Adapting to Differing Company Practices

I'm currently in Alaska running my annual summer intensive for pre-professional track students. The sun sets a few minutes before midnight and rises around 4 am, but it never gets fully dark. I started this intensive to help enhance these Alaskan student's local training after my tenure as Interim Artistic Director of Alaska Dance Theatre. One of my favorite things about getting to run this program is that I am in complete control of what happens in the studio. If I feel that a student needs to be pushed, I can push them to their limit. If the time has come to pull a student back for their own safety, I do that because I answer to myself. Working like this was a rarity when I held a full-time schedule of performances with multiple companies as a freelance dancer. I was often a slave to company practices, which could mean that I was adjusting to 8-10 different ways of running rehearsals each year. So, getting to make strategic decisions in the studio is a luxury that I really appreciate.

AK-BK Students in Contemporary Technique Class

It can become quite easy to get stuck in one's ways when you have been dancing with a company for any time greater than a year. You wake up in the morning with a general idea of what to expect throughout your day. There may only be cause for concern if a new choreographer or stager is creating/teaching a new work. And, even in these situations, you usually have the protections of an extensively negotiated contract to make sure that there are at least a handful of regular studio practices in place. Some of these luxuries can include a 5-minute break during each hour that you rehearse, an hour for lunch in the middle of the day, a non-mandatory hour-and-a-half warm up class, major issues taken up in private meetings, and more. No matter how functional or dysfunctional a company may be, one often finds a certain level of comfort and expectation in working for one organization. You know what you are getting into from day to day and week to week.

Unfortunately, for freelancers, the above case of comfort and expectation just doesn't exist. I learned this the hard way after dancing with Pacific Northwest Ballet for 7 seasons. After experiencing this company's very functional way of running, I found myself struggling to adjust (and sometimes handle) to the multitude of environments in which I was dancing. For instance, the first time I was brought in to dance with Festival Ballet Providence for their production of Swan Lake, I was at a loss for words when I walked into my first rehearsal. I was standing in the middle of the studio preparing to learn the waltz in the first act of the ballet. Due to circumstances, I was only able to enter the studio after most of the company had already learned this piece of the ballet. My assumption, based off of previous experience, was that teaching me the choreography and filling in the gaps would be the priority of this rehearsal. Instead, I was partnered up with another dancer who already knew the choreography. Before I knew it, the music started. I stood staring at my partner, following her around for about 16 counts before I walked off the floor and raised my hand. Instead of the, "Oh, we forgot that we had to teach it to you," response I was expecting, the director told me that he would teach it to me another day and to just stand beside my partner and follow her around for the next hour. If I remember correctly, I left rehearsal and texted my husband, "I'm really concerned about what I have signed up for." This may be an extreme example of the point I am trying to make, but after asking around the studio if this was a common practice, none of the dancers were even slightly phased by what happened to me. This was not an uncommon practice for them.

Throughout most of my freelance career, I have had a different experience with each company I danced for. Fort Wayne Ballet left my Juliet and myself in the studio with a DVD to learn all of a full-length Romeo and Juliet without a ballet master. We had the freedom to make decisions and they trusted that we would make the right ones. Company C Contemporary Ballet wanted to rehearse a 20-minute one-act ballet that I had learned in a flash almost immediately. Other companies I worked with rehearsed 3 hours a day (instead of the 6 hours I was accustomed to at PNB), docked your pay if you missed company class, and even requested dancers perform on public transportation. Instead of experiencing the restricted choices of a unionized company contract, I found myself panicking that these practices were going to injure me or take away from the integrity of my work that I felt I had built during my years dancing in Seattle.

Performing Romeo & Juliet w/ Fort Wayne Ballet - Dancer: Lucia Rogers (Photo: Jeffrey Crane)

I'm not sure if I ever fully adjusted to the malleability that is necessary to function in the freelance world. But I can tell you that I have many friends and colleagues who have learned to just go with the flow and hold no company to any expectations. While some of these dancers have come from major companies, what I have found is that most of these more fluid dancers have never danced in a union company. In this situation, I feel that it can be very beneficial to lack the experience of working for an organization that is structured by a strong contract. It is kind of like eating candy. If you have never eaten candy, you are a lot less likely to crave it. But if you have ever tasted the sweetness of chocolate (or for me gummy bears), and it is kept from you, you will be much more likely to crave that chocolate. In the case of a dancer, if you have ever rehearsed in a more efficient way, it can become stressful to lower your standards to a less efficient approach. Even, if in some cases, that approach is more efficient, but you only want to rehearse the way you are used to.

