Several months ago, I heard two interesting reports from NPR’s Planet Money team that focused on college majors and jobs – why people decide to pursue particular tracks of study and the careers they hold as a result As might be expected from a program entitled “Planet Money,” both of the these reports focused heavily on the economics of such decisions. Specifically, “What’s Your Major?” took a look at the relationship between college majors and salaries, and the title of “Why Women Like Me Choose Lower Paying Jobs” pretty much says it all.
One topic that came up often as various economic experts tried to justify why someone would choose a less lucrative college major and career was “passion.” On some level, I think that is absolutely true. Some of us do make such decisions based on our passions, even if it comes at personal and financial loss. Onlookers might claim this is just the “self-absorbed” and “stubborn” nature of millennials and generation Y, but I think there is more to it than that.
I think a better word, and one that isn’t mentioned in the above reports, is calling. Since age 12, I have felt called to a life in the arts, specifically dance. I still remember the moment it came to me, the way some people describe moments of religious conversion. I was in class on a Friday afternoon, practicing an adagio, when I was struck by the realization that dance was all I wanted to do. Maybe I wouldn’t be a world-renowned performer, but dance would be my life’s work. And with the exception of a few chaotic months of economic and existential struggle in my early twenties, I never really stopped to question that fact. Dance was simply what I was meant to do, even when I knew it wasn’t always the smartest financial decision.
A second element, related to calling, is service. For better or for worse, I believe that my passion, enthusiasm, and ability for dance are a gift, and I want to use it to serve others in the best way possible. The best way I can contribute to the world is as a dancer, choreographer, dance educator, and advocate. My current hodgepodge of freelance jobs offer me the opportunity to serve in special ways. I have researched the impact of dance in the K-12 setting (the resulting report has been published here), and I have been able to see that impact in action in a variety of school, university, and private studio settings. I have been able to build and be a part of many creative communities through which I explore my own artistic interests, foster the work of other artists, and share the joy of creativity with students and audiences. I have been able to advocate for dance, giving voice to importance and necessity of dance in our schools, on our stages, and in our communities. I could be making more money doing something else, but I don’t think my life’s work would have the same impact.
The third and final element is fulfillment. I don’t always love the hours I have to keep, the uncertainty of my employment, or balancing multiple jobs as a freelancer. I do, however, love what I do, and I’m happy doing it. My parents always told me this was the most important thing in choosing your career path, and they were right. At the end of the day, I’m living out my dream, I’m doing what was I called to do, and I like to think I’m helping others in the process. And that makes me feel pretty darn fulfilled!
…
All this comes back to mind again as graduation season comes upon us. Hearing the high school seniors in my life talk about their chosen colleges and majors, I think back to those stressful days. Would I have done it any differently? Would I have chosen a different major? Probably not. I owe so much of who I am, both as a professional and as a person, to my dance degrees (BA 2007, MFA 2013). Here are my arguments in defense of the dance major:
1.) Dance teaches work ethic and personal responsibility: As a dance major, you don’t just come late or miss class and rehearsal. That time in the studio is sacred, and impossible to “make up” by borrowing someone’s notes or reading the textbook. When circumstances beyond your control do cause you to be absent, you come back prepared. If you don’t, you often risk getting cut from the piece or being behind all semester. Dance is tough work, and it’s no one’s fault but your own if you don’t live up to the expectations. No matter what field you enter after graduation, those habits of mind will serve you well.
2.) Dance teaches you to hold multiple perspectives at once: As a dance major, you will often have many different teachers. It is almost guaranteed that at least two of them will completely contradict each other at all times. “Well, in MY class you do it like this …” seems to be a favorite mantra of many dance educators (myself included, at times). There are many different ways to approach dance technique and artistry, and each instructor has their own ways of teaching the skills needed to be successful in those areas. You, as the student, need to be flexible, adaptable, and open to trying all them. You need to be able to hold multiple truths at once. This ability allows you to see the world differently, and to relate to people with different values, opinions, beliefs, and backgrounds – certainly an important skill set in today’s global economy.
3.) Dance teaches you to make your own truth: Eventually, you will figure out which approaches to dance technique and artistry work best for you. You will take a little from Professor X and a little from Professor Y and create a beautiful new approach that makes sense for your body, mind, and spirit. In order to do this, you need to get to know yourself. What are your physical strengths and weaknesses – and how can you best accommodate them in your dancing? What is your unique creative voice – and how can you best express it in your choreography? The best dancers are the ones who can take what they learn and apply it in a way that makes sense and works for them, thereby creating their own truths for technique and artistry. Self-knowledge, and the self-respect that comes with it, allows you to tackle new tasks and challenges in and out of the studio with adaptability, understanding, skill, and confidence.
4.) Dance teaches you to deal with pain, frustration, and disappointment: Even if you are a hard worker with an open mind who knows and owns your truth, you will definitely face pain and disappointment as a dance major. You will bruise your knees and your toenails and your ego. You will be at rehearsal until all hours of the night while your friends are playing video games and partying. You will lose friends and lovers because they feel like you’re putting your career ahead of them. You will have complicated relationships with teachers who confuse you, upset you, and don’t seem to understand you (even if they’re really just trying to help). You won’t always get the parts you want. But you will learn how to deal with all of these things; you have to, if you want to survive. And while you may act like a fool for a while as you learn to handle the pain, frustration, and disappointment with grace and poise, the truth is you experience these deep emotions and put up with them because you care. That investment, that willingness to sacrifice and suffer for what you love and believe in, will never leave you. You will apply it to whatever field you enter, and you will be able to handle the new pains, frustrations, and disappointments it brings with maturity because you’ve been there.
