Where Did My Job Go?

I am going to say the quiet thing out loud…the job market stinks! And that is true for the dance world too. Right now, professional dance positions are scarce, and upward mobility is stagnant. 

Too many dancers are going to audition after audition, being rejected each time, not because of a lack of talent, but because companies do not have the capacity to take them on. 

The opposite is true, too – schools are opening their doors to almost anyone, turning dancers into dollar signs and bodies to fill a room. They may still be valued as individuals, and I sincerely hope they are, but one thing is clear: “getting in” is not the token of excellence that it used to be. 

I know this paints a bleak picture, but this shift in the job market matters. Across the field, we are seeing increased burnout because passion is filling gaps that systems can’t. Artists are stepping up, getting the work done, and sacrificing pay and benefits because that is who they are—but at what cost? Right now, the industry is trading survival for sustainability.

What does this look like practically? Beyond the shortage of jobs and upward mobility, we are seeing apprenticeships get drawn out, sucking up valuable time in a dancer’s career. We are also noticing title changes with no pay change. Looks like a promotion – is not a promotion. Instead of career building, artists are just holding on. 

So what does this mean for us? 

Honestly, Ballet 5:8 is not immune. We prioritize our dancers and their sustainability, but we are still operating within the limits of a nonprofit. We want to give every deserving dancer a place here, but we have to make hard choices to stay within our budget. We want to promote internally, but dancers wait till we have funding. This is, of course, no one’s fault, but we are being transparent here. The longer this stagnation goes on, the more it affects dancer mental health, career longevity, accessibility, diversity, and our commitment to a sustainable dance community. 

Here’s what we can do. I know this is a daunting subject, and much of it is out of our control, but there are things we can do. 

First, be informed and be vocal. I am writing this because it matters to understand what our community is facing. Dancers need to know the climate of audition season. Donors need to understand the depth of the need. Audiences need to recognize the level of commitment these artists are making.

Second, find ways to support your local dance community. When you give to or volunteer for a dance company, you are not just partnering with the company or the production; you are partnering with the artists themselves. Giving them a better world to dance in. You directly impact the sustainability of their career. 

We trust our leaders; they are working tirelessly to manage our company with integrity and efficiency, but the realities remain. If we want a healthier future for dance, we must come together as a community to unlock a new level of sustainability in our field. What we do is worth it.