My main focus is on the precarity in dance, specifically in the contemporary dance community in Moscow, which I am a part of. My observations come from my personal experience, and when we spoke of financial concerns, it was evident that opportunities in what is considered the most developed city of Russia are not that extensive.
If we list them, these opportunities would fall into four categories:. Though this might look encouraging, we should take a closer look at a professional contemporary dancer as a person, and at the conditions of employment possible in the work situations mentioned above.
What is the average background a dancer requires to enter these spheres? Do higher educational departments and dance academies fit these needs?
What are the chances of getting a well-paid full-time job in the dance field? What are the chances of constantly running from one job to another? Their alumni are skilled performers, but lack training in contemporary critical discourseβ which is a skill sought by leading arts institutions.
As Asya Belaya, a dancer and choreographer in real life and a performer in Caries of Capitalism , states, there are only three professional contemporary dance companies, which receive funding from the state or a patron fund- Ballet Moskva, New Ballet and Stanislavski Electrotheatre Dance Troupe.
