Dance scene has it rough: it lags in funding, support, and research

Dancers in this country are getting short shrift on a number of levels—news that probably won't come as a surprise to anyone who's involved with this hard-working, underappreciated segment of the arts scene.

A new report from Hill Strategies about the Canadian Dance Mapping Study points out all the gaps in research and renumeration within that community.

Here are just some of the damning findings in the first phase of the mapping project (led by the Canada Council for the Arts in partnership with the Ontario Arts Council): a literature review, or, in other words, critical assessments of existing reports and surveys. The national report cites a “lack of literature and documentation that captures the full scope and breadth of dance”; in fact "there are no specific studies that provide an analysis of the contribution of the dance field to the creative and general economy”. A cynic might suggest this shows people don't even value the art form enough to give it a proper study.

As expected, funding is also lagging. The report highlights the “lack of growth in public funding to the professional dance sector” in a context of a “doubling of the number of companies funded” by public funders. In addition, the report says dance has the least developed infrastructure of any art form in the country—no wonder, given the spotty funding.

Given that scenario, it's not shocking to find out that the country's estimated 7,300 dancers typically have “very low wages and primarily contract work or self-employment”.

There is some good news in the report: looking at existing research, it finds that dance artists are recognized as pioneers in the use of new media and are leading the way in integrating digital technologies in their performances--something anyone who has seen a recent Vancouver show by troupes like the 605 Collective will know. However research cited in the report indicates that there is a “lack of resources to sustain innovation for the benefit of Canadian and international audiences”. 

When you consider all this, it's actually amazing how much the dance scene continues to achieve in the face of such bare-faced neglect. Ballet B.C. just sold out all its evening shows and received standing ovations every night at the prestigious Jacob's Pillow showcase in Massachusetts, where an image of one of its dancers graced the promotional poster. The 605 Collective has taken its street-amped urban-contemporary style to the American Dance Festival and the Guelph Contemporary Arts Festival. Crystal Pite's Kidd Pivot has been thrilling audiences with its inventive, whimsical works around Europe for years. I could go on. Maybe mapping out the lack of support they've had is a start; let's see where the map leads.