5.) Dance teaches you to forge your own path: As a dance major, you are constantly making your own way. You are learning how technique works for you, you are figuring out your own creative voice, and you are learning what makes you unique as an artist, performer, and person. You are finding new ways to set yourself apart in class, in auditions, and on-stage. It is all part of the process. After you graduate, you are better able to create your own career path, as well. In the above articles and in popular culture, the arts are almost laughed at as a viable college major and career path. But the truth is, I have never wanted for work, even with “just” a dance degree. While I have seen acquaintances lose jobs as teachers, struggle to find work as nurses, and get laid off in a number of other fields, I’ve always had a job. They weren’t all glamorous, and I’ve never made a ton of money, but I have been working (and working my butt off) since graduation. Because I’m used to forging my own path, I’ve never relied on an employer. I’ve created a career that goes beyond any one job – and thousands of other dancers have done it, too. I firmly believe that anyone who tells you artists are lazy has just never met a real one. We’ve mastered the hustle, not to get wealthy but to survive – which ultimately allows us to thrive no matter what path we end up taking.
6.) Dance teaches twenty-first century skills: Business leaders lament that graduates do not possess the skills needed for the contemporary workforce, but dance majors have been honing these very skills for decades. Critical thinking? Technique and performance is all about understanding, recalling, analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing movement. Creativity? We live and breathe the creative process through choreography and performance. Collaboration? Collaboration has been an integral part of dance even before it was a buzzword in business and education. From peer feedback to collective choreography to the seemingly simple act of performing as a ensemble, dance is one of the most collaborative of all the arts. Communication? Not only do dancers learn to communicate without words on stage, college dance majors are increasingly being taught to communicate about their field through articulate writing, clear verbal presentation, and passionate advocacy. Gone (mostly) are the days of the “silent” dancer. For the sake of our careers and the field we love, we are learning to speak up for ourselves. What to see it for yourself? Hire us.
7.) Dance teaches you to be a good person: Sure, we’re portrayed as evil backstabbing bitches in movies, and we’ve all run into a few nasty dancers (and dance teachers). But the truth is that most of the dancers I meet are really, really lovely folks. We’re passionate about life and the beauty that dance adds to it. We’re supportive of one another because we know how tough the field can be. We’ve learned empathy, kinesthetic and interpersonal, through the act of dancing with real people in real space and real time, face to face and heart to heart. We’re invested in our communities, artistic, local, and global, and are eager to serve through education and artistry. We’re not putting glass in one another’s pointe shoes or sleeping our way to the top – well, most of us aren’t, anyway. We’re cooperative, engaged, eager – the kind of people you want on your team – and we learned it in the studio!
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Reblogged this on Travelling Trolls and commented:
One of my dance teachers just posted this and I am really excited to share it after a conversation I heard at the studio the other day. A woman (ex-dancer and mom) was talking to a student about to take class. The student was mentioning still looking into some conservatories and dance training options even though it was later in her career just because she wanted to dance more hours and get the intensity of training an institution like that would give her. I didn’t hear the whole story but it switched to the woman essentially saying that college dance majors get the butt end of the stick because they never get enough dance hours and then they suffer academically. Now, I can’t say that every program will take core of sorting out this balance for you, they probably will not, but every student has a choice. They can decide to aim for programs with a better balance, find out what the class structure is and where that puts them academically. I do know a lot of dance majors who essentially went to a conservatory with the way the dance was run. I also know some who barely danced but usually they chose to be minors and knew that going in.
Basically, I was half a second away from cutting the lady off and saying the experience is what you make of it. I danced 8 hours a day, a lot of days, and then i was in the library after that nailing down my hard science pre-requisites for post-grad options. In two years, I, like all of my class mates, get to be Dr. so and so and my only other degree is in dance.
Sounds a bit crass, but even I have given myself heck for choosing a degree that produces a meaningless piece of paper and that is because of so many other peoples views. Dance does have a lot to offer and choosing a college degree to go along with it can be a great choice for a lot of people. At the very least, I think my decisions worked out a lot better than if I had decided to go with Chemical Engineering.
Thank you for sharing your story! Everyone is in a different place, and needs to make the best decision for them, but I agree that a dance education can be a great choice for many. Best of luck to you!
Wonderful article! As a male dancer (and tail end babyboomer) I was discouraged by my parents from pursuing dance, fortunately they were reluctantly supportive and later became very proud. Down through the ages philosophers, poets, and all kinds of great thinkers have promoted pursuing what you are passionate about. People such as Henry David Thoreau – “Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.” Rumi – “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” And more recently Wayne Dyer – “Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life,” and “There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there’s only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.”
Pursuing what you’re passionate about is not an exercise in selfishness, it is a path to fulfillment which is measured in much more than just dollars, but as Wayne says it does take resolve to make it happen.
What beautiful quotes – such supportive evidence for those who question whether or not to pursue their passions. Thank you for sharing!
Reblogged this on katie skinner and commented:
So nicely said. A dance education is a valuable, experiential, and exciting education.
Thank you! The term “experiential” is a great way to describe dance education. In dance, the learners are active and engaged in a way that I think is really important in the digital age.
Reblogged this on Ashley David and commented:
Love these thoughts from a UMD Dance M.F.A. alumna!
Thanks fellow Terp! Hope you are doing well and that the end of the semester is being kind to you!
