Independent Dance Artist
This involves working as a dance artist on a freelance basis as self-employed and can involve combining performance and choreographic work with teaching in both community and education settings. The scope of work that an independent dance artist undertakes can be very broad and can depend alot upon the particular areas of specialism or interest of the individual artist. The work can be on a regular or project basis and the dance artists have to promote themselves, seek and generate work and complete their own administration.
Case Study:
Ruth Spencer worked with Ludus Dance before leaving to develop her Education and Performance work. She left Ludus Dance, working with smaller companies before joining Yolande Snaith Dance Company on a project basis for around 6 months of the year, allowing her to develop her own education and community projects for the remainder of the year.
Telephone Interview with Ruth Spencer, Independent Dance Artist, Cheshire
Ruth's career path
Did you always want this career?
Getting Work
Continuing Professional Training
The skills required
Ruth's Top Tips
Recorded 28th February 2009
Ruth's recommended links
The Stage Newspaper
(More useful in the early development of her career)
The Place London, JUICE Magazine
JUICE magazine an excellent resource (now an online magazine) to keep up to date on what dance companies are launching, training opportunities etc.
National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA)
Providing support, training for working in schools. They produce Dance Matters magazine - which is useful to give you ideas and give you a background into the strategic picture within the school environment.
Foundation for Community Dance (FCD)
FCD provide information, advice and guidance for dance artists, organisations, students and communities about community dance and the issues they face; supporting dance leaders to get better at what they do through professional development and networks. FCD produce Animated magazine
HE Placement Form
