Dancers in high places
We need to cultivate our 'expat' dance artists into a network of powerful voices to advocate for the form.
It is such a shame that we lose these people once they decide that dance is not the long term career they may have dreamed of. This may happen early (in their teens) or later (after graduation, several years into a career) but for some reason the connection with the form is often lost.
So how do we change this?
Alumni.
We need to create a powerful dance Alumni. We can model it on the university system. A group of people who, because of their past contact with dance (the parameters should be very broad) are invited to join the contemporary dance alumni. The 'club' would give access to shows, events, artists, workshops etc that feed the passion for the form. The pay off would be a group of passionate advocates who operate outside the dance community. Placing contemporary dance within the context of the broader community.
It is such a shame that we lose these people once they decide that dance is not the long term career they may have dreamed of. This may happen early (in their teens) or later (after graduation, several years into a career) but for some reason the connection with the form is often lost.
So how do we change this?
Alumni.
We need to create a powerful dance Alumni. We can model it on the university system. A group of people who, because of their past contact with dance (the parameters should be very broad) are invited to join the contemporary dance alumni. The 'club' would give access to shows, events, artists, workshops etc that feed the passion for the form. The pay off would be a group of passionate advocates who operate outside the dance community. Placing contemporary dance within the context of the broader community.
posted by Luke at 6:06 PM
4 Comments:
2nd paragraph, 8th word; losing, not loosing
Thanks anon
fixed
cheers
Perhaps many of those people that stop dancing do it because they become disinterested in the artform. An individual chooses to be involved in something and can choose to spend their time looking at a range of arts practice. The 'broader community' is not that stupid that they somehow need an in road to 'get it'. An 'unofficial' alumni operates constantly in any situation. A show is on, you invite a friend, maybe a couple, they see it, tell their friends, their friends see it (some miss out), they go the next time, in between they all seek out another show, they like it, they hate it, they talk about it, they get a little confused about particiular ideas, but they are interested anbd keep an eye out for other events. Your dream of an alumni is already in existance- it just doesn't have a name yet. But not everything needs a name to make it real.
I love our dance audiences. I think to survive we need to at least double the number of them (at least!), so I am proposing ideas that might be a way to do that. Particularly things that can be done easily, without large amounts of cash.
As you suggest this network exists in an informal way, is it a problem to try and strengthen that, to provide access to it for more people?
Why do Universities have Alumni? Informal networks exist from these places too. I suspect they have them because they work. They connect people; they give a sense of community. I think these are good things to encourage. Or maybe they don’t work; maybe they are a waste of time.
I don’t know why people stop dancing, I don’t know why some of these people don’t come to shows or sit on boards or donate money. I do know that we train a lot more dancers than we employ. And these people must go on to other careers. If their work is related to the arts they are probably already a part of an informal network that connects them to dance (if they want). What if they are not? Maybe they would be interested? Maybe they could be strong advocates for us? I would certainly like to find out.
I suggested we attempt to find ways to place dance within the context of the broader community. I never inferred that the broader community is stupid. A lot of people aren’t talking about dance over dinner. Maybe if more people were involved with it they would. And maybe that would make us more relevant to Australian culture. And maybe that would make a difference. Maybe.
Just because I don’t understand the finer details of wine (or sport or….) that doesn’t make me stupid. I can enjoy these things, the more I know about them the more empowered I feel to make choices about them. But if I don’t know much about them I have to rely on my pre conceptions and prejudices.
You seem to argue for the broader community to be left alone, that they already ‘get it’. Then are we to assume that dance cannot appeal to a bigger audience? That they all know what they need to know about it and that we should leave them alone?
I can’t accept this as the best way to build audiences and support for dance. I believe we have to start inviting more people in, we have to start making dance a more significant part of the Australian culture.
Perhaps my idea is a bit lofty or idealistic, maybe I have described the idea poorly or maybe it is a bad idea.
I’m keen for this to be a forum that develops ideas and strategies for how to strengthen and support contemporary dance.
Ideas are welcome.
Luke
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