Great piece – I am BFA in Dance 1987 – University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music – I wish you had written this sooner:)
Thank you for reading and sharing your comment – I guess late is better than never?! 🙂
This makes me regret not following through with dancing. I hope that I can feel for writing what I felt for dance one day!
Lovely article.
Thank for for reading and for your kind words … and it is never too late to get back into the studio!
Your probably right! I wonder if I would just make a fool of myself now though or if all that I learnt before would just come back to me naturally? Probably worth a try!
Reblogged this on chelsea at sea and commented:
Wow! I couldn’t agree more. I am so happy with the presence dance has in my life.
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts. Dance can bring so much joy!
Reblogged this on The Dance Buzz and commented:
Really well-written post about the benefits of dance and why some students choose to major in a field that might not benefit them the most economically. Brava!
Thank you for reading and sharing!
My sister graduates next week with her dance degree and I couldn’t be prouder of her for following her dreams!
Wonderful! Best of luck to her – she is lucky to have your encouragement and support!
Wow I love this! I would love to dance but I don’t know how. In movies, they usually show a character who claims that they can’t dance but after “listening to the beat/rhythm”, they are experts.
I would love to learn ballet, it’s so sophisticated and precise and I can only wish to be that flexible but I’m 21 and I feel like I’m too old to start learning now. 🙁
It’s never too late to start! I have taught plenty of adult beginners, some of who take up dance for the first time in their fifties or better. I hope you can give it a try some day!
Love it!
Many thanks!
Ya know…I have two different degrees in communications and worked in TV and radio for twenty years and haven’t worked in almost a year. If I could do it again, I’d pursue something creative because that’s where my heart is. Instead i spent that time chasing money. Always follow your heart.
Well, there are pros and cons to every career path! I hope that you have found what your heart wants and are able to pursue it now. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts!
Reblogged this on Big Blue Dot Y'all and commented:
One of the reasons I love this piece is that it emphasizes something I’ve come to learn in my own life — creative people have a tremendous amount of knowledge and skill to bring to the job market. It most certainly is not frivolous.
Thank you for reading and for sharing your thoughts! I was inspired to write this piece in part because so many of my friends took what they learned through dance and applied it to other careers about with they are equally passionate.
I’m actually not a dance major because my university doesn’t offer one, but I am a very passionate ballroom dancer who is on the floor every time she isn’t studying. Dance has taught me so much about relationships, myself as an artist, and myself as a person. Personally, sharing the joy dance brings to me with others is my dream job.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It is wonderful that you are able to keep up with your dancing even if it is not offered as a major at your school. I think that sharing what we love is a special calling and privilege – I wish you lots of luck!
What a great article and I thank you for writing this…this resonates for all of us that were Dance Majors years ago and I am sure those who are about to enter or are currently Dancer Majors will feel that much more validated in what they do. Some of your points totally reminded me of my time at Indiana University, where I was a ballet major 1994-98. Cheers!
Thank you for reading and for sharing your comment. Best wishes to you!
Great post! I share your perspective completely. The discipline, self-reliance, collaboration and beauty of dance has stuck with me and applied to so many parts of my life. I just recently started ballet classes again after a 20 year gap. I missed moving, hearing the music and getting lost in the process. It’s great to be dancing again. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Thank you for reading and for your comment. I’m so glad you found dance again 🙂 Best wishes to you!
Much love.
From a former dancer.
Thank you!
I teach in a school of business, so I would be expected to say, “why don’t you study something practical”….but that’s not me. I studied dance and theatre in high school, and did some pre-university theatre programs. And although I ended up in a totally different academic discipline, I use skills from my dance and theatre training every single day. You make so many good points here, especially about skills like collaboration, creativity, and discipline being great training for anything. Thank you so much for writing this! Go, you!
Yes! Thank you for sharing your story. This was exactly what I was trying to communicate – you can use the skills you learned as a dance major anyway. In fact, I think our experience as artists makes us uniquely qualified for many kinds of work, and perhaps even more qualified than people who had more traditional education experience. I’m happy to hear the skills you learned are helping you in the field you ultimately chose! Thanks for reading and commenting!
I disagree and agree with you. I think this is a wonderful article, but even though it comes with these amazing attributes, at the end of the day money does still matter. I realized my passion wasn’t guaranteed to support me and my college debt so I decided to double major. If my major doesn’t work out and I’m faced with not being able to find a job I have something to lean back on. Maybe its just me, but I refuse to receive any kind of help from family to support me or a husband to rely on. I know people who are absolutely passionate about what they teach but are not making enough to pay off their loans. I think the extra work and semester in school is worth it and that way you can receive the best of two worlds.
First of all, thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! I really do appreciate it!
Yes, I agree with you 100% on the “finances matter” piece. But, it is possible to support yourself with a dance degree. I had very limited financial support from my family and am not married. I went to a small undergrad program where I received a full academic scholarship (instead of a bigger name conservatory) and a grad program where I was fully funded. I am extremely fortunate that I do not have that many loans, but I also very intentionally planned it that way and worked hard to earn the institutional financial help I received.
I also wrote this article to show that the skills learned in dance are transferable. I spent years supporting my dancing and teaching with work at in management at theme parks, teaching swimming lessons, baby sitting, and nursery programs. As I said in the article, it was not always glamorous, but I was able to pay my bills and support myself in a modest but comfortable lifestyle. However, I also have friends who majored in dance but were able to secure better paying jobs in HR, marketing, banking, etc. They used what they learned as dance majors to help them find a more sustainable career – and most still dance and teach on the side to feed their artistic interests.
