DEDICATED TO DANCE: The New Jersey Dance ...

DEDICATED TO DANCE: The New Jersey Dance Needs Assessment Project

By Joan Jeffri

With special assistance from Susan H. Fulks © Trustees of Teachers College Columbia University in the City of New York/Research Center for Arts and Culture, 2006

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This project graciously supported with funds from: The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and The New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts In addition, we wish to thank the following individuals for their valuable contributions to the development of this project: Laura Aden, Program Director, Arts, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Wendy Liscow, Program Assistant, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Don Ehman, Program Associate, Artists Services, NJ State Council on the Arts Kim Nguyen, Program Associate, Folk Arts, NJ State Council on the Arts

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New Jersey Dance Needs Assessment Project Dancing is everywhere. We ought to celebrate and find ways to knit it all together. …Mindy Levine, Developing the Whole Dancer It is well known that dance is one of the most poorly paid professions in the arts in the United States. Although people may be somewhat familiar with the salaries of dancers, few realize the deep and profound system that supports the world of dance. This network is comprised of dancers, arts managers, instructors, costumers, designers, advocates, and technical staff, among others. Both dancers and dance workers, often working at several jobs, sometimes working without pay, have long supported a vibrant and diverse dance scene in the United States. Yet, there is little formal research on this subject and little primary data that illuminate the needs of these workers. The New Jersey Dance Needs Assessment Project is the first state-wide exploration into these needs in the state of New Jersey where, for many years, dance has had a vibrant presence. Marketing guru Richard Florida claims that more than 30% of the nation’s workforce, 38 million people, belong to what he terms “the creative class.”1 While no one would claim that these 38 million are all involved in some aspect of the arts and culture, it is becoming more and more clear to politicians, policy makers, urban planners, economists, corporations, cities, regions and states that there are certain qualities that act as magnets for innovation, progress and success. Characterized as problem solvers, the creative class is transforming the way we look at work, lifestyles and communities. Economic Context In addition to enhancing these arenas, creative people and activities are being factored into the equation for a healthy economy. In 1994, the Port Authority of NY/NJ Study The Arts as an Industry cited the economic impact of the arts on the New YorkNew Jersey region as $9.8 billion,2 with an estimated 43 million visitor-trips in 1992 to 1

Florida, Richard. 2002. The Rise of the Creative Class. New York: Basic Books, ix. Alliance for the Arts, The Arts as an Industry: Their Economic Importance to the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Region. Alliance for the Arts, New York City Partnership, Partnership for New Jersey:

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the New York-New Jersey region, 84.6% of domestic origin and 15.4 % international.3 Data from 2000 indicate that the arts in New Jersey are a billion dollar business; the impact is represented in over 11,000 jobs and almost $27 million in tax revenue.4 By 2003, Americans for the Arts listed the following total economic impact figure for just three locations in New Jersey totaling over $100 million: County

Jobs Supported

Household Income

(FTEs)

Paid to Residents

Revenue Generated to Local Govt

Revenue Generated to State Govt

Monmouth 374 $8,034,000 $563,000 $797,000 County TOTAL $9,394,000 TOTAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY (nonprofit organization + audience spending): $13.3 million Newark 2,018 $58,458,000 $2,878,000 TOTAL $65,330,000 TOTAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY $74.2 million

$3,994,000

Union County 530 $14,731,000 $765,000 TOTAL $16,328,000 TOTAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY $21.8 million5

$832,000

In 2002, the total economic impact of nonprofit arts institutions and programs in New Jersey was $546.5 million, broken down as follows: Operating and program expenditures

$490,468,241

Capital projects

55,192,422

Individual artists

818,315

October 1993, 2. 3 Alliance for the Arts: Destination New York-New Jersey. December 1994. Tourism and Travel to the Metropolitan Region, Part II. New York: Alliance for the Arts, New York City Partnership,, Partnership for New Jersey, 9. 4 ArtPride New Jersey and New Jersey State Council on the Arts, New Jersey’s Arts Mean Business: A Study of Economic Activity 2000-2001, Executive Summary, p. 2. 5 Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity, 2003.

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It is important to note that the numbers presented in the above chart were obtained using an economic impact tool. For example, the $818,315 figure represents the total dollar amount generated by money given to individual artists in the form of fellowships. This does not represent the amount of money disbursed to individual artists in 2002.6 New Jersey is home to 17,779 arts-related businesses that employ 82,283 people. Since these figures represent only those businesses that have registered with Dun & Bradstreet, it can be assumed this figure misses most dance organizations (only 2 are listed here) and their employees in New Jersey. 7 National Context for Dance According to the US economic census in 1997, of the 363 dance companies8 in the US, the Northeast hosted the highest percentage -34% (124 companies).9 The growth in dance companies even outpaced US population growth. A slightly different figure estimates the number of US dance companies in toto at 650 with an increase of 97% between 1987 and 1997. 10Even these figures do not do justice to the dance community, as they do not capture small, unorganized and ad hoc groups. Nor do they represent the wide ethnic and racial diversity of groups throughout the country. And in FY 2002, DANCE USA’s annual survey reported a record number of companies with operating losses, a decrease in touring weeks, erosion of corporate support with a projection of continued challenges in future years. 11 According to DANCE USA’s 2003 Dance in the DC Metropolitan Area, “less than half the dance companies in America are 501(c)(3) corporations; The vast majority of dance companies cannot afford to pay dancers on a salaried basis, …cannot afford paid staff” and cannot “mount extended productions or long-running seasons.”12

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ArtPride New Jersey, p.3. www.AmericansForTheArts.org 8 Baumol, W.; Jeffri, J. and Throsby, D. 2004. Making Changes: Facilitating the Transition of Dancers to Post-Performance Careers. New York: Research Center for Arts and Culture,l, 198. 9 Smith, Thomas. 2003. Raising the Barre. Washington DC: National Endowment for the Arts Research Report #44, 20. 10 Munger, John. 2002. Field at a Glance: Dance, working paper. 11 Munger, John. Fall 2003. “Special Report: Facing the Crunch” in DANCE/USA Journal, vol. 19, no 2, 32-34. 12 Munger, J. and Smigel, L. 2003. Dance in the DC Metropolitan Area. Washington DC: DANCE/USA, 18. 7

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According to Thomas Smith, the number of new companies being founded each year in the US is decreasing substantially from a high of 11% in 1989 to a low of .6% in 1998. Terminations of companies during the same period increased from less than 1% to 4.2%.13 In 1997, there were 2.4 dance companies for every one million residents in the Northeastern United States. In 2000, the 75 most visible US dance companies paid $217.9 million in salaries and benefits. Dancers and choreographers represented 28,000 of the 2.1 million artists in the 2000 census, 1.3% of all US artists, with a 1999 median annual wage of $22,470,14 with another 1,000-2,000 whose secondary job was dancer/choreographer.15 Average 1999 dancer earnings ranged from $427-816 a week (for dancers in medium-large size companies).16 The 2004 estimated median household income was $61,359 (the mean $80,360).17 The median estimated individual income for full-time year-round male workers was $51,855; for females, $40,154.18 From 1970-1990 the percentage of self-employed dancers grew from 4% to 20%. 19 The NEA projected an annual wage increase of 10-20% from 2000-2010. 20 On the supply side, Dance Magazine’s annual college guide lists more than 500 college-level dance programs, up from 131 in 1966,21 and the Journal of Dance Education reports that the number of colleges and universities offering dance major and minor programs in the US increased from 250 in 1986 to 717 in 2001.22 Context: New Jersey The 2004 population of New Jersey was 8,503,294. This includes 70.6% are nonHispanic white, 13.1% black or African-American, 5.7% Asian, 15% of Hispanic or

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Smith .,24. Baumol et al, 207. 15 NEA Research Division note #84. 16 Baumol, et al, 197-198. 17 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=4... 18 Ibid. 19 Kay and Butcher, NEA Research Report #37, 92. 20 NEA Research Division Note #84. 21 New York Times, “Practice, Practice, Practice. Go to College? Maybe”, December 21, 2005, E1. 22 Baumol et al, 200. 14

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Latino origin. As of 2004, 86.21% are high school graduates and 33.3 % have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. 23 In 2005, the New Jersey State Arts Council’s budget was $30,810,000, a $2,130,000 increase over the previous year. In addition, in 2005 the NEA contributed $750,000 to the council. 24 Organizations like the South Jersey Cultural Alliance offer technical assistance, regional initiatives, cultural awards and a cultural transportation fund to help transport students to cultural events, as well as publications and programs for schools.25 The Arts Council of the Morris Area offers arts in education programs, local arts grants, arts newsletters, scholarships, student/artist high school mentoring programs, and a range of services for individual artists. Working in collaboration with other organizations, ACMA strives to expand exhibition, performance and employment opportunities for individual artist members and, through workshops and seminars, offer skills and expertise – artistic and business, as well as networking opportunities. 26 Similar in its offerings and funded by the NJSCA, Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission provides grants, arts services, local arts development, technical assistance, and a cultural directory.27 In 2004, The New Jersey State Council on the Arts gave 228 grants to the arts in New Jersey for a total of $16,089,592. Of this amount, $524,283 went to a range of New Jersey dance companies, with the smallest grant $2,400 to an East Orange individual artist, and the largest $209,985 to the American Repertory Ballet Company in New Brunswick.28 New Jersey Non-Arts Efforts with Potential In New Jersey, as part of Arts Plan New Jersey, a collaborative statewide strategic planning process, the arts are being recognized as drivers of the economy. There are a number of projects and programs in the state on which the arts could capitalize.

