Careers in Dance

Practical and Strategic Guidance From the Field

Ali Duffy

• Publisher: Human Kinetics
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9781492592723
• eBook ISBN:
  9781492592730
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Dance

Never before has a greater variety of careers been available in dance—and never before has such comprehensive, expert guidance on those burgeoning careers been accessible in one book.

Careers in Dance is a master guide that will help students navigate the expanding opportunities in dance and familiarize current professionals with potential career choices that best align with their pursuits and strengths.

This highly practical text offers a wealth of information on career options in a variety of settings and with a variety of focuses, including commercial ventures, scholarly pursuits, administrative avenues, medical and scientific settings, and interdisciplinary opportunities. Readers are guided in discovering their deepest interests and learning how to translate their unique strengths into rich and fulfilling careers.

In keeping with recent trends in higher education dance programs, Careers in Dance spotlights entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities for dancers, delving into an array of options and offering much-needed advice. The book covers some of the social and cultural influences that affect success in the field, and it explores various career opportunities:

• K-12 and postsecondary dance education
• Dance studios
• Performance, choreography, and production
• Dance research, analytical writing, and journalism
• Dance administration and advocacy
• Dance science, therapy, and medical and somatic practices
• Private competition companies
• Technical theater and related areas

The text also helps readers understand the connections between dance and other disciplines. For example, it details the interdisciplinary opportunities involving technology, technical theater, and media. It also notes the possibilities for continued education in graduate school programs and suggests approaches to acclimating to life as a working professional.

Careers in Dance offers two recurring elements throughout the book:

1. Profiles of, and interviews with, esteemed professional dancers, revealing their real-world experiences and affording insights into different dance careers
2. Reflection prompts that encourage self-reflection and prepare readers to seek career development and career advancement opportunities

This text explores the opportunities dance students and professionals can pursue, helps them pinpoint their areas of interest and strengths, and equips them to create their unique paths to a fulfilling career in dance. In doing so, Careers in Dance provides the advice and strategies dancers need to actualize their own destinies in dance.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• 1. Examining the Big Picture
• 2. Dance as an Entrepreneurial Journey
• 3. Teaching Dance in K-12 Schools and Postsecondary Education
• 4. Opportunities in the Private Sector: Dance Studios and Schools
• 5. Nonprofit Dance Companies and Organizations
• 6. Breaking into Commercial Dance
• 7. Dance Journalism and Research
• 8. Dance Administration and Advocacy
• 9. Dance Science, Medicine, Therapies, and Somatic Practices
• 10. Competitive Dance and Sports Entertainment
• 11. Technical Theater, Media, and Technology
• 12. Interdisciplinary Opportunities
• Conclusion: Now What? First Steps Toward a Dance Career
• References
• Index
• About the Author