dance… period.

Jean: You seem to have found have a great balance in life, fueling your various passions through the different roles in your life – as mother, teacher, dancer, writer. Was there a piece of advice or a principle that you live by, that has helped you achieve this well?

Nichelle: I’m chuckling at the word balance because if you shadowed me for a day, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t use that word. Like most moms, most people for that matter, the day to day can be pretty precarious. But you’re right, I’m able to follow my interests, instincts, and passions, and for that I feel extremely fortunate. If there’s a principle behind it, I guess it might be “to thine own self, be true.” If there’s a rule to guide it, it’s the golden one. And if there are people who’ve made it possible, it’s those who never told me I couldn’t.

Melissa: Do you dance at this current time?

Nichelle: Yes and no. I’m by no means at peak performance level, ultimately since having my son 4 years ago, but I also just had my daughter 3 months ago. These days I’m doing a ton of writing and before kids I was doing mostly teaching. But, I have had the opportunity to participate creatively in some recent dance performance projects, primarily dance film,. Again, I’m very lucky to be able to keep a toe in several dance pools at once.

Jean: Has blogging delivered you an experience or outcome that you didn’t expect at all?

Nichelle: That I”m still blogging is itself unexpected! I had know idea when I began where it would go. I’m still going because, like dance, there’s always something new to discover.

Melissa: What do you love most about DA?

Nichelle: I could probably answer this in a dozen different ways, and I probably have in other features. I mentioned the online dance community in a recent interview at 4dancers.org, for example. (You can check that out for a bit of my own background and blogging story).

Today, what I love most about DA is that I’ve loved it, and watered it, and made it grow. Not without help from others and some lucky conditions. But, it gives me satisfaction to see it thrive and know that others appreciate it too.

Jean: What advice would you give adult dancers who feel regret that they will never become the dancers that they might have been, or disheartened that they haven’t a concrete goal to work towards?

Nichelle: I could say a lot but I’ll try to keep it very concise (and perhaps expound at a later date). The word dancer, is not limited to an occupation. Would you have pursued a dance career and loved it as much as you love it now? To quote a wise owl, “The world may never know.” And so, I think you said it really well, Jean: The pursuit of perfecting the art and enjoying it in itself is meaning enough. In fact, that belief is what makes a dancer in my opinion. Also, I’ll add that if, to you (as in anyone), becoming a dancer means only one thing, you’re not driven, you have tunnel vision. And you’re likely to always be disappointed.

Wow, thanks ladies. Great questions!

Don’t forget to visit Melissa at contemporarydancing.co.uk and Jean at www.52weeksofballet.com!

I love to encourage the practice of blogging about dance. I want to help people do it well and I want to highlight people who do. And I hope very much that Dance Advantage inspires good dance blogging – my columnists and I try very hard to lead by example.

But now, I want to know,

Who Inspires You?

A certain performer?

A family member?

A celebrity?

A blogger?

Tell us in the comments!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Community, Dance Media, Dancethropology, Fun & Games, Online | Who's talking about this article?

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Rebecca King on Learning As a Professional

Guest Contributors — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:35:06 +0000

I’ve been bugging Rebecca King, a Top Dance blogger at Tendus Under a Palm Tree and a company member at Miami City Ballet, to guest here at DA. Now that she has a little time at the close of her season, I’m pleased to introduce Rebecca as she discusses some of the “a-ha! moments” in her transition from student to company dancer and development as a young professional.

The lessons I have learned in my five years of company life.

As a student you are provided with all the tools you require to grow as a dancer; you are given corrections, encouraged to work hard, and occasionally given a kick in the pants when a teacher deems it appropriate. When you enter a company, there is no longer someone who will help you every step of the way. Being in a company is the real deal. This is what you have dreamt of and what you have worked hard to achieve. But are you done learning? Have you gotten to that place where you can just sit back, relax, and cash your paychecks? Ask any professional dancer, regardless of their rank or fame, and they will tell you the answer to the latter question is a resounding “no”.

So what do you do? You must understand that your success is now up to you. You need to find ways to encourage yourself, keep a positive attitude, work well with the dancers around you, and put in extra time. You are in the real world now. You may be a teenager who just moved away from home, but you are expected to conduct yourself as an adult. Company life is an adjustment, which the artistic staff expects. But they hired you because they believe that you can develop a work ethic that will enable you to thrive as a professional. So you must prove to them that you can.

Working In The Back

When you first begin working with a company, chances are you may not be in the first cast of every ballet. (...)