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http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFacts?_events=Search...CSS http://americansforthearts.org/get_involved/advocacy/saan/state_legislation/001.asp 25 http://www.sjca.net/services.html 26 http://morrisarts.org/ 27 http://co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage/artssvcs.asp 28 National Assembly of State Art Agencies (NASAA), Final Descriptive Report data as submitted annually by state arts agencies to NASAA and the National Endowment for the Arts. 24

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Revitalization Efforts: Main Street New Jersey, established in 1989, is a revitalization program promoting historic and economic redevelopment of traditional New Jersey business districts. In addition to new businesses, Main Street New Jersey has resulted in façade improvements and building rehabilitation projects.29 In 1988 Downtown New Jersey formed to support, guide and lead efforts for New Jersey downtown revitalization including tracking legislative issues, fostering communication, and providing informational and educational opportunities.30 Other initiatives like the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut Regional Plan Association’s Smart Growth help enhance downtowns including property tax reform and land use. Advocacy organizations like the Partnership for New Jersey and its affiliates, work at the community level to bring together corporations, small businesses, nonprofit organizations and government. And non-arts developments like Einstein’s Alley, part of a non-arts job creation and economic innovation initiative, can be harnessed by arts and cultural groups especially in areas like entrepreneurship. New Jersey arts groups can position themselves in the community of small businesses, where the major roadblock seems to be a lack of coordination/cooperation, to publicize new startups, promote university partnerships, mentorships and networking.31 Live/Work Space: In Jersey City, the Work and Live District Ordinance (WALDO) is a plan “to establish an artists’ settlement in the warehouse district in Downtown, where artists may work and live in the same space, and where the arts can flourish and serve to unite the new neighborhoods of the waterfront with the established, historic neighborhoods surrounding the WALDO district. This district will also serve to provide a cultural center for the City of Jersey City, and will contain a mix of uses to provide a lively street presence of shops, art galleries, performance spaces and restaurants.”32 Battling being overtaken by commercial interests, Jersey City’s Pro Arts is leading the fight to make WALDO a reality and preserve the historic district at the same time. Focus on Artists: The New Jersey Dance Needs Assessment is the first needs assessment of dancers and dance workers in the state, a possible model for other kinds of 29

http://www.state.nj.us/dca/dcr/msnj/index.shtml http://www.downtownnj.com/greetings%20from%20president2.htm 31 http://www,publicforuminstitute.org/activities/2003/nj/index.htm 32 http://www.jcedc.org/new/waldonew.html 30

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artists and arts and cultural workers helping to reach Arts Plan New Jersey’s goal “to build recognition and a strong network of support for New Jersey artists and their work” through five specific objectives, including: ! attracting and retaining artists by building a statewide infrastructure including health insurance, retirement and unemployment benefits ! sustaining artists and artist service organizations by providing appropriate resources, such as available work presentation and living spaces, low-cost materials and access to technology ! creating a climate of professionalism by increasing self-development opportunities for artists, including expanded fellowships, locally sponsored artist residencies, increased public and private commissions ! incorporating artists into all facets of community life by championing their role as citizens ! recognizing artists as an asset to the state through programs that provide recognition for artists and not just their work33 In the context provided above---economic and other arguments for the arts and culture, growing numbers of dance training programs, a renewed commitment by the state of New Jersey to its arts and artists, the information gathered from dancers and dance workers in New Jersey provides some hard data that can have an impact on these five objectives. The New Jersey dance worker is likely to be a white, 40-year-old married female with a college degree who received her dance-related training in New Jersey and has lived in the county of her current residence for more than 10 years. She earns her main income as a dance instructor or outside the dance field, spends over 30 hours a week at that occupation, and works at more than one job. Her workspace is adequate for dance-related work in New Jersey and she does have health insurance. She is likely to earn some money through dance-related work but is not likely to be a member of a union. She has voted in federal, state and local elections in the last 2 years and is a registered Democrat who performs community service and volunteers. She feels valued as a dance worker but her biggest constraints are not enough money or time and the need to strengthen the community of New Jersey dance workers.

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http://www.artsplannj.com/sources_intro.php

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Project Brief In 2004, Dance New Jersey contacted the Research Center for Arts and Culture (RCAC) at Teachers College, Columbia University to design and administer a needs assessment study of dance workers in New Jersey. As the premier dance service organization in the state, Dance New Jersey, a charitable non-profit organization located in Morristown, and founded in 1998, is a statewide service organization dedicated to “reaching new audiences and promoting the energy, excitement and excellence of dance and dance education in New Jersey”34. Dance New Jersey collaborates with state and national partners to advocate for and represent the interests of New Jersey dance and dance education through its membership in ArtPRIDE/NJ and Dance/USA, and as the statewide affiliate for the National Dance Education Organization. The organization also aims to foster the artistic, administrative and educational growth of its members through resource sharing, dialogue and collaboration. Dance New Jersey advocates for high quality performance and works to strengthen the funding base for dance within the state. With these organizational goals in mind, Dance New Jersey initiated The New Jersey Dance Artist Inventory and Needs Assessment Project, designed to “identify the population of individual choreographers, performers, folk and traditional artists and educators throughout the state”. Dance New Jersey’s stated purpose in undertaking such a study was to “develop a comprehensive profile of New Jersey’s dance workforce and to better understand the most critical needs confronting this essential community”. This project marks the first time in the state’s history that a comprehensive mapping project of this type has been conducted. By establishing baseline data, Dance New Jersey, the entire funding community (public and private) and dance supporters may use this information to begin to accurately address the most salient needs and issues of dance artists in New Jersey. A random sample of 992 New Jersey dancers and dance workers was created from lists representing individual choreographers, performers, folk and traditional artists as well as administrators and educators (public and private schools, colleges/universities

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http://www.dancenj.org

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and private studios), managers, dancers, costumers, and designers. The paper questionnaire was sent out with a response of 17% (170). Background While the body of data regarding living and working conditions of dancers is relatively small, there are organizations working to make progress in these areas of research. The national dance service organization, Dance/USA, collects annual data from its member companies and for the past ten years, has issued an annual report on the “state of the dance field.”

In addition, it has conducted assessment studies in the San

Francisco Bay Area and Washington DC focusing on the needs of dance artists and companies. These studies were concerned with issues such as infrastructure, performance opportunities, space, services, funding, print media, genre-related concerns, teaching and arts education as related to the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1996, the National Endowment for the Arts commissioned Artists in the Work Force: Employment and Earnings 1970-1990, an analysis of census data that analyzed where artists lived, worked and what they earned. While the report does provide a statistical breakdown of dancer salaries and increases in earnings, this study is based on the years 1970-1990 and did not intend to focus specifically on dancers. This study has resonance, however, in particular areas like geographic concentration, stating that 38% of dancers, musicians and composers live on either coast.35 In a 1993 publication called Dancemakers, the National Endowment for the Arts studied choreographers from New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C. by means of mail questionnaires and telephone interviews. This research focused on general working conditions, financial status, performance opportunities, funding and work practices of choreographers. Dancemakers generated important statistics on a sample of the national population of choreographers and documented the trying circumstances under which these artists work. This study produced findings important not only to the dance field itself, but also to the philanthropic community and to policy makers. For example, it found that “the physical and financial strains of pursuing a choreographic career are severe and impede the creative process.” This situation has 35

Artists in the Workforce, p. 109.

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resulted in choreographers “creating and performing solo rather than group works” and “down-sizing present dance companies,” both solutions that affect dancers.36 Research Center for Arts and Culture The Research Center for Arts and Culture at Columbia University’s Teachers College (RCAC) has spent the last twenty years gathering information and data on living artists. Its INFORMATION ON ARTISTS series, conducted in ten and then four cities in 1988 and 1997, and in a single city in 2003, includes data on dancers, as does its 2004 study of the career transition of dancers in eleven countries. Other studies include Making Changes: Facilitating the Transition of Dancers to Post-Performance Careers, a study of career transition of dancers in eleven countries; the NEA-commissioned Research Report #34, Changing the Beat: A Study of the Worklife of Jazz Musicians; The Artists Training and Career Project—a series of oral history interviews published by Greenwood Press as The Actor Speaks, The Painter Speaks and The Craftsperson Speaks, as well as a survey of 12,000 artists nationwide in these 3 categories and other one-off studies including The Playwright’s the Thing, a study of New York playwrights for the Theatre Development Fund and Commuters on Broadway for Exploring the Metropolis. Its work has also been a prototype for an international study of artists in Portugal, and cross-cultural comparisons with artists’ studies in Australia. RCAC data are made available through the Center for Policy and the Arts National Data Archive at Princeton University. (Please see our website at www.tc.columbia.edu/centers/rcac) Definitions Dance New Jersey has found it essential to clearly define what it means by “dance community”. For the purposes of this study, “dance community” involves not only institutionalized groups that produce and/or promote dance, but also grass roots level performing groups, teachers and creators. In order to adhere to this definition of the dance community, Dance New Jersey made a concerted effort to probe into the local 36

Netzer, Dick and Ellen Parker, page 75.

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ethnic dance communities as much as possible within the confines of the project’s timetable. It is important to note that Dance New Jersey, in embarking upon this project, stressed the importance of reaching as many dancers and dance workers as possible, regardless of whether or not these people were organized as a professionally recognized group. When Dance New Jersey approached the RCAC about conducting the Needs Assessment Project, it was presented as a needs assessment study of dancers and “dance workers” within the state of New Jersey. The term “dancer” did not present much of a problem in terms of clarifying the sample population and/or communicating its meaning. The term “dance worker”, on the other hand, presented challenges at different points during the study both within Dance New Jersey itself and within the New Jersey dance community at large. Dance New Jersey chose the term “dance worker” to denote any person actively working in the field of dance in a professional capacity. This category was meant to include all non-dancers who were actively involved in making dance happen within the state. The catchall term includes costume, makeup and set designers that design for dance, administrators, teachers, choreographers, managers, technical and production workers and any other individuals who work within the framework of dance. While both Dance New Jersey and the RCAC intended for this term to be allinclusive and potentially self-explanatory to the sample population, some practitioners saw the term in a negative light. The questionnaire was designed to capture both dancers of all kinds and a wide variety of those who work in dance. The lack of consensus in the field regarding these categories made it difficult to accurately denote the study population.

