Handling Rejection as a Dancer

You gave the audition your all, but you didn't get a call back. You nailed every bit of choreography at the academy tryouts, but the instructor did not like your style. You sang and danced your heart out, but your name did not appear on the cast list. Can you relate to any of these? Well, if you have experienced any of these, congratulations! You are well on your way to becoming a true performer. If not, it's time to get a preview of that nasty little thing we all have to face at one point or another... rejection. Sure, it hurts to be told you are not right for the part, that you are not good enough or that you will not be joining the cast of a show. But these experiences are good for you... if you deal with them the right way.

You are not in control. There are many factors that go into selecting one individual for a role over another. Just like in acting, often your skill has little to do with these factors. It's like rolling dice - you may just end up with the wrong number. For example:

The producer of a show may be looking for a specific look, a certain height, hair color, style of dance, etc. Those in charge might need to hire someone related to an advertiser, a relative or someone who will bring money or publicity to the production.

The point is, even if you do a killer audition, you may not get the part due to one of these outside factors, not your actual performance. If you were better than most of the the other dancers there, you probably gave a great audition.

Read more from Sheri about how to move on, grow a thicker skin, hang in there and how all your hard work will pay off! And check out Sheri's terrific blog Reflections in Sequins and Satin.

By Sheri Leblanc

Why Write?

In an article published by The Atlantic in August, 2015 titled The Death of the American Dance Critic, author Madison Mainwaring posed the question: "Why are there so few mainstream outlets covering the art form [of dance]?"

Mainwaring proceeds to detail a wave of dance journalist losses, as popular papers including The New York Post, The Los Angeles Times, and The New Yorker have released their dedicated dance editors and writers. "One could argue that though this trend is unfortunate, it's almost expected given that dance concerts cater to small audiences, and the constituency reading about them tends to be even smaller still. But for a medium that can be difficult to understand, generalist coverage remains vital to the accessibility of the dance scene."

The article prompted reflection on both the why and whither of dance journalism by professionals in the field. Christine Jowers, founder and editor-in-chief of the Dance Enthusiast blog, writes,

"How about changing our mindsets for a minute? Does the loss of the mainstream "expert" dance critic signal a great American tragedy, or does it portend the beginning of a necessary metamorphosis--a communication revolution? Perhaps the dance field needs to open itself to new ways of thinking, writing, funding, and interacting with dancers, audiences and media. Perhaps all sectors of the dance world need to realize that we are interconnected and figure out how we can be more relevant and helpful to one another."

While funding for journalism and the performing arts is always a challenge, both professions are adapting and evolving as culture produces and integrates new technological platforms for the dissemination of information. These may shift audiences and readers away from traditional modes of consumption, such as attending exclusively live shows or reading a physical newspaper, but they also create exciting opportunities to share ideas and visions with more inclusive groups of people-and to invite their creative input as well.

Read more here.

By Tamara Johnson

Makin' it Pop: Top 5 Videos

Featuring Ballet

Sia

As classical and contemporary dance gain popularity through television shows, movies, and videos on the Internet, the creative minds behind music videos are catching on to something many of us have always known: Dance is gorgeous! Here's a list of The World Dance's Top 5 picks for music videos featuring unexpected dancers and dance forms. Have additions? Tweet us at @theworlddances!

1) Sia's Chandelier

2) Hozier's Take Me to Church, featuring Sergei Polunin

3) Taylor Swift's Shake it Off

4) Carrie Underwood's Something in the Water

5) Ed Shereen's Thinking Out Loud

Jobs in the Dance World

Check out these new job listings in the dance world. From the Artistic Director at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, to a School Associate position at Nashville Ballet, to an Education Director role at Tulsa Ballet, to the Assistant to the Artistic Director at Chamber Dance Project in D.C., or one of the many other new openings - here's to finding the perfect new career for you! You will find 44 current job openings posted on TheWorldDances.com.

TheWorldDances E-Newsletter Team

Publisher: Karla Johnson

Editor: Tamara Johnson

Producer: Ester Rodriguez

October 2, 2015

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Congratulations to the September 2015 Harlequin Floors Scholarship Winners

Once again, Harlequin Floors is proud to award four $250 scholarships to deserving dancers this month. Harlequin Floors celebrates the talents, hard work, and dedication of dancers worldwide - and their teachers. Just as the winners of the monthly scholarships express their appreciation to their teachers every month in the Meet the Winners section on TheWorldDances.com, Harlequin Floors sends a heartfelt thank you to the thousands of dance teachers who devote hours upon months upon years to teach the wonderful joy of dance to their students. Please share your dance video with us today to enter the October Harlequin Floors Scholarship Video Contest. It's simple to enter. Dance. Post. Vote. We look forward to seeing you dance!