THE EVOLUTION OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
FOR DANCE IN ONTARIO:
CADA-ON AND THE PSD
CHRISTINA LOCHEAD
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN DANCE
YORK UNIVERSITY
TORONTO, ON
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1*1 Canada THE EVOLUTION OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR DANCE IN ONTARIO: CADA-ON AND THE PSD
By Christina Lochead
a thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of York University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS
©2009
Permission has been granted to the LIBRARY OF YORK UNIVERSITY to lend or sell copies of this thesis, to the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA to microfilm this thesis and to lend or sell copies of the film, and to UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS to publish an abstract of this thesis.
The author reserves other publication rights, and neither the thesis nor extensive extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's written permission. Abstract
This research investigates the Professional Standards for Dance (PSD), a document published by the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario Chapter
(CADA-ON). Members' use of the document, their thoughts regarding it, and their socioeconomic status (and any relationship between this and use of the document) are explored. Quantitative and qualitative approaches are taken, with data gathered principally via an online survey of the membership. Findings indicate that use of the document has contributed to feelings of empowerment and higher rates of pay for some members, although not for all. A difference is seen in use of the document when length time as a member is considered. These results are placed in context by a discussion of dance advocacy in Canada (focusing on the province of Ontario), as well as a review of the socioeconomic status of Canadian dancers in general.
IV To my parents, Anita Lloyd and Ian Lochead
For all of the love, support, encouragement, and driving - thank you. Acknowledgements
This work has been a collaboration in many ways. I am extremely grateful to
Elizabeth Chitty, whose keen interest, insight, generosity and patience made this project possible. The support of the CADA-ON board members, the membership at large, and the individuals who agreed to give their time, is also greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your participation in this venture. I hope you will find something useful in these pages.
My thanks also to Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt for providing steady guidance and support throughout the process; to Susan Cash for asking good questions at the right time; to Claire Wootten for her patience, advice and sense of humour; to Megan
Andrews for being so generous with her time and information; and to Anna
Blewchamp for inspiring me to begin in the first place.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of my friends and family, and of my partner David especially. I couldn't have done it without you.
VI TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract iv
List of Figures xi
1. Introduction 1
CADA-ON: The Organization 2
Research Questions 6
Objectivity 7
Delimitations 7
Limitations 8
2. Review of Literature 9
Early Development and Advocacy 11
Volunteers 12
Amateur Professionals 14
Critics Contribute 14
The Ballet Festivals 15
vii The Ballet Festival Association and the
Massey Commission 17
Dance In Canada Association 21
CAPDO 25
Canadian Dance Assembly 25
Dancer Transition Resource Centre 26
Early Reports 28
Recent Findings 31
The DTRC Study 33
3. Methodology 36
Preliminary Procedure 36
Content Focus 39
The Survey 41
The Sample 44
Instrumentation 45
Instrumentation - The Survey 46 viii Research Design 52
Data Analysis 52
4. Results 54
Part 1: Professional Standards for Dance 56
Part 2: Standard Demographic Data 66
5. Discussion 71
Part 1: Professional Standards for Dance 74
Letters of Agreement 78
Improvements to Income and Working
Conditions 81
Dispute Resolution 83
Open-Ended Questions 84
Part 2: Standard Demographic Data 87
Income 87
Income Sources 90
Education 91 ix Conclusions & Implications of the Research 93
Future Research Directions 94
Notes 96
Bibliography 98
Appendix A: CADA-ON PSD Version 1 Table of Contents 105
Appendix B: Survey Questions 106
X LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Number of Years as a CADA-ON Member 55
Figure 2: General PSD Use 57
Figure 3: General PSD Use by Membership Category 58
Figure 4: General Familiarity with PSD Guidelines for Working Conditions (All Respondents) 59
Figure 5: Familiarity with Working Condition Guidelines
By Years-As-Member 59
Figure 6: Use of LOA Exactly As Provided 60
Figure 7: Use of CADA-ON LOA as Basis for Own LOA/Contract 61
Figure 8: Use of LOA as a Template - As an Engager 62
Figure 9: Use of LOA as a Template - As an Engagee 62
Figure 10: Frequency of Written Contract Use (Any Type) 63
Figure 11: Frequency of Written Contract Use (Any Type) - by YAM 63
Figure 12: Improvements to Dance-Related Income and Working Conditions 64
Figure 13: PSD Creation / Writing Involvement 65 xi Figure 14: Types of CADA-ON Support Preferred 66
Figure 15: Dance-Related Income (2008) 67
Figure 16: Total Income (2008) 68
Figure 17: Dance-Related Income Sources (2008) 69
Figure 18: Other Income Sources (2008) 69
Figure 19: Dance-Related Education 70
Figure 20: Formal Education (Dance or Non-Dance Related) 70
Xll Introduction
In the spring of 2001,1 left York University for what I thought would be the last time. Having completed a BFA in Dance, I was eager to join the contemporary dance community in Toronto.
After six years of working mainly in Toronto as an independent contemporary dancer, dance teacher, and dance administrator, I began to wish for the opportunity to explore some aspects of my world in an academic environment. In 2007 I returned to
York to undertake a Master's Degree in Dance. I was interested in the realities of dancemaking - funding structures, arts councils, cultural policy, and advocacy. Above all, I was curious about the effects of these realities on dance artists.
When I returned to school, I focused first on the policy-related aspects of advocacy, completing a course in Cultural Policy through the Schulich School of
Business. This prompted me to initially focus on Ontario's Status of the Artist legislation. Further research, as well as a subsequent course in Ethnography, piqued my curiosity of the human element of dance advocacy. I wished for a way to combine my research interests and consider them within the context of the lived experiences of dance artists.
The opportunity to do this presented itself the following summer, when I took part in a workshop with Elizabeth Chitty, the newly-appointed Executive Director of the
Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario Chapter (CADA-ON). CADA-ON is an
-l - advocacy organization that is comprised of, and works to better the socioeconomic status of, dance artists in Ontario. Ms. Chitty expressed a wish for more information about how the Professional Standards for Dance (PSD), a set of guidelines C ADA-ON had published a few years earlier which concerned working conditions for dance artists, was being used by the membership. Having just written a story for a dance publication that briefly touched on recent changes to the organization, which had included some research into the PSD, I was also interested in knowing more. During a conversation following the workshop we discussed the need for more information about who was using the document, how often it was being used (if at all), and most importantly, what the members' experiences of it were.
We also discussed the lack of standard demographic information about the membership. As governments have become increasingly interested in the creative industries, statistical information regarding the socioeconomic status of artists has become useful to advocacy bodies.1 It was evident that the organization and its members would benefit from research into the socioeconomic status of the membership, as well as an in-depth, qualitative and quantitative study of the PSD and its role in the dance community.
CADA-ON: The Organization
The origins of CADA-ON are intertwined with the development of Canada's
Status of the Artist legislation. A brief history provides useful context and background.
-2- "Status of the Artist" is a broad phrase that encompasses all regulations, legislations and programs put in place by governments to protect artists or aid in raising their socio-economic status (Neil 2). In Canada, there has been a movement by advocacy groups to obtain official recognition for artists and the contributions they make to society, as well as to encourage governments to create or amend various laws in support of artists and their work. This movement has been ongoing since Canada became a signatory to the UNESCO Belgrade Commission Concerning the Status of the Artist in
1980.
In 1992, federal Status of the Artist legislation was passed. The effectiveness of the legislation currently is being debated (Neil 3-4, "A Brief History"). However, there were a number of positive events that occurred directly and indirectly as a result. One that concerns this project is the creation of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario
Chapter (C ADA-ON), which came about in part due to the consultation process that took place prior to the creation of the federal Status of the Artist Act. Initially, the impetus for creating the organization came from an effort by independent dance artists to take part in the legislation as it was developing during the late 1980s. Collective bargaining rights were being introduced, and independent contemporary dancers were concerned that they would not be represented by the existing union-based system the legislation favored
(Andrews 175).
CADA-ON formalized in 1990, and became provincially incorporated in 1995, just prior to the organization's attempt to gain bargaining rights for their members. However,
-3- CADA-ON did not win these rights, and was therefore unable to represent their members legally under the federal legislation. The right to represent dancers in Canada was assigned to the Canadian Actor's Equity Association (Equity), a union that had historically represented ballet dancers as well as musical theatre dancers. Equity continued to represent these groups, and dancers working outside of the union were left without official representation.2
Rather than see this as a setback, the founding members of CADA-ON saw it as "a luxury" (Chartier), a chance to create something new; an organization that would be responsive to their unique needs as artists. The organization continued to grow as members began to address the needs of the community by developing initiatives aimed at
"improving] the financial status and the physical and social working conditions of independent and company affiliated dance artists in Canada" (Andrews 178). An essential element of the organization is that it is member-driven. Through participation in the organization, members play advocacy roles in the dance community by contributing as board members or voluntarily participating in various initiatives. The initiative that provides the focus of this research is the Professional Standards for Dance (PSD).
There is evidence that beginning as early as 1988, CADA-ON members felt that written guidelines for dance employment practices within the Toronto-based independent dance community were needed (Chartier). It was hoped that by bringing certain issues to light, and encouraging members to begin to speak openly about fees and working conditions, the community would benefit from a mutual understanding of acceptable
-4- practices. Unable to fight for fairer fees and working conditions through the Status of the
Artist legislation, a document outlining acceptable standards for use by the community was thought to be the most practical approach to bettering the socioeconomic status and working conditions of members. Originally titled the Basic Dance Agreement, this document was written by various committees of members through a process that lasted over 10 years.3
After extensive debates and revisions, the document was finally published and officially launched in 2003, newly titled the Professional Standards for Dance (PSD). A
37-page booklet covered in blue card stock, it addresses areas such as the rights and responsibilities of the dancer, choreographer, and producer; suggested fees and working conditions, and various other issues such as bereavement leave, discrimination, and termination (see Appendix A for a full list of guidelines).
Despite its official language, the PSD is not a legal document. Adherence to it is voluntary, and those who were involved in the writing of it have emphasized the notion that it contains suggestions only; from the beginning, the organization wished to avoid any likening to a "dance police" (Andrews 179; Chattier; Lee).
CADA-ON also developed a Letter of Agreement (LOA), or contract template, to accompany the PSD. Members can use this template as provided, or alter it to suit the needs of a specific project. Encouraging members to use contracts and work transparently was a primary focus of the organization, and the PSD was created in part to aid this (Andrews 178-9; Chartier).
-5- What makes CADA-ON and its PSD unique is that the organization does not only represent performers or producers, as a union such as Equity does. Members are often both, and more. It has been referred to as a "many hats" system (Andrews 177; Chattier;
Lee). Members play various roles, including (but not limited to) dancer, choreographer, producer, artistic director and administrator - often all in the same week. The nature of independent dance is such that artists work together in various ways, supporting each other, engaging others in and being engaged in multiple projects at a time. Therefore, a unique set of guidelines was needed to reflect this practice.
Today, CADA-ON has approximately 150 members.4 Over the past five years, the document has been available to the membership and the community at large. Little is known about its use, other than anecdotally. Additionally, due to the nature of the organization and its often desperate lack of funding over the years, little demographic information has been gathered about the membership. As a result, not much is known about the socioeconomic status of CADA-ON members.
Research Questions
The principal aim of this research is to investigate CADA-Ontario's PSD. How has the document been used by the organization's members? What effects do members feel it has had on their socioeconomic or working conditions? What elements of the document do members feel are working well, and what needs improvement?
-6- Objectivity
As an independent dance artist working principally in the Toronto area, I had been a member of CADA-ON for approximately five years before undertaking this study.5
This influenced the research in various ways. My relative "insider" status provided access to this group of artists, which may have been difficult to obtain otherwise. A moderate level of trust existed from the beginning which affected my interactions with the participants. While I did not know every member personally, many were familiar to me (and I to them) due to the relatively small, tightly-knit nature of the community.
As some members were also friends, casual conversations influenced much of the early research. These helped me to discern which elements of the document were discussed most often, as well as which elements made people uncomfortable and needed to be dealt with carefully. This knowledge, in combination with my personal experience of using the document, greatly informed the design of this study.
Delimitations
An online survey was created to carry out this research. CADA-ON members participated by answering a series of multiple-choice and open-ended questions regarding the PSD as well as standard demographic information. The survey was available from March 4 until April 6 2009, 24 hours a day. Members utilized their own internet connections to access the survey at their convenience.
All participants were CADA-ON members. PSD-related questions focused only on
-7- experience of the document over the last five years, as the focus of this research was to explore members' use since the document was released in 2003. These questions also mainly concerned fees, working conditions, Letters of Agreement (LOA) and dispute resolution, and did not deal directly with all areas covered by the PSD.
Most questions were framed to explore members' opinions and feelings about the
PSD. The intention behind structuring questions in this way was to avoid vague responses such as "I don't know", and allow the study to focus on members' experiences of the document.
Questions regarding income were limited to 2008 earnings only. Participants were asked to indicate dance and non-dance related incomes by choosing from approximation brackets, rather than entering exact incomes.
Limitations
This research, while carried out in survey form, is principally qualitative. Some quantitative analysis of the data has been done, but due in part to the research design as well as to an inadequate number of responses, it is not possible to extrapolate from the data collected to make statements about the membership in general. However, the results do provide interesting insight into some ways in which the document is being used.
The research, reflection, and writing related to this project has taken approximately one year. It is my hope that what follows will be of use to CADA-ON and its members, as well as to advocacy organizations, politicians, members of the dance community at large, and all those interested in the lived experiences of our artists.
-8- Review of Literature
The goal of this research is to contribute to what has been an ongoing effort to raise awareness of the lived experience of dancers in Canada. While arguments for the arts can be found in abundance, arguments for (and information about) those who make dance are still scarce. Fortunately, the situation is improving. Unfortunately, we still have far to go. This research has been undertaken in the spirit of advocacy, with the hope that those who participated directly have benefitted by doing so, and that the end result may provide insight and information for any interested parties. It is also a largely descriptive exercise, providing a snapshot of - and as a result, some insight into - the lives of dancers. While it is not my intention to create direct change for the members of
CADA-ON, it is my hope that the end result will further enable and empower them to continue creating change for themselves.
A look at the history of dance advocacy in Canada will provide an introduction to this research. It will be followed by a recounting of what is known about the past and present socioeconomic realities of the lives of dancers, to highlight the necessity of advocacy work.