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Career Characteristics In the 2001 RAND survey of the performing arts, five major characteristics were attributed to those with careers in the performing arts: 1. Artists’ earnings peak early and decline faster than in other professions. 2. Artists’ employment is sporadic and fragmented and artists often work for many different employers during any given year. 3. Career mobility decreases and many artists leave their profession early. (In The aDvANCE Project, current US dancers overestimated the length of their careers by a decade; they expected to leave their careers in their mid-forties, when the data from former dancers show that they left their careers in their early-mid thirties.)37 4. Some performers (dancers certainly) are vulnerable to injuries that cut their careers short. (In aDvANCE, 42.9% of current US dancers expected to stop dancing due to health/effects of injuries; 35% of former dancers did stop dancing because of this.)38 5. The geographic concentration of jobs and casting agencies may place constraints on artists seeking employment.39 These characteristics may apply to many of the respondents to this survey. The combination of these characteristics, the growing number of artists according to the US census, and what the RAND report identifies as the serious financial pressures of midsized nonprofit performing organizations may limit both the training ground and the marketplace of jobs for these performers.40 Survey Method Dance New Jersey initiated its own outreach procedures to the communities all over New Jersey so that the names and contact information of dancers and dance workers who are unaffiliated could be gathered alongside information obtained from state and county arts councils, schools and colleges, companies and organizations. The RCAC obtained additional lists from as many of the institutionalized dance organizations in the state as possible. These included 80 organizations in the Dance New Jersey database as well as additional resources from board members, educators and practitioners. Lists of dancers and dance workers were gathered from institutions that 37

Baumol et al, page 8. Ibid. 39 McCarthy, Kevin et al. 2001. The Performing Arts in a New Era. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 43-44. 40 Ibid., 49. 38

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serve and/or represent them including arts and artists’ service organizations, artists’ unions, membership organizations, art schools and academies, funding agencies, industry bodies, government cultural agencies and artists’ collectives. The usable lists of individuals that were collected for the purposes of the mail questionnaire came from 23 New Jersey dance organizations. Dance New Jersey provided its own database of individuals plus five other lists obtained through grassroots research efforts. The following groups donated lists for this project: Dance New Jersey, Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre, American Repertory Ballet, Argen-Tango Dancers, Art of Motion, Dancing Lotus, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Center for Modern Dance Education, Dance Arts League of Atlantic City, Encore Performing Arts Center, Freespace Dance, Julia Ritter Performance Group, Kennedy Dancers, LKB Dance, NaiNi Chen Dance Company, New Jersey Ballet, New Jersey Tap Ensemble, NJAHPERD, Princeton Dance and Theatre Studio, Randy James Dance Works, Raritan Valley Community College, Rutgers University, and Vineland Regional Dance Theatre. After the lists were merged and purged, a total of 992 dance individuals remained, broken down into the following categories: dance workers (363), dancers (126) and unknown (503). The unknown category represents those people who could not or did not identify as strictly dancer or dance worker as defined in this study. In most circumstances, this ambiguity is due to the fact that one individual plays multiple roles within the dance community at large, alternating between dancing, teaching, managing and producing dance, and therefore had difficulty classifying him/herself. The response rate was 17% (170 responses), comparable to DANCE USA’s San Francisco Bay Area Needs Assessment (18%) and The aDvANCE Project’s US survey (17%). While much of the dance activity in New Jersey takes place in the Northern part of the state - possibly due to its proximity to New York City, the list compiled for this study has a good mix of north and central New Jersey. Only three groups represent what is considered the South - but this is an accurate representation of the distribution of dance activity across the state of New Jersey. Twenty-three percent of our respondents were from south Jersey. The New Jersey State Arts Council has given substantial financial assistance to South Jersey cultural groups to stimulate activity in those regions.

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Respondents replied from Sussex in the north to Cumberland in the south. Thus, we believe the list is a fair representation of New Jersey dance workers’ realities. The following map shows locations (and density) of residences of 143 survey respondents. This map does not include the 27 survey respondents who live outside the state of New Jersey.

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Challenges The inclusion of grass roots level organizations and individuals presented challenges on many levels. The first challenge was the time required to probe into such communities, as it does not seem cost- or time-effective to spend a few days traveling to people’s homes in order to collect three or four names. However, Dance New Jersey was firmly committed to reaching as many of these individuals as possible within the given deadlines. Furthermore, there is a large and diverse ethnic dance population in the state of New Jersey. This reality presented the possible complication of sending a mail survey in English to recipients who were not fluent in the language. Therefore, the cover letter accompanying the questionnaire included phone contact information for assistance filling out the questionnaire in Spanish, Chinese and Italian. The list collection process also presented some unique challenges on other levels. Very few institutions contacted by the RCAC possessed a mailing list of any sort. Communication and list collection within this constituency was time-consuming, tedious and in the many cases, fruitless. This presents a potential hurdle in doing any type of research that would ultimately benefit this constituency. Without the cooperation of people in the dance community to help gather information about this group, it is difficult to conduct any research that will yield meaningful data. In addition, those organizations with lists often had outdated information (98 surveys were returned for bad addresses). This situation has been mirrored by DANCE USA’s studies of the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington DC. In fact, the first written survey in Washington DC received such a poor response, that phone calls were instituted to follow up. The RCAC ran a second random sample of the original list with the thought to conduct telephone interviews, but telephone information for over half of the listed names was either unavailable or invalid. The dancer/dance worker split also presented interesting dynamics in the development of the mail questionnaire. Because these groups are separate and distinct, yet all work in some capacity within the same genre, it was difficult to formulate a set of survey questions to record the needs of these groups while asking the questions in a way

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that made sense to both. Wording, focus of individual questions, and focus of the survey overall were issues. SURVEY ANALYSIS Earnings and Hours Almost all the respondents earned their primary income in the last 12 months from dance: as dancers, dance instructors (44%), dance or arts managers or administrators, choreographers, or in other dance or art-related occupations. Sixty percent of these worked over 30 hours a week at the above occupation and 66% worked at more than one job. For over 90% of these, one of these jobs was in dance. Among the dance-related occupations listed were: accompanist, adjunct professor, administrator, teacher, choreographer, business manager, dance historian, development professional, writer, composer, fashion designer, consultant, photographer, set designer, and director. It is clear from other studies that dancers fulfill multiple roles. In the San Francisco Bay Area needs assessment study, 77.5% of respondents filled multiple roles.41 Eighty percent of the choreographers in the National Endowment for the Arts study, Dancemakers, had jobs in addition to their work as choreographers.42 The 2001 RAND report, The Performing Arts in a New Era, supports this observation: …Most artistic careers are composites, consisting of paid arts work, unpaid arts work and non-arts work…As a result, the artistic labor force is notably fluid, with a large number of part-time employees who move between arts-related and nonarts related employment.43 Over half the New Jersey dance workers (58%) earned below $20,000 from their dance work in 2004. The mean for total income as a dance worker is $24,000; the median $16,000. This compares to our dancers from four cities (New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and San Francisco) in 1997 in our Information on Artists II study as follows:

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Munger, John and Smigel, Libby. 2002a. Dance in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Needs Assessment. Washington D.C.: Dance USA, 13. 42 Netzer, Dick and Parker, Ellen. 1993. Dancemakers. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, 17. This study surveyed dancers in 4 cities: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC. 43 McCarthy, 38.

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80% of these dancers earned under $20,000 from their dance work in 1996. The mean for total income as a dance worker was $12,757; the median $5,000. For 23% this amount was 10% or less of their total individual income and for 36% it was 10% or less of their household income. Family support (37%) and money “off the books” (23%) supplemented this income; for 88% of those making money off the books, it was less than $6,000. The mean for money earned off the books is $5,600; the median $2,500. Exactly half earned $30,000 or less from their total individual income in 2004. In 1996 three-quarters (75%) earned $30,000 or less from their total individual income. In 2004, almost half (49%) earned over $60,000 in gross household income. The mean for total individual income is $36,000; the median, $25,000. In 1996, the mean total individual income was $24,572; the median, $25,000. Household Income The 2004 estimated median household income in New Jersey was $61,359; the mean $80,350.44 The median family income was $73,973.45 The mean for gross household income in this study is $79,000; the median, $55,000. This would indicate that dance workers are being subsidized by others in their households. Indeed, they may actually be subsidizing the field itself. In the San Francisco Bay Area Needs Assessment 66% of respondents said they paid some of their companies’ bills out of their own pockets. 46 Dancer/Dance Worker Total Individual Income Year

Population Surveyed

Mean

Median

1996

Dancers from four U.S. cities

$12,757

$5,000

2004

Dance workers from New Jersey

$36,000

$25,000

Ten respondents (2%) reported incomes of over $150,000. 44

http://factfinder.census.gov/serlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04... http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search... 46 Ibid., 32. 45

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Union Affiliations Only 28% of New Jersey dance workers belong to a union, mostly either in the arts or education. The arts unions listed include: Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC), and Screen Actors Guild (SAG). For educational unions, respondents listed the broad category “teachers unions”. According to the major union for dancers and choreographers, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), of the total membership of 7,000, 1,450 are current dancers.47 Of these, there are 90 dancers and no choreographers in northern New Jersey in AGMA’s database, including 32 active and 58 inactive members. In southern New Jersey, AGMA lists 8 active dancers (4 who work at the Pennsylvania Ballet) and no choreographers.48 These numbers would not indicate active involvement in or assistance from AGMA. In addition, respondents listed other kinds of organizations whose services they use that are not official unions. These include American Association of University Professors, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Billings Education Association, Dance Masters of America, International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, Laban-Barteneiff Institute of Movement Studies, National Dance Education Organization, New Jersey Education Association, New Jersey Music Educators Association, and Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association. Age, Gender and Race The mean age is 40.4 years old, the median 40. The 2004 median age of New Jersey residents is 37.8.49 Eighty-six percent of the respondents are female and 14% are male. Eighty-three percent are non-Hispanic white, 5% Hispanic or Latino, 7% Black or African-American and 2% Asian. According to the New Jersey census, for those who

47 48 49

Baumol et al, 200.

Itow, Candace. "New Jersey AGMA Membership." Email to the author. 30 Nov. 2005. http://factfinder.census.gov/serlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&geo_id=04...

