Guest Post by Mabel Lujan, with assistance from Reina Huguley

 

When the logistical realities of submitting applications in the dance world come down to words on a piece of paper, many of us are baffled on where to start, and articulating who we are on paper seems outside our skillsets – perhaps even contradictory to our essential qualities as movers. As movement artists, we express ourselves physically, and some may claim, as an alternative to words.

As a dance major in college, I attended many seminars, capstones, and workshops that focused on what a future in the dance world looks like. I couldn’t help but stop short at how most opportunities require a Standard Paper Application. The courses from my college professors were fantastic, the examples clear and attainable, but I couldn’t understand how to allow my artistic essence to shine through when I kept trying to write application materials for the selection panels/recruiters, instead of for myself.

When I began to understand how resumes and artist statements could benefit me as an artist, I started to get more comfortable writing about my art. A resume can serve as an archival tool, a way to document workshops, performances, events, and the many artists whom I have learned from and worked for over the years. Composing an artist statement helps me clarify and hone my purpose as an artist – Why am I making dance? Who is it serving? What is my goal?

As graduation rolled around and I felt the pressure of creating an outstanding resume, I realized I was anxious to begin because I thought a resume had to illustrate some prestigious education or that my artist statement had to communicate some profound inspiration. But that’s not the case! An artist is in charge of the power with which they convey their art making. An artist is in charge of deciding what and who they apply for. So, apply for opportunities that are going to value you as an artist in the way you deserve to be valued.

Regardless of your background, attending college or not, your application material should reflect your dedication, passion, distinction, and thoughtfulness, with clarity.

If you’re already overwhelmed thinking about these documents, that’s okay! Let’s take a deep breath and dive in together. To begin,

What is essential to include in an Artist Resume?

Any basic resume, including a dance specific resume, should include your name, your contact information (email/phone number), and in most cases, a link to your website and/or social media platforms that show your artistic work—maybe this is Vimeo, Instagram, etc.

What a dance resume does not need to include, with the exemption of a few select dance performance professions, is your physical body information. This includes height, weight, eye color, and hair color.

Next, you want to start organizing your dance material into the following 4 categories:

Professional Experience

For many professional dancemakers this will look like presentations on a stage. However, that is not the only type of professional experience in the dance making world. Take a deep breath. That is right – concert stage performance is NOT the only “valid” type of professional dance presentation. Have you participated in ciphers, balls, or battles? Put those on the list. Did you make a stellar dance video over quarantine? I better see that front and center. It is important to include where and when presentations of your work took place, so make sure to check for accurate dates and locations. Also be sure to name your particular role(s) and where you had help or collaboration.

Education

Let’s break down what education really means. It means to learn from someone, to gain information, and to grow as a person and artist. The “education” section on your resume does not need to show a lengthy list of college courses or summer intensives. But, it does need to include any relevant training or experience. Simply show your prospective selection panel or granting program how and where you learn. Who are your mentors? Where is your educational realm for growth?

Awards/Honors/Scholarships

Take a moment to think about a time when you were highlighted, given a special opportunity, received funding, or an award or scholarship. You want to make sure to highlight any recognition or awards you have received as a dancemaker.

Other skills

Prospective employers/funders want to know what else interests you, what you can uniquely bring to the organization or program, and what innovative ideas of cross collaboration that you might have. “Other skills” might include a certification in a movement style, abilities in something completely unrelated to movement, other interests or jobs, proficiencies, or personal characteristics that may be relevant to this opportunity.

 

As a rule of thumb, resumes should fit onto one page. This can be a challenge and seem like you’re leaving out important experiences, but it also gives you an opportunity to hone your resume specifically to the job or grant that you are applying for. The best advice I have received was to create a running CV that includes all of your jobs, performances, collaborations, etc. and then pull from that larger CV to create a tailored resume for each application. This way, you have a record of everything you’ve ever done without losing information each time you create a tailored resume.

 

As with any application material, check for the following before you click the submit button:

• Always convert your application material to a PDF before submitting (unless indicated otherwise) so that your formatting doesn’t get messed up in the transferring of materials.
• Your resume should be visually digestible. Recruiters will scan your resume in only a few seconds, and you want to make sure that distracting fonts and crazy colors aren’t taking away from your accomplishments.
• Focus on each grant/job individually – try to steer clear of using the same resume for every single application you submit.
• Integrate your artistic vision into your work experience and keep your descriptions tangible and concise.
• Avoid common pitfalls such as spelling errors, inconsistent formatting, and incorrect dates that don’t line up.

Okay, deep breath, we have made it through the resume section. Next is your artist statement which is arguably the most fun…and the most daunting. Fear not, we’ll walk through the process together.

 

What is an Artist Statement? 

An artist statement is a brief description of an artist’s intention and work. It is for and in support of their own work to give the selection panel or funder an understanding of their artist process. It can also be referenced as an artist profile.

How to begin writing an Artist Statement:

Before you begin, take some time to touch base with yourself about what inspires you to create movement and what your essential purpose is– What do you want your art to convey?

