The lack of mainstream publicity seems pretty obvious - the MSM is concerned with selling headlines. Even "respected" sources are beginning to resemble tabloids. Why? Because "Britney Spears Has Nervous Breakdown" is bound to outsell "Boston Ballet Faces Financial Crisis." As sad as it may be to us writers, the nasty truth is that sensationalism trumps content.

With that in mind, it becomes crystal clear why dance isn't reaching the general public (aside from crappy articles reporting what happened last night on Dancing with the Stars). The legitimate dance articles that do exist in mainstream publications are generally so boring and inaccessible that nobody cares. An avid reader myself, I often have to force myself to sit through the utter agony of some NYTimes dance reviews. And all the while I'm wondering, when can I get back to reading Gawker and Perezhilton?

That's why sites like My Dance Place are so vital to our community. As bloggers, we have the ability to make dance cool, hip, and accessible without sacrificing content or resorting to sensationalism. And in doing so, we're not just speaking to a whole new generation of dancers, enthusiasts, and internet surfers, but we're also facilitating necessary discussion. In essence, what we're doing is giving dance writing the makeover it so desperately needs if it's going to have place in the world of mainstream journalism.

Writing is great and, as a writer, I'd never knock it, but I'm beginning to realize that what the American audience needs is lively and informative contact with dancers and dancemakers. The 'Net provides the dance field the opportunity to use audio and video to tell its stories in a more colorful, intimate and persuasive way, and I also believe that it's time for more dance-related events such as panels and other face-to-face presentations that are both entertaining and educational. What's clear is that mainstream publishing is in an economic downturn and including or increasing smart coverage of dance is not in the cards. So, we have to look elsewhere, and we have to be prepared to create new forms. I think it's exciting!

Eva :-)