22

selected a single race, 69.1% New Jersey residents are non-Hispanic white, 14.9 % are Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% are Black or African American, and 7% are Asian.50 This compares to national figures as follows:

Non-Hispanic

Hispanic/Latino

Blk/AfAm

Asian

White US(2000)51

69.1%

12.5%

12.3%

3.6%

NJ(2004)

70.6%

14.9%

13.1%

7%

NJ DANCE

83%

5%

7%

2%

WORKERS

Education and Dance Training As with all studies of artists, the respondents to this survey are highly educated. 2004 education statistics for New Jersey residents show that 86.21% have graduated high school and 33.3 have a Bachelor’s degree or higher52. In this study, 9% have graduated high school, 51% have college degrees and another 24% have graduate degrees. In The aDvANCE Project, 24.5% of US current dancers had a Bachelor’s degree, and 8.2% a graduate degree; 32.3% of US former dancers had Bachelor’s degrees and 7.6% graduate degrees. In Information on Artists II in 1997, 8.9% graduated high school, 45.5% had college degrees and another 26.7% had graduate degrees. In the 1993 National Endowment for the Arts study Dancemakers, 77% of the choreographers were college graduates or had advanced professional degrees.53 It seems New Jersey dance workers have a very high educational level by comparison. Some explanations for the high incidence of advanced degrees in New Jersey dancers and dance workers may be 1) the educational opportunities in the state (44% claim they earned their primary income last year as dance instructors); 2) the 50

Ibid. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html 52 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFacts?_events=Search/...CSS 53 Netzer and Parker, 15. 51

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requirements to obtain such educational opportunities and 3) the high incidence of modern and indigenous dance companies, many of which run on a less rigorous schedule than major ballet companies. Over half (54%) of the respondents received dance-related training in New Jersey, a statistic that is somewhat less than other studies the RCAC has conducted on a variety of kinds of artists. Figures from four cities of dance workers in Information on Artists II in 1997 indicate that 82% of dancer workers received dance or art-related training in that city or region. While 58% of New Jersey respondents received a formal degree in the arts, 36% were trained at conservatories or professional schools, 40% had experience as a mentor or Master Artist, and 47% listed apprentice or community-based arts experience as part of their education. Experience as a mentor or Master Artist

40%

Experience as an apprentice

47%

Community-based arts experience

44%

It is common knowledge that formal education impacts negatively on income for artists. While, in many other professions—medicine and law, for example—there is a positive correlation between years of education/advanced degrees and income, in arts the rule is the reverse. In this study, this trend is borne out: 62% of those with graduate degrees earned under $40,000 total income for work as a dance worker in 2004; 48% of those with graduate degrees earned under $40,000 total individual income in 2004. However, only 11% of those with graduate degrees earned under $40,000 in gross household income in 2004, suggesting that other members of the household or other assets provided a higher total income. Professionalism Sixty-eight percent of respondents consider themselves professional dancers, with 39% of those stating that making a living as a dancer is the most important definer of their professionalism. Forty percent of respondents selected the same most important reason when applying a definition of professionalism to someone else.

24

However, when we cross-tabulated those dancers who consider themselves professionals with those who make the majority of their income as dancers—25% (43 dancers) who consider themselves professionals make their living as dancers. Twenty-eight percent of all respondents are union members. (In 1997 in Information on Artists II, 33% were union members.) Some people count membership in a union as a badge of professionalism. For others, earning a living as a dancer (the economist’s definition), spending a certain amount of time at dance and/or receiving education or training are the appropriate validators of professionalism. This sensitive subject was described by one very frustrated 32-year-old female dance instructor who resides in New Jersey: Like many other dancers—and I’m sure artists of other mediums—I consider myself a dancer, first and foremost, by vocation, though not by ‘profession’ because when people ask you if you are a ‘professional dancer’ what they’re driving at is whether or not you are paid to perform as a dancer. For those of us who have received ‘professional’ training, but find ourselves without current employment actually dancing, this is an insulting, often embarrassing question. For the many dancers who take work in small companies, frequently on a short-term basis, there are often spells of time when you aren’t dancing for anyone. How disheartening it is to be sorted out by this often misleading title of ‘professional’, which implies that your alternative status is ‘amateur’ or ‘recreational dancer.’ Services Almost half the respondents needed no legal advice or expertise regarding their work during the last three years (49%), but 35% could have used such advice between one and three times, particularly regarding contracts (22%) and advice about setting up a nonprofit corporation (18%). Only 16% hold copyright in some work of their own artistic creation. Forty percent of respondents needed financial advice or expertise regarding their dance-related work between one and three times during the same period, particularly in budgeting and obtaining health insurance (15%), followed by financial planning and taxation (11%), while 36% needed no financial advice.

25

Respondents stated a plethora of services that are currently offered them in their dance-related work by organizations to which they belong and/or whose services they use. The most frequent services are opportunities to meet with peers (58%), opportunities to meet with or show work to an audience (50%), access to equipment (43%), discounted purchases of dance-related supplies or services (38%) and career information (31%). Additional write-in comments indicated that these organizations provided space and time as well as retirement plans. Seventy-nine percent of NJ dance workers have lived in the county of their current residence over 5 years; 66% have worked in the same county for the same period. Over half (54%) have received dance-related training in the region. A Stable Population Dance workers in New Jersey seem to be a stable population, 60% having lived in the county of their current residence for more than 10 years, with another 19% having done so for 5-10 years. This stability may be true for New Jersey residents in general: the 2000 census reports 59.8% of New Jersey residents and 54.1% of US residents living in the same house in 1995 and 2000.54 The most important reasons NJ dance workers have for staying are affordable living space (23%), personal ties (22%) followed by cultural activity (14%). In the write-in comments, close proximity to New York City was mentioned as well. A substantial number have also remained in the county of their current workspace, 43% for more than 10 years and another 23% for 5-10 years and 67% say their workspace is adequate. Workspace Uses and Needs About half of respondents use their workspace for teaching, as a studio space and as a rehearsal space. Almost a third also use it as an office space. Over 60% neither own nor rent this space and for almost half, the space is at an educational institution where 59% share the space with others and 71% do not bear the workspace cost. The high proportion of dance instructors in this survey is consistent with these findings. 54

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html

26

For those who do bear the cost of their current New Jersey workspace, the approximate monthly operational cost, including utilities, rent or mortgage and taxes is $1,800 (both the mean and the median). Specific requirements for this workspace for over 60% of respondents are: heat and air conditioning, running water, and special floors. Health and Welfare Completely consistent with all other RCAC studies over the last 20 years is the figure of 89% of respondents with health or medical coverage. Thirty-seven percent have HMOs or PPOs; 33% have Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey; 22% have a group insurance policy and 10% have a personal policy through a private insurance company (some respondents may have more than 1 of these). They obtained this insurance through their employers (39%), their mates (23%), themselves (23%) and through private companies (18%). The Urban Institute’s Investing in Creativity, reports that 75% of people in the US who have health coverage obtain it through the workplace.55 This coverage is paid for by themselves (40%), their employers (34%), their mates (26%) and their mate’s union or employer (10%)(again, respondents may have chosen more than one of these). Close to 51% of artists pay for their own health insurance compared with 8% of US workers.56 A variety of group insurance plans were indicated in the write-in comments including Aetna, Amerihealth, Cigna, Guardian Health Net, Horizons/NJ Plus, Liberty, United Health Care and Oxford as well as the ones listed in the question (Horizon/Blue Cross, etc). About a quarter have been exposed to occupational hazards in their dance-related work and for 40% of them this is an ongoing condition even though almost half engage in preventive medical care in relation to their dance-related work (nutritional counseling, injury prevention, etc.). It should be noted that many of these dance workers may not have obtained health insurance through their dance work, unless they were affiliated with educational institutions or unions. In the NEA’s Dancemakers study in 1993, 64% of the 55

Rosario-Jackson, Maria et al. 2003. Investing in Creativity: A Study of the Support Structure for U.S. Artists. Washington DC: Urban Institute, 29. 56 Ibid. referencing Jeffri, 34.

27

choreographers did not have the ability to obtain health coverage through their work in dance.57 According to Dance New Jersey, due to the structure of New Jersey laws, health insurance while accessible, remains unaffordable for most dance workers, and also is not comparable to the kinds of plans one can obtain through group affiliation.58 Over 20% indicated health care/disability/insurance and benefits should be provided by service organizations used by dance workers. And one 25-year-old, male dancer commented, “Virtually NONE of the dancers I know have health insurance. That is unacceptable!” Other basic needs were expressed by one 34-year-old, male respondent works professionally as an accompanist: “I don’t have a pension. I cannot afford to get married. I can’t afford a car.”

Marital Status While 53% of New Jersey dance worker respondents are married, and another 31% are single, almost ¾ have 1-2 dependents (including themselves as 1); 59% have no dependents under the age of 18. This compares favorably to the 2004 census, which reported average household size in New Jersey as 2.71 people; the average family size as 3.27 people.59 The New Jersey dance worker is actively engaged in the community, politically, professionally, and as a volunteer.

Political and Community Involvement New Jersey dance workers are politically active, with over 72% registered Democrats and over 60% having voted in local, state and federal elections in the last two years. Additionally, 78% have volunteered, 61% have performed community service and 30% have given public testimonies. 57

Ibid. 53. Interview with Marete Wester, Executive Director, Dance NJ, March 3, 2006. 59 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFacts?_events=Search/...CSS 58

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Dance workers work in dance schools (69%), community performance or exhibition venues (63%), dance companies (44%) and public and private schools (42%). Value Eighty-one percent of New Jersey dance workers feel valued in their dance work, as evidenced by employment as dance workers (65%), attendance at dance performances (63%) and, for half, being regarded as a contributing member of the community. Seventy-one percent believe they have contributed most to the New Jersey dance community as dance instructors; 44% as choreographers; 42% as dancers. Nevertheless, one female dancer-teacher expressed quite eloquently what she sees as the dilemma: The main problem with dance in New Jersey is the same for the nation, with few exceptions. Lack of respect by the public, the government and the arts community for dance as an art. Culturally, dance is viewed as mere entertainment. This attitude permeates the dance community, with dancers accepting their lot and settling for meager pay, inadequate working conditions, and often downright scorn, even from other performing artists. We are the ‘unskilled physical laborers’ of the artistic community. For me, the problem of being female, a teacher, and a dancer has been financially lethal. I have often been asked why I haven’t applied my abilities in a field that was ‘useful’ so that I can ‘have more respect’. The day that dancers as a group literally ‘put their feet down’ and demand equal working conditions, pay, etc. is the day that we will begin to receive recognition from the community.

Constraints and Challenges Lack of money is the primary constraint for 66% of New Jersey dance workers, followed by a lack of time (45%). The lack of money is first on the list in many artist studies, including DANCE USA’s Washington DC survey.60 The lack of time is partly due, no doubt, to those multiple jobs dance workers hold. Most needed areas for professional development are: how to apply for grants and funds (42%); marketing expertise (35%) and financial expertise (32%). Close behind is “strengthening my community of dance workers” at 28%. 60

Munger and Smigel, 2003, 49.