This research has focused primarily on an Ontario-based organization. However,
CADA-ON exists in part as a result of various events and advocacy efforts that have taken place over time, and on a national level. Therefore, this review will begin at the beginning, with the early development of western concert dance in Canada. When
-9- relevant, I will turn to events occurring in Ontario. My intention with this work is not to press too deeply into the histories of the various groups that have advocated for dance in this country, nor to list the contributions of every individual involved.6 Rather, it is to provide an overview of the major events and organizations that have contributed along the way, highlighting certain trends and creating a perspective from which to view the work of CADA-ON, and this research. Both are taking part in a conversation that has been ongoing for over a century, and will likely continue for some time.
Advocacy in Canada
The story of dance in Canada... can be seen as a metaphor for the development of Canada itself - the gradual evolution, against all odds and in the face of two colonizing cultures, of a body of activity unique to this northern place. (Wyman, Dance in Canada 9)
The history of dance in Canada is rich and varied. The history of dance advocacy, intertwined with the development of the art form itself, highlights the heroic efforts of those who fought to have both the art form, and those who practice it, accepted and even celebrated by the general public. "Against all odds" indeed did they do this, their efforts paving the way for future generations to live and work as artists.
When I set out to research the history of dance advocacy in Canada, I was initially held up by the lack of information regarding the socioeconomic status and lived experiences of dancers in the early twentieth century. Records of their income and
-10- working conditions have been hard to come by. Rather than calling for an improvement to the lives of dancers, early advocacy efforts all appeared to be focused on educating audiences about dance, and gathering support for the art form. As arguments for the arts are commonplace today, I passed over these at first, looking for accounts of organizations and individuals working specifically to improve the lives of dancers.
Eventually it dawned on me that although Canada has a rich and varied history of professional and non-professional dance activities, general acceptance of the art form as a serious, professional career is a relatively recent development. This acceptance is due in part to the work of groups and individuals who, out of necessity, worked first to legitimize the art form in this country; or rather, those who strove to legitimize the work of Canadian performers in what began as a transplanted, European-associated art form.
Dancers, and their living and working conditions, could not be advocated for until the art form itself- practiced and performed by Canadians - was accepted by the general public.
Early Development and Advocacy
The development in Canada of western concert dance, namely ballet and modern dance, has been recorded and reviewed by a number of scholars and authors.8 European colonizers, beginning in the 16th century, brought dances that reflected their various cultures and countries of origin. Ballet, a preeminent form of entertainment in Europe for centuries, gained popularity in North America as European and then American
-11 - companies began to travel and perform in the US and Canada in the late 19 and early
20th centuries.
There are accounts of ballet schools existing in Canada as early as 1737 (Crabb,
Dance Today 6). There are also various records of Canadian-trained dancers leaving to pursue dance careers in the USA and Europe throughout the 19th century (Wyman Dance
Canada 20-32). Clearly, Canadians have been dancing for some time. However, the professionalization of Canadian ballet and modern dance generally is agreed to have begun with the early work of a few pioneers in the 1930s.
At that time, Boris Volkoff, June Roper, Gwenyth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, as well as a host of others, began to develop professional dance studios and companies in their cities. Working in Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg respectively, all four had immigrated to Canada, yet all, particularly Volkoff and Lloyd, worked to develop
Canadian talent and create Canadian-themed productions.
Volunteers
As Canada was without a tradition of private patronage or government funding for the arts, these pioneers struggled to produce work with little financial support, often relying on the donations of private funders and the aid of volunteers. Lloyd and Farrally, working in Winnipeg, benefitted particularly from volunteer efforts. They emigrated from England in 1938, and thanks in part to the support of local enthusiasts, founded both a ballet school and company the same year. The Winnipeg Ballet's Women's
- 12- Committee, led by the formidable Lady Tupper, organized fundraising events in support of the ballet and encouraged its members to make donations, among other efforts (Smith
203). These contributions subsidized new works and allowed for dancers to occasionally be paid meager honoraria for performing - in the 1940s, Winnipeg dancers received $3 per show (Smith 203; Wyman 14). While "patron" may be a more appropriate description than "advocate" here, the roles these women (and men) played involved advocating for Canadian dance - a relatively unknown phenomenon at the time, particularly in Winnipeg.
Volunteers played an essential role in Toronto as well, with their support of Celia
Franca'a National Ballet Company beginning in the 1950s. The company's very existence is due largely to the work of a few feisty balletomanes, who set out to create a company that would, among other things, pay its dancers from the start (Smith 209). The company's own legion of female supporters, the National Ballet Guilds, consisted of pockets of women in various regions of the country who supported the ballet and the dancers by facilitating tours of the company to their communities. While only the
Toronto chapter remains today, it continues to play various roles in support of the company. While supporting the ballet may have been the fashionable thing to do, it was also a necessary step for the development of the company as well as for the art form.
These advocacy efforts were essential to the development of the first professional ballet companies in Canada.
-13- Amateur Professionals
It should be noted, however, that the first companies were 'professional' in approach rather than in practice; volunteer efforts provided most of the support, including those of company dancers who generally worked for free, or were paid very little. There are few accounts of dancers receiving payment for rehearsal or performance in these early days. While it appears as though Winnipeg dancers may have been paid a small honorarium for performing in the 1940s (as mentioned above), there are various references to dancers across the country generally dancing without pay and supporting themselves by holding regular full- or part-time jobs in other areas (Wyman 35; Smith
202, 209; Crabb Dance Today 13, 23). By day they were shopkeepers, factory workers, secretaries - young dancers who would come to the studio after a full day's work, to begin a long evening of rehearsals.
Despite the lack of pay and resultant amateur status of the performers, the early dance pioneers strove to create professional-level dancers and dance productions.
Critics Contribute
Early interviews and news clippings indicate that Lloyd, Volkoff and others struggled to have their Canadian version of ballet taken seriously by the general public.
Ballet was considered a Russian art form, so much so that in order to be taken seriously,
Canadian (and American) dancers would adopt Russian names upon joining professional
American ballet companies (Wyman Dance in Canada 31-3).
-14- Critics and reviewers also played advocacy roles, with interviews and press mentions often functioning as the only line of communication between early dance companies and their audiences, governments, and even each other. Thus, critics' encouragement (or discouragement) of the young companies made a significant contribution. In 1945, one critic made a recommendation that may have had a lasting effect on the dance community in Canada. In a November 1945 issue of Saturday Night, arts writer Paul Duval publicly called for a national ballet company for Canada, as well as for a national ballet conference in which participants and interested parties could exchange ideas and address common needs (Wyman 38). This call was not answered directly; in fact it may not have been answered at all if not for a seemingly unfortunate
(yet ultimately advantageous) series of events.
The Ballet Festivals
By the time DuvalPs article was published in 1945, Canada had at least two
'professional' ballet companies, the Winnipeg Ballet Club (later known as the Royal
Winnipeg Ballet) and Toronto's Volkoff Canadian Ballet (Franca's National Ballet would emerge a few years later, in 1951). In 1947, both Volkoff and Lloyd's companies were invited to a ballet festival in Paris; when neither company could raise enough money to go, David Yeddeau, an early and dedicated patron of the Winnipeg club, travelled to Toronto and approached Volkoff about creating a national ballet festival.
He was successful, and in 1948 the first Canadian Ballet Festival took place in
-15- Winnipeg. Despite environmental and financial complications, the event was a success.
Three companies attended: the Winnipeg Club, Volkoffs Canadian Ballet and a modern troupe from Montreal led by Ruth Sorel. Much excitement was generated by this event, both within the dance community and without. The festival continued for six years, and while the level of professionalism was often questioned due to the dancers' technical achievements as well as their amateur status, the ballet festivals had a lasting effect on future advocacy efforts as well as on the status of dance in Canada.
One development that occurred as a direct result was the creation of what could arguably be considered Canada's first national dance advocacy body, the Canadian
Ballet Festival Association (alternately referred to as the Canadian Ballet Associates).
By the end of the first festival, Lloyd, Volkoff, Sorel and others had organized themselves into this association, with an initial mandate to recruit members and prepare for future festivals. However, in its third year it contributed to the future of dance in
Canada in a far more lasting way by representing Canadian dance to the Royal
Commission on the Arts, Letters and Sciences, referred to as "The Massey
Commission". One result of this Commission was the eventual creation of the Canada
Council for the Arts, a national granting agency that would contribute substantially to the professionalization of the art form. This development is significant to the history of dance advocacy in Canada.
-16- The Ballet Festival Association and the Massey Commission
During the years 1949-1951, the Massey Commission, appointed by the Canadian government, travelled the country in order to investigate the state of 'Culture' in Canada.
In the publication of their findings, The Report of the Royal Commission on National
Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences (1951), 'Culture' was defined as "that part of education which enriches the mind and refines the taste" (7). This undertaking was an attempt by the government to assess the state of high art in the country, and to receive recommendations regarding future plans for its development. The language of the report suggests that the growing influence of American culture in Canada was seen as a threat to the Canadian psyche, and subsequently to the country itself. There is much rhetoric within the report concerning the fostering of a national identity through cultural development. The end of WWII, a growing threat of communism and recent advances in communication technology all appear to have contributed to increased anxiety over the dissemination of cultural products .
Members of the Canadian Ballet Festival Association played a critical advocacy role in this process by presenting a brief to the Commission, prepared specifically for the occasion. This unified, 'national' group impressed the commission with the information they were able to present on the history and state of ballet in Canada.
The findings of the report with regard to the dance community are a reflection of the generally low profile of dance at the time. The commission appeared to be pleasantly surprised that Canadian dance existed; it is not mentioned in the initial Order in Council,
-17- and is generally passed over when similar art forms are discussed throughout the report.
However, the development of Canadian ballet was seen by the commission as a positive and time-worthy undertaking, despite - or perhaps because of - its European roots. It appears the members of the Massey Commission, while intent on fostering
Canadian culture and identity, still clung to British-based ideals of high art. It is likely that a Canadian approach to this highly-regarded art form appealed to them for this reason.
The report stipulated that in order for dance and its audience to flourish, the sector was in need of financial assistance. Rehearsal space shortages, the costs of touring, a shortage of qualified teachers, the absence of a school for advanced training, and a lack of scholarships for talented individuals were all cited as obstacles to the growth of
Canadian dance. While no direct mention is made of the poor working conditions suffered by the artists, or the lack of pay for their efforts, the common practice of dancers leaving the country for training and paid work available elsewhere are cited as major stumbling blocks to the development of Canadian talent (203). The Commission called for the implementation of a funding program to address these difficulties, as none existed at that point. The expensive nature of the art form was referred to numerous times; particular mention was made of the European tradition of funding the ballet through private and public avenues (202).
A number of policies and institutions were developed as a result of the
Commission's findings. One such result was the creation, in 1957, of the Canada Council
-18- for the Arts. This arms-length agency of the federal government was modeled on the
Arts Council of Great Britain, and was charged with providing financial support for various artists and arts organizations throughout the country. The Council, along with the provincial and municipal arts councils that developed in its wake, exists today as a crucial source of support for many Canadian artists and arts organizations.
While not an advocacy body per se, the financial support of the Council certainly has had an effect on the lives and working conditions of dancers in Canada. While there is evidence that Council funding was not enough to fully cover costs in the beginning, funding from the arts councils enabled the institution of a regular wage for dancers working in the major companies. This contributed a great deal to the professionalization of the art form in Canada, enabling dance, at least in the ballet community, to evolve from a hobby into a career.
By 1954, the "big three" - Lloyd's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ludmilla Chiriaeff s
Les Grands Ballets du Montreal,9 and Franca's National Ballet10 - had developed considerably. The Ballet Festival Association had achieved its goal, "to build a professional milieu for Canadian dancers, to promote non-competitive, all-Canadian creation, and to increase national awareness of dance" (Anderson 118-19). While more achievements may have been gained by the presentation of a united front, competition for recognition - and eventually, the Council support that came with it - divided the largest companies. The ballet festivals occurred no more, and the work of the organization that had grown along with it ceased. In a sense, the Canadian Ballet Festival
-19- and its Association became the first in a series of dance advocacy efforts to collapse partly as a result of competition for recognition between members.
The creation of the Canada Council in 1957 was followed by the creation of various provincial arts councils, including the Ontario Arts Council in 1963. In 1967, the
Canada Council created a dance-specific section, and in 1969 it began funding modern dance as well as ballet (although most funding went to ballet: in 1969, 87% of dance funding was shared between the three ballet companies; 11% went to Les Feux Follets, a
Canadian folk dance group; and 2% went to modern dance). The Ontario Arts Council
(OAC) funded modern dance as well, and in 1981 the OAC developed a more inclusive approach that allowed for artists practicing non-western forms of dance to receive support as well. The Canada Council shortly followed suit (Cornell, Dance Defined 416).
As a result of increased funding, as well as a spike in popular interest in dancing, professional dance practice in Canada grew quickly in the first few years after the
Canada Council was founded.
The work of early advocates, who fought for dance before they could fight for dancers, was necessary. As more organizations arose to provide support for artists and the arts, the legitimization of Canadian dance required somewhat less effort and attention. In its place, advocates for dancers, as well as for alternate versions of the art form, began to speak up. The first of these was the Dance in Canada Association
(DICA).
-20- Dance In Canada Association
While there is evidence that modern dance was taught and practiced throughout the early 20th century in Canada, it joined the mainstream dance community and blossomed as an art form in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The sweeping social reforms that occurred in the 1960s contributed immensely to this. The baby-boomer generation had its effect on dance as it did on every other aspect of cultural life during that decade. By the early 1970s, young modern dance artists had exploded onto the Canadian scene, bucking convention and questioning the accepted aesthetics, standards and definitions of dance (especially ballet). A new degree program in dance at York Universty in Toronto, begun in 1970, spurred this movement on. Headed by Grant Strate, this program and others in the United States (and later, in Canada) provided young adults with alternate routes to becoming dance artists. The ballet conservatory was no longer the only place to train in dance, and as a result the conservatory-approved ideals of excellence no longer dictated dance creation. Young dancers from various backgrounds, including those who had studied at York as well as ballet "expats," joined forces to forge new artistic paths, contributing significantly to the unprecedented modern dance boom in Canada. This group began as their predecessors had, advocating for an art form before they could advocate for those who practiced it. In these artists the determined, pioneering dance spirit continued, although their journey was in some ways shorter, due to the groundwork that had been laid by earlier efforts. In other ways - coming as they did, after the first wave of professional companies who had created relationships with funders and had
-21- "first dibs" on the council's overstretched resources - these young professionals had to defend their craft from criticism on all sides, and fight for recognition and support.
In an effort to better understand the needs of the country's ever-expanding dance community, the Canada Council initiated a conference in 1972 at York University. With much surprise, attendees discovered the sheer number of dance professionals working across the country. A "nation-wide community with a sense of itself' (Wyman 14) was born, and the result was the creation, one year later, of the Dance In Canada Association
(DICA).