“Following your passions” does not always mean poverty. I argue that the dance major gets a bad rap because people think you can “only” use it to be a dancer, and that being a dancer always means financial hardship. I really don’t think that’s true. It you are mindful, and you make good plans, you work hard, and you are smart with your time, money, and choices, you can find both financial success and personal fulfillment with a dance degree.
like
Thank you!
This is a beautifully, educated, detailed and well written piece that I think all artists can relate to. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
http://www.theactresschronicles.co
Thank you very much! Yes, the experiences of all artist, but particularly dancers and theatre artists, are quite relate able! I’m glad you enjoyed the piece!.
Nice onee
Many thanks!
very nice post…
Thank you!
I really enjoyed your article! I took various dance classes and performed in various (amateur) stage productions in my 20s, and I loved the whole experience. I loved how you talked about dance as a calling. I’m currently using creativity to make things to sell, and while not lucrative, it sure is fun!
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you found a career you enjoy as well. There are greater rewards than a huge paycheck! Lots of luck to you!
speaking as a female who went into engineering, I totally envy your calling to the creative side!
My passion is photography but my career is technical writing…which not even as exciting as is sounds…
To do for a living that which is also a passion puts you in the lucky minority!
You are quite right to defend the Dance Major, I can only imagine how hard you have to work!
good luck with everything!
Thank you for reading and sharing such kind words. There are many ways to follow your passions – do invest the time and resources to do so outside of your career is also quiet admirable. There are so many things I’d love to explore besides dance – thank you for a little kick in the pants to do so! Best wishes to you!
Awesome piece! It’s awesome you are pursuing a dance profession. We need more dancers in the world. You have some lovely photos also!
Many thanks for reading and commenting! We do need more dancers in the world, and we all need to stick together and support one another! Best wishes to you.
Number 7 holds true for me in so many ways. I am an 18 year old who has been dancing since I came into this world. I am passionate about everything I do since dance had taught me to be passionate about every movement since our passion will always shine the brightest. I have learned to be cooperative because by helping your fellow performers out makes you appear even more talented. I am definitely someone you want on your team! Amen! Great article 🙂
Right on! Thanks for reading and sharing your comment. Lots of luck to you!
So well said! I couldn’t agree more, especially with the points you make about dance teaching students “21st century skills” and the ability to deal with frustration and setbacks with poise and grace: “failing forward” is part and parcel of the dance training process! For myself, I reflect often on my childhood where I was immersed in the dance world, and often wonder why it is that I turned my back on it in college. For some reason that I now can’t recall (I’m in my 40s now) it never occurred to me to pursue a major in dance, though I did take classes here and there throughout college and grad school. Now, as a parent of a very young dancer, I hope my daughter will end up loving dance as much as I do, and if she finds that it is her passion and calling, that she isn’t afraid to embrace it.
Thank you – I love the idea of “Failing forward” – what a beautiful way of shifting perceptions … Best wishes to you and your daughter!
Great post! Some of us just have to be artists!
Yes yes yes! And many thanks!
For a summer I worked at the Harod Conservatory at Boca Raton, Florida. This was a ballet studio taking in only prodigies. The lead person was Tallchief. The hard work does not really convey the amount of work necessary. It was sixteen hours a day. Drill and more drill. Feet sore and blistered. Exhaustion on the face, and the soul. And the outcome iffy. My hats off to all that walk this path.
How wonderful – what an amazing chance to study with such greats and push yourself to such limits. Thank you for reading and sharing!
Shannon, Thank you for this thoughtful, comprehensive, insightful and eloquent piece. Dance: a wondrous and vibrant passion to blessed with. Thirty years ago, I lost my nerve and majored in History, became a lawyer, and started a family. Thanks to my amazingly supportive husband, I reclaimed my passion for dance in my 40s by becoming a dance teacher, performer and choreographer. I am so grateful and thrilled that today, I am dancing more than ever, including performing with an inspiring and talented company. Brava to you, my friend, for figuring out so early what is important. I am psyched to have found you–now following. Xo
Thank you so much for sharing your inspirational story! It is awesome that you were able to reclaim your passion and follow your calling. What a great reminder that it is never too late! Best wishes to you!
you are so lucky you got to pursue what you wanted. some of us do not have that choice – financially, culturally, and of course, parents.
Yes, I do feel very blessed to have had support in my goal from my parents, and to have chosen small schools where I was able to get a lot of financial support through scholarships. I hope that you are able to find time and space to dance and to follow your passions in other ways!
Beautiful! As someone who works with an all-volunteer social dance organization, I think these are benefits that apply no matter what level or kind of dancer you are!
Thank you – and yes I agree! There are amazing benefits to ALL genres and styles of dance!
Nice
mechanicalsolution.wordpress.com
Thank you!
Nice
Thanks 🙂
Great perspective on dance and why some of us choose to follow certain career paths. Bravo! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading and sharing a comment!
You’re most welcome!
Thanks for a poetic and honest appraisal of your life within the system 🙂
And thank you for reading! 🙂
I love your article on this topic. I’ve been obsessed with dance for years now and although I don’t dance myself, I have such admiration for dancers. The discipline dancers have is simply extraordinary.
Thank you for reading and for your kind words! The world needs more dance enthusiasts like yourself!
This was so inspiring! Though I never pursued a professional career I have been dancing since I was young and still take drop in classes. Some people don’t understand the joy that brings and how natural it is to your body when you’ve been doing it for so long but you captured all of this beautifully!