29

In the write-in comments, some respondents focused on body issues—health, aging, chronic body problems, injuries, lack of health or medical insurance, as well as time and family demands. “I need another me,” wrote one respondent. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS New Jersey dance workers seem to be a stable population who often hold multiple jobs, one of which is in dance. They are close to the median age of New Jersey residents but are more highly educated, a fact consistent with other artist studies. They earn under $20,000 from their dance work, are politically involved, and have health insurance. Although the respondents in this study have a higher percentage of white respondents than are represented in the state, they seem to represent the different geographic sections of New Jersey. Identifying Dancers and Dance Workers In the RCAC and Dance New Jersey’s efforts to compile lists of people working in the dance industry, it became markedly clear that many organizations, including professional companies, do not have current and complete contact information for their dancers and dance workers. A statewide effort to systematize this information, which normally must be gathered for tax and other kinds of reporting, and a central protected databank would help service and other organizations to reach out directly to workers in the field. People so identified could choose to “opt out” of any surveys or communications, but the state would have a much better idea of a) how many workers, b) in what kinds of jobs they work, c) whether they work primarily in New Jersey and d) how their needs change over time. In addition to identifying dance workers, further information needs to be gathered about their career patterns. While multiple surveys shown dance workers in multiple jobs, some researchers like Pierre-Michel Menger in France, contend that many performing artists engaged in intermittent work is increasingly fragmented—shorter periods of work and fiercer competition for that work, even though the number of hirings may have increased.61 In Mindy Levine’s Developing the Whole Dancer, she identifies changing 61

Menger, Pierre-Michel. "Artists as Workers: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges." POETICS 4th

30

career patterns that have resulted from the market expansion in dance and calls for new skills for dancers to be able to market themselves “potentially several times over a career.”62 Empowerment of Audiences One recurring theme in the dance literature is the “image problem” of dance, especially for audiences and audience outreach. In Mindy Levine’s 1997 Invitation to the Dance she reported: Arguably the most universal of the arts in its ability to communicate across cultures and languages, dance often suffers neglect vis-à-vis other artforms. Left out of history books, largely absent from public schools and frequently ignored by institutions of higher learning, dance as a theatrical artform has often been relegated to the margins of American life. … Again and again, … arts presenters drew attention to the high level of discomfort audiences often feel with dance. They have little experience with it, little context for understanding what they see, and are quick to dismiss the artform in its entirety if they have a single negative experience. 63 In the same report, a Task Force member stated: Dancing is everywhere…We ought to celebrate and find ways to knit it all together. The kids who aren’t getting dance in school are still dancing. They are on the streets. Dancing is everywhere on television and in movies…we’re just not recognizing what is in front of our faces.64 The insularity of some dance audiences may contribute to this isolation. In a recent Master’s Thesis for the Program in Arts Administration at Teachers College Columbia University, a student found through a survey that ¾ of the audiences for two major modern dance presenters in New York City are made up of dancers. The Urban Institute’s study saw this as a priority in terms of artists in general and recommended as their first priority for action “Encourage better public understanding of who artists are, what they do, and how they contribute to society.” 65 ser. 28 (2001): 241-254. 62 Levine, Mindy. 2002. Developing the Whole Dancer: Issues and Challenges for Ballet Training Institutions. Washington DC: DANCE/USA, 8. 63 Levine, 1997, 7. 64 Ibid., 24. 65 Rosario-Jackson et al, 84. 65 New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), ArtsPlan New Jersey, Artist Services Survey.

31

It is this combination of insular audiences and an uninformed or uncomfortable general public that needs to be addressed. One 52-year-old male who works at a media center and operates an educational access cable channel respondent, acknowledging costs, distance, time, especially for bringing children to dance, summed up his solution as. “Keep the arts in K-12 – hire more teachers.” A visual artist commenting on Arts Plan New Jersey, spoke in terms of New Jersey’s important role: The arts in New Jersey must be associated with pride of place and an acknowledgment in New Jersey’s role in the development of America’s cultural identity. This State, after all, is the birthplace of Minimalism and a variety of early Performance Art known as ‘Happenings.’ Do most people know the contribution that Rutgers University professors Tony Smith, George Segal and Allen Kaprow played in the development of post-war avant-garde art? Does anyone realize how many artists exhibiting in New York and Philadelphia galleries actually live and work in New Jersey? The history of the ‘Jersey School’ still needs to be written before New Jerseyans take pride in their artists’ past and present accomplishments.66 No doubt, this eloquent summary could be extended to many other art forms, including dance, in New Jersey. Empowerment of Dancers In both this New Jersey Dance Needs Assessment and The aDvANCE Project, dancers received a high proportion of their financial and emotional support from family (37% of New Jersey dance workers indicated family support as an additional source of income; 61% of US current dancers in aDvANCE found support from family and friends very important). For New Jersey dancers, money earned “off the books” was another way to supplement income, usually for under $5,000. In addition to the reality that certain subjects like injury and career transition are difficult subjects for dancers to face, the low salaries (The American Guild of Musical Artists, the main dancers’ union, is known to have a very low minimum wage agreement for dancers compared to other kinds of performers.), the hierarchical system, the preponderance of females and the substantial supply of dancers related to a relatively small demand, have all influenced coalition building, empowerment and a collective

32

voice. These areas could be addressed by a strong service organization, but would require significant outreach to individuals across the community and from a variety of kinds of dance. Finally, dancers, dance makers and dance workers may resent or mistrust investigations which consult the field (them) to identify needs since they often feel they know what the field needs already. Indeed, opinions like this came from a dancer in DANCE USA’s Washington DC study as well as a panel at the NEA. However, one dance worker’s opinion of “the needs of the field” has often proven to be quite different from another’s. In DANCE USA’s Washington DC study, there was a recommendation for trying to achieve a balance between the views of professionals within the field and an objective outside assessment: The passions of dance-makers informed by a lifetime in the field can be given weight, substance and credibility by the quantitative objectivity of a disinterested inquiry.67 Dancers, Dance Workers and Teaching Given the high percentage of dance teachers in this study (44%), the relationship between teaching and creating should be examined further. The San Francisco Bay Area needs assessment authors feel that Although teaching may sustain and support dance activity, sometimes the need for the income from teaching jeopardizes dance-making.68 Dance USA’s Washington DC study found 88% of their respondents selfidentified as dance teachers. 69 In The aDvANCE Project, much to the surprise of the investigators, only 2.6% of current and 6.3% of former US dancers preferred dance teaching or coaching as work they would like to do after their career transition; nevertheless 38.8% of current dancers felt this was the work they would most likely do, and 53.2% of former dancers reported that they were teaching. One respondent asked for a network of teachers like herself:

67

Munger and Smigel, 2003, 30. Munger and Smigel, 2002a,59. 69 Munger and Smigel, 2003, 53. 68

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Being the only dance educator in a public school district can be very isolating. Few administrators or teachers understand the goals and needs of dance, and I seldom have the advice I need to arbitrate salary and compensation for projects. Much of what I do falls under ‘extracurricular’(field trips, after-school programs, grant writing) and it is difficult to get appropriate compensation. (I am not a certified teacher, but an ‘artistin-residence.’) A network of teachers like myself would be helpful.

Compromises What is not evident in the data from this survey is what kinds of compromises dance workers are making in their dance work, due to fiscal and other constraints. In the NEA’s 1993 Dancemakers, choreographers responded to a difficult financial reality in the following ways: ! creating and performing solo rather than group works; ! down-sizing present dance companies; ! contemplating relocation overseas, where the arts are thought to be a part of the fabric of life, not a loose thread, or to another region of the US; ! terminating choreographic efforts in favor of (seemingly) more secure positions such as teaching dance in academe or working in a field outside the arts; ! taking a sabbatical or leaving the field altogether.70 These kinds of issues should be explored with the myriad of dance workers in New Jersey—dance managers and administrators, dance costumers, technical and production people, makeup and set designers, and dancers and choreographers. Hidden Subsidies It is common knowledge in the performing arts, and particularly in dance, that the unemployment insurance system is a subsidy. Often, small and medium-sized companies hire their performers for the required minimum number of work weeks, and then fire them so that they can collect unemployment the rest of the year. It is unknown whether this kind of subsidy is being used by New Jersey dance workers, but it worth further investigation to better understand exactly how dance workers are supporting themselves.

70

Netzer and Parker, 75.

34

Company Survival The difficulty in surviving, particularly for small and medium-sized Dance companies, is serious as Thomas Smith’s data above report on the increasing number of companies going under. In DANCE/USA’s study of dance in Washington DC, the authors speculate: Dance, in general, is so profoundly starved for resources, respect and general public acceptance that its practitioners are forced to develop ingenious and creative structures, processes and methodologies just to survive and keep putting work in front of audiences. Dance is a field with more guerillas than institutions.71 Workspace Although a majority of the respondents to this survey seemed to obtain their workspace at educational institutions, this bears further investigation. In a preliminary survey of 30 artists conducted during the development process of Arts Plan New Jersey by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, 54% (14) selected affordable workspace as their priority number 1 choice.72 Although the number is quite small and represents a variety of kinds of artist, it does indicate that perhaps a different sample of dance workers might yield those for whom an educational institution is not their primary workspace. In an online survey where artists commented on a draft of the Arts Plan, this concern was voiced again: There is a need to provide support…to small and mid-sized arts groups…for affordable meeting space and performance space in NJ. This is our #1 need and concern. For the past 10 years, the cost of decent professional performance spaces in NJ has been prohibitive to small organizations. Colleges and professional theatre companies in Northern and Central NBJ charge upwards of $1,500 a day to use their performance spaces. This has led [some] groups…to produce largely in NYC…. How about creating a building which would allow 812 small organizations to rent office space for a subsidized price and share performance space in the building for a subsidized price? This would…also help build and develop a sense of community among the small and mid-sized arts groups that are spreading across the state. 73

71

Munger and Smigel, 2003, 19. New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), ArtsPlan New Jersey, Artist Services Survey. 73 Ibid. 72

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In the same online survey, an artist suggested a New Jersey Materials for the Arts “where registered companies can find donated furniture, supplies, fabrics, papers, and art-making materials for free.74 Isolation A problem for a state like New Jersey where many regions house a vibrant variety of dance activities, genres, and companies, is the isolation of these groups and activities from each other. This isolation also makes identifying constituents difficult for an organization that wants to tackle this challenge. Indeed, the choice by New Jersey survey respondents of opportunities to meet with peers and show work as two services offered by arts/dance service organizations they now use, indicates the importance of these. This isolation was a major finding of DANCE USA’s Washington DC study.75 An online survey respondent for the Arts Plan New Jersey suggested that dealing with this isolation might provide an environment for future artists and suggested that the focus on the leveraging a strong network of artists is important since “artists are all stretched trying to be successful. If there are ways to make their lives easier so they can focus on their passion, you may inspire others to enter the field.”76 Services for Dancers and Dance Workers In Dance USA’s needs assessment of dance in the San Francisco Bay Area, the need for a service provider was voiced, an organization that could provide information on “funding, space, contact lists, calendars of events and classes, and the like….a case was made that a hub for dance would encourage more networking and connections among the dance community.”77 According to the write-in responses of New Jersey dance workers additional desired services included assistance with health care/disability/insurance/ benefits, performance and rehearsal space and resources such as discounted rates for space, and advertising and marketing, some of which might be handled by a central provider. 74

