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What I love about dance... is the expression of movement you can achieve. The emotion behind it… the freedom dance has on the mind…basically everything about it!
I was fortunate to dance for many years professionally before taking on my own business.
Keeping my passion and creativity fresh over the years got harder though. After 20 years or so frustrations within myself set in: e.g my capabilities, choreography, connection to what’s new on the dance scene. I hit the internet hard loving the diversity of ambition and inspiration from other artists...Then I became addicted to YouTube! 😄
This seriously saved my mojo. With busy work schedules, especially at weekends and evenings; my time was limited in getting out-and-about to see live performances. YouTube was my new best friend. It was something that I used at my convenience and searched for any style, movement, genre, costume, business strategy, music editing, app and technology learning… ANYTHING! How fab is that for any artist or teacher! The list is endless on what you can find (I must admit a lot of rubbish out there too).
The point I'm making, is after all these years; through life’s rollercoaster of events. Being unable to attend CPD courses, or see new and established dance companies live. My knowledge was becoming stagnant. As a performer, teacher or student: your learning is endless. When you stop learning you stop growing as an artist. Now with lots of industry groups on social media; its refreshing to see artists and business owners contributing to help each other. This is exactly how I feel about my journey. If I can help... I will x
My pathway developed from a teacher of dance to more of an analyst. Through studying anatomy and gaining my sport therapy qualification, attending courses in physiology, biomechanics and psychological mechanisms of movement. I am able to look at dance with a deeper meaning and help dancers achieve a maximum range of movement, safely. My knowledge is only at its beginning stages but a whole new world has opened up; hence a new passion has emerged for me in dance.
Check out my YouTube anatomy channel and subscribe – it’s a fairly new channel with a few stretch video’s. I will be posting lots more including tricks for flexibility shortly. (You can always comment and ask for stuff too) Gill's YouTube channel
Through my journey as a performer, teacher for over 25 years, producer of theatre productions for 17 years, sport therapist for 4 years, author for 1 year. I am very excited to get your feedback for a new book I am in the process of writing Make Dance Your Business.
Make Dance Your Business ... a book by me! xx
Set to be released September this year. Which I am very excited about. This new dance-industry book targets dance as a business rather than a genre. It doesn’t matter what style of dance you want to teach or enter in as a career. This information will be useful. So dance lovers, teachers, dancers, students and business owners get registering your interest!
In this book I delve into the workings of a business together with the qualities of a teacher.
Included is: What makes a good teacher, child psychology, choreography, competitive dance vs graded examinations, dance anatomy, exercises to maximise range of movement, signs of injuries and what to do and not forgetting... nutrition. My business management section includes: Legal requirements on H&S, employment, pensions, tax, self employment, fundraising, business strategies for studios, business strategies for self employed artists, marketing, accounts and technology.
I touch on what I have found important :)
If this is something you want to know more about, please register your interest.
A career after dance is a subject I often reflect on, as transitions within our lives happen; especially in our 40's. I came across an interesting article from Maroosha Muzaffar that acknowledges this issue and highlights the support dancers have to make the transition from professional work to another career... abroad! Does the UK have anything like this? I am still searching :( It stirs up my frustration that yet again, dancers within the UK are not being supported or represented.
New York has CTDF - Career Transition for Dancers (CTFD), founded in 1985 and one of just four institutions like it in the world. It provides transition services like career counselling and annual educational scholarships. Grants to dancers who are in the process of transition. Lauren Gordon, a career councillor at Career Transition for Dancers, told me that the center works with dancers who are seeking financial security and some looking for advice on enrolment in colleges.
I do feel the dance industry in the UK needs a shake up, a national institution that helps dancers in all genres and business. Let me know your thoughts.
Below are my other dance blogs – Would love to know your point of view too, so please comment, like and share as it’s always nice to hear from fellow dance lovers.
Dancer v’s Athlete
Allied Dancing Association
Check it out - HERE
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