INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Number 1353923 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