Ibid. Ibid., 36-37. 76 New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), ArtsPlan New Jersey, Artist Services Survey. 77 Munger and Smigel, 2002a, 3. 75

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The plea of one artistic director of a Bay Area modern dance company might stand for New Jersey’s dance workers: The dance community has gone on too long without a centralized provider…. It is not a very ‘sexy’ thing to fund, but with a strong executive director who can make it reasonably financially feasible to run [it] would make a world of difference to all the young choreographers out there trying to make it happen.78 And a more sobering look from the same study might also be added here: To the degree that a centralized service provider might be forecast, it is imperative to consider the ability of the…community to support it. Whether a new service organization is created or an existing service provider is tapped to take on the responsibility of providing centralized services it seems clear that there should be a safeguard against the organization’s overextending itself. Taking a lesson from the nationwide pattern of closures among dance service organizations, a centralized provider should focus on the most severe needs for information and support, as documented in the survey.79 Artists who responded to an online survey about Arts Plan New Jersey expressed the same need: I really like the idea of having one umbrella organization for the arts. I’ve participated in multiple art groups over the years and they all seem to go their own separate way, don’t share information and wind up stepping on each other’s toes. It would be nice if there was a group that had access to mailing lists, resources, training, marketing, publicity, and advocacy for the arts.80 Some respondents to the Arts Plan New Jersey online survey went further, suggesting a system of county arts councils, a free database of artists and the creation of a “State Chair for the Arts, with each of NJ’s 21 counties to coordinate events and promote the arts at all government levels.”81 Further Areas of Investigation The above discussion identifies a number of areas for further investigation and development, some of which have made progress for artists (although not necessarily dance workers) a priority and others that have not yet been pursued. The arts have been found to be an integral part of the development and progress of many New Jersey cities. 78

Ibid., 44. Ibid., 49 80 New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), ArtsPlan New Jersey, Artist Services Survey. 81 Ibid. 79

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These include non-arts efforts like local revitalization, gentrification, tax incentives and exemptions for artists living in specific districts, which serve as models in other cities from Chicago to Providence, Rhode Island. In many cities the arts are an integral part of entrepreneurial efforts, small business development, start-up companies, creative thinking and urban regeneration. And finally, the arts can serve a role in economic initiatives that act as magnets for progress. Unique from workers in many other fields, those dedicated to dance in New Jersey, as evidenced by our research, offer communities a stable population, who train in the region and choose to stay there to live and work and who are actively engaged professionally and personally. For cities, states and regions looking to create places that are attractive, thriving and looking to the future, New Jersey’s dance workers are a population that should be integral to the process.

38

NEW JERSEY DANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT - FREQUENCIES 1

Have you received and completed any other copy of this questionnaire? Valid % 1 Yes Freq. Valid % Freq.

2

No

99

Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question

IMPORTANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION 2 How have you earned your primary income in the last 12 months? (Check all that apply.) 1 Dancer

3

2

Dance instructor

3

Dance or arts manager or administrator

4

Choreographer

5

Other dance-related occupation (please specify)

6

Non dance-related occupation (please specify)

7

Art-related occupation (please specify)

8

Other (please specify)

99


Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

0 0 100 170 1 170

13 21 44 73 14 23 7 11 13 21 19 31 7 11 12 20 4 167

Approximately how many hours per week do you spend on the occupation from which you earn your major income (including looking for work, marketing/promoting your work, etc.)? Valid % 1 1-10 8 Freq. 14 Valid % 2 10-20 14 Freq. 23 Valid % 3 20-30 17 Freq. 29 Valid % 4 30-40 30 Freq. 50 Valid % 5 Over 40 30 Freq. 50 39

99 4

5

6


5 166

Do you currently work at more than one job? (If no, skip to question 10.) Valid % 1 Yes Freq. Valid % Freq.

2

No

99


Is at least one of those jobs in dance? (If no, skip to question 11.) 1 Yes 2

No

99


Approximately how many hours per week do you spend on your other/supplementary employment? 1 1-10 2

11-20

3

21-30

4

31-40

5

Over 40

99


66 106 34 54 11 160

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

92 103 8 9 59 112

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

53 49 24 22 12 11 7 6 4 4 79 92

7

Do you earn any money through your dance-related work? (If no, skip to question 9.) Valid % 1 Yes 87 Freq. 102 Valid % 2 No 13 Freq. 15 99 Missing 54 Total number of respondents who answered the question 117

8

If yes, does this money cover your dance-related costs? 1 Yes

40

Valid % Freq.

63 65

Valid % Freq.

2

No

99


9

If you are working in one or more dance-related occupations, but you are not a dancer, please list those occupations below: Write-in responses not listed.

10

Do you have a manager/agent/representative for your work? 1 Yes

11

2

No

99



37 38 68 103

9 15 91 146 10 161

Please state your age as of January 1, 2005. Mean Median St. Dev. Mode Valid cases Missing

12

40.4 40 13.3 47 162 9 Please list the city, county and zip code of your primary residence as of January 1, 2005. Write-in responses not listed.

13

Please list the cities where you do the majority of your dance-related work: Write-in responses not listed.

14

If living and working spaces are in different locations, what is the distance in miles between your residence and your primary work space? Valid % 1 Less than 1 mile 3 Freq. 5 Valid % 2 1-2 miles 7 Freq. 10 Valid % 3 3-5 miles 14 Freq. 21 Valid % 4 6-10 miles 17 Freq. 26 Valid % 5 11-20 miles 25 Freq. 37 Valid % 6 21-30 miles 11 Freq. 17 41

15

16

17

7

31-40 miles

8

More than 40 miles (please specify)

99


Are you male or female? 1 Male 2

Female

99


Please indicate the background that most applies to you. 1 White, non-Hispanic 2

Hispanic or Latino

3

Black or African-American

4

American Indian or Alaskan Native

5

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

6

Asian American

7


99


Please indicate your highest level of formal education. 1 Elementary school, through grade 8 2

Some high school

3

High school, through grade 12

4

Some college

5

College degree

6

Graduate degree 42


7 10 17 25 20 151


14 23 86 146 2 169

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

83 137 5 8 7 11 0 0 0 0 2 3 4 6 6 165

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid %

1 1 1 1 9 15 12 21 51 87 24

17a

18

7


99


Did you receive any dance-related training in NJ? 1 Yes 2

No

99


Please list your highest formal degree. 1 High school diploma 2

Associate degree

3

Bachelor degree

4

Masters degree

5

Doctorate

6


99


Freq. Valid % Freq.

40 2 4 2 169


54 90 46 77 4 167

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

15 24 3 4 54 84 20 31 3 5 5 7 16 155

19

Did you receive technical or professional training in the arts in any of the following areas? If yes, please circle the number of as many as apply. Valid % 1 Formal degree in the arts 58 Freq. 88 Valid % 2 Certificate degree in the arts 16 Freq. 25 Valid % 3 Conservatory or professional school 36 Freq. 54 Valid % 4 Private teacher(s) 58 Freq. 88 99 Missing 19 Total number of respondents who answered the question 152

20

Please indicate which other educational experiences you have had in preparation for your work in the arts. (Circle as many as apply). 43

1

Experience as a mentor or Master Artist

2

Experience as an apprentice

3

Alternative schooling experience

4

Community-based arts experience

5

Self-taught

6


40 60 47 71 27 41 44 66 32 49 32 48 20 151


68 112 32 52 7 164

99

21

22

Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question Do you consider yourself a professional dancer? 1 Yes


2

No

99


If yes, of the statements listed below, which do you consider the 3 most important reasons in considering yourself a professional dancer (with choice 1 being most important)? Valid % 1 I make my living as a dancer st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 2 I receive some income from my work as a dancer st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 3 I intend to make my living as a dancer st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 4 I belong to an artists’ or dancers’ association st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 5 I belong to an artists’ / performers’ union or guild st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 6 I have been formally educated in the fine, creative, literary or performing arts Freq. 1st choice (most important) Valid % 7 I am recognized by my peers as a dancer st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 8 I consider myself to be a dancer st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 9 I spend a substantial amount of time working at dance st Freq. 1 choice (most important) Valid % 10 I have a special talent 44

39 44 18 20 2 2 1 1 0 0 10 11 4 5 7 8 4 5 3

11 12 13 99 23

1st choice (most important) I have an inner drive to make dance 1st choice (most important) I receive some public recognition for my dancing 1st choice (most important) Other (please specify) 1st choice (most important) Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question

Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

3 9 10 3 3 1 1 57 114

Of the statements listed below, which do you consider the 3 most important as they apply to someone else being a professional dancer (with choice 1 being most important)? Valid % 1 The person makes his/her living as a dancer 40 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 66 Valid % 2 The person receives some income from his/her work as a dancer 12 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 20 Valid % 3 The person intends to make his/her living as a dancer 2 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 3 Valid % 4 The person belongs to an artists’/performers’ association 1 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 1 Valid % 5 The person belongs to a dancers’/performers’ union or guild 1 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 1 Valid % 6 The person has been formally educated in the fine, creative, 7 literary or performing arts Freq. 1st choice (most important) 12 Valid % 7 The person is recognized by his/her peers as a dancer 8 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 13 Valid % 8 The person considers himself/herself to be a dancer 4 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 7 Valid % 9 The person spends a considerable amount of time working at 4 dance Freq. 1st choice (most important) 6 Valid % 10 The person has a special talent 7 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 11 Valid % 11 The person has an inner drive to make dance 8 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 13 Valid % 12 The person receives some public recognition for his/her dancing 3 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 5 Valid % 13 Other (please specify) 1 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 1 99 Missing 8 Total number of respondents who answered the question 163

45

LEGAL AND FINANCIAL SERVICES 24 How often in the last 3 years could you have used legal advice or expertise in matters related to your dance-related work? (If not at all, skip to question 26.) Valid % 1 Not at all 49 Freq. 76 Valid % 2 1-3 times 35 Freq. 54 Valid % 3 4-6 times 8 Freq. 12 Valid % 4 7-10 times 5 Freq. 8 Valid % 5 More than 10 times 3 Freq. 5 99 Missing 16 Total number of respondents who answered the question 155 25