Headed at first by Grant Strate, whose role as Chair of the York dance department ensured the involvement of many young dancers from that program, DICA was an umbrella organization consisting of "amateurs and professionals, dancers and teachers, directors and managers, theorists and critics" (Crabb, Dance Today 36). Representing both ballet and modern (and other) forms of dance, the organization's mandate included providing service, communication, education and advocacy for these membership groups. It provided these principally through the publication of a monthly newsletter, a quarterly magazine and annual conferences.
In 1977, tensions between members reached a breaking point. A dividing line appeared between those who were receiving funding from the Canada Council for the
Arts, and wished to maintain their relationships with the Council, and those who were not receiving funding, and subsequently wished to take the Council to task for favoritism, elitism and "trying to engineer the regional and aesthetic evolution of the art
-22- form" (Wyman and Crabb, Dance History). While the separation was not determined entirely by the ballet/modern divide - some modern companies were receiving funding - the latter group consisted mainly of modern dance artists. Later that year, eight of the organizations who were receiving Council funding broke off to form the Canadian
Alliance of Professional Dance Organizations (CAPDO), and DICA shifted its focus to lobbying the Canada Council for increased transparency and funding to modern dance.
This shift in focus took the form of government lobbying, conferences and the continued publication of the newsletter and magazine. Regional arms were developed as well. However, the organization's activities slowed considerably in the 1980s. Its early growth had benefitted from a widespread 'dance boom' and an increase in trained practitioners. By 1989 the country was in the midst of a recession and the organization, which had played an integral role in the professionalization of the modern dance artist, ceased to exist. Although it had grown to function as a separate entity, the Association's quarterly publication, Dance in Canada Magazine, halted publication shortly after.
Writing after the 1977 annual conference, Susan Cohen (then editor of Dance in
Canada Magazine) summed up the unique role that DICA played in the community:
Whatever else the conference demanded... the dance community made one major statement - artists now want a say in how decisions that affect their lives are arrived at and want to be responsible for themselves and the presentation of their art. By providing an atmosphere of questioning and an opportunity to exchange artistic and political ideas, the Association has been responsible for that. (Cohen 2)
-23- One element of DICA that continues to operate today is Dance Ontario, a service organization that began as a regional arm of the national body. Dance Ontario was incorporated in 1985, with a mandate to foster development for dancers as well as others working in the dance field. Their current mission includes efforts to "promote and support the advancement of all forms of dance in Canada, and in particular, dance in the province of Ontario, and create a unified voice on regional and Canadian dance issues"
("History"), among other activities. Their work is undertaken on behalf of professional companies, independent dancers, choreographer, teachers, writers, administrators, technicians and others.
This organization's role in the development of CADA-ON is significant to my research. In 1985, Dance Ontario approached three dancers working in Toronto, Marie-
Josee Chattier, Maxine Heppner and Pat Fraser, and invited them to participate in an assessment of modern dance in Ontario. During this assesment period they were also approached by Joysanne Sidimus and Jean-Pierre Perrault, two members of the Canadian
Advisory Committee on Status of the Artist. Sidimus and Perrault were involved in consultations with the dance community regarding aspects of the upcoming Status of the
Artist legislation12, and knew that once the legislation had been created, the dance community would require an organizational body to represent it. Sidimus and Perrault encouraged Chattier, Heppner and Fraser to create an organization that would fill this role. Largely as a result of this, the three dancers, along with others, founded the
Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario Chapter (CADA-ON). While CADA-ON
-24- is not directly associated with Dance Ontario, the provincial service organization contributed in this way to its development. CADA-ON and its initiatives form the focal point of this research.
CAPDO
C APDO, the faction of largely council-funded dance organizations that had broken away from DICA in 1977, became incorporated in 1981. One year later, this group collaborated with a management company to write, with funding from the federal
Department of Supplies & Services as well as the Department of Communications, a report concerning the state of dance in Canada. This report, entitled Simply Dance:
Inside Canadian Professional Dance, provided an in-depth look at the workings and concerns of ballet and modern companies at the time.
Due in part to its self-imposed isolation from the rest of the dance community,
CAPDO ceased to function in the late 1990s. However, members of its board continued an informal network, and in 2001, some gathered to begin discussing the possibility of forming a new advocacy body. As a result, the Canadian Dance Assembly was launched in 2002.
Canadian Dance Assembly
The Canadian Dance Assembly (CDA) has made great strides in the few years it has been in existence, focusing on advocating on a grand scale. According to its current
-25- mandate, it "exists to facilitate the dynamic exchange of information relevant to
Canadian professional dance of all forms and aesthetics" ("Vision Statement"). Similar to the goals of DICA and CAPDO, the organization aims to improve advocacy, education, research and development, communication, and professional development efforts. This is done in the service of various groups of stakeholders within the dance community. Interestingly, the organization's rhetoric emphasizes the involvement of its members; efforts are being made to include all members of the dance community, and have all members participate in the organization's activities. The CD A also focuses on developing and maintaining relationships with other arts services, with whom they present a united front when lobbying government bodies (Canadian Dance Assembly).
Currently, the CD A and CADA-ON work together on various initiatives. The CD A has also worked closely with the Dancer Transition Resource Centre.
Dancer Transition Resource Centre (DTRC)
In 1985, Joysanne Sidimus founded the Dancer Transition Resource Centre, an organization that exists today to "[help] dancers make necessary transitions into, within and from professional performing careers" (Dancer Transition Resource Centre). Now a national organization, it has offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax. Its mandate includes "operating] as a resource centre for the dance community and the general public by providing seminars, educational materials, networking and information, as well as supporting activities that enhance the socio-economic conditions
-26- of artists" (Dancer Transition Resource Centre). These activities have included a national survey of dancers in Canada, the first of its kind, undertaken in 2004. The findings of this survey will be discussed below.
The DTRC is unique in that it provides support directly to dancers as they face various challenges throughout their careers. The work of this organization has thus far gone largely undocumented, however, a volume of writing celebrating the centre's work
(edited by Michael Crabb) currently is in production.
The work of early advocates, who fought for dance before they could fight for dancers, created change in the minds of the general public, and opened up avenues and career options for future generations of dancers to pursue. The fact that the federal Status of the Artist legislation research was undertaken only 40 years after the Massey
Commission "discovered" dance in Canada highlights the great strides that have been made by individuals and organizations over the years, in terms of fighting for the recognition of artists and their sacrifices. Efforts to have the dance career accepted as a legitimate undertaking have succeeded to some degree. However, the reality of current working conditions for dancers, as well as the relative ineffectiveness of much of
Canada's arts-based legislation, indicate the necessity of continuing these efforts. This is made particularly clear when the socioeconomic status and working conditions of artists within Canada are considered (and especially when they are compared to those of artists in other countries).13 The following discussion will provide a brief overview of what is known about the socioeconomic realities of the dance career, in Canada as well as in
-27- Ontario. Once again, major themes will be highlighted to provide context for the study at the centre of this research.
Early Reports
Information regarding the socioeconomic status of dancers before 1957 is difficult to come by. As discussed earlier, there is some evidence that in general, ballet and modern dancers were not paid for the majority of their performance or rehearsal time until the 1950s. With the advent of the Canada Council more funding became available, but circumstances still were often dire for companies and dancers in the years that followed.
In the early 1970s, the Canada Council's dance section, in partnership with
McKinsey and Company, a management consulting firm based in Toronto, undertook a study of dance in Canada. In 1973, the results were published in Directions for the
Dance in Canada. The study was undertaken as part of an assessment process aimed at elucidating the challenges facing the sector. The results were intended to "help build a stronger case for the performing arts" (McKinsey and Company i).
The report focused mainly on issues plaguing dance organizations, rather than those of concern to individual dancers. However, some knowledge about the general conditions for dancers can be gleaned. Ballet dancers were reported to earn approximately $5,400 annually, and modern dancers earned on average $2,500. The report notes that these numbers put ballet dancers marginally above the 1971 LICO14 for
-28- a family of 4, and modem dancers marginally above the LICO for a single person (living in a large city). Unfortunately, the statistics used to garner this information are not clarified in the report, and so it is difficult to verify this information. The report notes that in 1971, the average Canadian single-person income was $6,400, resulting in a 15% income gap between the highest-paid dancers and the average Canadian. The report argues, not surprisingly, that in order for the quality of dance performances to continue to rise, more money had to be spent to ensure dancers would be able to continue training and performing.
Ten years later, a second report was produced that sheds a little more light on the development of working conditions for dancers in Canada. In 1982, the organizations who had broken away from DICA to form CAPDO collaborated with the federal
Departments of Services & Supplies and Communications as well as a private accounting firm to publish Simply Dance: Inside Canadian Professional Dance. This undertaking was prompted by another action of the Canada Council, the Federal Cultural
Policy Review, being carried out by a commission headed by Louis Applebaum.
Eventually known as the Applebaum-Hebert Commission, this group was instructed to research the state of cultural policy in Canada and to make recommendations for future directions, similar to the work of the Massey Commission thirty-five years earlier. The members of CAPDO were concerned that no representative of the dance community had been appointed to the commission; the Simply Dance report was written to fill what they perceived to be a void in the commission's activities.
-29- Simply Dance highlights the often grueling conditions and realities faced by dancers at the time. References are made to long rehearsal days, frequent injuries, unsafe dieting practices, all for a weekly sum of $150-$300 (23). In "a good year," a modern dancer is cited to earn at most $8,500 (23). This number seems high when current levels of income are considered, as will be discussed below. However, later in the report a
"typical" modern dancer is said to earn approximately $5,000 per year, significantly less than the single-person LICO for 1980 of $5,822 (122). Typical ballet dancers are reported to have earned more, with annual incomes ranging from $11,000 to $21,200.
The amount of time each "type" of dancer spends working is noted, however, with an emphasis on the difference between the two groups. Modern dancers were reported to work an average of 29 weeks per year, whereas ballet dancers worked 45 weeks per year, according to the report (122).
Both Directions for the Dance and Simply Dance focused principally on issues faced by ballet companies, although the latter report does make reference to typical salaries and working conditions of modern dancers. Simply Dance briefly discusses the role that unions have played in increasing dancers' salaries. It also calls attention to the general instability of employment in the sector, particularly for modern dancers (who are noted to work for the most part outside of the security of unions). The report notes that it was common practice for modern dancers to work until a company ran out of income, at which point they were forced to collect Employment Insurance or find part-time work, until the company was able to pay them once again (23).
-30- While some general understanding of the challenges facing dancers can be gleaned from both the Applebaum-Hebert Report (Canada, Report of the Federal Cultural Policy
Review Committee) and a later, similar undertaking of the Canada Council in 1999
(Canada, A Sense of Place, A Sense of Being), it is in 2001 that we begin to see a clearer picture of the socioeconomic realities of the dancer in Canada.
Recent Findings
The 1991 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), developed by Statistics
Canada and used by Canadian citizens to define their occupation for the national population census, was the first to include "dancer" and other artist categories as an occupational option. The inclusion of artist categories in the national census has allowed advocacy bodies to gather and disseminate information about different artists groups far more easily than in the past. Information gathered from the 2001 census was analyzed by
Kelly Hill in 2004, resulting in a report that has been quoted and referred to by governments, advocacy bodies, and various other organizations and individuals at length.
Information from the report was utilized in the 2004 consultation process undertaken by the Government of Ontario's Ministers Advisory Council for Arts and Culture, which eventually led to the creation of Ontario's Status of the Artist legislation.
The most pertinent findings of the study are also utilized in a later report by the same researcher, based on the 2006 census. This report compares and contrasts findings from the 1991, 2001 and 2006 census reports. A look at the findings of the more recent
-31- report allows for a clearer picture of the socioeconomic status of dancers today.
According to the findings of the most recent national census, in 2006, 62% of artists in Canada earned less than the LICO for a single person in a large (500,000+) community, set at $20,800 (Statistics Canada). In general, dancers fared the worst of the nine artist groups, earning the least amount on average (9). Their average annual earnings were found to be $13,167, and their median earnings even lower, at approximately $8,340. This represents a 64% gap and a 69% gap, respectively, between the earnings of dancers and those of Canadians on average (11). Interestingly, female dancers were found to earn less on average than male dancers; however, the gap between the sexes, 28%, was less than that found between average female and male Canadians
(36%). While it is encouraging that the gap is smaller here than in other employment categories, it is still stunning that in a community composed of 86% women, men still earn more on average (12). University-educated artists were found to earn, on average,
38% more than their non-university-educated counterparts. However, university- educated artists still earned significantly less on average than Canadians without a post- secondary education (17).
According to the Hill Strategies report, there has been significant growth in the dance community in terms of numbers of dancers. In 1991, 4,190 dancers were reported working in Canada; in 2001, 6,865 were reported; and in 2006, 7,330 people reported that their principal source of income was through dance. This is a 75% increase since
1991 and a 7% increase since 2001. It should be noted that dancers who reported no
-32- income for the week of May in which the census was taken were excluded from the study. In 2006 this was approximately 800 dancers, or 10% of all dancers in Canada.
This number is similar to other artists groups; on average, 11% of artists reported no employment for the week of the 2006 census (10).
The Hill Strategies report highlights a general decrease in earnings for dancers between 2001 and 2006, coupled with increases in the number of individuals reporting income from the sector. Earnings for artists in general decreased 11% between 1991 and
2006.When adjusted for inflation, this number rises to 14%. The earning gap between artists and the overall population increased between 1991 and 2006, rising from 23% to
37% in fifteen years (34).
Dancers fared particularly badly. Their average earnings were reported to have gone from $17,498 in 1991 to $16,361 in 2001, to $13,167 in 2006. When inflation is factored in, this constitutes a -25% change since 1991. Only actors and visual artists experienced a slightly larger drop in earnings over the same time period; however, the differences between the three groups were minimal (35).
The DTRC Study
Finally, the results of the first and to this date only national survey of dance artists in Canada must be considered. Conducted in 2004 by the Dancer Transition Resource
Centre (DTRC), this study surveyed active dance professionals across the country, resulting in an insightful and revealing look at the realities of the dance career.
-33- While data was gathered from significantly fewer respondents than from the
Statistics Canada census (489 active dance professionals), the results can still be considered statistically significant. For the purposes of this research, it is useful to note that 33% of respondents to the DTRC's study resided in Ontario.