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Ballet and Sacrifice: More Than One Story; More Than One Definition

Guest Contributors — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:34:04 +0000

This week’s theme at Dance Advantage has been stories. Everyone has one. And mostly we’ve been looking at the testimonies that inspire. But sometimes stories don’t have happy endings and sometimes an experience (yours or another’s) can leave a bad taste in your mouth. In this installment, guest writer, Melanie Doskocil offers her take on one girl’s story and we invite you to do the same.

A recent article in the March issue of Seventeen Magazine titled: “I Sacrificed Everything For Ballet, as told to Jane Bianchi” has sparked conversation in online forums. The story is a sad tragedy about 18-year-old “Hannah” who quit her intensive ballet training at 18 after realizing that she was an addict to ballet and no longer enjoying it.

Hannah discusses the back-stabbing competitive nature of her peers and her perception that only students who either “sucked up” to the instructors, or whose parents gave large donations to the school were given the best roles. She also talks about her battles with anorexia, injuries and bitter teachers who gave scathing criticism rather than constructive feedback.

The article is definitely sensationalized and is capitalizing on the recent success of the intense psycho-drama Black Swan. I can’t tell you how many people came to me and asked, “Is that what it’s really like to be a professional ballerina?” They completely missed the fact that this was a fictional ‘psycho-drama!’

The Pitfalls of Elite Training

While no one would argue that all of these things can happen in a ballet school, they can happen in any organization that is looking to create the next class of elite anything. The story could have just as easily been about a competitive skater (Nancy Kerrigan?), a businessman in training (Donald Trump’s The Apprentice?), a football player (too many to name) or any other person at the elite level who is obsessive/compulsive and succumbs to the pressure (not to mention comes from a dysfunctional family).

There are some teachers and directors that enjoy fostering competition to extreme levels. There are schools and companies that make decisions based on favoritism and finances. There are, sadly, teachers who still think that ballet dancers need to look emaciated to look good on stage.

Prevention is Possible

Fortunately, not ALL organizations are like this. There are many who have adopted methods and practices that produce physically and emotionally stable dancers. Many incorporate (...)

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© Guest Contributors for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Career, Dancing, Featured, Health and Wellness, Training | Who's talking about this article?

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But What I Really Want To Do Is Dance!

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:20:56 +0000

There’s one email that I get quite a lot. Though it comes with a variety of backstories, it goes a little something like this:

Dear Nichelle, (okay, they rarely start that way in this age of email)

I am a 31-year old late beginner. I am an office clerk with a degree in sociology. I am 24 years old and currently studying rocket science at XYZ University.

I danced for 10 years, quit, and only recently started again. I’m on the dance team and love to choreograph. I take class as often as I can fit it in my schedule. I took dance for 14 years and I regret giving it up when I went to college.

I enjoy rocket science but what I really want to do is dance. How do I break into the business? Can you give me tips on where to start? What are my next steps if I want to be a dancer?

Now, I am absolutely paraphrasing and it’s not my intent to make fun of these requests but there is a saying… If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it. A similarly cheeky answer to the above might be, ‘If you have to ask, you’ve already missed your opportunity’. Wanting to give a heartfelt question a heartening response, however, I try to address the question straightforwardly.

So, how do I answer?

It usually goes something like this:

Professional dancers spend an extraordinary amount of time focusing on their chosen profession. Though they do have lives outside of dance, the day to day life of someone working toward a professional dance career revolves around dancing. If you want to dance at a professional level, you need to pursue it at a professional level.

What does it mean to pursue dance at a professional level?

It can mean a lot of things but this covers it in a general way:

Rigorous, daily practice and attention dedicated to your art form.

Continual training and sometimes cross-training to keep you in top physical form.

Constant assessment of where you are in relationship to where you want to be.

Focused seeking of experiences that will extend and improve what you have to offer as a dancer.

Regular quenching of the thirst to see and understand the field and how others approach their art form.

If you are a professional, by the way, I welcome your additions to this list in the comments!

Afraid of commitment?

What’s interesting is that in writing to me, emailers don’t often say, “I want to be a professional dancer” or “I want a career in dance.” Those that ask, *ahem* dance around it. My guess is that putting the intention into serious sounding words makes it more real and more scary.

One of my most commented on articles at Dance Advantage is about late beginners in dance. In addition to commenters that say thanks for the reminder to forget comparisons and set goals, one of the frequent questions that appears is, of course “Is there hope for me?”

Again, everyone has a slightly different story, and I’m not one to say never (particularly since many dancers have started at 15 to 25 years old – considered late in dance) but still my answer is always the same - see above, if you’ve forgotten.