Thank you for reading and for your nice comment! Dancing is all about joy (usually!!) and I’m glad you still have the chance to experiences it!
I wasn’t a dance major. Instead, my undergrad degree is in Interdisciplinary Studies and included a combined Performance Art, Business & Marketing course track. I wanted to work in the arts, but not as a performer. Thanks to my wonderful professors guiding me in this direction, I have now been production manager for a youth ballet company as well as a dance teacher for the same company for nearly 15 years.
My college (a women’s college, Wesleyan) was so in-tuned to the “fulfillment” aspect of our career goals that they did everything in their power to also prepare us for a chance at financial success. Now, I certainly don’t make much money in my field, but I love, love, love my job.
Kudos to you for not backing down in your choice as a dance major!
Thank you for sharing your story! Your degree sounds absolutely amazing – what an awesome opportunity to blend a range of interests into something that suits your unique skill set and career goals. I’m glad you love your job and are able to make a living doing it!
I was having a very similar discussion this afternoon with some old classmates of mine – we all graduated with BAs in Russian Language and Literature, and we are all too familiar with the “but what are you going to DO with that??” line of questioning. The bottom line is, not all of us ended up in “the field” that we were trained in, but none of us would have had it any other way. We are better people because of what we studied. I love how you outlined the reason this has been true for you with dance.
By the way, I never in my life took a dance class, not a single one, until five weeks ago. I am thirty years old and I just started taking an Intro to Ballet. I do really regret that I didn’t have the opportunity to dance when I was (a lot) younger, and I’m way behind the curve at this point 🙂 But what the heck, you only live once, right?
Thank you for the lovely post!
-Allison
Yes! It is possible to study one thing, take the lessons and skills learned from it, and apply those to another field. I was inspired to write this in part by my friends who have done that and made wonderful careers for themselves. I am excited you have found ballet and have the courage to try! I love teaching adult introductory classes – seeing the excitement and joy that can be found in dancing at any age!
Hold onto your hat – I was an English Literature major. Writing is my passion or, maybe, communicating in general. That does have some high-salary options, but I don’t seem to have taken any of them. Instead I blog, teach and love to work alongside people with honest passions.
Wonderful to hear from someone in a related field. In dance as well, there can be high-salary options, but it is also possible to make a living following your interests – just as you appear to be doing. Congratulations and best of luck to you!
Many thanks! I’m not so sure about the making a living part right yet, but things are coming along that way.
Reblogged this on Fitness Mama and commented:
Great post about what dance can do for you and your personality….makes me feel better about my daughter being so into it!
Thank you! Yes, when taught well, by caring and educated instructors, dance can have a hugely positive impact on one’s life!
Thank you for your comment! Yes! I love that my daughter’s teacher stops them any time they say they “can’t”, she’s very intuned with their self esteem and self confidence which is such a big part in dancing (everything really…)!
Thorough and thoughtful writing, Shannon. In terms of economics, (and I’m married to someone w/a PhD in Econ and a JD), if everyone got MBA’s or even engineering degrees, there would eventually be an oversupply of them and they might make less than dancers (that thought makes me smile). These days there’s an oversupply of lawyers. When my husband posted an opening he was deluged with resumes.
Beyond that, one actually has to be good at whatever one does. There are no high-paying jobs for people who aren’t actually good at what they do and no degree from any school guarantees fitness for a particular line of work and I am talking about lawyers, doctors and engineers, etc., not dancers. For the sake of quality, I wish everyone approached their careers as callings (good word, Shannon).
And then there’s just the times in which we live. I heard yesterday from my husband about a colleague: during the recession, everyone needed bankruptcy lawyers because they were losing their houses. Now they don’t, so those lawyers are worried. Also, US Patent lawyers’ work is being out-sourced to India because it can be done online and guess who charges much less. Once we needed many blacksmiths and elevator operators.
The world always needs artists, paid or unpaid, anonymous or celebrated – but it’s up to us to make ourselves into the ones people think they need. And that’s really the bottom line in any field.
Thank you for your interesting insight! I appreciate the eloquence of your “bottom line.” It takes people of all careers to make the world go round. A responsible artist will be able to advocate for themselves and fill an important role in society, without compromising their own creative values. It is a delicate balance, but possible!
Reblogged this on ogee2ng and commented:
awesome
Thank you!
You are welcome
Certainly different. A nicely written story.
Thanks for reading!
This is very inspiring. The difference between pursuing passion to responsibility. Kudos to pursuing what your heart beats. Life is amazing!!!
Thank you! There is definitely a responsible way to pursue a passion, and I hope that this article showed that! I hope you also have a chance to pursue what your heart beats!
Reblogged this on Edge of Jade.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this. My story of dance is similar. One of my favorite dance classes in college was something like “How to Survive as a Dancer”. It covered topics such as mental/physical health, grant writing/money, and others. Every now and then I am faced with a problem and realize I am thinking out side of the box to solve it thanks to my dance background.
That sounds like an awesome class! I definitely believe the life lessons learned through dance are applicable to all aspects of life. Thank you for reading.
I’ve been around a lot of people who do dance, I even used to do some myself and I can say the commitment and dedication needed is incredible, your post sums it up perfectly and reminded me of the times I saw engaging dance from passionate people
Thank you for reading. I’m glad the post brought some good memories for you. I hope you still find the chance to dance now and again yourself!
