How do you bring new people to dance?
After reading countercritic’s post on Adrienne Truscott and orientating new audience members to dance I was inspired to start a list of ways that dance lovers can initiate newcomers. Please add on … what do you do?
“Rather than going to a performance and try to “get it,” which implies a kind of need for oneupmanship on the part of the audience (the work isn’t greater than me because I get it), we should go to experience and react.” – countercritic
I try and bring people to see work at Dance Theater Workshop when the show is followed by a Toast to the performers, as hearing artists speak about their process usually helps my guests gain some context for what that they have just seen. A post-performance discussion is always helpful as well. – Sarah Kermensky
I try to select an artist that I think is a good entry point for that person based on what I know about their tastes in music/film/etc. I also try to talk to them beforehand about the aesthetic of the particular artist we are seeing (if possible) so they are at least somewhat informed before going in. – Justin Law
Often my guests like to discuss what they have just seen with me - as they usually have questions or reactions. I try and ask them what, if anything, was memorable about the performance, whether good or bad. In addition, I often follow up by e-mailing my guests reviews of the show, and asking their thoughts on the critique. – Sarah Kermensky
I definitely take them out beforehand; we usually meet for dinner in Chelsea. I often bring my friends on Thursdays (free wine gets poor recent grads anywhere). I like to explain who’s performing, how I know them, what I know about them. It’s such a small world that illustrating how it’s all connected can be really interesting. It makes the performance personal, even if it’s just because I know those people involved, or who they’ve worked with. – Richert Schnorr
Adele (March 27th, 2008 at 1:59 pm)
I invite one different friend every week to come and see the performance with me
I invite people to the Thursday Night Toast for them to see the very nice atmosphere we have in DTW
I always have a brochure in my bag! and show it every time I can
Mr Jive (March 27th, 2008 at 3:36 pm)
Sell the benefits of dance 1. Get fit, 2. Keep fit, 3. lose weight, 4. meet new freinds.
Catherine Gallant (March 30th, 2008 at 7:26 pm)
I get them when they’re young (8-10). Their inate sense of play is still intact. My 4th grade students have experience watching what to them could seem strange, new and mysterious but they have learned how to let it wash over them before making judgements. They are rarely concerned about meaning and they approach the work very openly. I hope they will retain their curiosity and grow to seek out challenging dance in their lives.
Alexandra Beller (April 3rd, 2008 at 8:22 pm)
I think the most important aspect of introducing people to dance is the same as the beginning of any other relationship: listening. Often I’ll bring someone who is new to dance to a performance and afterwards they want me to explain what it “meant.” Instead of talking, I like to listen to their questions, prod more and more questions, hopefully eventually illuminating how very much they thought about what they saw. Those questions from new eyes are the most beautiful and inspiring to me, and they are enormously informed. Reflecting back what they saw often allows someone to realize what a keen witness they were and allows the conversation to flow from them with no right or wrong, but steeped in metaphor and ringing with their own ideas about poetry and kinesthetic life.
Cynthia Meyers (April 4th, 2008 at 11:09 pm)
I bring them to Ellen Robbins’ concerts.
Modern dance is viewed by many as an elitist form decipherable by and created for a few. When I bring people intimidated by dance to an Ellen Robbins concert, they discover that dance is danced by humans, whether small or large, young or not so young, and that dance communicates many many things, including things they never imagined it could.
For some, it’s a revelation.
Fernando Maneca (April 7th, 2008 at 8:41 pm)
I think one important tactic to getting “new people” to see dance is to refrain from “choreo-speak”… to non-practitioners post-performance discussions are often as opaque as the work itself.
If our goal is to bring people in, then we must be inviting. We must speak a common language.
I believe this is also true of our publicity and marketing. How can we expect to attract “new people” if we don’t speak to them.
I agree with Alexandra Beller…listening is a great place to start.
Laura Ely (April 22nd, 2008 at 10:54 am)
I think that a verbal invitation with a touch of encouragement is a great way to give a person an opportunity to say “yes I think I will try this dance class” or go to this dance perf. etc. It’s also good to ask qts. and listen to feedback after~
Watching and Discussing Dance « Dance Advantage (April 23rd, 2008 at 10:59 am)
[...] In a somewhat related post, the Dance Theater Workshop blog asks “How do you bring new people to dance?” These methods can also be used to encourage students and parents to see more dance. Check it out!! [...]