Whether via email or in the comments, inevitably there are those who respond with a “thanks, but…”

“…when I said pro, I didn’t mean that I’d actually earn a living,” “…I wasn’t talking about a career, I’d like to do a few jobs here and there.” or “…I just want to audition and see where things take me.”

A dose of reality

I am a firm believer that people DO have the power to achieve what they set their mind to.

Setting the mind to something is more than just thinking on it, though! And in dance, more than the mind is involved. The body plays a pretty big role and requires frequent tending to remain equipped for high-level dancing. I believe in dreaming big but your dreams will stay dreams without real action propelling them.

It’s not unusual for a professional dancer (one who IS dedicating their full attention to dance) to pursue secondary interests or take on other work in order to earn enough for living expenses. However, when you’re talking about auditioning, or breaking in, getting gigs, or dance being the thing you want to do, don’t dance around it, you’re talking about a professional career.

Semi-professional opportunities for dancers are available but it’s unlikely you’ll be paid anything like a professional would be. The truth is, even professional dancers with companies aren’t guaranteed a salary that will pay the bills. The bulk of hours you put in as a semi-pro will probably be unpaid and it’s rare that work like this will lead directly to bigger and better opportunities.

If you are an amateur wanting to get paid like a professional for something, you must compete with professionals who also want to get paid. Whether it is just a few jobs, a TV spot, or a music video, you will still be competing with dancers who are pursuing dance with all of their energy. If you are not throwing your body and mind into dance with concentrated effort, what are your chances against the people who are? The field of dance is highly competitive.

It does not matter what kind of dance you are pursuing, either. Ballet may hold some of the more stringent expectations of dancers but in every situation (from hip-hop to Broadway) those hiring are looking for people at the top of their game. They want versatility, superior training and skills, and experience. Most importantly, they want people fully committed to dance!

So, what you really want to do is dance…

Does this mean you should drop out of XYZ University and forget your career in rocket science?

Sorry, but no one can answer that but you. We all make choices in life and successful people often make choices that others have deemed too risky or downright stupid.

On the other hand, risky or stupid decisions are sometimes just that.

I cannot possibly advise if you’ll “make it” as a professional dancer. Even your teachers may not be able to advise you (in fact, naysayers are a frequent catalyst and have launched many a career in dance).

Only YOU can make the decision and YOU are the only person that can be held accountable for the outcome.

Get Serious

I can’t become a doctor just by dreaming of it, or by taking a few biology classes, or because I played doctor as a child. It doesn’t matter how good I might be at it or how much “natural” talent I have. I can’t expect to walk into a hospital, operate every once in a while and hope they’ll be so impressed they’ll offer me a permanent position. It just doesn’t work that way.

No matter how often your television tries to fool you into believing that part-time effort can pay off with instantaneous triumph, those that enjoy even just two minutes of fame or success have spent a great deal of time and energy positioning themselves to be “suddenly discovered”.

Like it or not, your dreams won’t happen without getting serious and setting some serious goals.

There are no exceptions to this rule, no way around it, no shortcuts.

Can you have it all?

There are most definitely people who can take on rocket science and dance at the same time. These high-level achievers wouldn’t bother to ask if it’s possible, they’d already be eating and breathing it because they are compelled to.

If what you really wanted to do is dance, you’d already be doing it.

Is this supposed to be encouragement?

Every teacher knows that sometimes tough love is required to motivate and educate. The skinny on becoming a professional dancer has been covered in feel-good, but no less accurate articles on this site… here and here and here, for example.

This article may be your kick in the pants.

On the other hand, it may be what you need to hear to realize that rocket science really is your thing and that you are happy to enjoy dancing for the love of it… and for the rest of your life if possible.

How are you spending your time?

So here it comes, what I MOST want you to get out of this article if you’ve EVER contemplated dance as a professional pursuit. And, it comes from a source completely unrelated to dance. The concept has been stated by others but I just like how neatly this ties it up.

“‘Just do it’ can be excellent advice. If you wonder whether you could write a book or run a marathon, don’t waste a minute calculating your chances. Instead, spend an hour a day on your dream. It’s how I suddenly found myself on a bridge in London, cameras rolling, wondering what took me so long.”

And there it is.

Every moment you waste calculating your chances, asking, or even wondering if it’s possible to have a career or live your dance dream is a moment not spent on making it happen. If what you really want to do is dance…

Just Do It!

swoosh

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Career, Dancing, Featured, Performing | Who's talking about this article?

