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Dancers’ career transitions

Avery, Craig Berryman, M.A.

The American University, 1992

Copyright ©1992 by Avery, Craig Berryman. All rights reserved.

UMI 300 N. ZeebRd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106

DANCERS' CAREER TRANSITIONS

by

Craig B. Avery

submitted to the

Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences

of The American University in Partial Fulfillment of

the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Arts

in Performing Arts: Arts Management

Signatures of the Committee:

Chair:

College /4 -/0-9* Date

1992

The American University

Washington, D.C. 20016

fas jjEBiej® n m s m rrmre Q) COPYRIGHT by CRAIG B. AVERY

1992

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED To the American dancer, whose life is a constant struggle between passion and survival. Persevere.

Persevere. DANCERS' CAREER TRANSITIONS

BY

Craig B. Avery ABSTRACT

The hypothesis of this thesis is that it is possible to pinpoint the unique aspects of a dancer's profession

which make career transition so intense and difficult and

thus to develop career transition methodologies. The thesis

analyzes previous research conducted about dancers' career

transitions and compares programs that have been developed to assist dancers with transition in the United States,

Canada, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. The study also examines the current status of pension plans for professional dancers in the United States. The author

suggests strategies for developing effective dancers' career transition programs in the United States and increasing awareness of the issue. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This thesis would not have been possible without the

ground-breaking research and dedication of a few special

people. I am deeply grateful to Suzzane Gordon, author of

Off Balance: The Real World of Ballet, for her courage to

bring labor issues in the dance world to the attention of

the American public. To Judith Kupersmith, M.D., for her

sensitivity and life-long commitment to dancers' health issues. To Joysanne Sidimus, founder of the Dancer

Transition Centre in Canada, and author of Exchanges; Life

After Dance, for establishing a model dancers' career transition program; your work is an inspiration! To career consultant, Ellen Wallach, for her exemplary role in the

Life After Performing project with Dance/USA.

A special thanks to Dr. Naima Prevots, Director of

Dance, The American University, for her encouragement and support of this thesis from its early stages. Finally, to

Valerie Morris, Chair of the Department of Performing Arts,

The American University, for her insightful editing and suggestions.

iii TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT...... ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... iii

INTRODUCTION ...... 1

CHAPTER I. THE EVOLUTION OF A DANCERS' CAREER .... 5 The Young Dancer ...... 5 The Dancer During Adolescence ...... 7 The Performing Years ...... 12

II. RETIREMENT FROM P E R F O R M I N G ...... 19 III. PROGRAMS DEVELOPED TO ASSIST DANCERS IN TRANSITION ...... 35 Great B r i t a i n ...... 35 The N e t h e r l a n d s ...... 38 The United S t a t e s ...... 45

IV. CONFLICT OVER PENSION PLANS...... 63

V. CONCLUSIONS...... 70

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 79

iv INTRODUCTION

A talented dancer is one of the most beautiful and disciplined examples of what a human being can achieve.

Dancers typically spend a minimum of ten years preparing for

a career in dance, often beginning their training in early childhood. Frequently, young dancers sacrifice many other

activities, including time with family and friends, to

devote themselves to the perfection of their art. In spite

of their diligent efforts, most dancers who are accepted into the ranks of well-known companies have an average of

only ten years as performers.1

Most dancers retire from performing between the ages of 31-35, ages when many other professionals are entering the prime of their careers.2 As a group, dancers are unusually resilient and disciplined, and many of them do go on to have other rewarding careers. But when dancers must face the end of their performing careers because of injuries, financial circumstances, age, or company politics, many experience a transition process that is not unlike

‘Ellen J. Wallach, Life After Performing; Career Transitions for Dancers (Washington, D.C.: Dance/USA, 1988), 2 .

2Ibid., 3, 8.

1 death. Retirement from performing is experienced by the

dancer as a series of losses: loss of identity and

self-esteem; loss of body image; loss of a familiar social

network; loss of public recognition and praise; loss of income; and finally, if the dancer is injured or aging, loss of muscular strength and flexibility.3

In the past, most dancers have had to face retirement

alone, without specialized help or the support of their

former companies. Many felt confused, angry, frustrated, depressed, and inadequately prepared to cope with the sudden transition. Most ended their performing days with little

savings and few transferable skills to help them find their way in the non-dance world.

Although there is considerable evidence that dancers have difficulty making career transitions, the issue is really only beginning to be addressed in the United States.

In order to understand why many dancers have a difficult time with career transition, it is necessary to look at the specific stresses placed on them during the evolution of their careers. It is also necessary to recognize that dancers make significant intellectual, social, and financial sacrifices in order to pursue careers in dance. Dancers make these sacrifices because they love dance. However,

3Alan Pickman, "Career Transitions for Dancers: A Counselor's Perspective," Journal of Counseling and Development 66 (December 1987), 200. See also: Stanley E. Greben, M.D., "Life After Dance," Dance Magazine (September 1985), 78. 3 these very same sacrifices and stresses make it difficult

for the dancer to meet the new demands of the "real world" later on.

Dancers are dedicated and passionate artists. When they leave behind them what has been the single most

important force in their lives, they often experience

something close to an identity crisis. Before retirement, the world of dance was all-encompassing. The dancer's identity was almost completely tied to his or her career.

Often the boundaries between the dancer's personal life and work were blurred.

After years of dedication, the personality and behavioral traits instilled in the dancer since childhood do not simply vanish because the dancer has left the stage. Many dancers go through a grieving process following retirement and may need help sorting through old behavior patterns before they can move on to second careers. The skills which former dancers possess may actually be quite valuable in future professions, but it often takes a while before dancers are able to redirect their talents.

The hypothesis of this thesis is that it is possible to pinpoint the unique aspects of a dancer's profession which make the transition process so intense and difficult and thus to develop career transition methodologies. Most people who face sudden retirement, career changes, or layoffs experience some degree of associated trauma and stress; however, few have led such a one dimensional life as the dancer. This study analyzes previous research conducted about dancers' transitions and compares programs that have been developed to assist dancers in the United States, Canada,

Great Britain, and The Netherlands. The study also examines the current status of pension plans for professional dancers in the United States to see if they could be re-formatted to help dancers during mid-career transition. Such an analysis will, hopefully, renew dance professionals' interest in career transitions, reawaken them to the urgent needs of

American dancers, and encourage them to develop solutions within their communities to address the problem. CHAPTER ONE

THE EVOLUTION OF A DANCER'S CAREER

The Young Dancer

Young dancers experience the usual stress and anxiety

of growing up, but have the added pressure of preparing for

a career at the same time. Out of necessity, the dancer

must begin developing his or her craft at an early age. Dance training begins, ideally, well before puberty, around

the age of six or eight when the bones and ligaments are not

completely set.

In an article published in Dance Magazine in February

1980, titled: "The New Science in Dance Training," Martha

Meyers, Chairman of the Dance Department at Connecticut

College and the former Dean of the American Dance Festival,

noted that the age at which dance training begins is a

crucial factor in determining a dancer's ultimate success and achievement. Meyers stated that "ligaments are unable to stretch to any significant degree after the early teens" and our basic motor patterns are established before puberty.4 The goal of good training, then, is to produce the most change on the body with the least wear and tear and

4Martha Meyers, "The New Science in Dance Training," Dance Magazine (February 1980), 90.

5 to help the dancer develop grace and coordination. It is

much easier to accomplish these goals if the dancer begins

training at an early age. There are also certain physical attributes which dance

teachers look for in their young students. The young dancer

who will become a professional must possess good overall

body proportion, natural "turnout" or rotation of the legs from the hips, flexibility, and strong feet and ankles.

Young students who possess these qualities, along with a

musical sensibility and a genuine interest in dance, are

encouraged by their teachers to forge a stronger commitment to dance.

Usually, the student begins his or her training by

taking one or two classes a week. Gradually, more classes are added to the dancer's schedule. As the child becomes

older, dance places increasing demands on the student's time

and energy. By the age of ten or twelve, many dancers are taking three or four classes a week. If the dancer is a

student at one of the professional schools, such as the

School of American Ballet in New York, he or she may be taking one or more classes a day.

The student begins to have less and less time for outside activities with family and non-dance friends. The dance school becomes more like an extended family for the dancer. A conflict often develops between the demands of dance classes and the demands of academic classes and other 7 social activities. As Gelsey Kirkland wrote in her autobiography, Dancing On Mv Grave, published in 1986: There is no time for homework with the increasing number of hours devoted to ballet. Dance becomes consuming. As a commitment to dance increases, the rest of the world and studies tend to be discarded. Schoolwork is a distraction from the real passion.5 The conflict between the demands of dance and the demands of other activities is a common problem for many young dancers. Although it may, in fact, be necessary for young dancers to make these sacrifices, it clearly creates a dilemma for many of them once their performing days are over. In an article published in the Journal of Counseling and Development in December 1987, Alan Pickman, a career counselor who works with dancers in transition, cautioned:

Because dancers devote so much of their time, energy, and strength during the formative years to dancing, they are exposed only minimally to other occupations and thus face retirement with little knowledge or formal preparation for other careers. Under these circum­ stances the need for career counseling can be great.6

The Dancer During Adolescence

Whatever demands were placed on the dancer's time and energy during childhood are significantly increased during adolescence. Teenage dancers know that unless they develop adequate technical skills, many options will be closed to them in the future. Like professional athletes, dancers

sGelsey Kirkland, Dancing on Mv Grave (New York: Doubleday, 1986), 27.

6Pickman, "Career Transitions," 200. must prove themselves during adolescence in order to secure

any hopes for the future. Consequently, many teenage

dancers do not have the time and energy for academic

studies, dates, and developing friendships with those

outside the dance studio after a long day of classes and rehearsals.

Even though many dancers have academic records which

show above average achievement, most feel pressured by the

demands of dance to sacrifice academic studies. Some

dancers, particularly in ballet, drop out of high school or

do only a minimal amount of work to get their diplomas.7

Some adolescent dancers also are afraid that relation­

ships will compete with their pursuit of dance. Dr. Judith

Kupersmith, a former dancer with New York City Ballet who is

now a practicing psychiatrist, founded the Performing Arts Center for Health (PACH) at NYU-Bellevue Hospital in New

York, in 1982. She later established a similar program in the medical services department of the University of

Louisville in Kentucky. Dr. Kupersmith also co-authored The

Dancer's Survival Manual, published in 1987, with Marian

Horosko, a former dancer and Associate Editor of Dance

Magazine. Based on her extensive research, Dr. Kupersmith made the following observations:

At a time when social interaction usually takes place in the teens, the young performer, by substituting rehearsal time for social time, may be postponing

7Wallach, Life After Performing. 1. experience in relationships and in achieving emotional intimacy.8

In some cases professional achievements have been at the cost of emotional maturity. High professional achievement doesn't always give time for interaction with one's peers and frequently results in insufficient experience in dealing with emotional stress.9

Thus for many teenage dancers, part of the developmental process is put on hold.