Please indicate the 3 most important areas where such legal advice or expertise would have been helpful to you in your dance-related work (with choice 1 being most important). Valid % 1 Advice about setting up a nonprofit organization 18 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 18 Valid % 2 Arbitration/dispute mediation 1 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 1 Valid % 3 Bargaining and negotiating 5 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 5 Valid % 4 Contracts 22 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 22 Valid % 5 Copyright 4 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 4 Valid % 6 Health care 8 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 8 Valid % 7 Immigration issues 1 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 1 Valid % 8 Injury 7 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 7 Valid % 9 Investing money 2 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 2 Valid % 10 Misrepresentation 0 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 0 Valid % 11 Obtaining commissions 1 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 1 Valid % 12 Obtaining a mortgage 1 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 1 Valid % 13 Payment for your work/services 8 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 8 46

14 15 16 17 18 99 26

Space/real estate 1st choice (most important) Taxation 1st choice (most important) Unemployment insurance 1st choice (most important) Worker’s compensation 1st choice (most important) Other (please specify) 1st choice (most important) Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question


What kinds of services are provided to you in your dance-related work by organizations whose services you use? (Circle as many as apply). Valid % 1 Access to equipment 2

Career information

3

Computer services

4

Discounted purchases of dance-related supplies or services

5

Financial support: grants, commissions, loans, emergency funds

6

Health benefits for my family/dependents

7

Help in publicizing dance work

8

Help in securing dance bookings

9

Individual health benefits

10

Individual retirement benefits

11

Job placement services

12

Living space referrals or resources

13

Office services

14

Opportunities to meet with my peers

15

Opportunities to meet with or show work to an audience

47

Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

3 3 3 3 1 1 3 3 3 3 73 98

43 66 31 47 16 25 38 58 24 37 15 23 29 45 14 22 18 28 12 18 5 7 3 5 13 20 58 88 50 77

27

16

Work space referrals or resources

17


99



Are there additional services that you think could or should be provided by organizations that would benefit you in your dance-related work? Valid % 1 Yes Freq. Valid % Freq.

2

No

99


28

If yes, please list. Write-in responses not listed.

29

Do you hold copyright in some artistic work on your own creation? 1 Yes 2

No

3

Don’t know

99


Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

18 28 7 11 18 153

58 72 42 52 47 124

16 26 74 118 9 15 12 159

30

Are you a member of one or more artists’ or education unions? (If no, skip to question 32.) Valid % 1 Yes 28 Freq. 43 Valid % 2 No 72 Freq. 113 99 Missing 15 Total number of respondents who answered the question 156

31

If yes, please list them below (up to 5): Write-in responses not listed.

48

32

How often in the last three years could you have used financial advice or expertise in matters related to your dance-related work? (If not at all, please skip to question 34.) Valid % 1 Not at all 36 Freq. 56 Valid % 2 1-3 times 40 Freq. 63 Valid % 3 4-6 times 12 Freq. 19 Valid % 4 7-10 times 4 Freq. 7 Valid % 5 More than 10 times 7 Freq. 11 99 Missing 15 Total number of respondents who answered the question 156

33

Please indicate the 3 most important areas where such financial advice or expertise would have been helpful to you in your dance-related work (with choice 1 being most important). Valid % 1 Bank transactions 4 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 4 Valid % 2 Budgeting 15 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 17 Valid % 3 Buying living space 2 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 2 Valid % 4 Buying working space for dance-related work 3 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 3 Valid % 5 Credit union 2 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 2 Valid % 6 Financial planning 11 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 12 Valid % 7 Investing money 3 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 3 Valid % 8 Obtaining dance-related equipment or supplies 5 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 6 Valid % 9 Obtaining health insurance 15 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 17 Valid % 10 Obtaining a loan 2 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 2 Valid % 11 Obtaining management expertise 1 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 1 Valid % 12 Record keeping 1 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 1 Valid % 13 Retirement planning 6 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 7 Valid % 14 Setting up the books 4 49

15 16 99

1st choice (most important) Taxation 1st choice (most important) Other (please specify) 1st choice (most important) Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question

Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

LIVING, WORKING AND MAKING DANCE Please answer the following questions in relation to your personal needs and primary NJ workspace. 34 How many years have you lived in the county of your current residence? Valid % 1 Under 1 year

35


2

1-4 years

3

5-10 years

4

More than 10 years

99


4 11 13 2 2 57 114

2 3 20 33 19 31 60 99 5 166

Of the phrases listed below, indicate the three most important reasons for staying in the community of your primary residence. (With Choice 1 being most important). Valid % 1 Access to equipment and supplies 1 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 2 Valid % 2 Access to management expertise 0 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 0 Valid % 3 Affordable living space 23 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 37 Valid % 4 Affordable work space 1 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 1 Valid % 5 Available living space 2 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 4 Valid % 6 Available work space 0 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 0 Valid % 7 Cultural activity 9 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 14 Valid % 8 Educational opportunities 4 st Freq. 1 choice (most important) 7 Valid % 9 Environmental quality 2 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 4 Valid % 10 Good place to perform 0 Freq. 1st choice (most important) 0 50

11 12 13 14 15 16 99 36

37

38

Media responsiveness 1st choice (most important) Network of peers 1st choice (most important) Non dance-related employment 1st choice (most important) Personal ties 1st choice (most important) Support systems 1st choice (most important) Other (please specify) 1st choice (most important) Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question


How many years have you worked in the county of your primary current work space/workplace? Valid % 1 Under 1 year Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

2

1-4 years

3

5-10 years

4

More than 10 years

99


Is your current workspace adequate for dance-related work in NJ? 1 Yes 2

No

99


Please indicate the functions of your current primary work space. 1 Exhibition space 2

Living space

3

Office space

4

Performance space

51

0 0 3 5 1 2 22 35 2 3 14 22 10 161

7 11 28 45 23 37 43 70 8 163


67 102 33 51 18 153

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

5 8 8 13 31 50 13 20

39

40

5

Rehearsal space

6

Studio space

7

Teaching space

8


99


Do you own or rent your current primary work space? 1 Own 2

Rent

3

Not applicable

4


99


Do you share your primary work space with others? 1 Yes 2

No

3

Not applicable

99



48 77 49 78 54 86 6 10 12 159


13 21 17 27 62 101 8 13 9 162


59 92 21 33 20 32 14 157

41

If you rent your current primary work space in NJ, do you rent on a year-round basis or as needed basis? Valid % 1 Year-round 61 Freq. 27 Valid % 2 As needed 39 Freq. 17 99 Missing 127 Total number of respondents who answered the question 44

42

Is your primary workspace at an educational institution? 1 Yes

52

Valid % Freq.

49 71

43

44

45

Valid % Freq.

2

No

99


How is the building zoned in which your primary NJ work space is located? Valid % 1 Residential Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

2

Commercial

3

Industrial

4

Mixed use

5

Don’t use

6


99


Do you bear the cost of your primary NJ work space? 1 Yes 2

No

3

Bear partial cost

4


99



51 74 26 145 13 20 34 51 0 0 9 13 32 48 12 18 21 150 20 31 71 109 3 4 6 10 17 154

If you bear the cost of your current primary NJ workspace, what is the approximate monthly operational cost of this space, including utilities, rent or mortgage, and taxes? (If you share the workspace, or if it is combined with your living space, please estimate your portion of the monthly cost for WORK SPACE ONLY). Valid % 1 $0-99 16 Freq. 7 Valid % 2 $100-199 5 Freq. 2 Valid % 3 $200-299 11 Freq. 5 Valid % 4 $300-399 7 Freq. 3 53

46

5

$400-499

6

$500-599

7

$600-699

8

$700-799

9

$800-899

10

$900 or more (please specify)


Mean $1,800 Median $1,800 99 Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question Are there specific requirements with regard to your current primary NJ work space? Valid % 1 Access to freight elevator 2

Air conditioning

3

Disability access

4

Electrical wiring/amperage

5

Extra-large ceilings

6

Extra-large space

7

Health and/or safety issues

8

Heat

9

Large windows

10

Running water

11

Sound proofing

12

Special acoustics

13

Special floors

14

Special lights

Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid %

54

0 0 2 1 0 0 5 2 0 0 55 24 127 44 6 5 64 54 27 23 26 22 27 23 31 26 19 16 69 58 24 20 60 50 17 14 8 7 63 53 10


15

Storage space

16

Zoning

17


99


HEALTH, PENSION AND WELFARE 47 Do you have any health or medical coverage? If NO, skip to Question 51. Valid % 1 Yes

48

49

Freq. Valid % Freq.

2

No

99


If yes, which type do you have? 1 Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey 2

HMO or PPO

3

Disability coverage

4

Personal policy through private insurance company

5

Group insurance policy through arts service organization (please specify)

6

Group insurance policy (please specify)

7


99


How was this health coverage obtained? 1 Self 2

Mate, specify

3

Employer

55

8 37 31 10 8 13 11 87 84

89 147 11 19 5 166

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid %

33 49 37 55 5 7 10 15 5


8 22 32 8 12 24 147


23 34 23 35 39 58

50

4

Mate’s union or employer (please specify)

5

Private company

6

Your union

7

Arts service organization

8


99


Who pays for this coverage? 1 Self 2

Mate (please specify)

3

Employer

4

Mate’s union or employer

5

Your union (please specify)

6

Arts service organization

7


99



12 18 0 0 3 5 1 1 7 11 21 150


40 58 26 38 34 49 10 14 1 1 0 0 8 11 27 144

51

Have you ever been exposed to occupational hazards in your NJ dance-related work? If no, skip to Question 53. Valid % 1 Yes 23 Freq. 37 Valid % 2 No 77 Freq. 124 99 Missing 10 Total number of respondents who answered the question 161

52

If yes, how frequently has this occurred in the last 5 years? 1 Less than 3 times 2

3 or more times

56


38 15 23 9

53

Valid % Freq.

3

Ongoing condition

99


Do you engage in preventive medical care in relation to your New Jersey dancerelated work (nutritional counseling, injury prevention, etc.)? Valid % 1 Yes Freq. Valid % Freq.