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New Continents — From Royal Ballet School To Boston Ballet

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:58:50 +0000

©Johan Persson

Duncan Lyle, fresh out of the Royal Ballet School has been offered a contract with Boston Ballet. In 2009 the young Australian was awarded a prize for Choreographic Development by the NJL Foundation and has performed Liam Scarlett’s Toccata at the Assemblée Internationale in Toronto, and in the RBS Matinee, an annual Covent Garden presentation that marks the shift of graduating student to performing artist. Before his training in London, he was a young ballet student in Victoria, Australia’s Camberwell District Ballet School (now the Russian Choreographic Academy).

Graciously sharing helpful tips for auditioning and jumps with Dance Advantage readers, Duncan took a moment to talk with me about his transition from student to professional.

Dance Advantage: You were young when you began begging your mom for ballet classes and eight years old when she finally relented. Do you recall what you liked most about training in ballet?

Duncan Lyle: I honestly can’t remember. I think it’s always just felt right. The ballet studio is always a place I have felt comfortable and felt like I belonged.

Duncan in Coppelia; ©Margaret Kokrhelj

DA: You began with respected instructors in a pretty rigorous program, dancing after school for a couple of hours, four days a week. Was there ever a time you contemplated quitting or pursuing a less demanding track?

DL: Yes. I once took six months off from ballet when I was 14. My school commitments were growing and it was becoming seriously difficult to juggle everything. It reaffirmed for me, however, that ballet was my one love and out of everything what I should have been doing.

DA: Allegro dancing comes naturally to you but I am sure you have had instruction that has helped you develop that talent. Any advice you could pass along to a student hoping to improve their agility in beats or jumps?

DL: I think the best advice I could give is two things: develop the height of your jump by doing very slow static allegro and; always work every movement, no matter how quick, to the fullest. Always fully stretch your legs and feet in the air and think about the movements you are making in the air. Be very precise with your movements in the air and gradually they will become clean and crisp.

DA: At age 17, when most teens here in the U.S. are contemplating the move to college, you traveled continents away from your home in Australia to London to study at the Royal Ballet School. What was most difficult about the transition?

DL: I think the hardest thing about moving away was just the unknown. I had no idea what my new life was going to be like and I think that was the scariest thing. Once I was actually in London, of course I missed my family, friends and Melbourne but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. I made great friends with almost everybody in my year who provided a wonderful support network.

DA: I know it might be hard to imagine, but what what kind of career do you think you’d be interested in if you did not dance?

DL: I would definitely pursue a career in music. I have been composing and arranging music since I was fourteen and it’s something I really love. I would apply for a university course in music and see where it would take me.

DA: Tell us a bit about the audition process that leads graduates of the RBS to employment.

DL: Firstly, we submitted a list to our director of the companies that we wanted to join and audition for. Our director then helped us by suggesting other companies that might suit us and removing companies that wouldn’t. From then on it was up to us to arrange our auditions, whether they be open or private, book our flights and make our way to our auditions. Every audition I participated in was just a ballet class watched by the director with a panel of ballet staff. Candidates get eliminated at certain points throughout the class so that the panel can see the people they are interested in better. I was lucky enough to make it through all of my classes without being cut. You then mostly find out the result of the audition on the day but of course this varies from company to company. If they’re definitely not interested in you then you’ll know that on the day, but if they might be interested in you then you may have to wait to find out.

In Liam Scarlett's Toccata with Nicole Cato

DA: Do you find auditioning stressful? What is most challenging for you?

DL: I think the only aspect of auditioning I find really stressful is the travelling to the destination! It’s very hard trying to book a flight that will get you to your destination in enough time to get to the studio and warm-up! Plus I hate airports! I’m pretty good under stressful circumstances like auditions or appraisals.

DA: What advice or tips for auditioning you could you give to students or young professionals like yourself?

DL: I think most importantly, stay calm and confident. If you’re overly nervous, you won’t be able to show the people that matter what you’re capable of. Presentation!! Remember that what most directors are looking for are dancers and not just technicians so perform everything in the class! And I believe that a lot of directors are looking for a clean canvas that they can work with and adapt to suit their company so make sure your technique doesn’t get affected.

DA: You’ve been to the U.S. before, and I’m sure you’ve been doing some reading up on Boston. What excites you most about dancing in America?

DL: I think what I’m most looking forward to in the U.S. is the positive atmosphere and the fact that there’s so many exciting things. Everything is happening there and I’m very excited to be a part of that.

We are excited to follow your career, Duncan, and welcome you to a new continent! May you have many thrilling adventures in Boston and beyond.

For more on Duncan, his background and training visit Ballet News and Oberon’s Grove and Blast Magazine.

How do YOU feel about auditioning? Do you get nervous?

What do you enjoy about training in ballet?

