Saying no to re-weaving the threads of injustice as we re-build the dance industry. Dancing on the FaultLines instead.

Which threads should we not weave?

The thing that shouts out for me in my experience of being a dancer during our current pandemic, is that I have felt the systemic injustices of the dance industry have been unveiled more than ever, alongside many other injustices, of the crises we were already living, and that this is a good thing. It is time to say no.

I feel very reluctant if not adamantly against rebuilding my work and the industry in a way that honours these injustices. There has been a prescribed systemic necessity for dancers to live precarious financial lives, and exhausting physical and emotional lives. The exhaustion is prescribed, not through the demands of their core skill and gift, which is entirely demanding and takes full attention, but through how the industry runs - demanding very regular auditions, applications and proposals, short and temporary contracts, fees that do not reflect dancer’s skill and offer to society, time spent or essential regular training, and often demands on freelance independent artist to work not only as a dancer but also a project manager, bid writer, copy writer, marketer, producer, photographer, financial manager, evaluator and to hold the risk of the industry deep in her life and heart. This not only exhausts the dancer and holds her in financial and emotional precariousness, but also dilutes hugely the dancing gift she has to give society. And dance is vital to the emotional tapestry of humanhood, so we are all missing out in this scenario.

The system is shooting itself in the foot, and living in its shadow (the shadow is the part of the human psyche that we do not know so well in ourselves, and often subconsciously holds violence and manipulation without our knowing - there can also be collective shadows). Through its shadow the dance industry is subconsciously disallowing not only inclusion (only so many dancers can lend themselves to bid writing, exhaustion and financial precariousness) but is also diluting to the point of extinction the possibility of the dancer inhabiting the essential qualities of dance - ease, grace, courage and freedom - because they are becoming impossible in the life that is prescribed for her and therefore in her body also. These qualities cannot be fully embodied by dancers in their present working conditions, believe me I see many dancers in my clinic as a Rolfer (movement and posture therapist), and so these qualities cannot be felt and experienced by audiences either, so dance is changing, and loosing its essential nature, as many humans are around us. Uh oh.

If dance is to nourish a compassionate world where freedom, grace, ease and flourishing are all possible. If dance is to offer perspective. If dance is to remind us we have a voice, and that this voice is not always words (which is essential to recovering from trauma). If dance is to show us how to embody the courage to live the real truth that vulnerability and authenticity is real human power; the dance industry must change how it operates entirely. It must make grace, freedom, flourishing and vulnerability possible in the heart and life of the dancer. This is clearer than ever now as a whole industry falls apart around us, how could it not, built as it has been on precariousness? Precariousness that has been placed in the dancer’s heart, as if it is her problem to solve? Perhaps it’s time.

Dancing on the FaultLines instead

FaultLines has been the path I have carved for a new direction, it began by me dancing close to my home for my neighbours, finding it was offering something my neighbours needed and appreciated on a deep level, I was reminded that I had a gift. And then I was reminded of my power - to choose - to give my gift without permission, without exhaustion, without inhabiting skills that are not my own; to own grace, freedom, ease and courage and to give this to others through expression. It is now growing as a network of women doing the same, across the UK and Europe, dancing close to their homes outdoors.

Faultlines is not the only ‘answer’ and not an easy option, the work is hard, emotionally, physically and psychologically and it has its own challenges of reaching people and of our work being re-numerated, but these feel like the challenges that are within the craft, and challenges I am willing to accept, while saying no now to those I am not willing to accept. Faultlines is intentionally a process of self-selection, with the dancers choosing where, when and if they dance (that’s what freedom is people). What is interesting amongst so much current discussion around selection processes is that this self-selection and the nature of the work, where dancers have to go out alone, dance outdoors and choose what to dance, means that all the Faultlines dancers are unique, courageous, powerful performers, with something to say - self-selected.

What is also interesting in the intention behind Faultlines to re-wild the dancer back to her essential gift without inhibition, is the outer reflection of this in Faultlines calling audiences to the wild spaces in their neighbourhood where the dancers are performing, so audiences also remember that these wild spaces are there and are to be cared for, just as dancers are something to take care of.

And as we dance close to our homes, without lighting, or need for travel, this takes care of the environment more than ever.

If you are a dancer already in the network or thinking of joining - and doubt any of what I write here about you being courageous - know that by joining or thinking of joining, you are. All dancers are courageous, but they are so strong, it often goes un-noticed, and we have been living frantic lives, so have perhaps we have not had time to say no.

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Saying no to re-weaving the threads of injustice as we re-build the dance industry. Dancing on the FaultLines instead.