My greatest suggestion to any dancer that finds themselves struggling with working in differing company cultures is to remember that there is no perfect way to run a rehearsal, treat a dancer, or lead an organization. Of course, there are things that should not be done; like treating dancers poorly, changing rehearsal hours without care or additional pay, etc. But keep in mind that all directors and ballet masters/mistresses have come from a different background and a have had different experiences in and out of the studio. If you were put in the same position to lead the dancers standing beside you, you may find that they dislike how you approach running rehearsals. Yes, there are more and less efficient approaches to teaching. But until you are in a position of leadership, it is actually your job to remain mostly submissive.

Now, if there is a point where you feel that you or your peers are being put in legitimate danger, it is your responsibility to speak up. But, in order to maintain a professional relationship, you may want to wait to speak to whomever is leading rehearsal until after that rehearsal has ended. If you feel that you are being put in immediate danger, of course, you must speak up. But it isn't extremely common to find yourself in a situation where something needs to be addressed at that exact moment in the studio.

One of the most beautiful parts of our dance world is that no company is alike. There are differing reps, a plethora of dance artists, and a range of styles. In the same way, there are many ways that a company can choose to function. Do your best to remain submissive and lead through example. If you become a leader in this way, you may actually be asked to help influence a clearer rehearsal process. Stay true to yourself and speak up if absolutely necessary, but keep in mind that it is leaderships choice how to run a company and its rehearsals. Think of it this way. The first time you learn a role in a ballet, dancers often feel that this is the correct way to perform this piece. If someone comes in a few years later and asks for steps to be executed on different counts or in a different style, the dancers who have already performed the work will say that what is being taught is wrong. But in reality, it is only a different viewpoint of what the work was before. There is no right or wrong, unless it is endangering one's safety or health.

How to Negotiate a Contract

Here I am at 10 pm on Friday night, sitting in front of my tv watching the Olympic opening ceremony, sipping on a glass of wine, and blogging. For a freelance dancer, searching for work and building your profile never ends. This aside, there are many aspects of freelancing that I have wanted to share with you since the inception of this blog. I have been hoping to discuss the ins and outs of negotiating a contract with a potential employer for quite a while, but I get nervous every time I think about it. Negotiating is tricky and can vary greatly from job to job, even if you are working for the same person. Please keep in mind that I can't share every detail of this process. If I did, it could jeopardize my own future negotiations. With all of that said,  I will share as much as I can to guide and educate all of you in the art of negotiating.

Even though you've enticed an employer to hire you through an audition, video reel, or word of mouth, you haven't officially solidified the job until you have agreed upon the terms of a contract and signed on the dotted line. For the first decade of my career, I was lucky enough to join professional companies that were governed by the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), the union that represents most professional ballet dancers in national and regional companies across the U.S. The union negotiates contracts in 2 to 4 year spurts and any dancer that joins the company is offered a contract that is set in stone and unchangeable. In my last three years with Pacific Northwest Ballet, I was elected as a delegate for AGMA to represent the dancers of the company. Being a very active delegate, I was offered the opportunity to learn many of the inner workings of a ballet company. Not only was I responsible to insure the comfort and safety of the dancers, but I was also in charge of relaying information to dancers about specific aspects, including the financial state, of the company. In my final season with PNB, I put together a very intricate set of proposals and took on a major role in the negotiation of dancer contracts. I learned a lot in this process and have been able to use that knowledge in my own negotiations with companies and schools.

The first thing that comes to mind when people think about negotiating a contract is money. One thing I always take into consideration when negotiating is that nearly all of the organizations offering me work do not have the budget of a major ballet company. I can never approach negotiations as aggressively as I did when I was with PNB. I prefer to let a potential employer make an offer, instead of telling the company a "going rate." This gives me a good idea of the financial abilities of the company. If the pay offered is reasonable, I will automatically accept the monetary aspect of the offer. If it doesn't cover my monthly financial needs or is something I can't work with, I always make a gentle and polite counter offer. Somebody is offering you work, so be sure to thank them for their original offer before you counter offer.