My daughter dances, she is 13 and dreams of Juliard, owning her own studio, Teaching and Broadway… Your blog is inspiring, raw, honest and so beautiful.
Thank you for reading and the lovely comment. All the best to your daughter; I hope she never stops dreaming big!
LOVE DANCING, it sets me free! I was never good enough to do it for a living, but I follow my passion. You have a great opportunity to make your passion your living! Never miss a chance to dance <3
Thank you for reading and for your enthusiastic comment! Happy dancing!
Well said! and true. I started a love affair with dance when I was 3 and still dance. It shaped my life then and always will.
Thank you for reading and for sharing your story. I was inspired to write this piece in part because of the impact dance has had on me, but also on the way it has affected so many of my friends who went on to other careers. Dance can definitely shape one’s life in truly wonderful ways, and the impact is lasting!
Great piece and amazing photos!!
Thank you!
This is such a wonderful piece! I minored in Dance and my only regret now is that I have not been able to dance since having two children!
Thank you! It is never too late to start again! :
What a perfect piece! My degree is in Theatre, and whenever anyone asks what I do with it, I always answer that I use it Every Day. People usually think I’m being flip – it really takes someone who has been there to understand. I am not working in the arts right now, but I can’t imagine my life and career without the lessons I learned from on and off the stage.
Side note: I began taking ballet at the ripe old age of 30, and now I can add dance to the list of arts that inspire and encourage me everyday! Thanks for this post!
Right one! Thanks for sharing your story, and keep dancing. It’s never too late!
Following your dreams is what it’s all about! Get em, girl!
Thanks! And right back attacha!
Stumbled upon this post and I’m so glad I did! I knew when I was 12 that office life was not for me. I got a BFA in dance 2001.
When my Mom told people I was going to be a dance major, they asked her all kinds of questions, mainly “Why would you let her do that?” Her response was “Its her life. She loves to dance and that’s what she wants to do” I’m so glad I had a mom who was supportive.
I now have an MA in Arts Management, so I work on the other side, but I still get to be creative and help to bring dance to people. Dance taught me many of my life skills. Its because of dance I know how to work hard and push myself. I wouldn’t trade my Dance BFA for anything!
Wonderful to hear your story. We are both lucky indeed to have supportive people in our lives. I am so happy to hear that the skills you learned in the studio are serving you well on “the other side!” Dance teaches us many valuable lessons, which we can use in a variety of ways. We need people
so nce
Thanks for reading!
MUCH GRATITUDE. BLISS AND LOVE FROM A DANCER.
Thank you! It is so important that we support one another! Thanks for reading and leaving a note!
YES! YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT BELOVED. I may be bias when I say this BUT DANCING is one of the greatest portal to the source and MUSIC is the catalyst by which transcends us there! BLISS AND LOVE.
I am in awe after reading what you had to say about choosing the art of dancing vs. “where the money is”. Congratulations! I can see that dance has truly shaped your life and the wonderful person you’ve become. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful story.
Dottie Biggs
Thank you for reading and for you kind words!
Absolutely inspiring and encouraging, as I too try to make my transition from one profession I just took up for the money and job opportunities, to another that will most likely not pay as much but is my genuine passion and happiness. Thank you for writing this. 🙂
Thank you for reading and sharing your story! It can be very scary, but their are greater rewards than a huge paycheck. Lots of luck to you!
Recently at the RDA festival I was sharing about my daughter’s recent college visits and which dance program she liked better. I had said that my daughter wanted to major in dance because she wasn’t done dancing. She felt she had not peaked in her training and ability and she just didn’t want to be done. She would also select another major, but one major would be dance. She was undecided about her other major. One mom said “I would never encourage my child to major in dance! What are you going to do with it?”
I had thought that I had explained quite well that the dance major for my daughter was about the process, not the degree. So I was pretty put off. I love this article because it expresses exactly why my daughter wants to keep dancing and why i want to help her figure out a way to do that!
Wow! How wonderful for your daughter to have such support. I agree that it is about the process – not just about the process of refining your technique and ability as a dancer, but the process of developing the skills needed in today’s economy through dance. I have “just” a dance degree, but I have been gainfully employed since graduation. I wish your daughter lots of luck and success. It can be scary, but its so worth it!
This post was amazing.. “That investment, that willingness to sacrifice and suffer for what you love and believe in, will never leave you.” <3 <3 it 🙂 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Wonderful article! I’m a theatre major and I really connect with so much of what you wrote in this post. I just finished my first year as an undergrad, and I can definitely say I’ve already made some of those discoveries about why it is useful and why I choose to follow this path. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences from working in the arts — hearing stories like this gives me hope for the future!
Thank you for reading and sharing your story. There is hope – so much hope. I know many former theatre majors who have found work in a number of fields, from education to the arts to business and HR, and I don’t think any of them look back on their degree with regret. Best wishes to you!
dancing is also a form of art,,, it is the integration of rhythm of mind and spirit as well
Yes – most definitely! Thanks for reading and commenting!
My son is a dance major and will be a sophomore in the fall. As his mom both myself and my son have had to field questions about his choice. The dominant point trying to be made is that basically he will starve. Our answers have always been as stated by yourself or the many lovely comments above. But there is one additional reason that I may choose to share and that is related to maturity. While my son is a gifted dancer and I am sure he will have a successful career, he decided on college because he simply was not ready for the real world. The stress of budgeting, living on your own or with roommates, cooking, shopping etc… I am so proud of my son, the path he has chosen, his passion for ballet, and his love for the arts. He will soar and I hope I can fly right along side him….Thank you for such a beautifully written treatise on Dance as a Major.
