What Do You Want To Be, A Broadway Star Or Something?
No! I mean it is certainly something to work towards but it’s not necessarily my ultimate goal in life.
Every time someone asks what my major is and I respond with dance, they ask what I’m going to do with it. As if my only option in life is to go the Big Apple and takeover or I have completely failed in life. Well I want to put an end to this misconception and show just a FEW of the options we have as performance majors.
For starters, there’s more for performing than just New York City. Each day there are more and more opportunities opening up. There are professional companies all around the world and in almost any dance style. Often these companies will also tour different parts of the world. There are professional companies located in certain cities that give you the credits to get to a bigger stage. One option that is of great interest to me is cruise ship performing. There is more of a demand now for cruise ship performers than there ever was. They are putting on full on musicals, dance shows, cabarets, and much more. The options with cruise ships are continuously growing.
“Those who can’t do, teach.”
That is one phrase that is most certainly not true in the performance field. Some people go to school for this purely because they want to teach and see others grow in something they love. Also, you will often find people instructing who are still performing and continuously perfecting their craft. There are so many people out there pretending to be educated in the field and instructing developing performers, so there will always be a need for people who are actually qualified to provide this education. People teach around the world for workshops and masterclasses, eager to spread their knowledge. Long story short, if you want to teach, TEACH! If you want to open a studio, open a studio! (Just make sure you are qualified first.)
Although it does require more schooling, many dancers are venturing into the exercise science/medical route of dance. There are so many facilities dedicated to athletic injuries but not many are able to help when it comes to dance injuries. These dancers are bridging this gap. They provide guidance in how a dancer’s body functions and the overall demands and restraints dance puts on the body. From there, diagnoses of injuries and the rehab to these injuries can be adapted.
There are so many possibilities; it is horrible to limit a performer’s future to just New York City. We are expanding our options everyday. So please next time someone decides to assume you won’t be successful please inform them of how they are wrong. If you aren’t a performer, next time you are talking to one, give them the respect they deserve from all of the hard work and dedication they have to put into getting where they’re at in their training or career.