It is not that teenage dancers do not want to form friendships. However, it may be difficult for some of them to manage with the daily pressure to prove themselves.

Dancers spend most of their waking hours between the classroom, rehearsal studio, and the stage. Eventually, some dancers feel ill-at-ease in social situations simply because they have had very little experience relating to people outside the context of dance.10 This too may be a behavior pattern that dancers need help with during career transition.

On top of these demands, the adolescent dancer is frequently trying to cope with new levels of stress. If the dancer has been accepted into a professional school or a special performing arts high school, and is far from home and separated from his or her family, the dancer may be

8Marian Horosko and Judith Kupersmith, M.D., The Dancer's Survival Manual (New York: Harper and Row, 1987), 166.

9Ibid., 46-48.

10Ibid. , 146, 185-192. 10 lonely. It may be difficult for the dancer to adjust to living in a new city. If the dancer's family is not supportive of the dancer's choice of a profession, there may be additional pressures and internal conflicts. Some dancers, particularly modern dancers, are just beginning their training during adolescence, so there may be the pressure of trying to make up for lost time as well."

But the greatest stress for a teenage dancer is the constant shadow of competition. Unfortunately, the fierce competition among dancers is almost unavoidable. It is the natural dream of most adolescent dancers to be accepted into a professional dance company. This is the goal of the many hours spent in the studio perfecting technique. It is not unheard of for a dancer to be made a corps-de-ballet member as early as age fifteen and quite common to be dancing professionally by the age of twenty. The teenage dancer has expectations and dreams even though there are only a very limited number of positions available in dance companies. Young dancers invest a great deal of time, energy, and money to pursue their dreams, but there is no guarantee of success. Unfortunately, dancers often find that their classmates are their direct competitors. The keen sense of competition begins to seep into many areas of the adolescent dancer's life.

The teenage dancer is under tremendous pressure; a

"ibid., 46-48. 11

"now or never" feeling dominates the dancer's waking moments. Teenage dancers often possess a determined,

single-minded focus, or "obsession" with gaining entrance to a dance company. Adolescent dancers feel that if they are not accepted into a company by the time they are in their early twenties, life will essentially be "over." These fears are understandable, because unlike other artists such as painters and musicians, dancers do not have the option of waiting to see if their efforts will be valued. Dancers, like Olympic athletes, must "go for the gold" when they are young. Dance prizes youth and what the young, trained body is technically capable of doing.

Keen competition often drives young dancers to do almost anything to get into a company, including dancing with injuries and practically starving themselves to achieve the desired slender physique. Competition with one another can even poison dancers' relationships with their teachers.

Teachers are viewed as all-powerful gatekeepers who hold the dancers' futures in their hands. Some dancers feel they can only turn to teachers for technical advice. They are afraid that if they confide a problem to a teacher, they will appear weak.12 Unfortunately, this perception only

12Suzanne Gordon, Off Balance; The Real World of Ballet (New York: Pantheon, 1983), 38, 39. See also Susan W. Stinson, Donald Blumenfeld-Jones, and Jan Van Dyke, Voices of Young Women Dance Students: An Interpretive Study of Meaning In Dance (Greensboro, N.C.: University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1990) 20, 24. 12 increases dancers' loneliness and isolation.

During adolescence, dancers frequently begin to

develop injuries which may be viewed as related to the

increasing demands placed on their bodies and the stress of competition. Dancers frequently have bouts with bunions,

tendinitis, stress fractures, torn ligaments, sprains, and knee and back injuries. Unfortunately, many dancers feel a need to hide their injuries or "dance through" them because they are afraid others will get ahead of them or that they will appear to be a risk.13 This practice only makes the

injuries worse and ultimately shortens many dancers' careers.

Injuries frequently plague dancers throughout their careers. For a dancer, the body is truly the genesis of all activity and central to the self-concept. When helping dancers with career transitions, one must understand the constant battle waged with the body and the pain that is felt by dancers when their bodies finally succumb to injuries.

The Performing Years

When a dancer gains admittance to a company, the difficulties are not over. But a professional dancer does reap some rewards for the years of dedication. The professional dancer takes pride in having the ability to

13Gordon, Off Balance. 41. 13 execute breathtaking movements with what seems like relative ease. A successful dancer enjoys the warm admiration of the audience and the glamour of the stage. Some dancers, the rare superstars, also enjoy the status of celebrities.

Dancers enjoy achieving their best performance for the audience and bringing beauty and creativity into other people's lives. They enjoy the feeling of being special because they are artists with unique gifts. After years of dedication and toil in the studio, there is an innate dignity in the professional dancer's bearing and a hard-won sense of achievement that is carried deep within the dancer's psyche. Dancers also enjoy the comradiere of working with other artists in the theater such as choreographers, musicians, and stage designers. But most of all, dancers love dance and are happy to be filling their hours doing what they love best.

While dance has gained greater acceptance and appreciation by the American public and working conditions for dancers have generally improved since the 1930's and 1940's, most dance companies in the United States are still inadequately funded and struggle just to survive. Dance continues to be viewed by many in the field as the

•'stepchild of the arts,” and salaries for dancers are notoriously low even though dancers often live in some of the most expensive cities in America.

Ballet dancers usually make more money than modern 14 dancers; but unless they are principal dancers or superstars, their incomes are still meager in comparison

with other professions. In Off Balance: The Real World of

Ballet, author Suzzane Gordon stated that in 1979, the

average professional football player started at $3 0,000 a

year as a rookie and could earn up to $72,000 by his fourth

or fifth year on a team; orchestra members earned up to $1,000 a week; and stage hands were paid over $600 a week.

By contrast, a New York City Ballet corps dancer started at

$250 a week in 1979-1980, and a fifth year corps dancer

earned $355 a week. Corps dancers in the one of the smaller regional companies, such as the Pittsburgh Ballet, usually made much less (around $168 a week) in 1980.14 Gordon also stated: In the early 1980's, principals at ABT (American Ballet Theatre) absorbed the lion's share of the budget. A Makarova or Gregory or Baryshinkov could earn as much as $2,000 - $10,000 for a single performance. A costume could cost as much as $1,500 — four times what most corps dancers earn in a week. In two performances, a superstar can earn more than a corps dancer in a year.15

In an October 9, 1991 article, published in the New

York Times, journalist Constance L. Hays stated that, today, the top salary, during the performing season, for a ballet dancer in New York City who is not a superstar is $1,020 a

,4Ibid., 115.

l5Ibid., 117. 15 week.16 Dancers are usually paid much lower off-season salaries. (For example, in 1992, dancers at American Ballet

Theatre had off-season salaries of $150 per week.)17 Many dancers, particularly modern dancers who perform

in small companies, are not paid at all. Frequently, even modern dancers who perform in well-known companies find it necessary to supplement their incomes through teaching, working in an office, or various other odd jobs. Piecing together odd jobs is draining on dancers both emotionally and physically:

Modern dance is a difficult career. The performing work is sporadic, and to survive, a dancer must work at many jobs. A modern dancer must cling very tightly to her self-concept, her identity as a dancer, while she makes money waiting tables.18

Even today, most audiences prefer to see the more traditional work of ballet rather than the contemporary or avant-garde work of modern companies. Therefore, ballet dancers usually have more job security than modern dancers.

Many modern choreographers must work very hard to develop audiences for their work. Some become exhausted from the constant effort to secure funding in order to continue from one season to the next. It is no secret that unemployment

16Constance L. Hays, "Ballet Stars in New York File Pension-Age Suit Against Union," New York Times. 9 October 1991, 1(B), 7(B).

17Ken Sandler, "ABT Tells Dancers It's Out of Money," Washington Post. 4 September 1992 2(B).

l8Wallach, Life After Performing. 9. 16 insurance has become an unofficial form of subsidy for many dancers.

Lack of financial security undermines a dancer's

self-esteem and may create a sense of dependency on others

for survival.19 Under these circumstances, it is virtually

impossible for most dancers to save money for retirement.

The demands on a dancer's body are even more severe as

a professional than as a student. In addition to daily

classes, there are the new demands of teaching, rehearsals, auditions, performances, and touring. Many ballet dancers complain that super-human feats are required of them to keep audiences coming to performances. Some ballet dancers feel that these "tricks" as well as an "unwieldy repertoire" place undue strain on their bodies, resulting in injuries which eventually shorten their careers.20

Some dance companies spend as many as six months a year on the road. Touring places a strain on the dancers' personal lives; it is difficult to maintain relationships long distance. Touring also can make it impossible for a dancer to catch up on academic studies as the dancer is never in one place for very long.

19Ibid., 2-3, 6.

20Horosko and Kupersmith, M.D., Dancer's Survival Manual. 146, 185-192. See also: Gordon, Off Balance. 12, 137, 161; William Como, "Editor's Log," Dance Magazine (November 1986), 40; Gelsey Kirkland, "Reflections on a Vanishing Art," Dance Magazine (November 1986), 42-43; Burton Taylor, "A New Beginning," Dance Magazine (November 1980), 90. 17 In Suzzane Gordon's book, Off Balance: The Real World of Ballet, some of the ballet dancers who were interviewed

complained about an "infantilization" which begins in adolescence and seems to linger into adulthood.21 These dancers believe they are treated like children well into their twenties and thirties. Even though dancers are

individual artists, just as members of an orchestra are, many perceive of themselves as instruments of a choreographer's vision. Dancers are accustomed to taking daily corrections from their teachers and explicit directions from their choreographers. They are also accustomed to demanding schedules and being told where to be, what to do, and how to think.22 Gordon stated that ballet dancers are "taught to obey orders rather than think for themselves, and encouraged to avoid the outside world, which is either a temptation or a trap."23 According to Dr.

Judith Kupersmith:

Ballet dancers are referred to as boys and girls, and are discouraged from displaying assertive personality traits that might be positively viewed in a business setting but are often interpreted by a choreographer as pushy.®

Thus unfortunately, some dancers have difficulty

2IGordon, Off Balance 109-133.