Before countering with a new number, I suggest you take a look at your rent, utilities, groceries, etc. to determine your monthly needs. Keep in mind that if you are staying on location for an extended period of time, you may have excess bills beyond your home expenses. I also suggest that you research the company/school/project before beginning to negotiate. Check their website, reviews, and other online resources. This will give you a better idea of their budget and the functionality of the company. Money is the touchiest subject in negotiations. Keep in mind that most employers are making offers somewhere within a range of their maximum pay. Most companies that use freelancers have fewer resources and are doing everything they can to keep their company afloat on a smaller budget. There is often wiggle room, but if you jump too high in price or ask beyond your skill level you are likely to end negotiations and lose the job offer. Be reasonable and take your experience into consideration when you are creating a "going rate."

The last aspect of salary to take into consideration is whether you should be paid per week or per performance? I generally ask to be paid per performance if I am learning the choreography on my own and will be spending less than a week or two on-site. If I will be spending a few weeks with a company and will be learning the choreography on location, I will often request to be paid per week. If I am working considerably more on a performance week than during rehearsal weeks, I have negotiated to be paid a greater amount for the week of shows. All in all, though, come to an agreement that is fair, covers your monthly expenses, and represents your value as a dancer.

Unfortunately, most dancers and employers don't put much emphasis on the next aspect of negotiations. Often, these issues are discussed after the fact or arise while an artist is already working for an employer. I won't pretend that I haven't done this, but I have learned through my own and others' experiences that it is important to negotiate needs/comforts into your contract. Who will you be staying with? Your host family lives 5 miles from the studios. How will you get there? Will you be required to pay for shoes? You are staying in a hotel without any kitchen. Will you receive per diem for meals? Transportation from home to the location, requirements outside of studio rehearsals and shows (outreach, lecture demos, promotional activities, etc.), and therapy options are a few things to keep in my mind when you are getting things in writing. Many of these items tend to be discussed, but are never put on paper. If it will make you more comfortable to put things in a contract, you must mention it during negotiations. A lot of dancers prefer to keep needs and comforts out of their contract to speed negotiations along and avoid any uncomfortable disagreements. This is perfectly fine. But if something is important to your comfort, I would suggest having details written down in an email. This will protect you in the small chance that you need proof that something was promised to you. Companies almost always produce the contract that you will sign. They will be putting everything in writing that is necessary to protect them. Why shouldn't you do the same for yourself by requiring certain protections in place for you.

To be completely honest, I don't think anybody involved in negotiating dancer contracts is ever excited to discuss money and needs. Companies want to put on high-level productions and dancers want to dance. Nobody wants to sit down and have potentially uncomfortable conversations. Unfortunately, it is very important to have a contract signed by both parties for your own protection. I will almost never agree to dance without having signed a contract first. If you don't have things in writing and a company decides not to pay you, you are limited in your ability to recover that pay and relationships can quickly fall apart. The only instances where I have worked off contract have been while working with the school that trained me as a child and when details have already been discussed via email and a contract was being produced. Even with that information, I strongly suggest having a contract signed prior to working at all times.

Negotiating a contract is an art and requires a lot of careful thought and consideration. There are many more details about negotiating, but much of them are very personal and specific to each individual negotiation. If you would like some advice or need some more information, please feel free to leave a comment and I would be more than happy to contact you to help out. Happy negotiating and merde!

Preparing for "limited" rehearsal gigs

It is not uncommon to be invited to perform a gig with limited rehearsal on location. This is more common for festivals, galas, and school performances, but can happen in any situation. I am sometimes sent DVD's or emailed youtube links to learn choreography and am expected to arrive for the gig with 24 hours to put together a pas de deux. Performing in these types of gigs can be a challenge, especially with limited time, a lack of rehearsal space, and new partners. There is an array of ways you can prepare for these performances, even with limited resources.

One of the biggest disadvantages of being a freelance dancer is not having regular studio space to rehearse in without charge. How do you prepare for performances where you are expected to learn the choreography at home and get your stamina up to perform the piece at a standard that you and your employer are pleased with? I have found a couple of ways to work through this issue. The first thing you must do is learn the choreography. Spend as much time as necessary watching the video you are given. Take breaks from studying the video and come back to it in order to make sure that you aren't just copying the video. I like to watch a short section of choreography, then play that section again. You want to make sure you are actually retaining the choreography. Of course, the best way to do this is in a studio with a television monitor. For me, that isn't often an option. At home, I will close my eyes, visualize myself doing the choreography, and dance full out only with my port de bras. Once I have correctly executed the choreography in my head, I will move on to the next section. Once I have learned the two parts, I will go back to the beginning and tie the two together. I will continue to do this until I have performed the entire piece in my head. Now that I have learned the choreography, I need to rehearse the entire piece with my whole body.