Dancers in this study were found to earn - as dancers - an average of $18,000 annually. Their median earnings were $11,000 (8). This study is unique in that it separated questions regarding income levels and sources into dance-related and non- dance-related categories, for increased clarification. When dance-related earnings only are considered, 51% of respondents earned less than the single-person LICO for 2004, set at $16,853 (Statistics Canada). However, 47% of dancers reported earning income from either self-employment or non-dance-related employment. The average and median total incomes are therefore slightly different, with dancers earning on average $22,000 annually. Median earnings were found to be $19,000 (9). When total incomes are considered, 37% of dancers still fell below the 2004 single-person LICO. The top five income sources included performance, teaching, choreography, grants, and rehearsal direction (8). One third of dancers in the study were found to have an undergraduate or post-graduate education (6).
The situation of dancers in Canada is dire. Although the sector saw an increase in employment and income in the 1970's, these have steadily declined. While more people are dancing, income levels are going down. This is worrisome when the numbers show that dancers have consistently earned low incomes, and that living below the poverty line
-34- has been the norm. Clearly, efforts to halt this process must be increased before the sector deteriorates completely. Many organizations and individuals are working to make changes in this area. The work of C ADA-Ontario, an advocacy organization working to improve the lives and working conditions of its members, has attempted this in part through the Professional Standards for Dance. This document, written over a period of
10 years and released in 2003, has guided and shaped dancers' experiences of independent dance employment in various ways. The following study takes a look at the document, the dancers who use it, and the role it is playing in Canada's independent dance community.
-35- Methodology
The principal aim of this research is to investigate CADA-Ontario's Professional
Standards for Dance (PSD), with a primary focus on how the document has been used by the organization's members, and what effects these members feel it has had on their socioeconomic or working conditions. I also attempted to gain an understanding of the members' feelings toward the document in terms of which elements are working well, and in what ways other elements could be improved.
This research was carried out through the administration of an online survey that focused on gathering information about members' use of CADA-ON's PSD as well as standard demographic data about the membership. The intent of this research was threefold: to provide CADA-ON members with the opportunity to evaluate the document and share their thoughts with the community and the organization; to gather evidence for the organization about the use of the document; and to gain an understanding of how the membership might compare demographically with similar populations of artists in
Canada.
Preliminary Procedure
During a workshop attended in June 2008 by myself and Elizabeth Chitty, who was then the newly-appointed Executive Director of CADA-Ontario, Ms. Chitty
-36- expressed a wish to have more knowledge about the PSD document and its use in the community. Having just written a story for a dance publication that briefly touched on recent changes to CADA-ON, including work that had just begun on revising the PSD, I was also interested in knowing more. After a series of conversations, we agreed that
Master's-level research of the PSD would fulfill both the organization's needs as well as my personal and academic interests.
Due to the member-driven nature of the organization it was important to have the research approved by the CADA-ON board of trustees, as well as its members. In June
2008 a proposal was presented to the board members, outlining my goals for the research and asking for their permission to undertake it. Their approval was granted at the last board meeting before they adjourned for summer.
In September 2009,1 attended CADA-ON's Annual General Meeting and was given a few minutes in which to explain the research to the membership. The members in attendance were also asked for their opinions on a few aspects of the research design.
This preliminary research was conducted in the form of an open group discussion, due to time constraints. The members responded well to questions about their availability, their preferred method of filling out surveys, and their level of comfort with sharing personal, employment and financial information. It appeared that although most members felt that participating in the survey would be a worthy cause, it would also be difficult for them to find the time. A few individuals expressed this concern, and it was generally agreed that the most amount of time they would be likely to give would be no more than 10 minutes.
-37- An online survey was generally agreed on as the most time efficient and user-friendly format for this group.
Due to the nature of the research, some concern was also expressed about privacy.
I assured the members that any information they chose to share would be voluntary and that it would not be possible to connect their information with their identities.
This session was conducted to introduce the membership to the survey and allow them to contribute to the research design process. It was also hoped that familiarity with the project and with me would increase the members' ease, and therefore the chances of them responding. The research was received positively by the members in attendance, with a few stating to me afterward that they would be more likely to participate as a result of having been consulted.
With the approval of the organization achieved, approval from the Human
Participants Review Committee, York University's Ethics Review Board, was sought. A description of the study was provided, as well as review of some of the steps that would be taken to ensure the privacy of the participants. The research was found to conform to the standards of the Canadian Tri-Council Research Ethics guidelines, and was approved. Due to a work stoppage (strike) by some employees of York University that lasted from November 6, 2008 until early February 2009, as well as a delay in receiving approval from the ethics review board, work on the survey was put generally on hold until the research was approved and classes resumed in early 2009.
-38- The survey therefore was created over an extended time period. However, the principal amount of decision making regarding the phrasing and inclusion of questions took place in February 2009. Various members of the community were consulted, including the Executive Director of CADA-ON and three members of the organization known to have intimate knowledge of the document. In addition, due to my personal relationships with some CADA-ON members, various conversations about the survey took place throughout its creation. These served to clarify some of the concerns touched on in the AGM, and therefore influenced the creation process.
In early March 2009 I attended a CADA-ON function. Approximately 20 members were present. I spoke briefly about the survey, announcing that it would be available very soon and entreating members to make an effort to remind other members to participate. The survey was available to CADA-ON members from March 4 to April 6,
2009. Members were notified of the survey and invited to participate via three emails from CADA-ON. It was available online at all times during this four-week period.
Content Focus
Taking both a qualitative and quantitative approach appeared to best serve the research goals. Therefore, both types of questions were included in the survey. Results that could be quantitatively analyzed would be useful for the organization, due to a rise in government interest in arts funding. Numbers can make their point expeditiously with
-39- politicians. It appeared as though it would be in the organization's best interest to produce clear, concise statements about CADA-ON, its members, and the PSD.
However, my previous knowledge of the community and of the PSD led me to question the suitability of a strictly quantitative approach. Created as CADA-ON was, through a grassroots effort by artists who invest themselves in questioning norms and pushing boundaries, I sensed that 'yes or no' questions, on their own, might not produce the hoped-for level of understanding. I felt that this group of individuals would be best served by being allowed to articulate their thoughts in their own words, through open- ended questions.
The decision was made to create an online survey in two parts. The first posed questions about members' awareness and use of the PSD, the effect of the PSD on their income and working conditions, and their thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of various aspects of the document. Questions were presented in multiple-choice format when possible, to increase ease and expediency. Some open-ended questions were also asked.
The second section of the survey immediately followed the first, and asked participants for information about their age, income level, gender, and types of education undertaken.
In addition to the survey, three interviews took place between the researcher and members of the organization who had intimate knowledge of various periods in the document's history. The principal aim of these interviews was to garner a deeper
-40- understanding of the creation process of the document, which would subsequently inform the nature and phrasing of the survey questions. This was felt to be necessary as, despite my previous knowledge of the organization and the document, I had not been a member at the time of the document's writing or publication.
The Survey
The survey was created using the Unit Command Climate Assessment and Survey
System (UCCASS). This is a PHP survey script used to make general purpose surveys or questionnaires, and operates as an online survey creation and administration tool provided by York University's Faculty Support Centre. It is used by faculty and graduate students to create and administer online surveys. The survey therefore existed online, within the domain of the UCCASS program. The program also acts as a database for survey results, allowing researchers to save, analyze and display results. Various options are available within the program for analyzing the data that are gathered. Surveys can be accessed by participants in a variety of ways and survey creators have a number of options for deciding this.
The UCCASS program allows questions, answer values, and user-supplied text to be rendered as plain text, limited HTML or full HTML. The survey was created in limited HTML mode, allowing for the freedom to format questions in a variety of ways.
User data were gathered in plain text mode, limiting users to basic text entries but allowing for a simpler and therefore more widely-accepted format. In this way, users
-41- were able to access the survey with various operating systems. This was felt to be necessary as members would be responsible for accessing the survey from their home or other computers. Plain text mode is also the mode recommended by the UCCASS program for security reasons.
The survey was 'public', in that users were not restricted by IP address, cookies, username or password/invitation-only options (all of which are available through the
UCCASS program). While IP address collection may have prevented users from taking the survey more than once, it would also have prevented a different user from taking the survey using the same computer as someone who had previously completed it. Given my personal knowledge of the living situations common to contemporary dancers, it was decided that this might prevent some members from participating easily. Passwords and assigned identifications were also decided against for similar reasons, in that remembering a password or identification code may have been perceived as additional trouble for the participants. It was not felt that there would be much danger of participants wishing to take the survey more than once, as members had indicated prior to the creation of the survey that they may have some difficulty finding time to participate, despite their support for the research. Also, collecting no address, data or identification from the user or their computer enabled me to assure the participants of their privacy.
The 'public' status of the survey was compensated for by the addition of a 'hidden' status, resulting in the survey remaining inaccessible to anyone without the survey's
-42- specific website address. While it is possible to allow more than one researcher to create and/or edit a survey in the UCCASS system, with the exception of one week, only I and the survey tool support technician had access to this website address, until it was delivered to CADA-ON and subsequently to its members through email. During the creation of the survey, CADA-ON's Executive Director was given access for one week in order to view the questions and provide input. Her suggestions were useful, and are noted below where relevant. I was responsible for any and all changes.
Additionally, the website address of the survey's results page (and data analysis tool) was known only to the researcher and one technician throughout the entire process.
At the culmination of the research project, this information was locked and stored along with the results, as per the ethics agreement discussed previously.
A template provided by the UCCASS program was used to design questions as well as multiple-choice answer options. Various types of question formats were available, including multiple-choice single answer, multiple-choice multiple answer (in which a participant could choose more than one option from a list of options), open- ended and short answer. All of these were utilized in the survey.
The final result was a four-page online survey that participants were able to access via the internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for four weeks. The survey was accessed through clicking on a link contained within an email from CADA-ON to its members, or by following a link to the survey posted on CADA-ON's website (it was indicated on the website that the survey was for members only).
-43- Participants moved from question to question by scrolling down a page, and chose answers by clicking circles that accompanied answers or by typing in text boxes.
Through navigational buttons on the bottom of each page, they had the option of going back to a previous page, moving on to the next page, or quitting without saving their answers. Unfortunately, due to the 'public' nature of the survey, participants were unable to save their answers, leave the survey, and return to complete it at another time. They were however given an unlimited time frame in which to complete the survey once they had begun.
After the final question, participants were thanked for their time and asked to choose "Finish" to complete the survey. Once they chose this option, their results were saved in the database and it was not possible for the user to change them. My email address was listed and participants were invited to contact me with any questions or concerns. Upon completion, participants were redirected to a standard "Thank You" page generated by the UCCASS program.
The Sample
All 24 respondents are current members of CADA-ON. In total, 141 members were invited to participate; approximately 17% did. They varied in age from 21 to 53, with the average age being 33.5 years.
-44- Instrumentation
Late in February 2009, three volunteers participated in a pilot test of the survey. As
a result of this test, the order of the questions was altered. Originally, the survey had
begun with the standard demographic questions and continued on to the PSD-related
questions. It was felt however that respondents were somewhat uncomfortable answering
personal questions right at the start. Additionally, most of the open-ended questions
regarding the PSD came after the multiple-choice questions, resulting in the open-ended
questions being asked at the very end of the survey. Positioning these at the end resulted
in brief answers due to participants' fatigue. Although designed to take 5-10 minutes, the
volunteers took approximately 10-15 minutes to complete the original version. Moving the PSD-related questions to the beginning of the survey resulted in a less invasive set of
questions at the start, and longer and more thoughtful answers to the open-ended
questions. As the standard demographic questions did not require much consideration, it
was deemed more suitable to place them at the end of the survey. It was also felt that once participants had shared their thoughts on the document and the community, they would feel more comfortable sharing other personal information. They were also reminded that all questions were optional and all answers anonymous.
Additionally, one evaluator noted that due to previous changes to the order of the questions, some open-ended questions appeared to be out of order. This was rectified, and the survey was deemed ready to go "live". On March 6, 2009 CADA-ON's administrator sent the link to 137 members in an e-newsletter and invited them to
-45- participate. The link was sent again to 141 members on March 13, and to the same number again on March 24.1 also utilized a social networking website to invite members to participate, and various friends and colleagues of mine did likewise. This was done due to the organization's confirmation that not all members had opened and read their e- newsletters. I felt that utilizing social networking sites would increase members' knowledge of the survey, and subsequently their participation in it.
While all CADA-ON members were given the option of participating in the survey, this was not mandatory in any way. Participants were therefore self-selected.
Those who chose to, followed the links provided by CADA-ON to the website containing the survey.
Instrumentation - The Survey
Upon following the link to the survey, participants were greeted with an 'Informed
Consent' page, the contents of which had been approved in the ethics review process
(discussed previously). Participants were given the option of choosing to consent to participate in the project, or of choosing not to consent. Those who consented continued on to the survey. Those who chose not to participate were redirected to a page stating the necessity of their consent for continuing, and offering the option of contacting me by email for more information, as well as directions for finding their way back to the consent page.
-46- Once consent had been given, a new page appeared. It began with a short paragraph explaining that the survey would deal mainly with the PSD, and briefly described the document by stating "The PSD is a document produced by CADA-ON that contains guidelines regarding fees, hours of work, working conditions, etc." This was felt to be necessary, as some minor confusion had arisen between the PSD and the TSP, or
Training Subsidy Program, during preliminary discussions with CADA-ON members.
The TSP is a program provided by CADA-ON that reimburses members for their ongoing training. It was assumed that members would be somewhat familiar with the
PSD's existence, and that this brief explanation would take care of any confusion between the two programs.
Additionally, it was noted that an updated version of the PSD (Version 2) had been released to the membership just days before the survey opened, but that their comments would be assumed to reflect their thoughts on Version 1. Although the second version had been officially released, it had not been distributed to the membership at large at the time of the survey's opening.
A final note concerning some terms and definitions preceded the first group of questions. Although it was assumed that most members were familiar with the existence of the document, two terms used throughout the document were clarified. The terms
'engager' and 'engagee' are used in place of 'employer' and 'employee' or 'choreographer' and 'dancer', due to the non-hierarchical nature of work in this particular community.
While the terms aren't difficult to understand, it was thought that a brief
-47- reminder/explanation would be of use, particularly for new members. They were defined as:
Engager: A person who hires others or asks others to work with/for them. Engagee: A person who is hired or agrees to work for an engager.
This reminder was repeated later in the survey, when the terms appeared.
Participants began by checking a box indicating the number of years they had been a CADA-ON member. This question was asked to enable me to later distinguish answers from participants based on their knowledge of working in the dance community both before and after the release of the document, and allowed for a greater understanding of the attitudes of both new and experienced members toward the document. Participants then proceeded to answer various multiple-choice questions concerning their general familiarity with the document and the frequency of their use of it. They were asked about their knowledge (generally) of the guidelines pertaining to working conditions, and whether or not they felt that the publication of the PSD had had a positive effect on their working conditions and income.