22Ibid. , 181. “Ibid., 107.

24Julia Gilden, "When Age Befalls a Ballet Dancer," New York Times. 19 August 1990. 18

developing a sense of autonomy and individuality within the confines of dance. This entrenched attitude makes it

difficult for some dancers to adapt to the new character­

istics they will need once they retire. It is not the author's intent to paint a bleak, "doom

and gloom" picture of the dancer's life, to lead readers to assume that most dancers are somehow "neurotic," or to imply that the dance profession is inherently cruel. However, if we are going to help dancers with career transitions, we must recognize that there are significant social, intellec­ tual, and financial sacrifices which dancers make. These sacrifices can become obstacles to successful transition unless dancers receive help.

In summary, pursuing a career in dance may mean that dancers experience one or more of the following: 1) Debilitating injuries

2) Little exposure to other careers

3) Job insecurity and low wages

4) Keen competition and isolation

5) Developmental process put on hold

6) Difficulty developing autonomy and individuality. CHAPTER TWO

RETIREMENT FROM PERFORMING

Two studies form the basis of much of our current

understanding of dancers' career transitions. Joysanne

Sidimus, a former dancer and the founder and Executive Director of Dancer Transition Centre in Toronto, Canada, is the first and only author to publish a book specifically on dancers' career transitions. Exchanges: Life After Dance, published in 1987, by Press of Terpischore Limited, is composed of interviews with former Canadian and American ballet dancers who have successfully made the transition to second careers. Exchanges does not provide statistical data about dancers' career transitions; it does, however, offer an in-depth discussion of the issue. Twenty-one former dancers describe their own personal experiences during transition, their reasons for retiring, and the choices they made for second careers. Ten concerned artistic directors also share their viewpoints on the issue.

In 1985, a three year research project was organized by Dance/USA, the national service organization for nonprofit, professional dance, in collaboration with career consultant, Ellen Wallach. The Life After Performing project (LAP) was funded by the National Endowment for the

19 20

Arts, The Dayton Hudson Foundation, The Capezio Ballet

Makers Foundation, and the New York City Department of

Cultural Affairs (through Dance Theatre Workshop). LAP'S

goal was to design programs and services to aid dancers making career transitions. In order to create the most

effective programs, the project conducted a survey of former dancers from the nation's top ballet and modern dance

companies.25

The results of LAP'S survey were published in 1988 as

a report titled, Life After Performing: Career Transitions

For Dancers. This report was the first documentation of

former dancers in the United States who were going through career transition. It is also the only study, to date, which provides statistical data about dancers' career transitions and includes the experiences of modern dancers.

The forty-four question survey was designed with the assistance of present and former dancers, administrators, and a professional research team. The survey investigated key areas of dancers' careers such as: retirement age, length of performing career, income, education, and difficulty experienced during transition. The survey was mailed to approximately 800 former dancers, located with the assistance of Dance/USA member companies. Over 40% of the questionnaires were returned.26

2SWallach, Life After Performing, ii-iii.

26Ibid., iii. 21

Data was compiled from 298 "useable" questionnaires — 36% of the original mailing — and included the responses of

110 female ballet dancers, 103 female modern dancers, 44 male ballet dancers, and 27 male modern dancers. Female dancers made up 75% of the respondents, male dancers 25%.

Survey participants' ages ranged from 20 to over 60, but the majority of respondents (60%) were between the ages of 30 to 39. Ninety-two percent of the respondents were Caucasian,

8% were non-Caucasian.27

Ellen Wallach made the following observation about the survey data interpretation: Former dancers chose whether or not to complete our questionnaire. It is therefore necessary to interpret the data with this bias in mind. Letters and phone calls were received from scores of dancers unable to complete the survey because it was too painful. Our results, then, may not reflect the worst pain. Any survey which relies on self-selection must be interpreted with that perspective.28

The LAP report revealed that most professional dancers in the U.S. have performing careers which last only ten years. This is especially significant as most dancers spend a minimum of ten years preparing for a career in dance. The project also found that most dancers retire from performing between the ages of 31-35 for the following reasons:

^Ibid., iii, 1.

28Ibid. , 7. 22

injuries, age, financial circumstances, family circum­ stances, and company politics.29 Injuries: Cited as the number one reason that most dancers retire from the stage. Many dancers do not "choose" to retire; the injury makes the decision for them. The intense physical demands placed on a dancer's body over time take a toll, often resulting in debilitating injuries which prevent the dancer from continuing to perform. Aae: Many dancers, particularly female ballet dancers, feel they are "aged out" of dance. At thirty, a dancer may be told she looks too old for the part of an ingenue.30

Some dancers are simply unable to perform the same level of technical feats at thirty-five that they were able to achieve at twenty. Dancers, particularly in ballet, cite the current vogue for youth in dance as detrimental to their careers. Some feel that just when they have developed the emotional maturity to breathe life into a role, their bodies are considered too old.31 Other dancers say they are no longer fulfilled by their roles as "flowers" or "snowflakes"

29Ibid., 3.

30Ibid. , See also Gilden, "When Age Befalls a Ballet Dancer," and Gordon, Off Balance. 169.

31Burton Taylor, "Hooray for the Pros," Dance Magazine. February 1985, 72. 23

when they become older and are looking for new creative challenges.32

Financial Circumstances; Most dancers have notoriously low salaries and live in some of the most

expensive cities in America. Many dancers eventually grow weary of the constant struggle to pay the rent. Also, many

dancers, particularly in modern dance, lack job security.

Additionally, as dancers become older, they often want to have families and do not believe they can support them on their meager incomes.

Family Circumstances: Most female dancers retire from the stage once they begin having children. The demands of motherhood are often not compatible with late nights in the theater and a heavy touring schedule. Again, many dancers do not believe their incomes are adequate for supporting children.

Company Politics; Changes in artistic directors or company management can create problems for dancers. There may simply be personality clashes or conflicts over contract negotiations. Or, an artistic director may want dancers with a particular "look" (a certain body line and style).

Beyond these general findings, the survey data also revealed distinct differences between the experiences of

32Joysanne Sidimus, Exchanges: Life After Dance (Toronto: Press of Terpsichore Limited, 1987), 27-37. 24 modern and ballet dancers and male and female dancers during transition.

Education; Ballet dancers tend to begin their performing careers earlier than modern dancers, and many sacrifice academic studies. As a group, female ballet dancers are the least prepared academically for career transition. Whereas 57% of the female modern dancers began their performing careers with a college degree or graduate studies, 62% of the female ballet dancers began their performing careers while attending high school. Female ballet dancers rarely attend college during their performing careers. Less than 40% of the female ballet dancers completed their high school education! The average male dancer, in both ballet and modern dance, has completed some college studies. Only 17% of all the dancers had taken courses in a subject other than dance while still performing.33

Modern dancers frequently have greater academic achievement than ballet dancers, and they tend to begin their performing careers while in college. A modern dancer's training in college often includes liberal arts courses as well as courses specific to the major: improvisa­ tion, choreography, dance history and theory, criticism, and other related arts. Thus, modern dancers who earn college degrees may receive greater exposure to other careers than

33Wallach, Life After Performing. 1. 25 their counterparts in ballet, and their education may help them develop greater independence and creativity. Addition­ ally, modern dancers who have undergraduate degrees will find it easier to acclimate to graduate studies should they choose to do so later on. Therefore, it may be easier for modern dancers to find "footholds" to second careers when they retire from performing. However, a college degree in dance does not guarantee a paying job, so the advantage during transition may not be great. Additionally, 14% of the male and female modern dancers who participated in the survey were university teachers. Academic credentials are necessary for university teaching.jobs, and it is much more common to find modern dancers teaching in universities than ballet dancers.34

Length of Performing Career/Retirement Age: With the exception of male ballet dancers, most dancers in both modern dance and ballet have performing careers which last only ten years. Male ballet dancers have an average performing career of 14 years, and 42% become artistic directors or administrators following retirement from performing. Wallach stated, "It appears that the ballet world eases male dancers into a second dance-related career. "3S

^Dancer Transition Centre, Aiming for Balance: The Dancer/s Challenge (Conference Report), Toronto: 1988, 28.

3SWallach, Life After Performing. 2,8. 26

The median retirement age for all dancers is 31-35. Female ballet dancers usually retire the earliest; the median retirement age for this group is 26-30, and 62% retired before they reached thirty. Female modern dancers frequently retire later, around forty. Male dancers generally expect to retire between the ages of 36-40.36

Income: It is not surprising that ballet dancers were more satisfied with their incomes from performing than modern dancers. Over 50% of ballet dancers earned all of their income from performing, and 90% earned most of their income from performing. By contrast, 82% of modern dancers found it necessary to supplement their performing incomes with other work (mostly teaching — 35% and various other odd jobs — 22%).

Forty percent of all male dancers and only 29% of female ballet dancers felt their income from performing was

"good.” Approximately 50% of all modern dancers felt their performing income was "poor."37 Modern dancers also were more likely to retire from the stage because of a need for greater "financial security" (22%) than their counterparts in ballet.38

Wallach noted that male dancers frequently receive

36Ibid., 2, 3.

37Ibid.

38Ibid., 3. 27 greater financial compensation for their work than female dancers:

Traditional gender differences were still evident in the ability of dancers to support themselves during their performing careers. 96% of all male dancers were able to support themselves, while only 90% of female ballet dancers and 80% of female modern dancers were able to do

Difficulty Purina Transition: Wallach found that the degree of control a dancer feels during transition (his or her academic, financial and psychological preparedness) is a major factor in determining the relative ease or difficulty the dancer will experience during transition:

Some dancers are "pushed" out of performing and some are "pulled" out. Pushes include: no longer finding dance stimulating, challenging or interesting; burnout and frustration with the life of a dancer or dance company politics; injury and age; changes in technical ability; inability to get work; and, a need for financial security. "Pulls" attract a dancer out of performing with a positive anticipation of the future: a desire for change or a different future; a new occupational interest; or, a new job.

Female dancers, for the most part, are "pushed" out. Male dancers are "pulled" out. Whether a dancer is "pushed" or "pulled" out of performing makes a major difference in the ease of that dancer's transition process.40

Male dancers appear to have the easiest transitions.

In general, they are more prepared educationally and finan­ cially for second careers and thus are more likely to feel they have control over their transitions.41 Also, as there

39Ibid., 2.

