There is a lot of truth in here, and yet I've been exploring some of the deeper layers I think are at play. In a dance career, emphasis is so often put on the physical performance of the body, not the wisdom that is being cultivated every day in the process. The entire premise of dancers needing to retire at a young age nods at that. The need to pivot a dance career after the performance phase ends also insinuates that peak performance of our bodies is the primary thing of value. As a 44 year old dancer, with an ever evolving relationship to dance I am exploring how dance has given me a unique lens with which to see the world. The skillsets that I carry are valuable in a variety of other contexts. I would argue (and I do in my pieces "Don't Fund Artists, Hire Them" and "Wisdom in the Arts") that we need to radically reimagine the potential role artists can play in society throughout their careers. We need to forge new career paths, value more than just the performance, seek the wisdom that bodies hold.
This is so beautiful thank you for naming it. I was one of those you spoke of - “Others left the art entirely, for medicine or a company of their own, and built a working life out of nothing the field handed them.” I am a better worker, leader, entrepreneur because of everything my dance training taught me, but it sure wasn’t easy. And I was never able to articulate that connection, I just had to start from scratch and figure it out along the way. My work has always fundamentally been about supporting artists but this piece - what you write about - wasn’t ever something on my radar. I don’t know if government support is the ‘right’ path, or if this would need to be privately supported/funded, but if there’s a chance, following on the heels of A-Corps passing in Colorado, perhaps this free tool could be of help! (I haven’t tried it yet but know the founders through my day job work). https://mycapitol.ai/get-started
There is a lot of truth in here, and yet I've been exploring some of the deeper layers I think are at play. In a dance career, emphasis is so often put on the physical performance of the body, not the wisdom that is being cultivated every day in the process. The entire premise of dancers needing to retire at a young age nods at that. The need to pivot a dance career after the performance phase ends also insinuates that peak performance of our bodies is the primary thing of value. As a 44 year old dancer, with an ever evolving relationship to dance I am exploring how dance has given me a unique lens with which to see the world. The skillsets that I carry are valuable in a variety of other contexts. I would argue (and I do in my pieces "Don't Fund Artists, Hire Them" and "Wisdom in the Arts") that we need to radically reimagine the potential role artists can play in society throughout their careers. We need to forge new career paths, value more than just the performance, seek the wisdom that bodies hold.
While the ideas here are in the context of funding in the arts, I think the content is relevant outside of funding models. https://danceattheintersection.substack.com/p/dont-fund-artists-hire-them
Thank you for writing this, Emil. Sharing widely.
This is so beautiful thank you for naming it. I was one of those you spoke of - “Others left the art entirely, for medicine or a company of their own, and built a working life out of nothing the field handed them.” I am a better worker, leader, entrepreneur because of everything my dance training taught me, but it sure wasn’t easy. And I was never able to articulate that connection, I just had to start from scratch and figure it out along the way. My work has always fundamentally been about supporting artists but this piece - what you write about - wasn’t ever something on my radar. I don’t know if government support is the ‘right’ path, or if this would need to be privately supported/funded, but if there’s a chance, following on the heels of A-Corps passing in Colorado, perhaps this free tool could be of help! (I haven’t tried it yet but know the founders through my day job work). https://mycapitol.ai/get-started
Thank you for discussing what needs to be discussed!