Smart, Savvy, and Successful: Dancers of the Future Can Do It All
The kids of my generation are often referred to as members of Generation Y. We grew up meeting our friends in AOL chat rooms, listening to music recorded on CD, and communicating via beeper codes. As we got older, we turned Instant Messenger into a parent's worse nightmare and tormented our teachers with our cell phone ring tones. We learned how to talk on the phone, listen to music, and chat on AIM while writing a ten page paper on the repercussions of racial stereotypes in early 20th century America. Many adults view our gener-ation as the beginning of the end, the demise of society, and the start of a culture characterized by apathy. I understand their point of view, but when I examine the dancers of Generation Y,
I disagree entirely.
The dancers of today are smarter than ever before. Not only have they attained the highest level of technical prowess, but many of them are also educated and worldly. B.F.A. programs at colleges and universities have set new standards of excellence for young dancers. Dance history, criticism, and movement analysis have become integral parts of the well-rounded dance curriculum. As a result, dancers graduate from these programs with more opportunities than aspiring dancers of the past. Dancers in previous eras were expected to relinquish their academic pursuits as early as high school to begin auditioning for companies. Today, however, thanks to our ability to multitask like never before, we dancers can do it all.
There are many options for dancers who want to do it all. Not only do a variety of colleges offer dance as a major, but many schools also have student-run choreography clubs. Throughout my college career, I choreographed for and performed with Orchesis, Columbia University's student dance group. As a member of Orchesis, I gained hands-on experience in the context of my liberal arts education. I learned how to cooperate with a large group, teach original choreography to a group of my peers, and program and activate lighting cues. I dedicated the majority of my free time to Orchesis, and while my experiences were not tantamount to performing with a professional company, they helped me grow into a dancer of the future.
Other dancers take advantage of freelance opportunities during their college or graduate school careers. Brooke, a close friend of mine who attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Social Work as a full-time student, performed as a freelance dancer in numerous off-Broadway shows. Although her hectic schedule left her feeling stressed from time to time, she reported feeling fulfilled upon graduation. She was able to accomplish everything she set out to do without surrendering her passion for dance. More importantly, her experiences juggling dance and school led her to discover her calling - helping patients overcome adversity through movement expression.
Dancers of the future, some of whom graduated with me this past May, are using their talent and intellect in a variety of novel ways. Dance historians as well as young entrepreneurs, they are combining their skills and shaping their own post-graduate paths. The college educated dancers of Generation Y are not joining companies, they are starting them.
One day as I was perusing Facebook.com (while writing a paper and listening to music, of course),
I noticed that Lauren, one of my childhood friends who graduated in 2005, had updated her profile. It seemed as though Lauren, who I had not seen since our tap dancing days at Meg Segreto's Dance Centre, majored in dance at a reputable college. I continued reading her profile to discover that she created her own dance company, the No | To Ensemble, upon graduating. I followed the link to the company website provided on her profile and was beyond impressed by what I saw.
More impressive than the photo gallery were the words written in the "About" section. In addition to her own explanation of the company's mission, Lauren quoted Yvonne Rainer, the post-modern innovator most celebrated for her work entitled Trio A. The website indicates that Rainer's pedestrian approach to dance inspired Lauren to create the No | To Ensemble, which she refers to as an "experimental dance company emphasizing the strength, power, and athleticism of movement."
Lauren is just one of many Generation Y dancers who have pursued non-traditional dance careers after college. Some of my other friends have gone on to pursue careers in art administration or dance criticism. For the dancers of the future, the possibilities are endless.
As they dive into their careers, dancers of my generation are being recognized as more than beauties in tutus and tiaras. They are intellectual, spiritual, innovative, and inspiring. They are entrepreneurs and risk takers. They are educated, computer savvy, and progressive thinkers. Many adults look upon our generation and say we have no common purpose, no common goal. These adults remain skeptical of our on-the-go way of life and our cyberspace communication. Often times, however, they fail to see how our newfound ability to multitask has opened doors, especially for dancers. Generation Y dancers can point their toes AND manage a website. Yes, we can do it all.