40Ibid., 3.

41Ibid., 2, 3, 8 28

are fewer males in the profession, male dancers probably

experience less competition among their peers than female dancers throughout their careers.

Based on the survey results, Wallach concluded that a marked "sex bias" exists in ballet. Male ballet dancers are more frequently encouraged to assume second dance-related careers, receive greater financial compensation, and have performing careers which generally last six to ten years longer than female ballet dancers.42 However, when Joysanne

Sidimus conducted research about dancers' career transitions for her book, Exchanges, she found fifteen cases of suicide

— all male ballet dancers.43 So there is inconclusive evidence that males' problems during transition are less acute than females. Female ballet dancers have the least gradual transi­ tion. They retire the earliest, often suddenly with serious injuries. They also have the least academic preparation.

Wallach stated: They are "pushed" out of the ballet family, and have the highest incidence of sleep problems, loneliness, isolation and loss of friends. Forty-four percent of former female ballet dancers teach in dance schools. They earn the lowest second career income, therefore it is not surprising that one-third of them report financial problems.44

Female modern dancers experience the greatest

42Dancer Transition Centre, Aiming for Balance. 28.

43Ibid., 31.

^Wallach, Life After Performing. 8. 29

emotional difficulty during transition. Despite their academic achievements, they are the least prepared

psychologically. Female modern dancers also are more likely

to have financial difficulties than any other group.

Wallach stated: People who are ballet dancers know they're ballet dancers because they have a contract; modern dancers can be waiting tables and dance every three months and who they are, their self-concept, their identity as a modern dancer, is held so deep within that in order to wrench it and let go of it finally is a tremendously emotional experience, a total disintegration of the self-concept.45

Eighty-eight percent of all dancers who participated

in the survey had experienced emotional or physical problems

during transition including: identity crisis (61%), eating problems (31%), sleeping problems (27%), alcohol abuse (9%),

and drug abuse (3%).

Female dancers reported having more problems during transition than males. Over 50% experienced career confusion, 49% experienced a loss of self-esteem, 46% experienced loneliness and isolation, and 6% had

"experienced suicidal tendencies."46

It is not surprising that 61% of the dancers experienced an identity crisis during transition. Dancers in transition experience an unfamiliar void which is quite a contrast to the all-encompassing world of dance known since

45Dancer Transition Centre, Aiming for Balance. 30.

46Wallach, Life After Performing. 5. childhood. It is very difficult for them to see themselves as having independent identities separate and apart from dance. Once dancers lose their careers, they often lose their sense of self. Dance has been a passionate pursuit full of daily stimulation and unending challenges. When dancers change careers, they are partially afraid of giving up all this stimulation, afraid they will never find anything so rewarding and exciting again. As artists, dancers may also worry about how they will find a new means of expressing their creativity. As mentioned previously, the dancer experiences retirement as a series of losses: loss of identity and self-esteem; loss of body image; loss of a familiar social network; loss of public recognition and praise; loss of income; and finally, if the dancer is injured or aging, loss of muscular strength and flexibility.47

After years of dedication, the dancer experiences retirement as similar to dying. Career transition may be equated with Dr. Elizabeth Kluber-Ross's theories entitled,

On Death and Dvina. Dr. Kluber-Ross defines the stages in the dying process as: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.48 Likewise, dancers' career transitions may be viewed as a process of grieving, letting go of the past,

47Pickman, "Career Transitions for Dancers." See also Greben, M.D., Life After Dance."

48Elizabeth Kluber-Ross, M.D., On Death and Dvina. New York: Macmillan, 1969. 31 and moving towards the future.

In the past, many dancers have found themselves thirty-years-old, with little formal education, no pension, little savings, and few readily transferrable skills. Most received little help from their former dance companies and missed having the built-in ••family" or social network of the dance world. When suddenly thrust into the new demands of the "real world" and mainstream society, many dancers felt lost, overwhelmed, and inadequate.

If a dancer sought traditional career counseling or therapy, he or she may not have found the level of help needed, simply because these professionals may not have had much knowledge of the dance world. Likewise, if the dancer spoke with family and friends who had not had performing experience, they too may have been unable to grasp what the dancer was going through.

Perhaps the greatest concern former dancers have is how to support themselves financially until they can retrain for second careers.49 Dancers frequently lack even the basic skills to work as bank-tellers or receptionists, and many really do not know what they want to do after years as performers. Many assume that dancers will teach once they retire. But not all dancers have the temperament or talent to be teachers. Teaching requires very distinct gifts that

49Gordon, Off Balance. 172. 32

are often different from the skills that make up a good performer.50

Dancers' transition problems are not resolved quickly

or easily. Career counselor, Alan Pickman, warns:

Feelings of anger, frustration, and depression can emerge. Reports of drug and alcohol abuse or eating disorders are not uncommon. Some performers try to ward off the sense of loss by throwing themselves into another activity or latching on to the first alternate career that comes their way.51

When Joysanne Sidimus conducted research for Exchanges, she

too found cases where dancers had "committed suicide, become

drug addicts, had nervous breakdowns, or simply

disappeared.1,52

Given the unique problems which they face, dancers may

need one or more of the following types of assistance during

transition: Physical Therapy: Injured dancers will often need adequate medical attention before pursuing second careers.

Severe injuries will require sufficient time for healing before dancers will have the capacity to perform physical work.

Personal Counseling: Most dancers go through a grieving process following retirement. Many experience the separation from dance as a loss of identity. Some dancers

50Ibid. , 166.

5lPickman, "Career Transitions for Dancers," 200.

52Sidimus, Exchanges. 221. 33

need help sorting through old behavior patterns and confronting their anxiety about the future. Most dancers need to take some time out following retirement to discover what it is they want to do now that they are no longer performers.53 Career Counseling; Because dancers have such little exposure to other careers, the need for career counseling can be great. Career counselors may help dancers identify their interests and suggest courses of study or training programs to help them develop new skills. Internships can also be a valuable way for dancers to explore their interests in different fields.54

Financial Planning: Dancers may need help planning a budget, learning about loans for retraining, or securing funds for subsistence during transition.55 Support Groups: Sharing the issue with peers can be a very effective means for dancers to help themselves and others. Likewise, networking with others who have already been through transition can be extremely helpful.56

Young Dancers; Young dancers should be prepared for the inevitable in a non-threatening manner; they should not

53Greben, M.D. "Life After Dance," 78.

54Pickman, "Career Transitions for Dancers," 200.

55Dancer Transition Centre, (Brochure describing the history of the organization and it's programs and services.) Toronto: 1990.

56Dancer Transition Centre, Aiming for Balance. 26. 34 be frightened away from pursuing careers in dance. At the same time, the reality of dancers' careers should not be denied. If young dancers prepare for retirement ahead of time, perhaps they will face the end of their performing days with less apprehension.57

57Ibid., 26. CHAPTER THREE

PROGRAMS DEVELOPED TO ASSIST DANCERS IN TRANSITION

A handful of programs have been developed in Great

Britain, The Netherlands, Canada, and The United States to assist former dancers with career transition. Most of these programs are less than a decade old. This chapter examines the history and development of each program and how various communities, both large and small, have tried to help retiring dancers.

Great Britain

The first career transition program for dancers was established in Great Britain. The Dancers' Resettlement

Fund was founded in 1973, under a Trust Deed, for nthe furtherance and assistance of dancers, so they might undertake some occupation other than or additional to that of dancer."58 Margaret Lawford, a former dancer trained in vocational counseling, has been the Executive Director of the program since its inception.

According to Joysanne Sidimus in Exchanges, The

Dancers' Resettlement Fund "came into being largely at the

58Sidimus, Exchanges, 221.

35 36

instigation of Peter Williams, who is well-known for his

work with and concern for the welfare of dancers, as well as

his dance writings.1,59 As early as 1969, Williams made a

recommendation to the Opera and Ballet Committee of the

British Trust Arts Council (similar to our National Endowment for the Arts) for the establishment of a fund to assist dancers.60 But it was not until 1973, after lengthy

discussions about pension plans among the Arts Council,

Equity, dance company managements and dancers, that the

Resettlement Fund was established. The British dancers let

it be known that they needed assistance at thirty-five as well as sixty-five. The committee decided to link the new pension fund with a resettlement fund.61

A mandatory provision required any dance company represented by Equity to participate in the new pension fund, and resettlement benefits were available to all who were members of the pension plan. Dancers who joined or belonged to Equity automatically assumed membership in the pension plan as part of their contracts.62

The Dancers7 Resettlement Fund operates as a discretionary trust fund. Dancers contribute 5% of their salaries to the pension fund which is matched by the

59Ibid.

60Ibid.

61Dancer Transition Centre, Aiming for Balance. 23.

62Ibid. 37 companies' 6.5%. An additional 10% per dancer is contributed by the companies for resettlement.63 These funds are invested for each dancer and earn interest. It is important to note that the Fund is completely supported by the dancers' companies. No outside funding is involved.

When the dancers retire from performing, the Resettlement

Fund is available for retraining. Dancers do not receive their pensions until they reach sixty-five. However, a discretionary trust fund does not have the tax advantages of a charitable trust fund. According to

Margaret Lawford, the Resettlement Fund does not qualify as a charitable program because "it does not benefit the profession as a whole, but is limited to members and former members of the pension scheme and contributing companies.1,64

Because of the tax disadvantages and an awareness that many non-Equity dancers who needed help were unable to partici­ pate in the Resettlement Fund, a "parallel" charitable trust was established in 1988 to assist independent dancers.65

The charitable trust is administered under the umbrella of the Resettlement Fund, but donations may be solicited from private sources to assist dancers with retraining.

Grants are available for both independent and Equity dancers under the Resettlement Fund for "tuition and/or

“Sidimus, Exchanges, 221.

“Dancer Transition Centre, Aiming for Balance. 23.

65Ibid., 23, 24. 38

apprenticeship costs, costs of materials involved in the retraining process, and living expenses when necessary.66 In 1987, the average grant was for 7,500 pounds sterling.

Grant applications are submitted to and approved by the

Fund's governing board, made up of trustees from the Arts

Council, Equity, member companies, and independent companies.67

The Netherlands

In 1987, a program was established in The Netherlands that was modeled after The Dancers' Resettlement Fund in

Great Britain. The Dutch Dancers' Resettlement Fund is allied with the Netherlands Dance Institute and administered by career counselor, Paul Bronkhorst. This generous program has two provisions to assist former dancers. A retired dancer is eligible to receive unemployment benefits and a supplement that is the equivalent of 70% of the dancer's last salary for two years.

