The Clarificaton Series: 4 False dance myths

 

In the age of industrialization and commercialized entertainment, performing arts have increased in value but for some reason that level of attention has not been showered on dancer.

Dance as a profession has been undervalued and misunderstood even by practicing dancers. Considering that our cultures record dance as an activity practiced in different forms and levels for leisure, as a profession most people think that the only options available in dance is dancing, thus when drawing budgets or planning dance related activities the figures put aside for dancers are relatively low for the following false reasons:

1.      Dancers are young; therefor do not need money.
First of all most people start their dance careers relatively young. In fact in a performing company or dance team/crew the performing dancers will most likely be the youngest of them. But these people are coordinated, directed and choreographed by people a lot older who, most of the time look really young themselves because of the physical activities they are involved in.

2.      Because they are young, they do not have responsibilities so they do not need to be paid a lot.
I know a lot of dancers who are married with children, rent their own places, pay school fees, class and workshop fees… their needs are alarming. Because of all the physical activity they are involved in, as they get older some take supplements. Also the medical bills they incur in the case of an injury are equally alarming.

3.      Dance is a hobby and not a real job so dancers are dancing for fun and do not expect to be paid.
Honestly yes, most people get into dance because they love it. This is the same with 50% of the jobs in the world. The most popular word in dance is passion. But the true performers train, rehearse, develop concepts, design costumes, hire or create props… so much is put into a performance people carelessly push aside as a hobby. These artistes evolve as they grow in the industry. It becomes more than just a hobby and their growth should be patronized and appreciated as such.

4.      It doesn’t take much to dance.

Now this idea could not be more wrong. The level of dancing needed to practice dance professionally is a lot more than boogieing in the club. The true dance artistes invest time and money in developing their craft. A craft I must add that is extremely tasking physically, mentally and emotionally.

We, dance practitioners and the rest of the world need to realize that there is a group of people who use dance to earn a living and learn to respect that art form in the following ways:

1.      Respect dance and its practitioners

2.      If practicing, undergo the necessary process to present it at its best

3.      Pay not for the end product but for the process and procedures to get there

4.      Promote and refer to the dance practitioners in credits and for performances and projects

Ps: Information here is mostly inspired by the perception of dance in Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State.