Five questions concerning Letters of Agreement (LOA) and contract use were included. These questions were divided into those concerning their use of LOA's as engagers and as engagees. Questions concerning improvements to working conditions were also divided into engager and engagee categories. This was done to allow for participants to distinguish between times they were officially 'in control' as choreographers or engagers, and times they may have had less perceived control. Given
-48- the non-hierarchical nature of the community, it was important that the survey not assume that engagers were always responsible for providing contracts and maintaining working conditions, by allowing participants to discuss their agency as both engagers and engagees. Questions pertaining to LOA's were also divided into those concerning the participant's use of LOA's that were used exactly as provided by CADA-ON, versus those created by participants based on the CADA-ON model. This was to enable me to explore agency once again, as it was unclear whether or not members were creating their own contracts from the PSD model, or using them exactly as prepared. Through discussion with various members during the creation of the survey, I discovered that although it was felt in the community that most members created their own contracts, there was some evidence to indicate otherwise. This question allowed me to differentiate and produce a clearer answer.
Participants were asked if they had experienced a conflict due to the use of an
LOA, and if so, whether or not it had been resolved to their satisfaction. As the idea of
'opening old wounds' seemed unproductive, participants were asked not to identify persons involved in conflicts when commenting in a related open-ended question. The idea that this might occur as a result of participation in the project had been brought forward by some members with concern during preliminary discussions. As a result, this issue was dealt with carefully. Additionally, it was noted that a new section on conflict resolution had been published in the just-released Version 2 of the PSD, but that participants' thoughts on the matter would still be considered.
-49- Participants were asked to discuss any involvement that they may have had in creating or writing the PSD. Some multiple-choice options were available, however they were invited to elaborate with an open-ended question. This was intended to aid the researcher in exploring whether or not actual involvement with the creation of the document may have appeared to influence some members' use of it.
After this, participants were invited to answer a series of open-ended questions regarding the relative usefulness of various sections of the PSD, areas needing improvement, and the role of the PSD in the community and in society at large. In addition, at the request of CADA-ON's Executive Director, a question regarding types of support the organization could provide in order to increase PSD use was included. In total, 22 questions regarding the PSD were asked.
After a quick note to thank participants for their contributions regarding the PSD, they were asked to give information about themselves, including their age, gender, financial situation and education level. Rather than have participants choose their age from a category, a short-answer box was provided in which they could enter the number. This was done to allow for precision in determining members' ages. Eight questions were asked in this section, with only the 'age' question being open-ended. In an effort to ease any discomfort with sharing personal information, the first two (age and gender) contained a reminder that the questions were optional.
The remaining questions were posed in multiple-choice formats, allowing participants to choose from lists of options. Questions regarding their 2008 income were
-50- asked. These were divided into questions about participants' dance-related earnings, and the sources of these earnings, as well as total earnings and sources (dance and non- dance related). Participants were asked to choose these answers from categories beginning with a $0 - $4,999 option and rising in $5,000 increments to $75,000+.
Originally, the lowest category provided was $0-$ 10,000, but it was pointed out by
CADA-ON's Executive Director that an even lower income category would likely be appropriate, and would give clearer results.
Various sources of income, both dance and non-dance related, were indicated through multiple-choice, multiple-answer questions. These allowed the participants to choose more than one income source. This was felt to be appropriate in part because a similar question had yielded interesting results in the DTRC study discussed in the previous chapter (DTRC 2004), and in part due to my personal knowledge of the variety of income sources often necessary to support independent dancers.
Questions regarding level and type of dance and non-dance education followed, which had once again been influenced by the DTRC's 2004 study. Inclusion of non- dance education information allowed for a comparison of education levels between participants and the general population. One interesting addition was the option of choosing "mentoring" as a type of dance education, which had not appeared in the
DTRC or any previous study of which I am aware. This option had been suggested by
CADA-ON's Executive Director.
-51- As has been discussed, previous studies of artists in Ontario and Canada were consulted to create these questions, as well as a recent survey of dancers in Canada conducted by the Dancer Transition Resource Centre in 2004 (Hill, A Profile of
Professional Dancers in Canada). This was done to allow for comparison between participants and known information about dancers in other jurisdictions. Additionally, the 2004 DTRC study was clearly created with some care for the purpose of gathering dancer-specific standard demographic data, and appeared to have been successful in part due to the structuring of its questions.
Research Design
This study utilized a census design. All members of C ADA-ON were contacted and invited to participate in the survey. Randomization was not employed, as it was felt that all members should have an equal opportunity to share their thoughts about the document.
Data Analysis
Data was collected and stored by the UCCASS program supporting the online survey. As randomization was not employed, results were not statistically significant. In this way the results obtained from participants cannot necessarily be generalized to the entire CADA-ON membership. While some results do indicate variation in the sample similar to what exists in the population itself, statistical inferences can not be made.
-52- Quantitative data was nevertheless saved and displayed on a results page, which listed all the questions and answers in the survey along with raw data and bar graphs showing the percentage of answers chosen. The questions were shown in the same order as they were displayed to the user, with the possible answer values listed below the question. Next to each possible answer value was a numerical record of the number of times that answer had been selected.
The UCCASS program calculated and displayed percentages for each question based not on how many people took the survey, but rather on how many answered each specific question. As all questions except the first (indicating consent to participate in the project) were optional, participants could choose not to answer every question, and the resulting percentages would not have reflected their choice not to answer. For example, if 20 people chose to take the survey but only 10 people chose to answer a specific question, the results tool might list 5 'Yes' and 5 'No' answers for that question, with percentages of 50% for both of the answer values. This was taken into consideration during my analysis of the data.
When displayed as results, each question also had a checkbox before the question number. This was used to select individual questions to be analyzed by either filtering or grouping results, or hiding and showing questions. The results page also listed the average time it took for users to complete the entire survey along with the minimum and maximum times. The average time before a participant chose to quit the survey was also shown.
-53- Results
The principal aim of this research was to investigate CADA-ON's PSD, with a primary focus on how the document has been used by the organization's members, and what effects these members feel it has had on their socioeconomic or working conditions. I also attempted to gain an understanding of the members' feelings toward the document in terms of which elements are working well, and which need improvement.
An online survey was the principal instrument used in this study. Participants answered 30 multiple-choice and open-ended questions, all of which were designed to provide insight into their use of the PSD, their thoughts regarding it, and their current demographic status. Data was compiled and analyzed utilizing the UCCASS program provided by York University. A mainly qualitative approach was taken, despite the survey tool used. The results may not be considered statistically significant, however, they do provide some insight into the research questions.
The Sample
Twenty-four members of CADA-ON participated in this survey. In total, 141 members were invited to participate; approximately 17% did. All participants were current CADA-ON members. They varied in age from 21 to 53. The respondents'
-54- average age was 33.5 years and the median age was 32 years. 21 participants (87.5%) were female, and 2 (8%) were male. The question regarding age was answered by 22 of the 24 participants; the question regarding gender was answered by 23 of the 24.
Participants completed the survey in an average of 12 minutes and 8 seconds. The minimum amount of time taken to complete was 34 seconds, the maximum 45 minutes and 31 seconds.
While the age and gender questions appeared toward the end of the survey, the first question asked participants to indicate the number of years they had been a CADA-ON member. They were asked to check a box beside the correct number of years, beginning with "less than 1 year", moving on to "1 year", and increasing by one until "10 years or more." Respondents could choose only one option, and all options were chosen at least once except "4 years." The option chosen most often was "10+ years" (n=4).
Therefore the spread was: Less than 1 year - 10+ years, as can be seen in Figure 1.
Figure 1
Number of Years as a CADA-ON Member
Less 123456789 10+ than 1
-55- As the PSD came out just over 5 years ago, answers given by participants who had been members for 5 to 10 or more years were used as a filter for some questions. In this way I was able to give special consideration to the opinions of artists who had been members both before and after the release of the PSD. Throughout the analysis of the study, participants generally are grouped according to the length of time they have been a member, rather than by age. They are divided into two ' Years-As-Member' (YAM) categories: those who have been members for 0 to 4 years, and those who have been members for 5 to 10 or more years.
Part 1: Professional Standards for Dance
Part 1 of the survey invited members to describe how familiar they were with the document, and in what ways they were using it. They were also asked to comment on whether or not they felt the document had positively impacted their income or working conditions, and what role the document played, if any, in the community at large.
As has been discussed in a previous chapter, the terms 'engager' and 'engagee' are used in place of 'employer' and 'employee' or 'choreographer' and 'dancer' throughout the document, due to the non-hierarchical nature of work in this particular community.
General Awareness and Use
The first two questions asked participants to indicate their general awareness or use of the document over the last 5 years, and their familiarity with its guidelines pertaining
-56- to working conditions.
Figure 2
General PSD Use
Never heard Know it Have Have used it Occasionally Often Always of it exists but consulted it once haven't used it but never used it
Some differences can be seen when respondents are separated into member categories in figure 3, with the majority of respondents claiming to use the document
'often' or 'always' coming from the 5-10+ group YAM group.
-57- Figure 3
General PSD Use by Membership Category
l
Never heard Know it Have Once Occasionally Often Always of it exists but consulted, but haven't used never used it it
• 0-3 YAM "5-10+YAM
The following graph (figure 4) illustrates the general familiarity with working condition guidelines by all respondents. Again, some difference can be seen when respondents are split into the two member categories, as figure 5 indicates:
-58- Figure 4
General Familiarity with PSD Guidelines Regarding Working Conditions (All Respondents)
a Somewhat Q Very
Figure 5
Familiarity With Working Condition Guidelines by YAM
Not At All Somewhat Very
n 0-4 YAM "5-10+YAM
Letters of Agreement (LOA) and Contracts
A Letter of Agreement (LOA) is a written contract between CADA-ON
members. It is provided by CADA-ON and can be used as provided or as a template. -59- Participants indicated that there was a difference between how often they used an LOA exactly as it was provided in the PSD, versus how often they used the PSD's LOA as a template to create their own contract. There was also a difference between how often participants used either version based on their role as an engager and as an engagee.
Participants were more likely to create their own contract than to use the LOA exactly as provided, and when creating their own contract, more likely to do so as an engager than as an engagee.
