more UNICORN by Leslie Seiters (Jess Humphrey, Eric Geiger, and Leslie Seiters; Anya Cloud to the side). Photo by TEO.
What are the skills a contemporary dancer needs in 2017?
Jess Humphrey (San Diego, CA):
- A deep and wide love of the art form…so much love that you learn as much from a performance you hated as you do from one that leaves you speechless.
- Know how to take care of yourself, and that what you need can change, moment to moment. And then there are the basics: water, sleep, clean food, etc.
- Get down like you did before you started training as a dancer. Wild. Full out. Uninhibited. Dance party. Animal.
- Discipline to practice regularly, and to pay attention to your practices so you can keep them alive and relevant.
- Find other dancers to practice with, and show up for them in order to show up for yourself.
- Pay attention to power. It is complex and constantly operating.
- Connect to the larger field: books, videos, blogs, friends who are dancing in other places…
- If you want to be dancing with someone, learn to ask them what you can do to make that happen.
- Find work that makes you money and the ability to perceive it as practicing dancing, performing, and/or creating.
- Identify mentors, and be a supportive and generous mentee.
- If you want a partner, make sure they are fabulous. Dance is hard to compete with.
- Meet the ground with the perfect combination of softness and strength.
- Make lines, break lines.
- Be right where you need to be, right when (and how) you need to be there, but not by stressing out about it.
- Know where you are and how to get lost.
- Make a mess.
The faculty at Illinois continues to wrestle with this question. We have shifted our description from modern dancer to a dance/artist; to represent the broader, multi-faceted directions students pursue post graduation. At Illinois we have identified five domains of knowing that are critical to building a sustainable artistic life – inquiry, agency, context, synthesis and reflection. If students have developed substantial skills in how to conduct an inquiry, how to take ownership of their learning, how to contextualize their methodologies, how to draw disparate ideas together, and how to look within - then we feel they will have the skills necessary to build a sustainable artistic life.
Versatility
Creativity
An understanding of your strengths, a willingness to try new things, and the ability to let go of what you (think you) know if necessary
An ability to network and be in the right place at the right time without being a stalker
Practical skills in addition to your incredible dancing ability that will either keep you connected to the field or able to afford this life
Persistence and perseverance
Love
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