Where is all the dance writing?

Taylor Gordon | Mar 16, 2008 | there are 4 comments 4

As some of you know, I have been pursuing a writing career on top of a professional ballet career, and as few coveted paid positions there are for dancers out there, there are even fewer for those who choose to write about dance. Aside from a critique every now and then of a major company in the New York Times, the world of dance rarely reaches the general public through the media. Perhaps there is just no readership for it. But how can dance evolve onstage and in class without an audience there to support it?

Last week the Los Angeles Times announced that it would eliminate its staff position of Chief Dance Critic, currently held by Lewis Segal, apparently due to budget reductions. Other national newspapers and magazines have cut back on both their coverage of dance and those who write about it, including The Village Voice and New York Magazine. How often do we read about this art form at large besides in advertisements far beyond the budget of small non-profits or in targeted, specialized magazines like Dancer Magazine?

Luckily, this past week an article appeared in Newsweek Magazine - March 17 issue - by not a snarky dance critic but a respected male principal dancer with American Ballet Theater. In Dont Judge Me By My Tights, Sascha Radetsky, whom many may know as Charlie from the film Center Stage, writes about the challenges he and other male dancers face in the ballet world due to the stereotypes of men in dance, referencing some of the greats like Baryshnikov and Nureyev who broke the mold.

Though his point is valid and applicable even to male dance enthusiasts who take class for the pleasure of it, I would argue that there are greater issues that could have filled the full page that Newsweek so generously allotted. Radetsky says:

The boy who perseveres in dance must have a genuine hunger for it, must be uniquely motivated and dedicated, and must develop a truly thick skin.

Is this not true for girls as well?

With all the issues plaguing the dance world - funding, health issues, development, and more we may not even be aware of - it seems a shame that the national exposure of our delicate and sometimes defeated art form is limited to a rare spout of frustrations. Why isnt dance given the publicity it deserves? Radetsky continues:

Exposure to ballet is all that is needed to open minds, for the combination of athletic movement, ardent drama and beautiful music can instill a profound appreciation in an audience.

So spread the word. If the news media wont do it, we as dance-lovers can play a part in promoting dance simply by sharing our respect for it with others. Exposure.

Poll

Where do you most often read about dance?
in specialized magazines like Dancer
in newspapers
in general interest magazines like Newsweek
online on dance related websites
online on dance related blogs
other

Votes: 26
See the Results | Permalink to this Poll | More Polls
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tags Ballet, Enthusiast, dance writing, newsweek magazine, sacha radetsky (all tags)


Where is all the dance writing? | 4 Comments | Post a Comment
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Dance writing limited

In my experience, there is an assumption in the media that the general public doesn't quite understand the world of professional, concert dance. While movies such as Center Stage and Save the Last Dance, and TV shows such as Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance rake in big bucks, the media turns a blind eye to the country's interest in dance. The problem is, dance critics often write reviews strictly for dancers. I would be highly interested to see someone write an article that captures the spirit of the dancer/company being featured without alienating general public with words like "jete" and "arabesque."

user icon Wendy Garofoli | Mar 17, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

Dance Writing Needs a Makeover

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.

user icon Lindsay Live | Mar 17, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

agreed

I totally agree with both of your comments.

Critics can definitely get too technical, but I don't just think it's dance criticism that could be reaching the mainstream but just general dance news and features. It's part of our culture, whether they ignore it or not...

And I agree also that blogs today are extremely important to the dance community. As you said, it facilitates conversation rather than just a one way writer to reader boring relationship with dull writing. Being a collaborative art form at its most basic level, dance involves people and blogs have found a way to engage those people as well.

user icon Taylor Gordon | Mar 18, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

Look beyond writing and the mainstream

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 :-)

InfiniteBody blog Body and Soul podcast http://infinitebody.blogspot.com user icon magickaleva | Mar 20, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

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