A year after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theaters and studios, two government initiatives are offering New York’s arts community opportunities to present in-person events: New York City’s Open Culture program and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s New York Arts Revival program. New York City’s Open Culture Program Passed in New York City Council in December by […]

It’s clear that COVID-19 has grossly impacted every facet of American life, but could it lead to the decentralization of the dance industry? In the wake of the pandemic, major cities saw dancers leave hot zones and epicenters for middle America—many relocating indefinitely in the face of lost income as the crisis endures. Some are […]

The dance field isn’t immune to the “gig economy” that’s disrupting everything from buying groceries to getting a ride to the airport. “We’re seeing more people identify as freelance dancers, and more people deciding not to start their own companies, because they’ve seen how that model works or, rather, doesn’t work,” says J. Bouey, dancer […]

In theory, NYCharities was a small dance company’s dream. Free to use, the nonprofit acted as a clearinghouse for companies to accept credit and debit card donations online. It also allowed companies to sell tickets to galas and events, set up recurring donations and even give donors the option to pay processing fees themselves—an important […]

Samar Haddad King lives in Palestine but regularly choreographs on dancers in New York City for her company Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre. While technology has helped her bridge an ocean, she has also found it useful when checkpoints and road closures make travel between Israel and Palestine difficult—if not impossible—for her local company members. Choreographing […]

Every year it seems to become more financially difficult to get by as a dancer. But are colleges preparing students for this reality? Some programs teach skills like budgeting, grant writing and marketing. But fewer delve into personal finance, and address what it really takes to dance professionally in today’s economy. Part of the problem […]

During a period when I was intentionally taking a step back from performing, I was especially sensitive to the question, “So, are you auditioning for things?” Besides the insecurity of being a freelancer not hustling in that way, I also rankled at the complexity of what it means for a non-binary performer to audition. To […]

Now more than ever, dancers are speaking up against abuses of power that have long been considered foregone conclusions. In many cases, these dancers are backed by a union and protected by solidarity. Union representation has traditionally been the purview of established companies, but many dancers working today are freelancers. As dance employment shifts away […]