Former dancers also may receive full reimbursement for the costs of retraining or academic studies associated with developing second careers.68

Bronkhorst believes one of the main problems American and Canadian dancers face is that they have little or no

66Sidimus, Exchanges. 221.

67Ibid.

68Dancer Transition Centre, Aiming for Balance. 36, 37. 39

financial support once they stop performing. Indeed, there

is a commitment in The Netherlands to providing financial

support to former dancers which seems to exceed that of most other countries. However, Bronkhorst also recognizes that financial support and career counseling are not the only types of support dancers in transition need. He hopes the

Dutch program will develop an effective support system to help dancers with the identity crisis most experience following retirement from performing.69

Canada

In Exchanges, Joysanne Sidimus outlined the formation of the Dancer Transition Centre in Canada. Initially, the

Canada Council commissioned two reports to investigate what programs, if any, dancers could apply to for retraining.

The first report, conducted in 1976 by Nicole Debrouck, found that although there were a few grants which dancers could apply for, no central organization existed to provide them with information. The second report, conducted in 1982 by Kenny Pearl, Artistic Director of the Toronto Dance

Theatre, reiterated the need for a central agency to assist dancers with career transition.70 In 1982, another report commissioned by the Canadian Department of Communications stated:

69Ibid.

70Sidimus, Exchanges, 222. 40 The federal government should assist dancers and other artists who have short professional careers to resettle into allied professions where their artistic skills can best be put to use. All the relevant agencies and departments — such as the Department of Employment and Immigration — should be involved, and the Department of Communications should take a leadership role. 1

Following these preliminary reports and while involved with the research for her book, Exchanges. Joysanne Sidimus received funding to conduct a nine month research project to

organize a center for retiring dancers. The Dancer

Transition Project was co-sponsored by Canada's two national

service organizations for professional dance — the Dance Canada Association and the Canadian Association of

Professional Dance Organizations. The project was funded by the Department of Communications, the Canada Council, the

Ontario Arts Council, and The Laidlaw Foundation.72

The Dancer Transition Project conducted a national survey and polled 258 dancers from twenty-three professional dance companies. Several independent dancers participated in the survey as well. The dancers were asked questions about their "perceptions of career change, lifestyle, desire for a transition center, and willingness to contribute on a membership basis."73 The survey results clearly confirmed the need for a transition center and indicated that dancers would be willing to contribute on a membership basis.

71Ibid.

72Ibid.

73Ibid. As a result of the survey, Joysanne Sidixnus founded the Dancer Transition Centre in Toronto in 1985. Since then, regional offices have been added in Edmonton,

Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Calgary. Each regional office is staffed by volunteers and has one main representative who acts as a liaison to the central office.

Initially, the Dancer Transition Centre was financed primarily by the Canada Employment and Immigration Commission. The Centre also has received support over the years from the Canada Council, the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, the Ontario Arts Council, and numerous foundations. Today, the Centre is funded by a combination of government, corporate, foundation, and individual sources along with membership dues.74 Membership in the Dancer Transition Centre is open to all professional dancers working in Canada. A dancer who is member of a company pays 1% of his or her annual salary to join, up to a maximum of $250. This amount is matched by the dancer's company. Membership dues are paid annually.

Independent dancers may join by paying 1% of their annual income made from dance related activities such as rehearsing and performing. If an independent dancer's income from dance is less than $5,000 per year, there is a flat fee to

74Pancer Transition Centre (Brochure describing the organization's history, programs, and services). 42

join of $50.75 According to Joysanne Sidimus, in 1990, the average independent dancer in Canada made an annual salary from performing of $4,000; the average company dancer's salary was $13,500.76

The Dancer Transition Centre offers a wide range of services which dancers may choose from according to their needs. The Centre provides career, personal, academic, legal, and financial counselling to members free of charge.

In 1990, the Centre had over 300 members. These services also are available to the dance community at large for a small fee. (Today, Canada has approximately 750 full-time professional dancers) ,77

The Dancer Transition Centre has a resource library, publishes a quarterly newsletter, and conducts free seminars for dance professionals and resource personnel who work with dancers. The Centre also conducts educational programs in professional dance schools to acquaint young dancers with the Centre's programs and services and increase awareness of the issue.78

Members of the Dancer Transition Centre who meet specific criteria can apply for five types of grants to

75Ibid. 76Pancer Transition Centre Newsletter, v. 5, no. 4, (June 1990): 4.

^Gilden, "When Age Befalls a Ballet Dancer."

78Pancer Transition Centre (Brochure describing the organization's history, programs, and services). 43

assist with retraining and subsistence. The Skills grant is available to any member at any time; up to $500 may be awarded for courses in: typing, second language training, computer training, and driving.79

Members who are at least twenty-five-years-old and have been professional dancers for a minimum of six years

(four of which must have been spent in Canada), may apply for a Retraining grant to develop skills for second careers.

Retraining grants are awarded for up to $2,500 per year for tuition and materials. Dancers may apply for a Retraining grant while still performing.80

Retraining Plus Subsistence grants are awarded to dancers who are retiring from performing permanently and want to pursue full-time studies. This grant is available for a one-year period and provides up to $12,000 per year for subsistence and up to $2,500 per year for tuition and materials.

The Erik Bruhn Memorial Award is awarded to one dancer per year who has already completed a first year of study under the Retraining Plus Subsistence grant and requires a second year of study to complete or continue his or her studies. This competitive award is based on "excellence in the chosen course of study, need, and duration of performing

79Ibid.

80Ibid. 44 career."81 A dancer who is awarded the Erik Bruhn Memorial

grant receives $2,500 for tuition and materials and up to $12,000 for subsistence.

In 1990, a new award was established in honor of one

of the Centre's trustees, Lynda Hamilton Bronfman. The

Bronfman grant will offer a third year of funding to dancers who have on-going studies. Any dancer who has received at

least one full year of funding from the Dancers' Transition

Centre is eligible to apply for this grant.82

All grants, with the exception of Skills Courses, are juried awards. Dancers must submit project proposals to the

Centre detailing their second career choices and proposed courses of study. Each proposal is evaluated first by the

Centre, then by an artistic advisor familiar with the applicant and a career advisor. The dancer must also submit a formal letter of acceptance from the institution or training organization where he or she plans to study. If the course work is expected to last longer than one year, the dancer must explain how he or she intends to finance and complete the study. Dancers must complete their retraining programs or the money awarded by the Centre must be refunded.83

8IIbid.

82Pancer Transition Centre Newsletter v. 5, n. 3 (March 1990): 2.

83Pancer Transition Centre (Brochure describing the organization's history, programs, and services). 45

The Dancer Transition Centre has received a great deal

of praise for its innovative and thorough programs. Many

dancers consider it the most effective and comprehensive transition program that exists today.84 The Centre appears to have adequate funding and a strong board of directors who are committed to the organization's mission. Canadian dance companies work cooperatively with the Centre to provide the needed support for dancers. In many ways, the Dancer

Transition Centre is a model program which other countries would do well to emulate. The Centre has:

1. A comprehensive program that addresses the psychological, career, financial, educational, and legal concerns of retiring dancers.

2. National leadership and the support of government agencies, corporations, foundations, and individuals.

3. Regional offices throughout Canada.

4. A means for addressing the needs of independent dancers.

The United States

The first conference to focus on dancers' career transitions was held in June 1982, at Lincoln Center for the

Performing Arts in New York. The conference was organized by Edward Weston, a former dancer and the Western Regional

Director of Actor's Equity, and Richard LeBlond, the

MGilden, "When Age Befalls a Ballet Dancer." 46 President and Chief Executive Officer of San Francisco

Ballet. Weston had attended a symposium in London sponsored

by the International Federation of Actors in 1980. While

there, he learned about the British dancers' Resettlement

Fund.85 Weston hoped that a similar program could be

implemented in the United States. The purpose of the conference was to "recognize the trauma facing professional dancers at the end of their careers and begin to consider ways and means of assisting them into other professions which can utilize their unique backgrounds and skills."86 The conference was funded by the

National Endowment for the Arts and Actors' Equity. Many prestigious speakers spoke at the conference including Margaret Lawford, Executive Director of The Dancers'

Resettlement Fund in Great Britain. At the end of the conference, a resolution was passed to begin fund-raising efforts to establish a model program similar to the Dancers'

Resettlement Fund in Great Britain.87

New York

Following the Lincoln Center conference, four performing arts unions — Actors' Equity Association,

American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (AFTRA),

85Career Transition for Dancers, "Program Description," New York: January 1990, 1.

86Sidimus, Exchanges, 223.

87Ibid. American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), and Screen Actors'

Guild (SAG) — pooled their resources to establish a $100,000 fund to assist American dancers with career

transition. Career Transition For Dancers (CTFD) was

initially a one-year pilot program, established in 1985 in

New York City and administered by the Actors' Fund of America. Joysanne Sidimus stated in Exchanges that "from

the beginning, Edward Weston envisioned that the model

program, serving primarily a New York population, would be

expanded to national scope to assist dancers throughout the

United States."88 Although CTFD has conducted educational seminars for regional dance companies, no offices have been established outside of New York to date.

Diane Nichols, a social worker, was the first Director

of Career Transition For Dancers. She was succeeded by

Diane Goldman. Under both directors, "the program began to provide vocational and assessment counseling, seminars on vocational and educational opportunities, support group

sessions, and psychotherapy."89 Between 1988 and 1989,

Career Transition For Dancers separated from the Actors'

Fund and became an independent nonprofit organization.

However, CTFD still maintains an affiliation with and is partially funded by the four performing arts unions that

88Ibid.

89Career Transitions for Dancers, "Program Description," 6. 48 helped it become established. CTFD also leases office space

from AGMA.90

In 1989, David Visser, former Executive Director of Broadway Cares, the New York theatrical community's AIDS

fund-raising organization, became Career Transition For

Dancers' Executive Director. Elizabeth Campbell, a career counselor who acted as Interim Director, was appointed

Director of Program Services at the same time.91

Career Transition For Dancers provides a wide range of services for dancers free of charge. These services are categorized under two broad headings — Education and

Individual Assistance.

Educational Services; CTFD offers "educational outreach" seminars to dance companies to increase awareness of transition issues among young and mid-career dancers.

