Dance: A Worthy Career

Dance: A Worthy Career

By Patricia Robinson

Dancing is not a money-making career. In addition, it's not a very long one. But why bother if it is not a long career? Dance is a passion career that can be successful. When someone asks a dancer why they had chosen a career in dance the most popular response they get is that the dancer have always loved it, it makes that person happy, it feels right and fulfilling, it is what they have always planned on, always work hard at it, and because there are so many career options with it. But to be successful in it you need to have the passion and dedication of dancing to pursue it. But should your career be one for money or one for love? Seriously, go out for a job that you love of course. Think about it. Is it worth doing something if you don't love it? No, it's not. But then, the next question is, is it worth it to have a career you hate if the money is great. But with some people the money is the number one priority. Like businessman that seems to be all that they care about with their job is money, money, money. But then what? You retire? That's it; you're done working for the rest of your life?

Take it from me; I am currently attending Slippery Rock University as a dance major planning on making dance my career. When it comes to midterms and finals all my friends say..."Those are not "real" exams, do something useful. Have a major you won't flop in". They don't understand that finals in dance actually are a lot of work. But I dance because I love it and it's what I want to do. With dancing you could be like Martha Graham and never really stop. Dance has got to be one of the best career choices out there. It may not be performing, but there are so many second career options for a dancer once they are finished performing.

A distinguished professor from the University of Chicago, Milton Friedman's essay "The Social Responsibility of Business is to increase its profits", talks about how businesses conduct "generally will be to make as much money as possible" (518) stating that people should have a job in which people earn the most money is what is best. So if you ask Friedman about pursuing a job in dance he would say if you can't make much money in it, you shouldn't pursue it. Money is the priority of your job. Or in Barbara Ehrenreich's exert "Serving in Florida" she touches on management and how "managers are there for only one reason- to make sure that money is made for some theoretical entity, the corporationÐ'..."(483). Is the money really worth it? I mean all money gets you are a million material possessions and "happiness". You can't buy happiness, especially if it's from a career you're not happy with. Plus where does a business get you? Management, corporate executive. So basically you are doing the same thing for decades. The business world is a one track career until you retire.

In light of the whole argument of money being worth it for a job instead of love, I asked three people about money and dance. I asked a dance major, Kristin Dobson, the chairperson of the dance department, Nora Ambrosio and one of the dance professors Nola Nolen-Holland at Slippery Rock University.

Me: do you think pursuing a career in dance is worth it, even though money can be not very good?

Kristin: yes, I think you can dance and still make money you just have to be smart about it. One way to go about doing it is having a side job that doesn't take as much timeÐ'....like real estate.

Me: so money is not an issue for you, you have chosen dance because you love it

and not for the money that may come

from it?

Kris: exactly!

Me: Many big business men work for money. Was money ever a factor in your decisions when it cam to your career in dance?

Nola: No never. If I worked for the money, I don't know what I would have done. In the ballet company you are not paid very well. Especially when I was there because it was not part of the union but it is now. You did not make a living wage except for the principle dancers and the master.

Nora: No, But I never thought I would not be able to support myself. This is what I wanted to do and I knew I would find a way to support myself.

Naturally, a dancer or any other person interested in dance reading this article will think wait wasn't it said before that dance is not a very long lasting career? I did but in a sense it's not a long lasting career. The professional dancer's career can last anywhere from two to ten years, fifteen if they go without injury. However, once you are done professionally, there are numerous second career options open to you. Of course, some may need additional education such as becoming a dance therapist, or a dancewear/costume designer. Also just these options have many different sub types for each.

A costume designer is a good second career option because it can bring out a sort of expression in a different sense than just movement. Also it is an important job because studios all over the world put on recitals and each needing a different costume for its dance numbers.

There are three types of costume designers: a freelance designer,

a residential designer and an academic designer. A freelance designer is hired for a specific production by a company (can be dance or theatre), and may or may not actually be local to the company that they are designing for. A freelancer is traditionally paid in three installments; upon hire, on the delivery of final renderings, and opening night of

the production.

Freelancers are not obligated to any exclusivity in what projects they are working on, and may be designing for several theatres concurrently. Also a designer can even be established residential and academic designers may freelance on the side. A residential designer is hired by a specific theater, for an extended series of productions. This can be as short as a summer stock contract, or may be for many years. A residential designer's contract may limit the amounts of freelance work they are allowed to accept. Unlike the freelancer, a residential designer is consistently "on location" at the theater, and is readily at hand to work with the costume studio and his or her other