Do you like to travel? How far would you go to study dance?

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Career, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Dancing | Who's talking about this article?

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The Right Steps Towards A Career In Dance

Roger Lee — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:20:54 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Many children have a desire to dance. Some proclaim that when they grow up they want to become professional dancers. While many youth share this dream, only a few make it.

While it may be difficult to have a career in dance, it is definitely possible. Here are some helpful ways to make your dance dream into a reality:

Become more knowledgeable about your craft

Take a variety of dance classes

Become a choreographer

Consider a degree in Dance

Build connections through networking

Become more knowledgeable about your craft:

Like in any profession, the more you know the better off you will be. The same rule applies for dance. It is a common misconception that dancers rely solely on their muscles. In reality, dancers rely much more on the brain. Learning choreography at a fast pace, reversing combinations, and timing movement to new music takes some serious brain power!

Aside from the physical aspects of dance, become knowledgeable about the entire field. If you are interested in ballet, perhaps research the history of ballet and see how your favorite arabesque came into existence. For Hip-Hop lovers, why not research the early Poppers or see where Krump dancing originated? Remember that a well informed dancer is a promising professional dancer who can contribute to the field in new and exciting ways.

Take a variety of dance classes:

Image by juicyrai via Flickr

It can be scary to break out of the comfortable confines of your local studio. But branching out has many benefits for an aspiring dance professional. By taking a wide variety of dance classes from different sources, you become a more versatile dancer. In today’s dance industry, versatility is extremely important. Sure you can specialize in a specific dance genre, but it is also important to be well-versed in a variety of styles. Most private studios offer the standard ballet, jazz and modern combination of courses. However, some offer tap, ethnic forms (like African and Latin styles), hip-hop (house, breaking, popping, locking), lyrical, contemporary and modern!

Take as many different dance classes as you can from different sources. If you belong to a studio, why not supplement your training with additional workshops and master classes? What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so if you can survive a grueling dance schedule than you are taking a step in the right direction.

Explore choreography:

Many leading industry professionals are required to contribute to the choreographic process. Even if your goal is to dance for a company, you should still be able to choreograph or create new movement on your own. Some choreographers ask dancers to improvise movement during a rehearsal or develop a phrase to go along with set choreography. Being able to create new movement is not rocket science—it takes creativity. Explore the way your body moves by improvising on your own. Try new things and do not be afraid to break outside of the barriers when creating new movement. After all, the objective is to create something new and exciting—so take a chance. You might surprise yourself and gain a new appreciation for choreographers. You may even become one!

Consider a degree in dance:

Image by UMTAD via Flickr

Dancers and artists fight an economic battle. To defeat debt, underfunded programs, and unemployment, it is important to come equipped for battle. One of your most reliable shields can be a degree in dance. There are now a host of higher education dance departments across the country. Some offer Bachelors of Arts (most liberal arts colleges and universities) while others offer a Bachelor in Fine Arts Degree (most conservatories). Some programs are large and require dance 24/7. Conservatories are dance training programs that prepare dancers to go out into the performance world ready for battle. Liberal Arts programs offer life skills such as writing, public speaking, problem solving and developing the inner artist. These programs also prepare graduates to become professional dancers and advocates for the arts. Conservatories and Liberal Arts programs have different approaches to dance training, but each has had countless success stories and many graduates currently working as professional dancers. A degree in dance sets you apart from the competition and exposes you to newer dance forms such as partnering, postmodern, and contact improvisation.

While some schools focus more on dance training, some specialize in dance scholarship and the academic component of the field. So explore your options and see if there is a dance program that suits your needs. Chances are you will find at least one program that can challenge your dancing and intellectual pursuits all at the same time.

Image via Wikipedia

Build connections through networking:

Some dancer landed that dream job because he had a cousin whose best friend’s fiancé knew the artistic director of a company. While this scenario is extreme, it is often how things play out. Somebody you know knows people in high places who can give your resumé some extra attention or land you the audition you always wanted. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there and network. Design a blog, web site or social networking page dedicated to your work in dance. A resumé, headshot (professional photos) and reel of performances and choreography are never a bad idea. With new technologies, promoting yourself as the dance professional you want to be is becoming easier and easier. Do not hesitate to talk to friends, family and co-workers about your goals, because you may be surprised at who can help you become a professional dancer.

Final Thoughts:

Hard work and dedication always win out in the end. If you believe in yourself, never give up, and work until you see your dream become a reality. Go out into the world and make your own creative opportunities. You have the power to create your own career.

© Roger Lee for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Career, College, Dancing, Featured | Who's talking about this article?

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