CTFD also offers career development workshops, support groups, focus groups, library services, and special interest seminars for the dance community at large.

Individual Assistance: CTFD offers a variety of services which dancers may choose from according to their needs: vocational testing, assessment, and counseling; financial planning; career development workshops; short-term psychotherapy; support groups; an internship program; employment referral; resume preparation; survival job

^Ibid.

9,Ibid. 49 guidance; and networking opportunities.92

Financial Assistance: CTFD provides educational grants of up to $2,000 for tuition and costs of materials

associated with retraining. Dancers may also receive

financial assistance for additional vocational testing

services or psychotherapy expenses.93 However, dancers must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for

financial assistance. According to Career Transition For Dancers' 1990

"Program Description," eligibility requirements include

"union membership and seven years of professional activity

in dance with a minimum of 100 weeks of paid employment."94

Or, according to David Visser, "a dancer must be able to demonstrate that he or she has had a significant career in dance."95 During a phone interview in May 1992, Visser stated: "most of CTFD's financial support comes from the unions, so financial assistance generally goes to union members; counseling services are still available to the larger dance community."96

It is unclear if an official policy exists regarding

92Ibid., 4. 93Career Transition for Dancers, "Program Description," 6 .

MIbid., 6.

95David Visser, Executive Director, Career Transition for Dancers, interview by author, 27 May 1992.

96Ibid. how a dancer would define having a "significant career."

There is no mention of such a policy in CTFD's information materials; therefore, the author assumes independent

dancers' qualifications are decided on a case-by-case basis.

While members of the greater dance community can participate

in educational and counseling services, the union

requirement seems to exclude a significant portion of the dance population that may need financial assistance. For this program to be as effective as its counterparts in Great Britain and Canada, there must be a way of addressing the financial needs of independent dancers. CTFD conducted a program audit in 1990 and determined that 266 dancers had "benefitted from the program through direct contact" from 1985 through 1989.97 Other dancers may have benefitted from the program too, indirectly, (for example, in educational seminars) but these were not counted as part of the program audit. Of the 266 dancers, 199 participated in educational and vocational assessment. Of these, 136 decided to continue beyond assessment and participate in CTFD's counseling services. Sixty-one dancers received financial assistance from the program.98

From 1988 to 1989, CTFD's client base grew by 72%. This growth was attributed to the "organization's increased

^Career Transition for Dancers, "Program Description," 5.

98Ibid. 51 visibility as an independent, nonprofit institution.1,99

Career Transition For Dancers has been supported in

the past by: AT&T Foundation, Actors' Equity, American

Federation of Television and Radio Artists, American Guild

of Musical Artists, Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation,

The Caroline Newhouse Foundation, The Harkness Foundation

For Dance, Manufacturers Hanover Trust, New York City

Ballet, The New York Times, Screen Actors Guild, The Shubert

Organization, and donations from individuals. The

organization has not received any funding from governmental agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts.

During a phone interview in October 1990, David Visser

indicated that CTFD was having difficulty finding adequate funding to support its programs.100 In the April 27, 1990, issue of Back Stage. Visser is quoted as saying:

Everyone is sympathetic to us, but my impression right now is that our goals are considered minor in comparison with AIDS, the homeless, and the dance companies that have had to close their doors. It will take some time to turn the situation around.101 Visser also indicated that, in general, dance company managements have not been very receptive to CTFD's programs.102

"ibid.

,00David Visser, Executive Director, Career Transition For Dancers, interview by author, 9 October 1990.

101P.G., "Support System of Dancers," Back Stage. 25A.

I02David Visser, Executive Director, Career Transition For Dancers, interview by author, 9 October 1990. 52

Without on-going funding and the full cooperation of dance company managements, it will be difficult for Career

Transition For Dancers to succeed. Both The Dancers'

Resettlement Fund in Great Britain and the Dancer Transition

Center in Canada have allied themselves with company managements. Indeed, both of these programs are partially

supported by membership dues or contributions from participating companies. Moreover, there is no reason why dancers cannot contribute financially, even if it is a small membership fee, as dancers in Canada do. Many dancers could afford $50.00 per year, particularly if it enabled them to receive financial assistance or retraining grants over the long-term.

There should be greater support for dancers living outside the New York area. The program was originally conceived as a "national" program, but Career Transition For

Dancers continues to primarily serve the New York dance community. Dancers who do not live near New York are unable to receive the counseling services provided by CTFD.

San Francisco

Immediately following the Lincoln Center conference,

San Francisco Ballet became the first American dance company to have a career transition program. Tim Duncan, Russell

Murphy, and Victoria Morgan worked to secure tax-sheltered annuities, medical benefits, and a career counseling program for the company's dancers, in cooperation with 53

San Francisco State College.103

In May 1992, the author interviewed Glen Miller, the current Company Manager of San Francisco Ballet. Miller indicated that a "re-organization" had taken place during

1987, and SFB's original transition program had changed.

Richard LeBlond, President and CEO of San Francisco Ballet, had organized the Lincoln Center conference on dancers' career transitions along with Edward Weston. LeBlond resigned from his position with SFB in 1987. Russell Murphy and others who had helped start SFB's transition program, moved to the Bay Area Dance Alliance around the same time.

Today, San Francisco Ballet's career transition program is administered jointly by the company and the

Professional School of Psychology in San Francisco. Dancers may attend a limited number of counseling sessions free of charge with therapists from the school; additional counseling sessions are available at a discounted rate.

Psychologists from the school also conduct vocational assessment testing to help dancers identify their interests, and hold workshops for the company so dancers may explore career options. Funding for the initial counselling sessions, testing, and workshops is provided by the company.104

103Sidimus, Exchanges, 224.

,04Glen Miller, Company Manager, San Francisco Ballet, interview by author, 26 May 1992. 54

San Francisco Ballet's transition program also includes an artists' reserve fund. A limited number of grants are awarded to reimburse dancers for tuition and materials associated with retraining.105 SFB's program is not comprehensive. Nonetheless, to the author's knowledge,

San Francisco Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet are the only two dance companies in the United States which have company-sponsored transition programs.

Seattle

In 1988, following the publication of the Life After

Performing report, the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) in

Seattle, Washington, invited career consultant, Ellen

Wallach, to lead a three-day workshop on dancers' career transitions for the Seattle dance community. A steering committee of artists, administrators, educators, and counselors from the University of Washington, Cornish

College of the Arts, Danceworks Northwest, Northwest Dance

Coalition, Spectrum Dance Theatre, and several private businesses joined Pacific Northwest Ballet to organize the workshop, which was funded by a $5,000 grant from The

Weyerhaeuser Foundation.106 Wallach led a series of panel discussions and seminars which were attended by 150 dance

105Ibid. 106Diane Brace, former Executive Director, Beyond Dance, Seattle, Washington: "Implementing Career Transition Programs For Performing Artists," (Unpublished report, courtesy of the author, photocopied) December 1991, 4, 5. 55

professionals, students, and educators.107

Following the workshop's success, the steering

committee decided to form a nonprofit organization, called Beyond Dance, to assist dancers in the Seattle community with career transition. Diane Brace, a former dancer with

PNB, was appointed Executive Director of the program. The

organization maintains an office at Pacific Northwest

Ballet.

One of Beyond Dance's first projects was to conduct a survey of dancers in the Seattle region to find out what their needs and expectations were of the new program.108

Over 35 dancers responded to the survey, varying in age from

21 to 43; two-thirds of the respondents were female.

Sixty-nine percent of the respondents indicated they had no retirement or pension plan and expected to encounter financial difficulty upon retiring. Thirty-nine percent anticipated having emotional or physical difficulties after retiring; 36% expected difficulty with retraining.109 The respondents also indicated an interest in career development workshops, an internship program, job interviewing skills, networking, and computer training.

Beyond Dance developed a resource center at Pacific

107Ibid., 5.

,08Ibid., 8.

109Diane Brace, "A Profile of Change,” Northwest Dance Focus, v. VI, n. 1., September 1988, 1. 56

Northwest Ballet which provides informational materials on various career fields, educational institutions, financial

aid, job and internship listings, and courses in "survival

skills" such as word processing, etc. Beyond Dance also

offers monthly seminars for advanced students and professional dancers on educational opportunities and

special interest topics such as financial planning, etc.

Beyond Dance organized a program with the University of Washington so that interested dancers from Pacific

Northwest Ballet could receive academic credits for their work in the company by enrolling in advanced dance classes at the University. Francia Russell, PNB's Artistic Director, was appointed as affiliate professor in the

University's dance program. Dancers who want to receive undergraduate credit for Russell's classes enroll through the University Extension program. In addition to attending

Russell's classes, the dancers attend seminars given by

Hannah Wiley, Chair of the University's Division of Dance.

Wiley's seminars focus on the aesthetic, physiological, and historical aspects of dance and "acclimate dancers with the

University climate and community."110

Beyond Dance also arranged for a University of

Washington professor to teach a quarter-length English composition class during the evenings and weekends at PNB's

110Michele Walker, "With UW Aid, Dancers' Futures No Longer Bleak," The Daily. Seattle Washington, 4 April 1989, 3, 15. 57 studio. Other non-dance classes will be offered in the

future. This flexibility accommodates the busy performing

and touring schedules of PNB dancers, who would be unable to pursue college degrees otherwise. Most of the dancers are

unable to take more than four credits per quarter. Nonethe­

less, the credits do accumulate, and PNB dancers can slowly work towards a bachelor's degree while pursuing their dance

careers.111

Hannah Wiley also established a graduate program at the University of Washington which takes into account the needs of retiring dancers. The new M.F.A. program gives

some academic credit for dancers' professional experience and allows dancers to pursue their degrees at an easier pace while still performing. This new program primarily serves modern dancers as more of them have undergraduate degrees.

However, Wiley hopes that eventually more ballet dancers will participate in the graduate program.112

In conjunction with Northwest Dance Coalition, Beyond

Dance published a reference directory of Seattle-based resources, The Dancer's Yellow Pages, in 1989. The directory lists psychological, financial, and career counselors who are familiar with dancers' problems and are interested in working with them at discounted rates;

niBrace, "Implementing Career Transition Programs," 7.