Figure 6
Use of LOA Exactly As Provided
10
3 i
A* «? / ^ ^ ir o ^ J? r& V i As an Engager • As an Engagee •60- Figure 7 Use of CADA-ON LOA as Basis for Own LOA/Contract Yes No n/a (never been an Engager/Engagee) Q As an Engager • As an Engagee Again, when responses are split into category by Years-As-Member, some differences are seen. Respondents who have been members for 5-10+ years are more likely to create their own contract, as Figure 8 shows. Respondents were also more likely to create a contract as an engager than as an engagee, as can be seen when Figures 8 and 9 are compared. -61- Figure 8 Use of LOA as a Template - As an ENGAGER 15 10 Yes No n/a (Never been an engager) • 0-4 YAM "5-10+YAM Figure 9 Use of LOA as a Template - As an ENGAGEE Yes No n/a (Never been an engagee) n 0-4 YAM "5-10+YAM LOA's may not be the only kind of contract utilized by CADA-ON members. General contract use was also indicated. When engaging in dance employment, participants indicated that they generally do use written contracts (of any type). When given the option, no participants indicated that they "Never" used contracts. The options -62- chosen can be seen in Figure 10, which indicates contract use for all respondents (not divided into YAM): Figure 10 Frequency of Use of Written Contracts (Any Type) • Sometimes a Often • Always When divided into years-as-member categories, some differences arise once again. However, the spread is still relatively even, with slightly more respondents from the 5- 10+ category choosing 'often' (40%). Figure 11 Frequenc y of Written Contract Use (Any Type) - by YAM j^m jggM 8 - ^^1 SSiH 6 -i HH IBP 4 -1S 2 i HP •nip" / 0 - —i • -••• —i—"-™—•——— — X Sometimes Often Always i J 0-4 YAM "5-10+YAM -63- Improvements to Income and Working Conditions In general, participants indicated that they felt the PSD had had more of an effect on their working conditions than on their incomes. However, responses were more positive than negative toward both. Responses to the question, "do you feel the PSD has positively impacted your income / working conditions?" are indicated in figure 12: Figure 12 Improvements to Dance-Related Income and Working Conditions 10 f 8 - Definitely Probably Maybe Cautiously Definitely Not Not Yes Yes Income • Working Conditions After choosing from a list of possible answers, participants were invited to elaborate on their choices in their own words. 15 participants chose to share their thoughts. These will be discussed in the following chapter. Dispute Resolution LOA's have been a source of tension for CADA-ON since the PSD was published, -64- due to the organization's relative inability to enforce signed contracts. However, of the members surveyed, 87.5% (n=21) had never experienced a dispute over a signed LOA. Three members had, and of these all indicated that it had only happened once. Prior involvement in the PSD Given the member-driven emphasis of the organization, it was possible that participants may have had an increased interest in the PSD as a result of prior involvement in its creation. A question regarding their involvement (if any) in the creation or writing of the PSD allowed them to clarify their level of involvement. This was asked in multiple choice, multiple-answer format, to allow respondents to choose all options that applied to them. Most respondents were found to have had no involvement at all with the writing of either the early document or the first published version. Figure 13 PSD Creation / Writing Involvement 18 16 14 12 10 i 8 6 4 2 0 ^ & ^ *» # & f <$> \ *y ^ ^ <** <5> <^ .CT «? 4&f -65- Open-ended Questions Participants were asked for their thoughts on the most valuable elements of the PSD, which sections are the most useful, which most need improvement and what role they felt the document plays in the community. Twenty participants chose to respond to these questions. These responses will be discussed in the following chapter. Finally, participants were asked to choose which, from a list of types of assistance, would enable them to make better use of the PSD. The most popular choice was "email or online support from CADA-ON staff which was chosen by 44% (n=14), indicating a preference for internet-based communication. Figure 14 Types of CADA-ON Support Preferred One-on-On Email/Online Email/Online Workshops Other Consultation support from support from Staff other members Part 2: Standard Demographic Data The question regarding age was answered by 22 of the 24 participants. The responses indicated that participants varied in age from 21 to 53, with the average age -66- being 33.5 years. The median age was 32 years. The question regarding gender was answered by 23 of the 24. 21 participants (87.5%) reported that they were female; 2 (8%) were male. Income Participants' dance-related earnings can be seen in Figure 15 (all Canadian Dollars). Their average earnings were found to fall in the $15,000 to $19,999 range, with median earnings falling slightly lower, in the $10,000 to $14,999 range. When factoring in possible non-dance-related income (total income), the average earnings were found to be slightly higher, falling between $20,000 and $24,999 (see figure 16). The median total earnings fell between two categories at approximately $20,000 (between $15,000 - $19,000 and $20,000-$24,000). Figure 15 Dance-Related Income (2008) -tt I $0 -4,999 $5,000 -9,999 $10,000- 14,999 " $15,000- 19,999 '_ $20,000 -24,999 \ $25,000 -29,999 $30,000 -39,999 \ $40,000 -49,999 " $50,000 -59,999 " $60,000 -74,999 " $75,000+ 0 1 •67- Figure 16 Total Income (2008) Income Sources Answers regarding income sources indicated that rehearsal or performance, teaching and choreography were the top sources of dance-related income for participants. Participants were allowed to choose more than one income source for each question. Therefore the answers number more than 24. -68- Figure 17 Dance-Related Income Sources (2008) Rehearsal and / or Performance Teaching Choreography Self-Employment Grants Commissions Administration/Management Artistic Director Writing about dance Other Dance Notation 10 15 20 25 Figure 18 Other Income Sources (2008) Non-Dance-Related Employment Spousal Support Parental Support No Other Source of Support Other Worker's Compensation 10 12 Education Participants were asked to indicate their dance education and their overall education separately. This was a multiple-choice, multiple answer question, allowing participants to choose more than one option. The total number of responses therefore -69- exceeds 24 for each question. Definitions of the types of training reported below can be found within the survey (Appendix B). Figure 19 Dance-Related Education Private Dance School Professional Dance School Undergraduate degree Other Mentoring Post-graduate degree Performing Arts High School Internship Non-Performing Arts High school 8 10 12 14 16 Figure 20 Formal Education (Dance or Non-Dance Related) Post-Graduate University (in process or complete) Undergraduate University (in process or _.."J complete) n College (CEGEP, Technical, etc) 1 High School >" 7 "7" 7 ^7^7- 8 10 12 14 After this question, participants were thanked for their time and invited to contact me via an email address if they had any questions. No participants chose to contact me. -70- Discussion The principal aim of this research was to investigate CADA-Ontario's PSD, with a primary focus on how the document has been used by the organization's members, and what effects these members feel it has had on their socioeconomic or working conditions. I also attempted to gain an understanding of the members' feelings toward the document in terms of which elements are working well, and in what ways other elements could be improved. An online survey was the principal instrument used in this study. Participants answered 30 multiple-choice and open-ended questions, all of which were designed to provide insight into their use of and thoughts regarding the PSD, and their current demographic status. All respondents were members of CADA-ON, and the survey was available to them from March 4 to April 6, 2009. Members were notified of the survey and invited to participate via three emails from CADA-ON. It was available online at all times during this four-week period. My personal intent in conducting this research was twofold: to provide CADA-ON members with the opportunity to evaluate the document and share their thoughts with the community and the organization; and to gather evidence for the organization about the use of the document. A mainly qualitative approach was taken, despite the survey tool used. The results may not be considered statistically significant; however, they do provide some insight into the research questions. -71- Twenty-four members of CADA-ON participated in this survey. In total, 141 members were invited to participate; approximately 17% did. CADA-ON has four membership categories: Professional Artist, Emerging Artist, Associate, and Dance Student. Participants were not asked to define their membership category, as it was felt that this might make some members uncomfortable due to a greater possibility of being identified. However, it can be derived from the results of the study that most of the participants make their living at least in part through dance rehearsal and performance. This suggests that most of the participants belonged to the Professional or Emerging Artist categories. I did encounter some anecdotal evidence during the course of the study that suggested that due to the title of the study, non-performing members may have assumed the subject matter didn't concern them and therefore may have elected not to participate. Early in the research process, I considered opening up the survey to all members of the independent dance community in Ontario. This potentially could have allowed non- members to give 'outsider' views on the PSD and its use in the community at large. However, after conducting some minimal research it became evident that this would broaden the scope of the study beyond my present capabilities. While it would have allowed me to give a clearer picture of the socioeconomic status of dance artists in Ontario, it would have drawn the focus away from CADA-ON, the organization I had set out to research. I also considered allowing past CADA-ON members to participate, but again felt that this might pull the focus away from the experiences of current members. -72- A possible future direction for this research can be highlighted here, however. Given the advanced filtering capabilities of the UCCASS survey tool, it would be possible to open the survey up to all members of the Ontario dance community, requiring only that each respondent identify themselves as either a current CADA-ON member, past CADA-ON member, or a non-member. Responses could be filtered based on these parameters, and the results from each group compared as well as considered in aggregate form. Participants completed the survey in an average time of approximately 12 minutes. The minimum amount of time taken to complete was 34 seconds, the maximum 45.5 minutes. The average time participants spent on the survey before quitting (in which case their contributions would not have been recorded) was 3 minutes and 39 seconds, indicating that the survey may have taken longer to complete than some respondents were comfortable with. Unfortunately it is not possible to determine how many respondents may have quit before they were able to finish. It also is not possible to determine how many may have quit the survey but returned at a later date, and if so, why. In the future, a question regarding the respondents' feelings about the survey, asking them to indicate why they participated in the survey or how they felt about it, may help to shed more light on issues such as agency and participation in advocacy activities in the dance community. The average completion time of about 12 minutes was slightly longer than I had anticipated. My goal was to create a survey that would take 5-10 minutes to complete. -73- However, the fact that some respondents gave as much as 45 minutes to their answers may indicate a number of things. It is possible that some computers may have been slower than others. As participants were asked to access the survey on their own time, at their convenience, it can also be assumed that each respondent would have approached the survey with varying time constraints, and therefore not all participants would have been able to dedicate the same amount of time to their answers. As the respondents reported a generally high level of education, and accessible, every-day language was purposefully used throughout the study, it isn't likely that any had extreme difficulty understanding the questions. Given the insightful nature of many of the answers to the open-ended questions, it seems most likely that some members simply took time to consider their answers. This may reflect the degree of importance of the PSD for some members, which could be said to be generally high for those who completed this survey. This survey investigated two separate sets of information. This contributed to a lengthy survey, which may in turn have contributed to a less-than-hoped-for participation rate. Future research in this area may be best served by dividing the attempt into two separate surveys, given a number of months apart, to avoid fatigue and encourage participation. The most effective approach would likely be to separate the PSD-related and socioeconomic status-related questions into two separate surveys. Part 1: Professional Standards for Dance Rather than group respondents by age, I felt it would be useful to look at the -74- responses of those who had been members of CADA-ON both before and after the release of the PSD. Comparing the answers of the more experienced group to those given by respondents who had essentially always had access to the PSD (whether they had used it or not) provided some insight into the use of the document. These groups are referred to throughout this chapter and the previous one as 'years-as-member' (YAM) categories, and consist of two groups: respondents who have been members for less than a year through to four years (0-4); and respondents who have been members for 5 to 10 or more years (5-10+). The first question asked respondents to indicate how many years they had been a CADA-ON member (see Figure 1). Every category (from "Less than 1 year" through to "10+ years") was chosen at least once, with the exception of "4 years". The option chosen most often was "10+ years", however, this was only chosen by 4 people. There was therefore a relatively even spread of participants, which lends some weight to the analysis in general. While it is not possible to make statistically significant inferences from the data gathered, it is possible to say that a variety of voices were heard in terms of number of years of experience. In total, approximately 33% of respondents had been members for 4 years or less, 50% had been members for 5-9 years, and 17% had been members for 10+ years. The 5-10+ YAM group therefore constituted 66% of CADA-ON members who participated in the survey. The first set of questions asked participants to rate their general awareness and use of the document. Parts of the PSD were in use by some members of the community -75- throughout the creation and editing process, but the document was officially released in 2003. Members were therefore asked to consider their experiences over the last 5 years. This was to encourage longer-term members to consider only recent use of the document. The first set of questions, while general, allowed for a member to participate even if they had never heard of the PSD or used it, which was suspected to have been the case for some new members. The first question was taken from a previous questionnaire given by CADA-ON to new and emerging artists only (see Appendix B for questions). As Figure 2 indicates, answers to this question varied. However, Figure 3 illustrates that when we filter these results and compare the experiences of the 0-4 YAM group to those of the 5-10+ YAM group, it becomes evident that the PSD generally has been used more often by members of the 5-10+ group. Only 1 member from the 0-4 group indicated they "have used [the PSD] often." The remaining respondents from the 0-4 group have either never used it, have consulted it but never used it, or have used it once. Of the 5-10+ group, 18.75% (n=3) respondents have never used it or used it once, 56% (n=9) have used it occasionally or often, and 25% (n=4) claimed to have "always" used it. A number of factors must be considered here. The less-experienced group may consist of more non-performers, and it may include students and recent graduates who may not have had much time to become familiar with the document. As illustrated in Figure 6, 33%) (n=8) of respondents have never been an engager. However, only 4% -76- (n=l) of respondents have never been an engagee, indicating that all but one respondent has been engaged in dance employment and may therefore (in theory) have had a chance to use the document. Similar results occur when participants were asked to indicate their general familiarity with the PSD's guidelines concerning working conditions. As a single group, participants' responses are spread relatively evenly, with no respondents indicating that they are not familiar with them at all, 58% (n=14) indicating that they are somewhat familiar, and 42% (n=10) indicating that they are 'very' familiar with the guidelines (see Figure 4). Interestingly Figure 5 reveals that members of the 5-10+ YAM group indicate a greater feeling of familiarity with the guidelines than members of the 0-4 YAM group. As respondents were asked to give their opinion of their knowledge, and were not tested on it, it is not possible to state whether or not the more experienced group is actually more knowledgeable about the guidelines contained in the PSD. It is clear, however, that this group feels they are more familiar with the document. Given the member-driven emphasis of the organization, it occurred to me that some participants may have felt more familiar with the guidelines as a result of prior involvement in the document's creation and writing processes. A question placed later in the survey regarding their involvement (if any) in the creation process allowed me to address this, and to explore the possibility of bias. It also allowed me to consider once again the issue of agency, and the role of CADA-ON members in their advocacy organization. -77- I was somewhat surprised to find that most respondents (71%) had had no involvement at all with the writing of either the early document or the first published version. This indicates that in general, although the document is used more often by the 5-10+ group, this is not due to bias as a result of involvement in the creation process. Letters of Agreement A Letter of Agreement (LOA) is a written contract between CADA-ON members, for use when engaging one another in dance-related employment. The LOA is provided by the organization along with the PSD, to be used as provided, or as a template. Participants indicated that there was a difference between how often they used an LOA exactly as it was provided, versus how often they used it as a template to create their own contract. There was also a difference between how often participants used either version based on their role as an engager and as an engagee. Questions that were divided between exploring behavior as an engager and as an engagee were intended to give respondents the option of distinguishing between times they are "in charge" versus times they may not be. Although an intention of the document's writers was to empower engagees to speak up and ask for contracts and fair working conditions, I was curious about whether or not this was occurring, or if it was even necessary. The results show that participants were more likely to create their own contract than to use the LOA exactly as provided, and when creating their own contract, more likely to do so as an engager than an engagee (see Figures 6 and 7). Again, when -78- responses are split into YAM categories, some differences are seen. Respondents who have been members for 5-10+ years are more likely to create their own contract, and more likely to create a contract as an engager than as an engagee (see Figures 8 and 9). A number of possibilities can be considered here. The indication that participants are more likely to write their own contract as an engager than as an engagee could simply reflect common practice in the community. It is generally more common for an engager to present an engagee with a contract. However, the fact that some members have created their own contracts as