Thank you for reading and sharing your son’s story. With your support and hard work, I’m sure he will go far. Best of luck to you both!
This is a really interesting article. I don’t dance and I don’t know any dancers very well, so the specifics here are new to me. The main idea is not. I graduated with another intensely “unemployable” major: liberal arts. And I have never ever regretted it. The fact is that spending years studying something you truly love, whether it’s an art or a science or literature or philosophy, will make you a better person. You will always be wanting to challenge yourself and excel in your area. I spent four years reading and discussing very very old books, and I feel like I gained all of the same pros you listed for dance majors, albeit through a different path. Thanks for reminding people that following your dreams actually makes sense for more practical reasons than most people imagine. They just don’t think about the problem so creatively.
Yes! Thank you for reading and sharing your comment. No degree is worthless, with hard work and good decisions, success can be achieved by following your passions!
As a mother of a dance teacher that graduated from DeSales (when it was Allentown College of St Francis DeSales) ,I must admit your article enlightened me even if it was many years since my daughter graduated. I too was concerned with her choice of a major. Dance? I questioned. How are you going to make any money doing that? Your aticle opened my mind to probably most of the reasons she choose dance. You make me feel even more pride in her (I’m so proud of her as a daughter and mother of 4 and dance teacher) and her accomplishments. I knew college was tough, but you addressed all of the reasons she probably called home upset, angry, concerned, confused about the department. I would try to get her to change her major and her answer was always “No” this is what I need to do!! I want to dance. Such passion and conviction for the art! Thank you again.
Thank you for reading and sharing, and thank you for being supportive of your daughter’s decisions! She was lucky to have your support!
You bring up some really great points, thanks! I am very grateful for my career in dance, it has provided me with countless skills and experiences. However I worry that with rising tuition rates and high loan interest rates that a degree in dance may simply be unwise. For a young dance artist coming out of college and being confronted with impossibly high loan payments it can be daunting if not downright impossible on a dancer’s “salary”. At least it was for me and that was waaay back when college was much cheaper than today. Today I counsel young dancers to consider company studio training programs or traineeships which are oftentimes much cheaper and if they do want to attend university to try for substantial scholarships. And if college is what they opt for I encourage them to do lots of research on programs, since some of them are not rigorous enough and don’t provide enough professional counseling/outlets. I have 2 degrees in Dance (BA & MFA) and quite honestly I feel that they are worthless :/ I did not need a degree to dance in a professional company nor to teach at a performing arts high school.
Hi Lisa,
I appreciate your concerns. I was lucky to get scholarships to both my BA and MFA programs. However, I also went to a smaller, less prestigious undergraduate program because of the scholarship. I didn’t need a brand name school. Many people, myself included, are using our degrees in a number of fields to make a stable career for ourselves. I know my degrees have everything to do with my positions teaching at a number of schools and a university, and even with my job in administration. I would not have been hired, nor would I have been a good educator, without them.
Thank you so much for writing this article as I think it articulates the skills dancers can bring to ANY job perfectly. I may even site some of your article in a future job interview! I am currently an English Teaching Assistant under the Fulbright Program in Malaysia and I KNOW part of the reason I was accepted is because I talked about dance so passionately in my essays. I mentioned how dance changed my life and how it would be an honor to share my passion with these students who have little to no exposure to dance, outside of cultural/traditional dance. While my focus is teaching English, dancing has made my students much more confident as people- outside of English class and has pushed them to create, collaborate and move like they never have before. Now, they enjoy a challenge and are excited to perform. I couldn’t be more proud!
Thank you again!
Thank you for sharing your story! There are many ways to use the skill sets we learned as dancers and I’m so happy you found such a wonderful, challenging ways to use your gifts. Best of luck to you and your students – they are lucky to have a passionate, motivated teacher!
Well, I hope all of these useless pats on the back make you feel better at night. Any skill set will teach you the aforementioned things. And surprise, other skill sets are actually valued and respected.
Hi Mark,
I agree that there are many ways to learn those skills sets – but dance is most certainly one of them. And even if you do not value or respect dance or the arts, many of us do, and the world is a better place for them. I’m sorry you feel so strongly against that, and I hope you find your passion in life. I feel wonderful knowing that I am living my calling and making a difference in my work.
-Shannon
I really love this blog post, Shannon, and have been sharing it with everyone I know. I am NOT a dancer, by the way; I’m a writer. And substitute “writer” and “writing” for “dancer” and “dancing” throughout, and, really, this is about as close to an “artist’s statement” for my writing as anything I could say myself. There HAS to be a reason that artists do what we do, aside from the promise of success or fame or good gawd, money (because, as Miles Davis said, “I’m not in this to make money. If I wanted to make money, I know what to do”).
Anyway, thank you so much for expressing what I’ve felt myself about my work for so long, and never took the time to put on paper (or typing). 🙂 m
Thank you, Max! Yes, the experience of all artists is so deeply connected … and we are all richer (even if not financially) for the work that we do! Best of luck to you and please keep in touch!
my wife was and still is a dancer at 63 shw had a dance company for many years and a dance studio, she always mention that dance saved her life, its how she felt…
Thank you for reading and sharing. Yes, the arts are transformative and life saving! I can relate to your wife’s sentiments exactly!
Your article says it all. All that we as Dance Major advisors and faculty said many times to so many people. The major is all encompassing, not only in daily classes and rehearsal, choreography classes, music and history classes, physiology, anatomy and kinesiology classes, but in addition, the broad range of required General Education classes.