112"Retiring Dancers Get Lift From New Program," The University of Washington Report v. 3, n. 1, September 1988, 3, 7. 58 physical therapists and massage therapists; dance educators

and studios; rehearsal and performance spaces; technical

support services; dance accompanists; and retailers who market dance wear and dance publications.113 Beyond Dance also began offering a limited number of grants for retraining in 1990. Dancers can apply for financial aid to attend college or pursue other vocational training.114

In its first year of operation, Beyond Dance did not require dancers to pay for services or seminars. However, according to Diane Brace, the former Executive Director of

Beyond Dance, not requiring payment may have "devalued the services by giving the impression they were not worthy."115

Ms. Brace stated:

In retrospect, I believe that we should have charged for all of our programs (perhaps on a sliding scale), after the inaugural workshop was held in March, 1988. Besides providing critical earned revenue and placing value on the services, by paying a required fee the dancers would take yet another step towards self-responsibility for their own lives and careers.116

The program began charging a small fee for seminars in 1989.

Beyond Dance received its first grant as an independent organization from The Seattle Foundation to purchase a computer system. Shortly thereafter, a

113Diane Brace, "Beyond Dance," Artist Trust. December 1988, 1.

114Brace, "Implementing Career Transition Programs," 16. 115Ibid., 15.

116Ibid. 59 fund-raising consultant offered pro bono consulting to the organization and met with Beyond Dance's Board of Directors.

Today, Beyond Dance has achieved its goal of 100% financial participation by Board members and is supported through a combination of individual donations and corporate, foundation, and city government sources.117

Beyond Dance also has received numerous in-kind donations from local businesses, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet School Parents' Associa­ tion. In 1988, Beyond Dance obtained the assistance of a

C.P.A., through Business Volunteers for the Arts. The

C.P.A. developed an accounting and bookkeeping system for the program and continues to help manage financial procedures. In 1989, Beyond Dance became part of the Allied

Arts Foundation, an umbrella fund-raising organization that solicits funds from City of Seattle employees. This increased the organization's visibility. In 1990, Beyond

Dance conducted its first annual fund-raising drive to support the program's operating expenses.118

One of the main strengths of Beyond Dance is that, from the beginning, the program involved numerous community professionals and organizations in its mission. Together, these professionals and organizations created an "alliance" which increased awareness of the mission and provided a

117Beyond Dance, "1989 Annual Report," Seattle: 1989, 3. 118Ibid. 60 foundation of financial support upon which the organization could build. Beyond Dance is still a young organization and, hopefully, will develop more compr nensive programs — particularly counseling services and support groups.

However, Beyond Dance provides a good example of how a concerned community can serve its dancers and stretch limited human and financial resources.

Career Transition For Dancers, Beyond Dance, and San Francisco Ballet are the only transition programs that exist in the United States. While some progress has been made over the last ten years, more needs to be done. Dance professionals, in general, have been slow to recognize the needs of retiring dancers, and dialogue between dancers and company managements about career transitions and pension plans has almost come to a standstill. A foundation has been laid, but support for existing programs needs to be strengthened, and new programs should be developed as there are geographical areas of the country and portions of the dance population that are not being addressed. Moreover, transition issues have been almost completely eclipsed by the growing devastation of AIDs in the dance community and the recent recession and funding crisis in the arts.

In the late 1980's and early 1990's, several of the most well-known and cherished dance companies in the U.S. such as the Concert Dance Company, a 23-year-old modern repertory company, closed. Other companies such as the 61

Atlanta Ballet and the Pennsylvania Ballet are operating

with huge deficits and have just barely survived. Recently,

the Washington Post and the New York Times reported that

American Ballet Theatre (ABT), the country's oldest and

largest ballet touring company, is over 4 million dollars in

debt and in default on some bank loans. For several weeks

during September 1992, it appeared that ABT would either

have to file for bankruptcy, or merge with another ballet

company in an attempt to remain financially solvent.119

In a September 3, 1992, article in the Washington Post, journalist Ken Sandler reported that "in recent months

the company (ABT) has had severe problems finding the funds

to pay employees."120 On September 5, 1992, Sandler stated

"the insolvent American Ballet Theatre has breached its

contract with dancers by failing to pay for their medical

insurance and pension plan, according to the artists'

union."121 Sandler said details of the pension problem were

not yet available.

On October 2, 1992, Sandler reported that American

Ballet Theatre had named Kevin McKenzie of the Washington

Ballet as ABT's new Artistic Director and had appointed Gary

119Ken Sandler, "Ballet Troupe's Dance with Debt," Washington Post. 3 September 1992 1(D), 3(D). See also: Anna Kisselgoff, "Despite Financial Woes, Ballet Theatre to Tour," New York Times. 4 September 1992. 120Sandler, "Ballet Troupe's Dance with Debt."

121Ken Sandler, "ABT Dancers' Insurance Said to Be Canceled," Washington Post 5 September 1992. Dunning of the Houston Ballet as Executive Director.

Sandler said ABT was able to meet the dancers' back payroll and cover health insurance costs, which had not been paid since July, as a result of the ABT Board's emergency fund-raising efforts. According to Sandler, "A monumental fund-raising drive is expected shortly, with a goal of securing some 6 million for the company to complete its current season.”122 While many are happy that the ailing company has rallied, the long-term prospects for American

Ballet Theatre are uncertain.

Unfortunately, other American dance companies may experience similar financial problems during the current funding crisis. Under such conditions, where many American dance companies are fighting with every breath for financial solvency, it is evident that dance company managements, in general, are unequipped to provide former dancers with the level of assistance that is needed during transition. While many other concerns confronting dance professionals today are indeed critical, the plight of American dancers facing retirement should not be forgotten. Alternative means of support, other than company managements, should be developed to assist dancers in transition.

122Ken Sandler, "Ailing ABT Names Directors," Washington Post. 2 October 1992, 1(C), 8(C). CHAPTER FOUR CONFLICT OVER PENSION PLANS

Recent publicity about dancers' career transitions has centered around a lawsuit filed during the fall of 1991 by a group of prominent ballet dancers in New York City, against their union, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).

The suit was filed on behalf of other union dancers and contends that AGMA's pension plan "available only after age sixty-five, discriminates against dancers."123 Plaintiffs in the case assert that the "retirement age bears no rational relationship to the age at which dancers are compelled to retire and need income — almost always prior to age forty."124 The dancers are seeking $20 million dollars in damages as well as changes in the way the pension plan is administered.125

The American Guild of Musical Artists was established in 1936 to represent dancers, opera singers, opera stage directors, choreographers, and stage assistants. The union became one of the primary vehicles through which ballet

123Hays, "Ballet Stars File Pension-Age Suit."

124Ibid. 125Ibid.

63 64 dancers could make their demands known to management and bargain for improved working conditions, higher wages, and

increased benefits.126 Today, AGMA has 6,100 members.127

(Dancers who perform in film, television, or on Broadway are usually members of three other performing arts unions:

Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio and

Musical Artists, or Actors Equity).

Plaintiffs in the case contend that the 65-year-old retirement age was instituted with other members of the union in mind (singers) and discriminates against dancers.

Cynthia Gregory, a well-known ballerina and one of the chief plaintiffs, stated: "Without other skills, education, or training, dancers frequently leave the stage for lives of uncertainty."128 Other plaintiffs in the case include: Ferando Bujones, Martine Van Hamel, Cynthia Harvey, Judith

Fuguate, Kevin McKenzie, Marianna Tcherkassy, and Donald

Williams. All are members of American Ballet Theatre, Dance

Theatre of Harlem, New York City Ballet, or the Joffrey Ballet.

The lawsuit came to the attention of the public following an October 9, 1991, article published in the New

York Times, written by Constance L. Hays, titled: "Ballet

126Gordon, Off Balance.

127Hays, "Ballet Stars File Pension-Age Suit." 128Ibid. 65 Stars in New York File Pension-Age Suit Against Union.”129

Sanford I. Wolff, a lawyer and the Executive Director of

AGMA, told Hays:

the lawsuit is a matter of clashing philosophies. One point of view is that a pension plan is to be there when you have stopped earning or when you have passed your threshold of earnings. The other is that you should get it when you want it.130

Mr. Wolff said the union recognizes that dancers retire from the stage at an early age, but defended AGMA's pension policy by saying "there are programs in place to help them switch careers."131 One can assume Wolff was referring to Career Transition For Dancers, the transition program supported by AGMA. What Wolff did not mention, however, is that, although counseling and educational services are available to dancers free of charge, only a limited amount of financial assistance is provided by the program. Wolff also told Hays that dancers are entitled to disability benefits if they retire with injuries. The benefits vary depending on how long a dancer has performed with a company and what he or she has been paid.132 However, disability benefits are temporary and often an inadequate means for dancers to support themselves during career transition.

Constance Hays also interviewed Jay W. Waks, a labor

I29Ibid.

,30Ibid.

131Ibid. I32Ibid. 66 and employment specialist with the firm of Kaye, Scholer,

Fierman, Hays, and Handler in New York. Mr. Waks told Hays

that it would be difficult for the dancers to prove they had been discriminated against and stated: "they are going to have to demonstrate some pretty heavy evidence to win; the presumption is in favor of the union."133 However,

according to Hays, the dancers remain committed to trying to get AGMA to change its pension policy.134 To date, there has been no resolution of the case.

While age discrimination was the main complaint in the

lawsuit, the AGMA pension plan may also have a serious flaw.

According to Suzzane Gordon in Off Balance: The Real World of Ballet. AGMA companies contributed the equivalent of 5% of dancers' gross weekly salaries to the pension plan in the early 1980's. However, "to qualify for a pension, dancers must work with the same company for ten consecutive years, a rare occurrence in the ballet world."135 American dancers lack job tenure and can be fired based on the whims of artistic directors.136 Thus, the pension plan appears to penalize dancers for changing companies during their careers, and puts dancers who have been forced to retire before the ten-year period in a difficult position.

133Ibid.

134Ibid.

135Gordon, Off Balance. 116, 189.

,36Ibid. The AGMA pension plan needs to be re-formatted so dancers are able to withdraw their pension funds, if necessary, once they retire from the stage. Furthermore, dancers should not be penalized for changing companies during their careers; benefits should accrue based on the total number of years spent performing with AGMA-affiliated companies. American dance companies should consider developing a pension plan similar to The Dancers'

Resettlement Fund in Great Britain, where a separate fund can be established for retraining, with benefits available following retirement. Dancers could then collect their actual pensions once they reach sixty-five. It would be useful for dance professionals to conduct a comparative study of pension plans that have been developed in other fields. Athletes are frequently able to collect their pension funds once they are no longer active. Under

TIAA-CREF, the Higher Education union's pension plan, college and university professors may move to a new geographical location and teach in another university without losing their accrued pensions. Similar plans would be beneficial for dancers.