My next step is to find a place that I can rehearse the piece full-out. If you are a dancer in a company or teach at a dance school, you can use that organization's studio space. Dancers with companies can usually use a studio during lunch hours or after the rehearsal day is over. Many freelancers take on teaching jobs in order to supplement their salary when they aren't dancing out of town. If possible, show up early or stay late to grab an empty studio. If you are not tied to an organization and don't have regular access to a studio, I have found that the gym is my best friend. When looking for a gym membership, be sure to ask if there is a larger room (usually used for aerobics or yoga classes) that is available to members when they aren't being used for classes. I would be reluctant to join a gym if they don't have an option like this, as it can be a lifeline. No, the floors of these rooms are typically not sprung. Yes, they are typically hardwood and a bit slippery. I find that even if you can't dance a piece full out for safety purposes, it is very important for muscle memory to run a piece in a space where you can fully extend your body. Make sure to have your rehearsal music on an ipod or your phone and don't be shy if other people are using a part of the space. Be respectful, but remember that you are being professional by doing what is required of yourself in order to present a product that has been fully rehearsed. Rehearse the choreography regularly and dance sections that you feel are safe to dance full-out. If you can't jump in your gym, be sure to practice specific jump sequences a couple of times after class (or at a respectable time during class if another class starts immediately after). If it is necessary, especially if the piece requires extensive pointe work, ask a local studio if you can do an exchange of services (like cleaning, desk work, mailings, filing, etc) for free studio rental.

Be sure to incorporate other activities that will get your stamina up. Use your gym membership to its fullest extent. If you are doing a pas de deux, lift extra weights to build your strength. If the dance is very "puffy" (leaves you out of breath), do extra cardio with bouts of sprints to get yourself out of breath. Although, the goal is to run the piece multiple times before you arrive to perform, if resources don't allow you to do so, it is important that you simulate the stamina required of the performance in order to be assured you can make it through the piece. In the end, your goal should be to have rehearsed the piece full out multiple times before arriving. If you don't have the option to run it daily, make sure that you have at least run it through once or twice. You don't want to think that you know the demands of the choreography and realize once you have arrived that you are not properly prepared.

You have learned the choreography and rehearsed it on your own, but now you have arrived and you have to dance with a partner you have never met (often a student) and the show is in 24 hours. The goal here is to remain flexible. Try to run the piece that you are doing a couple of times before you get onstage, even if you have to mark certain things. Just make sure that you dance/partner trickier sections full-out each time.  I find that when you work with students, sometimes things go amazingly well and at other times they don't go as planned. Try to remember what it felt like when you were a student. Small accomplishments felt grand and any mistake felt massive. When dancing with students, I find it best to let your ego and dancer's perfectionism go. Don't be as critical of your performance as you would be in a fully professional atmosphere. Be attentive to the student. Let the student know that you are there to make them comfortable. For instance, in a recent festival that I performed in, I had a partner that was very nervous, a perfectionist, and was very upset after we finished the first performance, which went perfectly fine. While waiting to go on in the next show, I told her, "the most important thing you learn when you are a professional is that mistakes happen in performance all the time. It is how you play with those mistakes and cover them up that makes you professional." She gave me a big smile and was actually very pleased with herself in the second show. It can be hard not to focus on how you fumbled that pirouette or how that lift didn't get off right. But the reason that professionals are hired to work with students is to show them how professionals work and to give them tools that will help them eventually become one.

Freelance dancers are often thrown into different environments. Sometimes adjustments are easy and at other times conditions can be difficult. I tend to be a dancer that can go with the flow...to a certain point. A dancer should be respectful of how an organization chooses to conduct itself, within reason. If you feel that you are being put in an unsafe situation, by all means do speak up. Organizations can benefit from a professional dancer's knowledge and experience. Just try to be direct and sensitive in how you approach the situation. I have rarely encountered a situation where an employer did not want to make their guest artists as comfortable as possible. It can be quite stressful preparing for a performance where you would typically be given weeks or months of rehearsal. As long as you prepare yourself properly and keep a sense of, what I call, "Go with the flow-ability," you can enjoy work experiences with limited on-site rehearsal. Working as a freelance dancer, I sometimes feel like I am dancing on the edge of a cliff. It can be very frightening to perform with a small amount of full-on rehearsal, but it is quite validating to get through these performances. Most dancers don't realize that they have it in them, but most all of us do. Dancers are amazingly capable of adaptation.

In performance w/ a student at Seiskaya Ballet