Bravo! Dance/NYC & JComm Initiatives Spotlighted in Press This Week

The State of NYC Dance report was released today by Dance/NYC! Check out the two articles by the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal that coincide with the announcement of this major study on the field. Be sure to download the full report or highlights (expertly designed by our very own Lori Byargeon) available for free.

This research is concurrent and directly related to the Dance/NYC Junior Committee’s Dance Workforce Census: Earnings Among Individuals, Ages 21-35. Initial findings were presented today by key members of the Committee; be on the look out for an official report coming to a conference or symposium near you.

This week also included coverage by Dance Media of Dancing Through College and Beyond, a sold-out annual conference that took place on Oct 30, 2011. Check out video highlights at Dance Media’s college dance hub, DanceU101.com, including a performance by Parsons Dance and Dance Magazine’s Editor-In-Chief Wendy Perron’s account of her personal journey to college.

Both of these initiatives included the efforts of many members of the Junior Committee, which plays an intrinsic role in supporting the mission of Dance/NYC.

Congratulations and thank you to all who helped to make both a success!

Census conversation continues…

Last spring the Dance/NYC Junior Committee took on its first major research initiative: a “Dance Workforce Census: Earnings Among Individuals, Ages 21-35.” Previous groundbreaking studies commissioned by Dance/NYC posed related questions to dance-making entities. However JComm’s initiative has given voice to individuals directly via social media and grassroots activism— to fuel a conversation.

And last night the conversation continued… Dance/NYC held the State of NYC Nonprofit Dance Town Hall Meeting at the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, Buttenwieser Hall.  Cultural researcher, Catherine Lanier, delivered preliminary findings on the State of NYC Nonprofit Dance to a packed house.

FAQs about the DANCE WORKFORCE CENSUS

May 2, 2011.  From the team behind the census initiative, here are answers to some frequently asked questions.

Who is being counted in the census?  Our goal is to document how one critical segment of  the workforce in our field is surviving in NYC.  We want to count everyone 21-35 years of age who works in any capacity to support professional dance in New York City, including but not limited to:

• performers
• choreographers/creative artists
• educators
• representatives
• managers and administrators
• designers
• technicians
• consultants
• publicists
• writers
• critics

What kinds of questions are asked?  If you are such a worker, the census requests information about what type of work you did in the year 2010, and on what terms.  We don’t want your name or your employers’ names.  It will take 10-15 minutes to complete the census.

Why cut off at 35?   With limited resources and volunteer capacity, we have designed this research to focus intently on one demographic—the Committee’s relative peer group. Recognizing this demographic is one part of a greater whole, we will work to use research findings to make a case for, and craft effective methods for, future research that may encompass the entire New York City dance workforce, and looks forward to community conversations to this end.

How do I know my information will be safe?  How will it be used?  Reassuring fact #1: The research is being conducted pro bono by our partner, the Bloustein Center for Survey Research (BCSR) at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

JComm’s DANCE WORKFORCE CENSUS: Earnings Among Individuals, Ages 21-35

OUR OBSERVATIONS. It has become apparent within our peer group there is a lack of public data on how individuals in the dance community financially support themselves.  This lack of understanding may further beliefs, myths and assumptions that harm the dance economy.  We are acutely aware of the need for an informed and strong workforce and we aim to enable our peers to continue in the dance field, armed with factual information.

THE GOAL. In May 2011 we will conduct a census of workers in dance, ages 21 to 35, to aggregate data on compensation—in dollars or other benefits—for work and contributions to the dance field. While we certainly recognize that individuals aged 21-35 are one part of a much greater workforce, the primary goal of this survey is to quantify the role this demographic—our peer group—plays in the New York dance economy, and the wider economy, by making transparent the wide variety of ways in which these individuals earn a living.

SOUND RESEARCH, PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY. We are very grateful for the partnership of the Bloustein Center for Survey Researchat Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, which is providing the necessary research services pro bono.  The BCSR provides high quality, non-partisan, objective research services to government, academia, the private sector, and non-profit organizations.

Participants’ privacy is our first priority. All census data, collected electronically by the BCSR, will be held on secure, HIPAA-certified servers at Rutgers University.  The BCSR will also preliminarily submit this survey and its methodology for review with the Rutgers Institutional Review Board (IRB), which monitors ethical research, to ensure that protections are in place for security and confidentiality.

READY? All of you out there, ages 21-35: YOU are this study. Please stay tuned in May when the BCSR will be sending out the census via email.  It will be short and sweet and is planned follow tax day, so answering our questions about the year 2010 will be relatively quick and easy.  Your participation is 100% anonymous.

[NEWS] Be a part of dance research!

LEAP Survey: Harkness Center for Dance Injuries

A message from former JComm member Brittany Fridenstine Keefe, a current LEAP program participant at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries:

Have you been injured in your dance career? Please take this quick survey and share your story.  Your answers will be interpreted by a dance artist.  This is your chance to contribute to the ongoing research initiatives at NYC’s premier care-giving center for injured dancers.  Thank you!