If the AGMA dancers win their lawsuit, it will be a significant victory for American dancers. However, many dancers in the United States do not belong to AGMA and thus would be unaffected by changes in the union's pension policy. 68 To belong to AGMA, a company must pay its dancers a

set minimum amount, as specified in yearly contracts, and

guarantee employment for at least thirty-eight weeks a

year.137 In 1979, only thirteen national dance companies

belonged to the union, and only four of these were located

outside of New York City.138 Today, most of the large regional ballet companies — Pennsylvania Ballet, Houston

Ballet, Boston Ballet, Ballet West, San Francisco Ballet, and Chicago City Ballet — as well as the large New York companies — American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet,

Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the Joffrey Ballet— belong to the union. All the regional companies are covered under one contract, but the New York companies negotiate the terms of their contracts individually.139

The National Endowment for the Arts requires all dance companies to pay AGMA-scale wages for engagements funded by the Endowment.140 Consequently, most dance companies in the

U.S. are familiar with the union. But the majority of companies — particularly the smaller regional ballet companies, modern, post-modern, and ethnic companies — are

137Marian Horosko, "The Personal You: Contracts and Insurance," Dance Magazine. April 1981, 104.

138"Department of Labor Challenges Ballet West," Dance Magazine. September 1979, 5.

139Gordon, Off Balance. 185.

140,1 Department of Labor Challenges Ballet West," Dance Magazine. 5. unable to join the union because they cannot afford to pay a group of dancers AGMA-scale wages for thirty-eight weeks a year; some cannot pay their dancers at all.

No one knows for certain how many independent dance companies have pension plans. However, one can logically assume that many lack the means to provide retirement funds

for their dancers. Therefore, in the absence of adequate pension plans, any program established to assist dancers with career transition must have a strong financial counseling component and, whenever possible, grants for retraining and subsistence. CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION

Dancers make significant social, intellectual, and

financial sacrifices in order to pursue careers in dance.

Many experience one or more of the following during their

profession: debilitating injuries, little exposure to other

careers, job insecurity and low wages, keen competition and

isolation, developmental process put on hold, and difficulty

developing autonomy and individuality. These sacrifices can

become obstacles to successful career transition unless dancers receive help. Furthermore, current research verifies that many dancers experience a loss of identity, career confusion, and depression following retirement.

However, there is compelling evidence that methodologies can be developed to aid dancers in transition.

Given the unique problems which they face, dancers may need one or more of the following types of assistance during career transition: physical therapy, personal counseling and support groups, academic and career counseling, and financial planning. A comprehensive career transition program should include all of these support systems.

Former dancers can offer valuable contributions to society. Dance instills many positive attributes such as:

70 71 discipline, dedication, perseverance, and creativity; keen

observation and memorization skills; complex spatial

awareness; the ability to work both independently and as a

team member; and the capacity to learn quickly and take

direction. With support, time, and encouragement, former

dancers can redirect their talents into successful new

careers. Those who have devoted their lives to the art of dance

deserve our help. The following recommendations are

suggested as a means for the dance field and other concerned

communities to increase awareness of the issue, develop effective transition programs, and make the most of limited resources.

Utilizing University Resources: In many ways, universities, colleges, and large community colleges are

ideal centers for establishing cost-effective and comprehensive dancers' career transition programs.

Frequently, institutions of higher education already have some of the components which are needed to create effective transition programs — academic counseling, career counseling and internship opportunities, psychological counseling, and low-cost health insurance. Additionally, some colleges and universities offer basic skills workshops and/or tutorial assistance in math, writing, computer training, etc.

Those institutions which have performing arts or dance r ! > * ' • . 72 departments can offer former dancers more comfortable environments during transition, with peers from similar backgrounds and educators who are often more aware of the specific problems former dancers experience during transition. Some dancers may want to complete degrees in dance, others may wish to enter allied professions, and some may choose entirely new fields. In each case, the dance or performing arts department can function as a supportive

"home base."

Some universities have programs where older adults can receive college credit for some of their life experience while earning their degrees. Educators and university personnel may establish relationships with professional dance companies, schools, service organizations, and presenting organizations in their communities to increase awareness of the issue and provide alternative educational formats so that dancers can begin working on their degrees while still performing.

Increasingly, institutions of higher education are recognizing the need to establish educational/training programs to help adult students develop new skills. Many mid-career workers have been displaced by advances in technology or fluctuations in the national and international marketplace which make their jobs obsolete. Dancers' career transition programs could be implemented based upon similar principles. 73 Often, university researchers do not have the

opportunity to effectively utilize, or apply, their research towards combating society's problems. An advantage of

implementing a dancers' career transition program on the college or university level is that it would allow for further research and refinement of transition methodologies.

Universities are also ideal sites to hold conferences and seminars for professionals such as arts managers, educators, career counselors, doctors, and psychologists who work with retiring dancers.

University professionals' credentials and contacts may be helpful in raising funds for a career transition program and increasing its visibility. Trustees and faculty believe in the value of education and can communicate the worthiness of this cause. Funding sources such as foundations and government agencies may be more likely to contribute funds to a university-based transition program because of the university's reputation and that of its faculty. Moreover, a university-based transition program would be more cost-effective to initiate than starting an entirely new nonprofit organization.

In essence, such a program would not have to build from "ground zero" to get started, because much that is needed — personnel, physical facility, reference materials, equipment and supplies, utilities, and ancillary services — already exist. The start-up and capital costs for an 74 independent nonprofit would be much higher. Under a university-based career transition program, much of the funding could be applied directly towards reducing tuition

expenses for the former dancers (for example, through

partial scholarships and work-study opportunities).

With sound planning, dancers' career transition

programs may be established which utilize existing university resources, but adapt and expand upon those

resources so that they more specifically serve dancers' needs. For example, career counselors and psychologists at the school will need to become familiar with the specific problems dancers face during transition in order to provide the most useful counseling services. Departmental faculty may need to be appraised of the specific problems dancers encounter during transition. The dancers will need their own support group. Faculty may assist the dancers in finding internships outside the school, and advanced graduate students may be able to function as mentors for the dancers. Business Administration professors may be brought into the program to provide financial counseling seminars for dancers, etc.

There should be at least one main coordinator who advises the dancers, oversees the program, and acts as a liaison with other university personnel. The coordinator must be knowledgeable of the problems dancers face during career transition and capable of facilitating an effective program. He or she must be able to communicate the complexities of transition issues to the institution's personnel and to potential funders. A transition program will require much advance planning and coordination among various departments such as career counseling, psychological counseling services, the health center, academic advising, etc. The coordinator must also act as a community liaison to publicize the program and recruit former dancers. The former dancers will probably need a strong mentor, parti­ cularly when they enter the program, and the coordinator should help facilitate the dancers' support groups. The coordinator should also be responsible for planning and managing the program's budget.

Ideally, there should be several university-affiliated transition programs established in strategic geographical locations of the country. It would be most valuable to develop a pilot project at a major university and conduct a follow-up study to evaluate the effectiveness of the program

(long term benefits for the dancers, cost analysis, benefits to the university and the community, etc).

Re-format Dancers' Pension Plans: As mentioned previously, dance professionals should conduct a comparative study of pension plans in other fields, as well as The

Dancers' Resettlement Fund in Great Britain, to see if the existing AGMA pension plan can be re-formatted so that it is more beneficial for dancers. The current plan needs to be 76

modified so that dancers may draw funds from their accounts, following retirement, for subsistence and retraining.

Furthermore, dancers should not be penalized for changing

companies during their careers. Dancers often have little

control over the financial conditions of a company, changes

in leadership, or injuries which force them to retire.

Therefore, pension plans should be developed with these possible conditions in mind.

There is also a crucial need to develop some kind of retraining fund for dancers who are not union members. Independent dancers rarely have large enough incomes to set aside savings for retirement. Again, American dance professionals should explore the provisions that have been developed for nonunion dancers in Canada and Great Britain. Independent dancers also might want to consider opening an I.R.A., or another type of savings account, in preparation for retirement. Even a small savings will enable them to weather transition more gracefully.

Additionally, some large cultural alliances and service organizations offer low-cost health insurance plans as part of their membership packages. Independent dancers should explore whether or not any of these type of organizations have voluntary pension plans or savings instruments as well.

Seminars/Educational Materials: In the absence of viable career transition programs, dancers need self-help materials such as seminars, workbooks, brochures, and videos 77 to assist them with transition. Those professionals who work with dancers (psychiatrists and psychologists, doctors, physical therapists, social workers, career counselors, and educators) need informational materials to acquaint them with the specific problems dancers encounter during transition. Furthermore, young dancers and their parents should be prepared for the inevitable in a non-threatening manner. Large professional dance schools should offer

"upbeat" seminars on transition issues, led by former dancers. Conferences and seminars can also help to increase dialogue between dancers and company managements. Dance company managements must look at their unwillingness to cooperate with existing programs. Little progress is possible without the successful resolution of this impasse. Most American dance companies do not have the level of governmental financial support that European and Canadian companies do. However, even though management may not be able to offer much financial assistance, it can play an important role by providing referrals to transition programs, health care professionals, and career counselors who are knowledgeable of dancers and sympathetic to their problems. Additionally, the Dance field desperately needs more statistical information on dancers' careers — specifically data on compensation trends, health insurance and medical 78 benefits, retirement benefits and pension plans, union affiliations, etc. Such information will increase communication within the field and related professions. At present, it is very difficult for dance professionals to negotiate labor issues due to a lack of verifiable data. National Leadership: Clearly, assistance for dancers in career transition ultimately depends on stimulating community support for the issue (funding, developing programs, etc.). However, national leadership can make a big difference. The National Endowment for the Arts, other government agencies, and service organizations for dance and the performing arts, should take a more active advocacy role in this important labor issue impacting many dancers' lives. The numbers may not be as large as the toll taken by

AIDs; nonetheless, wasting such talent is a tragedy which we must prevent. This should not remain a "silent problem" which dancers must face alone. In the past, dancers' labor issues have all too often been ignored. Dancers, like their counterparts in music and theater, deserve a decent "living wage" and recognition for the sacrifices they make to pursue the art of dance. We must join together to insure that the dancers of the future have more opportunities when they exit from the stage. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

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