• A great artist statement consistently yet passionately describes an artist’s work in 3-4 sentences. It explains your artistic philosophy and includes the styles and media in which you work. You may also want to mention your artistic influences and interaction with the broader artistic community to give context to the audience.
• The fundamentals are similar to writing a personal statement or teaching philosophy, but an artist statement will focus specifically on the artistic elements you use in your work: How is your work distinct? What is your process? How does your art relate to your inspirations or current work in the field? Perhaps there is a historic contextualization to your dance work that is important to include.
• Highlight your greatest achievements: performances, exhibitions, collaborations, anything that shows how your work interacts in the world.
• The purpose of an artist statement is to give recruiters an idea of who you are and how you work. Everyone reading your artist statement is a potential collaborator, whether that is as a dancer, funder, or film director. It is important to describe your collaborative process to provide an understanding of how you work with other people.

 

Here is an example of a personalized artist statement:

“Before ever stepping foot on the black, I knew that I wanted to direct a dance company. My bilateral upbringing in the so-called ghettos of Chicago’s south side neighborhoods and its world class Jazz community brought manifest my interdisciplinary artistic practice. It is an agent through which I renounce shame and reclaim that inherent dignity that stems from inhabiting the corporeal body of a woman of color, a Black woman. Never underrepresented, underserved or underprivileged, I live in an overflowing stream of creativity made in the image of my divine creator. Without regard to hierarchy, I am a community organizer, improviser, dancer, maker, educator, designer, administrator and humanitarian—each a choreographic practice. Straddling the lines of traditional Black Dance and post modernism, I have a knowing that the Africanist presence is rooted in the fabric of America’s mainstream dance training modalities. Thus, I use the Lester Horton technique, Ballet, Jazz, elements of somatic practices and theater to create, perform and teach contemporary dance. Though my work stems from experiences which have occurred as a result of living in this Black corporeal body, I am ultimately interested in a deconstruction and transcendence of race and community through movement. Utilizing contemporary dance, I aim to reflect upon the human condition, challenge notions of perspective, and increase opportunities for interconnected sensibilities within the global community.” — Kia S. Smith, Executive Artistic Director of South Chicago Dance Theatre

Notice that this artist statement contextualizes the author’s experience, introduces artistic methods and techniques, and claims a purpose and inspiration.

Here is another sample artist statement:

“As a choreographer, I strive to connect audiences to the beauty of music and the artistry of the individual dancer. My work is always focused around musicality, authenticity, and vulnerability. I am drawn to dancers who possess inner strength and clear artistic voices: ones who take risks and are more concerned with honesty than perfection. I believe movement should be driven by music, and I aim to make my movement as comfortable and natural as breathing. I am a firm believer that dancers dance their best when they can lose themselves within the music and the movement. I am fascinated by the sensuality and humanistic relationship of people being on a stage together and the connection made between dancers on stage. I often explore the dichotomy between the individual and the group. My goal as a choreographer is to create something meaningful and gratifying for both dancers and audience members alike. I aspire to always push myself to be true to who I am as an artist and avoid the trap of getting comfortable with what I’ve done before. I hold true that art has the power to connect us all to the deepest parts of the human existence and therefore strive to be a choreographer who helps dancers and audiences escape the world around them while tapping into what it really means to be alive.” — Nicole Haskins

 

Allow your artist statement to be a story of you – of what drives you, inspires you, motivates you, challenges you. How does your work make an impact? Tell us! We’re listening.

Additionally, grant program applications will occasionally request that you present evidence of an established body of work. This can be videos and descriptions that highlight select pieces of work (work samples) and include the following:

• Dates and locations
• Performers
• Collaborators
• Type of presentations: concert stage performance, dance film, exhibition, installation, ball, etc.
• Inspiration for and intentions of the pieces
• Coverage: Was your work reported on by a local television station or YouTube channel? Was it previewed/reviewed by a dance writer? Were you featured on a podcast or radio program, and can you provide an excerpt of that transcript?

 

One of the greatest ways to learn is from your peers. Don’t hesitate to reach out to mentors for advice or hop on Google and search for an example.

Here are some helpful Google searches that will produce strong examples to learn from:

• Choreographer Resume Examples
• Dance Resume University Examples
• Choreographer Artist Statement
• Dance Artist Statement Examples

Although many of us are more comfortable communicating through movement, don’t allow application requirements to deter you from jumping at an opportunity. Claim your voice, your art, and your power through your words and allow your application materials to be tools that serve you and enhance your understanding of yourself as an artist.

 

Sources:

1. Creative Capital Artist Resume
2. University of Illinois Artist’s Statement
3. Resume.io
4. USC Kaufman Perfecting Your Dance Resume
5. College Art Association of America Resume Artist Résumé: Recommended Conventions
6. Pentacle Creating Your Grant Proposal Toolkit
7. Pentacle Writing an Artist Statement

 

Photo credit: Sigmund for Unsplash