engagees indicates an interesting level of agency within the community. Perhaps it is best seen as a reflection of the non-hierarchical nature of working relationships within the community. An interesting contrast to this result is a discussion I had with Susan Lee, a longtime CADA-ON member whom I interviewed while creating the survey. She indicated that she has used CADA-ON contracts (LOAs) most often as an engagee, when not presented with one by the engager, although she did note that it was common practice for engagers to present engagees with contracts. In her case, the CADA-ON LOA had acted as a back-up plan, in the event that she wasn't presented with a contract. Another interesting element of these results is the difference between use of the CADA-ON LOA exactly as provided, versus its use as a template from which to make one's own contract. During the development of the survey questions, it was brought to my attention that this distinction might not be necessary. One member indicated that their understanding was that the CADA-ON LOA was only meant as a template; -79- however, I had personally experienced confusion around this in the past, and knew others had as well. After consulting one of the Version 1 writers, it was decided that although there was a general sense in the community that the LOA was meant as a template, investigating its actual use would be beneficial to the organization. It was therefore interesting to find that while members were more likely to alter the CADA-ON LOA to suit their needs and abilities than to use it exactly as provided, some members did use it as provided (see Figures 6 and 7). In fact, respondents were more likely to use the LOA exactly as provided when using it as an engagee, rather than as an engager. This may indicate that, despite the empowerment many dancers feel as result of using the document (as will be discussed below), it is possible that many still feel uncomfortable presenting their engager with a contract. Using the contract exactly as provided may feel safer and appear less self-serving. LOAs may not be the only kind of contract utilized by CADA-ON members. General contract use was also investigated. Some members of CADA-ON may also be members of ACTRA, Canadian Actors Equity Association (Equity), or other unions. While these organizations do not typically allow their members to join more than one union, CADA-ON's status as an advocacy group (rather than a union) allows members to bypass this. Rather than focus on union contract use (and an in-depth exploration of unions would have been beyond the scope of this research), I wanted to explore dancers' use of written contracts of any kind. While it is now generally common in the ballet field to use written contracts (due largely to the involvement of unions) I wondered how -80- prevalent it was for CADA-ON members. I found that when engaging in dance employment, participants indicated that they generally do use some form of written contracts. When given the option, no participants indicated that they "Never" used contracts. As the results in Figure 10 show, no respondents indicated that they 'never' use a written contract, 30% indicated that they sometimes do, 35% indicated that they often do, and 35% claim to 'always' use a written contract. Therefore, for these respondents, it is more likely that they will use a written contract than that they won't when engaging in dance-related employment. This was surprising and encouraging, as it indicates a growing awareness of contract use and professionalism in the contemporary dance community. When divided into YAM categories, some differences arise once again. However, the spread is still relatively even, with 27% of respondents from the 5-10+ category choosing 'sometimes", 33% choosing 'always', and slightly more choosing 'often' (40%) (see Figure 11). 'N/a', 'don't know' and 'Never' were also options; no respondents from either category chose these. Improvements to Income and Working Conditions Overall, respondents indicated that they feel the PSD has positively affected their income and working conditions: 50% of members surveyed feel that the PSD has improved their working conditions; over 90% of members surveyed feel that it has, or may have, improved their working conditions. Slightly fewer feel that it has had an -81- impact on their income. However, the numbers were more positive than negative, with just over 60% of members reporting that they feel their income has increased as a result of the PSD. Both questions referred specifically to dance-related incomes and working conditions, and to the effect they felt the PSD may have had over the past five years. After choosing from a multiple-choice list, participants were invited to elaborate on their choices in their own words. Fifteen participants chose to share their thoughts. Most comments centered on the lack of adequate funding in the community in general, and the resultant inability of most engagers to pay engagees as much as they would like. Some evidence of a "trickle up" effect was indicated, however. According to the surveyed respondents, the PSD guidelines regarding fees appear to function both as standards and as goals. As one participant wrote: Very often it is impossible to provide the conditions that the PSD requires [...] however, creating a standard for wages and conditions makes it possible for choreographers to have something to default to and feel obligated to offer. So... it seems inevitable to me that the guidelines have changed people's mentalities. Another noted, A lot of these answers would be different if there was a real budget to work from. Often we don't have enough money to pay dancers properly or be paid properly. A few respondents noted that when the PSD was first published, they began to receive slightly more pay per hour, and that as the fee guidelines have increased over the years their hourly wages have risen as well. While payment may not always reach the suggested rates, raising the suggested fees does appear to elevate rates of pay in the -82- community, according to respondents' experiences. Another way in which the PSD appears to have positively affected incomes (and working conditions) is through assisting artists with grant applications. Earlier records of the PSD indicate that this was an initial benefit of the document (Andrews 179), and it appears as though it continues to provide support in this way. A number of respondents referred to its role as a reinforcement when drawing up projected budgets. While grant applications may not appear to directly affect a dancer's income, a correlation certainly is seen when one considers the high percentage of an artist's income that often is derived from arts council grants (see "Income Sources" below). Dispute Resolution LOAs have been a source of tension for CADA-ON since the PSD was published, due to the organization's relative inability to enforce signed contracts. However, of the members surveyed, 87% (n=21) reported that they had never experienced a dispute over a signed LOA. Three members had, and of these, all indicated that it had only happened once. In answer to the question "was it resolved to your satisfaction?" one member chose "yes", one chose "no" and one chose "somewhat." The issue of conflict resolution has recently been addressed in Version 2 of the PSD, which was released just prior to this survey's start date. Therefore it was felt that the issue would be best investigated at a later time, once the new guidelines have come into effect and the membership has had a chance to become familiar with them. Nevertheless, some respondents chose to discuss -83- the issue of dispute resolution in the open-ended questions, indicating that while it is an uncomfortable issue for some, others would like to see it addressed more openly. Their responses are discussed below. Open-Ended Questions Participants were asked for their thoughts on the most valuable elements of the PSD, the most useful sections, where improvements are most needed, and what role they feel the document plays in the community. 83% (n=20) of the participants chose to respond to these questions. In general, supplying fee guidelines and raising the community's overall awareness of standards for working conditions were indicated to be the most useful aspects of the document. As one respondent stated: Its existence is the most valuable. Each situation calls more heavily upon different sections. The fee standards are the most used by me, but I do refer, as both engager and engagee, to individual clauses on numerous occasions. Of the 17 respondents who chose to comment on the usefulness of the individual elements of the document, 13 mentioned fee guidelines. The importance of the fee guidelines was reiterated by many respondents in later open-ended questions as well. The second open-ended question asked respondents for their thoughts on which elements of the PSD were in need of improvement, and how they might be improved. -84- Fewer responses were given to this question, and those that were given were shorter. In general, respondents tended to speak favorably of the document, offering more comments about its usefulness than its weaknesses. Answers here varied greatly. Some respondents wished for new guidelines concerning non-traditional or emerging issues in dance. Other suggested improvements included: • Responsibilities and rates for the Dramaturge • Responsibilities and rates for Rehearsal Directors • Guidelines for collaborative processes involving co-creators who fill different roles, such as dancer and choreographer, or two choreographers working together with only one as engager (for individual artists rather than for collectives or co-ops) • Information regarding ownership and copyright (regarding the interpreter and choreographer's rights to ownership of choreography) The document's lack of "teeth," as one respondent put it, was indicated by a number of respondents to be an issue that hindered its use or effectiveness. This refers again to the dispute resolution process. This seems to be the document's main drawback; while it appears to have been an effective advocacy tool and has increased awareness of the needs and optimal responsibilities of members, in the end it is extremely difficult to enforce. Members participate and adhere to the guidelines voluntarily, and can only encourage others to do so as well. Another issue brought forward by a few respondents, and one that provides some -85- insight into the previously-mentioned problem, is the lack of knowledge regarding the document in the community. More than one member noted that some individuals consider it to be "either a weapon, or useless." More promotion and advocacy for the document was called for, particularly for the benefit of young or emerging dancers. The final open-ended question asked members to consider the role they feel the PSD plays in their lives as dance artists, and in society at large. Many respondents referred to the emblematic nature of the document, suggesting that the concept of the document is more important than the published artifact. One member's comment, that "Its presence states the worth and value of the artistic practice in the greater world," was echoed by others. A resulting increase in respect for the dance career, as well the PSD's contributions to an (albeit slowly-evolving) increase in the status of dance artists in society, were also mentioned. Others indicated that the concrete nature of the document allowed them to disassociate themselves from the employment process enough to negotiate fairer terms for themselves as artists. In other words, they felt that being able to refer to the document supported or backed them up when negotiating, empowering them as individuals and as artists. A number also indicated that it encouraged them to consider their work as financially valuable, and enabled them to begin to see their work, and wish for more people to see their work, in a light comparable to the non-dance world. While few claim that they feel it has had an actual impact on society at this point, it appears as though it has prompted them to begin to expect more from society at large. -86- These results are encouraging. It was not very many years ago that the dance career was not seen as a legitimate undertaking by society in general, and some might argue that this is still the case. As Amy Bowring notes in her review of contracts and working conditions in dance, the art form has suffered from the stigma of being associated with burlesque more than with fine art (136). While dancers may challenge mainstream ideas with their work, they do not live outside of the society that makes this association. Until dancers themselves believe that they deserve better working conditions, no one else will - this therefore is the key role that this grassroots, member- driven organization has played. I find it encouraging that the PSD has enabled more dancers to see their work as financially valuable. At the end of her article on the development of the PSD, Megan Andrews quotes member Sylvie Bouchard, stating "I believe that this document has the potential to begin making changes in the way dance artists view themselves in their community as well as in society" (189). I would argue that the responses gathered from this study indicate that this hoped-for change is taking place. Part 2: Standard Demographic Data Income As previously noted, the first two questions of part 2 indicated that participants varied in age from 21 to 53, with the average age being 33.5 years. The median age was 32 years. 21 participants (87.5%) were female, and 2 (8%) were male. The question -87- regarding age was answered by 22 of the 24 participants; the question regarding gender was answered by 23 of the 24. Participants' dance-related earnings can be seen in Figure 15. Every category was chosen at least once when total income was considered, except $5,000-$9,999 and $75,000+. Average earnings were found to fall in the $15,000 to $19,999 range, with median earnings falling slightly lower, in the $10,000 to $14,999 range. 79% of respondents were found to earn less than $20,800, the single-person Low-Income Cutoff (LICO) for communities of 500,000+ in 2008, indicating that this percentage can be defined as living in relative poverty, or "straitened circumstances" (Statistics Canada, LICO-BT).15 62% of respondents earned less than $15,000, and 21% earned less than $5,000. When factoring in possible non-dance-related income, average earnings were found to be slightly higher, falling between $20,000 and $24,999. Median total earnings fell between two categories at approximately $20,000 (between $15,000 - $19,000 and $20,000-$24,000). 42% of members reported earnings between $10,000-$ 19,999 and 29%) reported earnings between $20,000-$29,999. Overall, relative poverty rates are still high; 50% of respondents earned less than the 2008 single-person LICO. The percentage of respondents found to earn less than the LICO in this study is similar to findings from the 2004 national study undertaken by the Dancer Transition Resource Centre authored by Kelly Hill. The 2004 study found that 51% of dance artists in Canada earned less than the LICO; in this study 50% of respondents qualify for this -88- category. When dance-related income only is considered, the numbers are even more dire, with 79% of respondents earning less than the LICO. According to the 2006 Statistics Canada findings, 62% of all artists live in relative poverty, earning less than the cut-off amount; when dance-related earnings only are considered, CADA-ON members as a group fare significantly worse than the average artist in Canada. This is in keeping with the dancer-specific findings from the same Statistics Canada data, which found that in 2006, dancers in Canada earned an average of $13,976, which was the lowest average of all groups of artists in Canada. The median earnings of dancers in Canada are reported to be even lower, approximately $8,340. This is similar to the findings of this study, in which the median earnings for respondents was found to be in the $10,000-$ 14,999 range. The median and average calculations may be slightly higher for this study due to increased levels of inflation, as well as the high education levels of the respondents of this group, discussed below. They are however in keeping with the results of the DTRC study, which found the median earnings of dance artists to be $11,000. The average earnings found by the DTRC study were $18,000; CADA-ON respondents reported average earnings within the $15,000-$ 19,999 range (for dance-related employment). Therefore, for the CADA-ON members who participated in this study, it can be said that their average incomes are approximately equal to the average incomes of other dancers in Canada, according to the findings of both the DTRC study and the Statistics Canada 2006 census. -89- Income Sources Answers regarding income sources for dance-related and non-dance related employment shed some light on the differences between dance-related income and total income. Rehearsal/performance, teaching and choreography were the top sources of dance-related income for participants (see Figure 17). 92% of respondents earned their income through rehearsal and/or performance, 87% through teaching, and 62% through choreography. 58% indicated that they were self-employed, and 46% indicated that grants were a source of income. Non-dance-related employment was the most prevalent source of non-dance- related income (41%), followed by spousal and parental support (17%, 17%). Approximately 17% of respondents indicated that their dance-related income was their sole source of support. Considering the low rates of dance-related income found, this is troubling. Some other interesting similarities arise when the numbers are compared to the DTRC survey. That study found that 47% of dance artists earned income through non- dance related employment or self-employment. This study found that 41% of respondents earned income through non-dance related employment, and 12% through self-employment (some respondents may have chosen both categories as they were listed as separate options). 28% of dancers were found by the DTRC to have no other sources of support; fewer CADA-ON respondents reported this, with only 17% claiming to have no other sources of support. This is surprising, as the median and average dance-related -90- incomes of CADA-ON respondents were found to be slightly lower than dance artists in Canada in general. It would have seemed logical to have found that CADA-ON respondents, earning less from their dance employment, would need to supplement their income more with non-dance related employment. This anomaly is difficult to explain, however it must be noted that the findings of this study are not statistically significant, and that the results derived from this voluntary response sample can not be extrapolated to indicate facts about the entire membership. It may simply be that, given the high rate of rehearsal and performance employment indicated by respondents to this study, those who chose to take this study are not able to assume significant non-dance-related employment, due to time or other constraints. Education Participants were asked to indicate their dance education and their overall education separately. According to the 2006 census, 21% of the overall labour force in Canada has obtained a bachelor's degree or above; this is significantly lower than the group of respondents for this study, of whom 62% reported completion of a post- secondary degree (see Figure 20). 29% of the CADA-ON respondents have completed an undergraduate degree only, and 33% have completed a post-graduate degree. 25% have completed College (CEGEP, technical or community). This information is interesting when we consider the Statistics Canada findings that university-educated artists, while earning less than equally-educated members of the -91- overall work force, do earn more than artists without a formal university education (Hill, Statistical Profile 2009,17). This group of respondents appears to have particularly high levels of formal education; 39% of Canadian artists in general were found to have an undergraduate degree or above, compared to 62% of respondents in this study. This may explain why the average and median earnings for this group of respondents was higher than the averages for all artists reported by the Statistics Canada census. As Figure 19 indicates, CADA-ON members have undertaken various approaches to dance education. University-level dance education is not the most common path taken by CADA-ON respondents, but many have undertaken undergraduate or graduate degrees in dance. The following list indicates various categories in which respondents reported having received dance-related education. As respondents were able to choose more than one option, and all did, these percentages equal more than 100%. 