A Career in Dance...

This information is drawn from a discussion with Julie Chenery.

Julie is a community cultural development (CCD) worker with a background in education, dance and arts management. Her work ranges from straight CCD practice as a facilitator or community consultant to community artist and project manager.

Julie had been a high school science teacher, a freelance contemporary dance artist and university lecturer and tutor in dance and human movement before joining the Queensland Performing Arts Trust as a co-ordinator of performing arts workshops for people experiencing disability. Julie initiated 'Statewide', a program of interactive television broadcasts bringing arts educators and artists into communication with young viewers at great distances. As Executive Officer for Ausdance in Qld, ('92-'02) she developed numerous events and programs promoting dance, many particularly supporting community dance.

Recent work highlights include a Moorooka community consultation; REMIX, a partnership between Access Arts and the Princess Alexander Mental Health Service to strengthen community connections for mental health consumers; Moving Stories, a dance and reminiscence project for Brisbane Seniors; the 'Shared Gift Dance', 100 community members aged 4 to 84, from several different cultural groups, at the Rotary International Convention with South Bank Corporation; 'Multi Arts, Multi Skills', a Community Renewal project across 8 Bundamba schools for Youth Arts Queensland; 'West End Dance', a six month program with people from supported accommodation; developing the Sound Circles Tool Kit for Access Arts and the work at the Albert Park Flexi School community.

Julie is the former Chair of Queensland Community Arts Network, a position she held for 3 years. She has also served on the committees of Ausdance Qld, Arts Law Qld, QUT Creative Industries and local community funding committees. Julie is interested in Community Cultural Development and the outcomes communities may derive with this practice.

Fast Facts

Network with groups and individuals

This is your lifeline to ongoing resources, skills and information exchange, as well as work and development opportunities. Networking is important in building your own personal and professional communities. Your networks overlap with other peoples' networks - broadening and enriching your base of contacts.

Diversity in life

As an artist, arts manager, and community worker you will need strong connections with people from all walks of life. These relationships will support you in both your personal and professional development. Insulating yourself from life outside the arts limits your vision and, so, the value of your expression. Diversity in your contacts can only enrich your outlook.

The importance of community

This can't be underestimated as the world races on. Governments (local, state and federal) look more and more to community organisations to fulfill vital functions such as community care and development. In turn these organisations need an on-going commitment from individuals to maintain this work. Community dance workers can play a large role in this area, whether as artists, therapists, community cultural development workers or community educators.

The non-financial rewards of the arts

As an arts worker you can facilitate pathways and outcomes for yourself and others that you had not imagined. For both you and others, this work can offer the possibility of re-envisaging yourself, and the opportunity to reclaim control of personal choices and physical environments. Witnessing the creation of options when you work with community is outrageously rewarding.

A collection of skills

No experience is wasted when working in your field - it can all be turned into fodder or resources for the future. Take time for reflection. Each dance style, genre and context, may do it for you and others at some time in the future, so happy hunting for all those connections!

Skills/Experience Required

  • professional physical training
  • persistence
  • determination
  • experience with varied companies and techniques
  • documentation of your work (This can only be a plus - having a short reel of work is a great way to convey your abilities to prospective companies/festivals.)

Reality Check

Ups are...

  • the feeling of virtuosic performance within your body
  • travel
  • a lot of work in education and community projects

Downs are...

  • the short work-life of a performing dancer
  • possibly a short life for the performance work itself
  • a fairly narrow demand for dance-specific work, and
  • time-intensive training and work schedules (which can leave little time for relationships or lifestyle, especially if working as a professional dancer)

Education Options - more general information

Tertiary institutions

For these options you will need to have a reasonable OP and a fair level of technical dance skills (mostly in ballet or contemporary dance) in order to audition for the course. Most courses focus on performance with a secondary emphasis on something else - education (teacher training) at QUT, or choreography/management at VCA.

In general, the dance courses provide fabulous training and performance opportunities and also afford access to resources that you may find are very rare or expensive after study. There are generally plenty of opportunities to develop your own creations and projects during this time.

However, practice-based courses are time-intensive. Students can find they simply don't have enough time and energy to make ends meet. So, if your financial resources are tight, make sure you ask about the hours you'll need to commit to the course, and work out what time you'll have for study and paid work outside of that.

Vocational institutions

TAFE - Indigenous Australian Dance Performance:

Performance Schools

The requirements for these courses vary widely and keep evolving so it's advisable to contact the ones that look right for you. The staff may be able to help with advice on ways to meet course entry requirements, especially if you have only recently been bitten with the dance bug.

For a community artsworker component to your study...
If you are interested in working with the community, it is best to contact the institute directly as subjects change semester to semester.

Alternative Pathways

In many respects, it is a good idea to find a mentor in your area. A mentor should be someone with whom you can discuss your work, get advice on projects, and perhaps even get work with (usually as a volunteer but make sure your work is valued and that you are not being taken advantage of).

This kind of association can be invaluable. Do not be afraid to ask it of someone you admire professionally. They will probably be flattered and, if they have the time, they may be more then happy to mentor an emerging artist.

Find out about

and a host of independent company/dancers:
Brian Lucas, Bonemap, Clare Dyson Company, Lisa O'Neill, Polytoxic, Raw Metal Dance Company, Amanda-Lyn Pearson, Phluxus Dance Collective.

What do you want to be?

Dance is a field that people often come to through their own physical enjoyment and skill. A lot of emphasis in dance training is placed on perfection, both physical and technical, so it is easy to be caught up in that and start believing that a dancer's career is a short one. Give yourself plenty of options. Nurture your dance self by broadening your horizons across time (past and present generations) and cultures.

Occupations dance can lead to:

dancer, choreographer, company manager, dance support organisation worker, teacher, community cultural worker, dance therapist, dance museum curator, dance video maker, multi-disciplinary performer'

Make sure to check out the more artist profiles section to find out how other dance artists established a career in the industry.

DISCLAIMER
Please note that the information is provided in good will only. Youth Arts Queensland and the contributors do not warrant that any of the information provided is free from errors or omission. Youth Arts Queensland and the contributor disclaim all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you might incur as a result of the information being inaccurate or incomplete in any way, and for any reason.