I have spent my entire life dancing( except for a period of time working at a job that I hated). I am lucky in that I was a tenured faculty in what is now a prestigious Dance Program. Not only did I teach I choreographed for a top regional opera company, re-staged from the Labanotated score and had professional security. Although now a Professor Emerita and unable to physically teach, I am still and always will be a dancer. It is who I am.
Thank you for reading and sharing your comment, Janet! There are many ways to make a beautiful career in dance, and your story reaffirms that! I’m sure your students benefited greatly from your teaching!
I am entering my senior year as an undergraduate Music Education Major and just like everyone else, am struggling with anxiety about graduation and everything afterward. While I have zero dance experience, our fields are obviously very closely related. My mentor just sent me this post, and at just the right time; it inspired me to say the least. Thank you for helping me to feel justified about what I’m doing 🙂
Thank you! Yes, it is scary, but if you work hard and work smart, amazing things can happen. The arts are a valid and rewarding career choice – don’t let anyone make you feel differently!
THANK YOU! I am a regular ed classroom teacher and former dance team coach. I have always told ALL my kids (desk and dance) that if they don’t follow their passion after school, they pay check doesn’t matter. Yes, you have to be able to make a living and support yourself, but you don’t have to sacrifice your calling in life to do that.
Thanks for reading and sharing your comment Tara! Teachers like you rock!
As someone who danced with a professional (albeit tiny) company, got injured and is now a double finance and economics major, I have this to say:
Have. A. Backup. Plan.
Your union, your AD, your dreams- these will not help keep you out of a state of perpetual bartending. I know I sound jaded here, but I know this terrain. When (not if- be honest) you are finally too injured to do another season, how will you pay the rent? Teaching? In this still-recovering economy? Good luck. Dance on, Ballerinas, but get a business degree too- seriously, you’ll thank me at 35.
Thank you for your comment – but I know plenty of people working in a variety of careers with “just” a dance degree. They (and myself) have taken the skills they learned in and through dance and transferred them into a wonderful career in many fields, from HR to non-profit administration to studio ownership and beyond – without an extra degree. A “back-up plan” is a good idea in any field in this economy, but many of us are doing fine in our field. A dance degree does not just prepare you for performing, but for a wonderful, well rounded and economically stable life, if you work it right.
I’m 15 and still in High School. All my friends already decided what major will they take, and when people ask me I’ll answer “I don’t know but I really love Dance.” and they will be surprised and say “What can you do with dance in the future beside teaching?”. I think about it everyday. I’m so sad and confused. I don’t like anything beside dance and I suck in school subjects. I live in the country where everyone is still underestimating dance and dancers. I often skip school just for dancing and learning new dances. I really want to try ballet but my parents kinda don’t let me do those stuffs because of financial issues. So I only learn hip hop choreographies and some K-Pop dances (It’s really fun!). I really like your blog, Shannon, and can you give me some advices because I don’t know what to do anymore 🙁
Hi, and thank you for writing! It is a very difficult decision to make, and I’m sorry to hear it is causing you so much worry. There are many things you can do with a degree in dance! You can be an arts administrator, a teacher in a school or studio, a dance therapist, a dance writer, and many more. I encourage you not to skip school, though! A good dancer needs a well-rounded education to be successful, in my opinion. A professional dance career (like a ballerina) can be very difficult, but there are so many ways you can study dance and incorporate it into your life besides just being a professional dancer. I’m glad you enjoy the blog … keep dancing!
Hello Shannon! I really like your blog. I’m a 15 years old girl who lives in a country where everyone is still underestimating dance and dancers. I love dance. It heals me and it makes me happy. I’m in high school right now and all my friends already decided what major will they take. When they ask me what major will I take, I’ll say “I don’t know, but I love dancing.” and they’d be surprised and say “What can you do with dance in the future with your life?”. I think about it everyday. I don’t like anything beside dance. I suck at school subjects and I often skip school for dance. My mom (she’s a single parent) doesn’t let me to take dance classes because of financial issues, but she “kinda” supports me when I have a dance competition with my team. So I’ll just learn and dance to hiphop and kpop dances (it’s really fun!). I really want to take dance major and apply to some scholarships abroad. But again, I don’t have basic in ballet and I’m still trying to talk to my mom about ballet classes. Can you give me some advices? I’m so sad and confused 🙁
I started dance for fun just as a class in my freshman year of high school at 13, dancing less than an hour a day 5 days a week, and became more and more interested in it. Now, I am 16 as a junior and trying to figure out what to do with my life. I have joined the JV dance team at my school and a small team at my studio, where I take 7 classes a week, but I feel that I am not progressing nearly quickly enough in ballet or in anything else in order to get into a dance program in college, although I love to dance. I never even took a legitimate ballet class that actually pushes me until a couple of months ago, and even so it is with dancers several years younger than I am. I don’t know what else I can major in or be passionate about. Is it still possible for me to join a good dance program despite my lower level? What do you recommend?
Hi Anna! Depending on where you are located, you might find a community college program that offers dance. This would give you 2 years to train intensely before transferring to a larger program. In any case, you might try reaching out to the schools you are interested in attending and asking them directly. Every program is different – some require audition, some are open to anyone, some will require you to do an evaluation in your junior year in order to stay with the major. Getting in touch with the programs you are specifically interested in is the best advice I have!
Thank you for sharing and adding your insight!