62% Private Dance School 54% Professional Dance School 50% Undergraduate University degree 37% Other 29% Mentoring 16% Post-graduate degree 8% Internship 8% Non-performing High school 8% College (CEGEP etc) This list emphasizes the relative popularity of undergraduate degree studies in dance education. However, private and/or professional dance education appear to be the most common forms of dance-related education undertaken by respondents. -92- Conclusions & Implications of the Research The results of this survey indicate that most of the members who participated feel the PSD has made a positive impact on both their income and working conditions. Working conditions were thought to have been affected more than incomes. The document serves to bolster the community and empower the dancers who use it, encouraging discussions about rates of pay and acceptable working conditions. However, there appears to be a need for more information about the PSD within and beyond the community. More work is needed to familiarize members and the broader dance community with the benefits (and drawbacks) of the document. Members who have been part of the organization for more than 4 years feel more familiar with the document, and claim to use it more often, than newer members. This may indicate that more education about, and exposure to, the document is needed within the emerging sector of the community. Given the high rates of undergraduate university education in the community, one possible approach is to include use and discussion of the PSD in performance-related undergraduate courses. There is some evidence that this may be occurring on an occasional basis at York University (Andrews, Interview); perhaps a curriculum-wide approach would benefit future generations. A similar undertaking at private and professional dance schools could be even more beneficial.16 In my personal experience as a student, leaving school and venturing out into the independent dance community was a scary and difficult time. I often felt that I was ignorant of the workings of the community and of certain norms and traditions, and I -93- straggled to understand different aspects of the life of an independent dancer. Having prior knowledge of an advocacy body, and of the responsibilities, income and working conditions one could expect (or at least work toward) would likely have been an asset to me at that time. While all young dancers may not plan on joining the independent community, which is perhaps best served by CADA-ON and the PSD, knowledge about the organization and the document would still serve to broaden each dancer's understanding of the community they are about to join. Future Research Directions The inability to draw statistically significant conclusions from the data gathered in this study has been a drawback in some ways. While it has allowed me to focus on the qualitative experiences of respondents, the usefulness of the study for CADA-ON has been somewhat undermined. Therefore, future research in this area would be best served by a design that will allow for statistically sound conclusions to be drawn. Randomization should be employed, and a greater number of members encouraged to participate. Dividing the survey into two separate surveys may help with this, as might allowing members to complete a paper version of the survey in person at a CADA-ON function such as an Annual General Meeting. Additionally, including a question regarding type of dance practiced (such as ballet, modern, Bharatanatyam, etc) might allow for greater clarity, although given the recent trend toward hybridity and fusion, this may not be fruitful. -94- Broadening the scope of the survey to include the entire dance artist population in Ontario, while making sure members of CADA-ON can be identified as such, may provide a more in-depth and community-based look at the PSD. It may also allow for the socioeconomic status of CADA-ON dancers to be compared to dancers in Ontario as a whole. Some insight into the participants' experience of completing the survey, as well as why they chose to complete it, may contribute to a greater understanding of the role of agency within CADA-ON members. An open-ended question at the end of the survey asking participants to consider their experience would serve this purpose. As has been previously noted, the research, reflection, and writing related to this project has taken approximately one year. I have learned much, and have more questions now than when I began. I look forward to continuing this work in the future, and invite any interested parties to join in this research. For now, I hope that this work will be of use to CADA-ON and its members, as well as to all those interested in the lived experiences of our artists. -95- Endnotes 1 For further discussion of the increased importance of the cultural industries see Florida 2002, 2007; Gertler 2002; Landry 2000. 2 Canadian Actors Equity Association and other unions have played a significant role in the professionalization of dance in Canada. As this research focuses principally on the work of advocacy bodies, and as an additional look at unions would be beyond the scope of this project, I will not be discussing unions at length. For an in-depth look at the contributions of unions in Canada to the dance sector, see Amy Bowring's Sacrifice in the Studio: A History of Working Conditions, Contracts, and Unions for Dance in Canada, 1900-1980. 3 For an in-depth explanation of CADA-ON's origins and the creation of the PSD, see P. Megan Andrew's Putting it Into Words: An Anecdotal History of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario Chapter Professional Standards for Dance. 4 The Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists now consists of two chapters. CADA-ON serves artists living in the eastern provinces, while CADA-BC works with artists in the west. While the two organizations work together, often in conjunction with Quebec-based Regroupment Quebecois de la Danse, they exist as separate entities. This research will focus solely on the work of CADA-ON. 51 chose not to renew my membership when I returned to school, and therefore was not a member at the time the research was undertaken. 6 Additionally, this review will not discuss the work of organizations that have advocated for the arts in general. While the work of the Canadian Conference for the Arts and the Performing Arts Alliance, among others, have made an undeniable difference to the lives of artists in Canada, a review of every organization would be beyond the scope of this research. Therefore, only organizations that have advocated directly and exclusively for dancers (in Ontario or nationally) will be considered here. 7 The literature surrounding the rise of professional dance in Canada, as well as records of the various forms of dance advocacy, have focused principally on western concert dance forms. Classical ballet and modern dance have received the lion's share of attention over the last 100 years or more, from Canadian academics and historians as well as funding bodies. The tendency of funding bodies to support western concert dance is undoubtedly correlated with an increased knowledge and documentation of these forms. While the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists -Ontario Chapter (CADA-ON) does not currently consist only of individuals working within strictly "western" dance languages, and never has, the majority of members who founded the organization were mainly contemporary/modern dancers. It is due to this, as well as to the scarcity of non-western dance advocacy information, that the following literature review will consider mainly these more "mainstream" forms. I wish to note here that while some information concerning the development of, and advocacy for, non-western dance forms in Canada can be found, a gap in our knowledge and documentation of this area certainly seems to exist. 8 For an overview of the early history of theatrical dancing in Canada see Selma Odom and Mary Jane Warner, Canadian Dance: Visions and Stories (Toronto: Dance Collection Danse, 2004) and Max Wyman, Dance in Canada: An Illustrated History (Vancouver: Douglas & Mclntyre, 1989). -96- 9 Ludmilla Chiriaeff s Les Grands Ballets Canadiens was based in Montreal, and initially produced regular performances for CBC television in Montreal, Societe Radio-Canada (SRC), before becoming a theatre- based company. For an in-depth look at the company's beginnings, see Smith 213-221; Cornell The Ballet Problem 225-239. 10 Although Gweneth Lloyd, Boris Volkoff and others had been considered for the position of Artistic Director of a new national company, Celia Franca was eventually brought from England to fill the role. For an in-depth review, see Smith 206-213; Wyman Dance in Canada, 68-76; Neufeld. 11 Various individuals played pivotal roles in this association, and in each organization discussed in this chapter. In an effort to avoid an exhaustive review, and as an attempt to name individuals would invariably leave out some who deserve mention, I have elected to identify individuals only when necessary. This approach has been maintained throughout this Review of Literature. I would like to note that many contributions made by individuals to the development of dance in Canada deserve far more than a passing mention; exploring the work of those who have been the driving forces behind these organizations has been inspiring. However, while each organization owes much to the work of these individuals, delving deeply into the details of each organization would be beyond the scope of this review. 12 See Introduction 13 For global comparisons of the socioeconomic status of artists, see Claire McCaughey, "Comparisons of Arts Funding in Selected Countries: Preliminary Findings." October 2005; also "Country Profiles" and "Monitoring Government Action to Implement Social and Fiscal Measures for Self Employed Artists" from the Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe. 8th edition 2007. 14 The LICO is the Low Income Cut-Off, determined each year by Statistics Canada. It indicates the earning level below which an individual (or family) can be defined as living in relative poverty, or "straitened circumstances" (Statistics Canada, L1CO-BT). Factors such as number of individuals in a family and community size are used to set various cut-offs. 151 have used the 500,000+ community size to simplify the analysis process, due to the tendency of professional dance activity to take place in larger city centres. I would like to note that failing to ask participants to provide geographical information has limited the use of this aspect of the study somewhat. 16 One notable attempt to encourage recent graduates of dance programs to learn more about the professional world has been On the MOVE/dance TRANSIT, a national conference presented by the Dancer Transition Resource Centre and various partners (including CADA-ON and CADA-BC) since 2001. Now a two-day event that travels to five Canadian cities, the conference aims to help students and emerging artists build professional skills. Workshops concerning contract use as well as other areas addressed by the PSD are often offered. -97- Bibliography "A Primer to Status of the Artist Legislation." 12 October 2007. CARFAC Ontario. 7 December 2007. Anderson, Carol. Chasing the Tale of Contemporary Dance. Toronto: Dance Collection Danse, 1999. Andrews, P. Megan. "Putting It into Words: An Anecdotal History of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario Chapter's Professional Standards for Dance." Right to Dance: Dancing for Rights. Ed. Naomi M. Jackson. Banff: Banff Centre Press, 2004. 173-192. Bowring, Amy. "Sacrifice in the Studio: A History of Working Conditions, Contracts, and Unions for Dance in Canada, 1900-1980." Right to Dance: Dancing for Rights. Ed. Naomi M. Jackson. Banff: Banff Centre Press, 2004. 135-172. Canada. Department of Communications. 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Dance in Canada Magazine. 15 (1977-1978): 3-5. 103 Interviews Andrews, Megan. Personal interview. 16 April 2009. Chattier, Marie-Josee. Recorded interview. Date Unknown. CADA-ON archives. Lee, Susan. Personal interview. 20 November 2008. Rainville, Janelle. Personal interview. 21 November 2008. 104 Appendix A: Table of Contents Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists - Ontario Chapter Professional Standards for Dance First Edition (Version 1.0) March 29,2003 Table of Contents 1. Purpose 2. Rights & Responsibilities of the Dancer 3. Rights & Responsibilities of the Choreographer 4. Rights & Responsibilities of the Producer / Presenter 5. Working Conditions 6. Fees & Payment for Dance Artists 7. Programme & Credits 8. Photography & Video Footage 9. CAD A Ontario Representative 10. Absence Due To Injury or Illness 11. Bereavement Leave 12. Termination 13. Sex, Nudity & Obscenity 14. Discrimination & Personal Harassment 15. Complaint Procedure 16. Insurance 17. Glossary & Related Terms 18. Appendix A: Professional Recognition of Artists 19. Appendix B: Fees & Payment 20. Appendix C: References 105 Appendix B: Survey Questions These questions concern CADA-Ontario's Professional Standards for Dance (PSD). The PSD is a document produced by CADA-ON that contains guidelines regarding fees, hours of work, working conditions, etc. Version 2 was published February 26, 2009 and therefore it is understood that your response will reflect your experience with Version 1. A few definitions: Engager: A person who hires others or asks others to work for/with them. Engagee: A person who is hired or agrees to work for an engager. 1. For how many years have you been a member of CADA-ON? o Less than 1 ol o2 o3 o 4 o5 o 6 o 7 08 o 9 o 10 or more 2. How aware have you been of the PSD in the last FIVE years? Please check one o Never heard of it o Know it exists but haven't used it o Have consulted it but never used it o Have used it once in the last 5 years o Have used it occasionally in the last 5 years o Have used it often in the last 5 years o Have used it always in the last 5 years 3. In general, how familiar are you with the PSD guidelines regarding working conditions? o Not at all o Somewhat o Very 106 4. As an ENGAGER (someone who hires others to work for/with them), how often have you used a CADA-ON Letter of Agreement exactly as provided by CADA-ON, in the last 5 years? o Never o Sometimes o Often o Always o Don't know o I have never been an engager 5. As an ENGAGER have you used the CADA-ON Letter of Agreement template as the basis of your own unique letter of agreement? o Yes o No o Not Applicable (I have never been an engager) 6. As an ENGAGER, to what extent have the PSD guidelines regarding working conditions changed or influenced your working conditions in the past FIVE years? o Not at all o Slight extent o Moderate extent o Great extent o Very great extent 7. As an ENGAGEE (someone who is hired to work for/with others), how often have you used a CADA-ON Letter of Agreement exactly as provided by CADA-ON, in the last FIVE years? o Never o Sometimes o Often o Always oN/A o Don't know 107 8. As an ENGAGEE have you used a CADA-ON Letter of Agreement template as the basis for your own unique Letter of Agreement? o Yes o No o Not Applicable (I have never been an engage) 9. How often have you used a written contract of any type in the past FIVE years, when participating in dance employment (as an engager or an engage)? o Never o Sometimes o Often o Always oN/A o Don't know 10. In what ways, if any, have you been involved in the development of the PSD? Check all that apply o Early consultations (Basic Dance Agreement) o Early Writing (BDA-related) o Consultations for Version 1 (2003 - The "Blue Book"). Includes discussions, seminars, etc o Version 1 writing o Other o None at all 11. Please feel free to comment on your involvement in the creation of the PSD. [TEXT BOX] 108 12. Do you feel the PSD is responsible for increasing your dance-related income over the past FIVE years? o Definitely not o Probably not o Maybe o Cautiously Yes o Definitely Yes 13. Do you feel the PSD has improved your dance-related working conditions over the past FIVE years? o Definitely not o Probably not o Maybe o Cautiously Yes o Definitely Yes 14. Why or why not? Please feel free to elaborate on your answers to questions 12 and 13 here: [TEXT BOX] 15. Have you experienced a dispute over a signed Letter of Agreement (LOA) in the past five years? o Yes o No N/A (I have never used a Letter of Agreement) 16. If yes, how often have you experienced a dispute/disputes with a signed letter of agreement? o Never o Once o 2-3 times o 2-4 times o 7-10 times o With every signed agreement 109 17. Was/were the disputes(s) resolved to your satisfaction? o Yes o No o Somewhat 18. In your opinion, what are the most valuable elements of the PSD? Which sections do you find the most useful? [TEXT BOX] 19. In your opinion, which elements or sections of the PSD could use improvement? In what way could they be improved? Is anything missing from the PSD? Please note: Section 15 (Complaint Procedures) has been changed in the upcoming Version 2 but your comments on Version 1 Section 15 are still useful. [TEXT BOX] 20. What role has the PSD played in your life as a dance artist? What role do you think it plays in society? [TEXT BOX] 21. What support would assist you in making best use of the PSD? Check all that apply o One-on-one consultation o Email/online support from CADA-ON staff o Email/online support from other CADA-ON members o Workshops o Other Thanks for your time. You're almost done! The following questions will help CADA-ON gather standard demographic data about its members. Your participation is voluntary and your answers confidential. This information will only be reported in aggregate form (individuals will not be identified at any time), and will help CADA-ON with future advocacy efforts. 110 22. What is your age? (optional) [TEXT BOX] 23. Gender (optional) o Female o Male 24. What were your DANCE-RELATED earnings in 2008 (approximately)? Dance-related earnings include all income from sources such as performance, rehearsal, teaching, grants, self-employment, etc. Please check one o $0-$4,999 o $5,00049,999 o $10,000-$ 14,999 o$15,000-$19,999 o $20,000-$24,999 o $25,000-$29,999 o $30,000-$39,999 o $40,000-$49,999 o $50,000-$59,999 o $60,000-$74,999 o $75,000+ 25. From which sources did you receive your DANCE-RELATED income? Check ALL that apply - some sources may require multiple checks (for example, being commissioned as a choreographer would mean checking both "commission" and "choreography") o Rehearsal and/or performance o Choreography o Commissions 111 o Grants o Teaching o Self-Employment o Artistic Director o Administration / management (dance-related) o Writing about dance o Dance notation o Other 26. What were your TOTAL earnings for 2008 (approximately)? TOTAL income includes income you earned from all sources, dance- and non-dance- related. Please check one o $0-$4,999 o $5,000-$9,999 o $10,000-$14,999 o$15,000-$19,999 o $20,000-$24,999 o $25,000-$29,999 o $30,000-$39,999 o $40,000-$49,999 o $50,000-$59,999 o $60,000-$74,999 o $75,000+ 27. From what other sources did you receive income/support in 2008? Please check all that apply o Non-dance-related employment o Spousal support o Government Assistance o Worker's compensation o Unemployment Insurance o Parental support o Other o No other sources of support 112 28. Which types of DANCE education have you received? Please check all that apply o Private Dance School o Non-performing arts high school o Performing arts high school o Professional dance school (Canada's National Ballet School, Royal Winnipeg, School of Toronto Dance Theatre, etc) o College (CEGEP, technical or community) o Some undergraduate university o Undergraduate university o Some post-graduate university o Post-Graduate university o Internship o Mentoring o Other 29. Which types of OVERALL education (dance or non-dance-related) have you received? Check all that apply o Some high school (in process or incomplete) o Completed high school o Some College (in process or incomplete) o Completed College o Some undergraduate university (in process or incomplete) o Completed undergraduate university o Post-graduate university Thank you so much for your time. Your contributions are very much appreciated! If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, or wish to discuss the PSD in further detail, please email me at [email protected]. Please click "Finish" to complete this survey. Thanks again, Christa Lochead 113