2

No

99


INCOME 54 Please check the category that indicates your total income from work as a dance worker for 2004. Valid % 1 $0 -$ 500

55

2

$501 - $3,000

3

$3,001 - $7,000

4

$7,001 - $12,000

5

$12,001 - $20,000

6

$20,001 - $40,000

7

$40,001 - $60,000

8

$60,001 - $75,000

9

$75,000 - $100,000

10

More than $100,000 (please specify)

Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

40 16 131 40

48 74 52 79 18 153

9 14 12 19 11 17 12 18 14 22 21 32 13 20 4 6 4 6 1 1

Mean $24,000 Median $16,000 99 Missing 16 Total number of respondents who answered the question 155 What percentage is the total income from work as a dance worker in 2004 of your total individual income? Valid % 1 0-10% 23 Freq. 34 57

56

2

11-20%

3

21-30%

4

31-40%

5

41-50%

6

51-60%

7

61-70%

8

71-80%

9

81-90%

10

91-100%

99


Of your total household income? 1 0-10% 2

11-20%

3

21-30%

4

31-40%

5

41-50%

6

51-60%

7

61-70%

8

71-80%

9

81-90%

10

91-100%

99


58

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

3 5 3 5 2 3 4 6 1 2 2 3 4 6 6 9 51 76 22 149

Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

36 48 9 12 13 17 8 11 10 13 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 17 22 38 133

57

Please indicate which of the following were additional sources of income for you in 2004. (Circle as many as apply.) Valid % 1 Bartering 6 Freq. 7 Valid % 2 Family support 37 Freq. 43 Valid % 3 Inheritance 3 Freq. 4 Valid % 4 Money “off the books” 23 Freq. 27 Valid % 5 Real estate 5 Freq. 6 Valid % 6 Unemployment insurance 16 Freq. 19 Valid % 7 Welfare 2 Freq. 2 Valid % 8 Other (please specify) 48 Freq. 56 99 Missing 54 Total number of respondents who answered the question 117

58

Approximately how much did you earn “off the books” in 2004? 1 $0-5,000 2

$5,001-10,000

3

$10,001-20,000

4

$20,001-30,000

5

$30,001-40,000

6

$40,001-50,000

7

$50,001-60,000

8

$60,001-75,000

9

$75,001-100,000

10


99

Mean Median Missing


88 83 2 2 5 5 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1

$5,600 $2,500 77 59

59

60

Total number of respondents who answered the question Please check the category that indicates your total individual income in 2004. Valid % 1 $0-5,000 2

$5,001-10,000

3

$10,001-20,000

4

$20,001-30,000

5

$30,001-40,000

6

$40,001-50,000

7

$50,001-60,000

8

$60,001-75,000

9

$75,001-100,000

10


Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

Mean $36,000 Median $25,000 99 Missing Total number of respondents who answered the question Please check the category that indicates your gross household income from all sources in 2004. Valid % 1 $0-5,000 2

$5,001-10,000

3

$10,001-20,000

4

$20,001-30,000

5

$30,001-40,000

6

$40,001-50,000

7

$50,001-60,000

8

$60,001-75,000

9

$75,001-100,000

Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid %

60

94 6 9 5 8 17 27 22 35 15 23 13 20 8 12 8 12 5 8 2 3 14 157 2 3 1 2 8 12 8 12 9 13 11 17 11 17 5 8 21

10

61

61a

62


Freq. Valid % Freq.

31 23 34

Mean $79,000 Median $55,000 99 Missing 22 Total number of respondents who answered the question 149 Please indicate the number of dependents you and your household are responsible for (including yourself as 1). Valid % 1 1 40 Freq. 66 Valid % 2 2 33 Freq. 54 Valid % 3 3-4 20 Freq. 33 Valid % 4 5-7 6 Freq. 10 Valid % 5 8-10 1 Freq. 1 Valid % 6 More than 10 0 Freq. 0 99 Missing 7 Total number of respondents who answered the question 164 How many of those dependents are under the age of 18? 0 None 1

1

2

2

3

3-4

4

5-6

5

7-8

6

More than 8

99


Please indicate your current marital status. 1 Single

61


59 68 16 19 17 20 6 7 0 0 1 1 1 1 55 116

Valid % Freq.

31 51

2

Married

3

Separated

4

Divorced

5

Significant other

6

Widowed

99


COMMUNITY 63 Have you voted in New Jersey in the last two years? a. Federal elections 1 Yes

64

2

No

99


1

b. State elections Yes

2

No

99


1

c. Local elections Yes

2

No

99



53 88 1 1 7 11 8 13 2 3 4 167


78 128 22 36 7 164


69 103 31 46 22 149


61 90 39 57 24 147

If you are a registered member of a political party, to which party do you belong? Valid % 1 Democratic 72 Freq. 92 Valid % 2 Republican 13 Freq. 16 Valid % 3 Independent 14 62

65

4


99


Which of the following have you engaged in during the last 2 years? 1 Been active in advocacy organizations 2

Demonstrated for or against an issue

3

Given public testimonies

4

Lobbied for or against an issue

5

Met with legislators or public officials

6

Performed community service

7

Sat on a board of trustees or advisory committee

8

Served on a jury

9

Volunteered

10

Written op-ed pieces or other essays

99


PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITIONS AND STATUS 66 Do you feel valued as a dance worker? 1 Yes

67

2

No

99


Freq. Valid % Freq.

18 2 2 43 128


28 33 25 30 13 16 13 15 15 18 61 73 29 35 17 20 65 78 8 10 51 120


81 129 19 31 11 160

How does your community indicate that it values you? (Check as many as apply.) Valid % 1 Attends dance performance 63 Freq. 98 Valid % 2 Commissions work from me 18 Freq. 28 Valid % 3 Consults me on community matters 22 63

68

69

4

Employs me as a dance worker

5

Regards me as a contributing member of the community

6


99



What are the venues you work in as a dance worker in your community? Valid % 1 Community performance or exhibition venues 2

Dance companies

3

Dance schools

4

Dance/arts service organizations

5

Festivals (please specify)

6

Government

7

Hospitals

8

Public art

9

Public or private schools

10

Summer camp

11


99


Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq. Valid % Freq.

35 65 102 50 78 11 17 15 156 63 102 44 71 69 111 29 47 37 60 4 6 8 13 7 11 42 68 22 36 9 14 10 161

How have you contributed most to the NJ dance community? (Please circle only one answer). Valid % 1 Dancer 42 Freq. 19 Valid % 2 Dance instructor 71 Freq. 30 Valid % 3 Dance or arts manager or administrator 13 Freq. 6 Valid % 4 Choreographer 44 64

5

Other dance-related occupation (please specify)

6


99



20 2 1 29 13 126 45

70

What are the primary constraints affecting your current ability as a dance worker? Valid % 1 Lack of money 66 Freq. 103 Valid % 2 Lack of time 45 Freq. 70 Valid % 3 Other job(s) too taxing 19 Freq. 30 Valid % 4 Lack of equipment, supplies 4 Freq. 7 Valid % 5 Lack of studio, work or rehearsal space 24 Freq. 37 Valid % 6 Lack of performance or exhibition space 24 Freq. 37 Valid % 7 Lack of management/representation 17 Freq. 27 Valid % 8 Lack of recognition 11 Freq. 18 Valid % 9 Lack of professional colleagues 7 Freq. 11 Valid % 10 Lack of stimulating environment 9 Freq. 14 Valid % 11 Lack of institutional support 18 Freq. 29 Valid % 12 Other (please specify) 18 Freq. 28 99 Missing 14 Total number of respondents who answered the question 157

71

What are your major professional development needs at this point in your career? Valid % 1 Financial expertise 32 Freq. 44 Valid % 2 Legal expertise 13 Freq. 18 Valid % 3 Marketing expertise 35 Freq. 49 Valid % 4 How to apply for grants and other funds 42 Freq. 58 65

5

Finding community of dance workers

6

Strengthening my community of dance workers

7

Help with working with the community

8


99


COMMENTS 72 Comments Write-in responses not listed.

66


10 14 28 39 22 31 15 21 32 139

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Levine, Mindy, “Invitation to the Dance: Audience Development for the Next Century, A Report of the National Task Force on Dance Audiences,” Washington, D.C., Dance/USA, 1997. Levine, Mindy, “Developing the Whole Dancer: Issues and Challenges for Ballet Training Institutes,” Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Kenan Institute for the Arts, North Carolina School of the Arts, 2002. Levine, Mindy, “Local Issues, National Trends,” Dance/USA Journal, Vol.16, No.2, Winter 1999,: pp. 16-19, 26. McCarthy, Kevin et al. The Performing Arts in a New Era. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 43-44. 2001. McKnight Foundation, Cost of Culture Survey, Minneapolis, Minnesota: McKnight Foundation, 1999. Menger, Pierre-Michel. "Artists as Workers: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges." POETICS 4th ser. 28 (2001): 241-254. Munger, John and Libby Smigel, “Dance in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Needs Assessment,” Washington, D.C., Dance/USA, 2002. Munger, John R., “Dancing with Dollars in the Millennium,” Dance Magazine, April 2001, pp. 1-14. Munger, John and Libby Smigel, “Dance in the D.C. Metropolitan Area: A Needs Assessment,” Washington, D.C., Dance/USA, 2003. Munger, John. “Special Report: Facing the Crunch,” DANCE/USA Journal, Fall 2003, pp. 30-37. Netzer, Dick and Ellen Parker, Dancemakers: A Study on Choreographers in Four American Cities, Washington, D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, November 1993. National Assembly of State Art Agencies (NASAA), Final Descriptive Report data as submitted annually by state arts agencies to NASAA and the National Endowment for the Arts. New Jersey State Council on the Arts, ArtsPlan New Jersey, Artist Services Survey. The Port Authority of NY and NJ, Alliance for the Arts: New York City Partnership for New Jersey, The Arts as an Industry: Their Economic Importance to the New

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Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission. 10 Mar. 2006. http://co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage/artssvcs.asp. New Jersey Division of Community Resources. 07 Dec. 2005 http://www.state.nj.us/dca/dcr/msnj/index.shtml. New Jersey Fact Sheet American Fact Finder. 30 Nov. 2005 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_evet=Search. New Jersey General Demographic Characteristics 2004. 30 Nov. 2005 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04. New Jersey Selected Economic Characteristics 2004. 30 Nov. 2005 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04. New Jersey Quick Facts from the U.S. Census Bureau. 30 Nov. 2005 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html. New Jersey Visual and Performing Arts Education Survey. Field Trial Survey (Spring 2005). Nichols, Bonnie. United States. National Endowment for the Arts. Research Note #84. Sept. 2003. Jan. 2006 . Public Forum Institute. 03 Mar. 2006 . South Jersey Cultural Alliance. 03 Dec. 2005 http://www.sjca.net/services.html. United States and States-R1401. 30 Nov. 2005 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GRTTable?_bm=y&-_box_head.

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