{"id":540,"date":"2021-08-01T01:58:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-01T01:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/?p=540"},"modified":"2025-07-25T16:06:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T16:06:31","slug":"social-media-how-does-it-affect-the-dance-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/2021\/08\/01\/social-media-how-does-it-affect-the-dance-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Social media: How does it affect the dance world?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Social media. It\u2019s infiltrated\u00a0every<\/em>\u00a0part of our life\u00a0\u2014 our relationships, travel, work, news, school and entertainment. Technically, social media includes any website or application that enables users to create and share content within a social network. Take a moment to think about how many times you utilize social media per day. That\u2019s not only Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok,\u00a0Twitter\u00a0and Snapchat but also Yelp, blogs, YouTube, Pinterest, Reddit\u00a0and more. And especially in the past year and change, our lives \u2013 and the social media we use in it \u2013 have completely flipped upside down. During periods of quarantine and being apart, social media has allowed us to reconnect with friends of the past and make new ones. When companies\u2019 seasons were canceled, technology and social media allowed them to still have a presence. <\/p>\n

But is this all good? Do we rely on social media too much, or does too much time on our devices have an adverse effect on our mental health? There are positive and negative effects of social media on our society at large, but how does it affect the dance world in particular?\u00a0Let\u2019s take\u00a0a closer look.<\/p>\n

PRO: So much dance<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Social media allows dancers, choreographers, teachers, audiences and fans to post and share dance to a nearly infinite internet audience. We have so much archival material, historical information and visual resources\u00a0at our fingertips and are inundated with new and innovative\u00a0content\u00a0every day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CON: Tech neck<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTech neck\u201d is the poor posture we\u2019ve developed from hunching over our cell phones,\u00a0keyboards\u00a0and laptops. Joy Karley, a ballet and Pilates teacher over at Broadway Dance Center, worries that\u00a0today\u2019s\u00a0tweens have the posture of 80-year-olds. To combat tech neck, strengthen your upper back muscles in Pilates\u00a0and ballet\u00a0classes, and be mindful of your head and neck placement when you do use technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PRO: Reach<\/strong><\/p>\n

Social media has broadened dance\u2019s audience beyond\u00a0those sitting in a live theater or tuning in to watch a TV program.\u00a0We\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0watch; we can\u00a0also connect with dancers and organizations around the world.<\/p>\n

CON: Comparison<\/strong><\/p>\n

Putting your work \u2013 your art \u2013 online can be incredibly scary. It\u2019s easy to obsess over how many likes you get and how people respond to your\u00a0content.\u00a0This comparison often leads\u00a0to feeling like you\u2019re not good enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PRO: Bringing live dance to your living room<\/strong><\/p>\n

Throughout COVID, when dance companies\u2019 performances were canceled and theaters were closed, directors and choreographers turned to technology and social media to still let their work be seen. Classes and behind-the-scenes footage were made available on Instagram Live, and entire full-length productions were live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook, showing that not even a pandemic could stop the dance world. <\/p>\n

CON: There\u2019s nothing like live, in-person performance, though. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Even after the pandemic and when all theaters have returned to normal, will some directors still choose the virtual performance option over a live, in-person show? Nothing can replace the feeling of sitting in a room full of strangers, living and breathing a performance together. There are no distractions from the upstairs neighbor, there are no snacks to be had; that hour-and-a-half is made for enjoying the truly special live art form of dance. <\/p>\n

PRO: Engagement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Social media is just that:\u00a0social<\/em>. It fosters engagement between creators and audiences and, when used effectively, often cultivates meaningful conversation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CON: Filming class<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dance class should be a safe space where students\u00a0can\u00a0be empowered to take risks without feeling ashamed if they fall\u00a0down\u00a0or mess up. While filming dance class has become the norm (especially in musical theater, jazz and street styles),\u00a0this should\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0be the priority of class.\u00a0What\u2019s more, filming class combinations has become so\u00a0casual and common\u00a0that sometimes dancers will record on the side of the studio without even asking permission from the teacher or\u00a0the\u00a0other dancers in class.<\/p>\n

PRO: Platform<\/strong><\/p>\n

For so long, dancers were meant to be seen and not heard. Now, our individual voices and collective voice are\u00a0growing ever\u00a0stronger.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CON: Filming performances <\/strong><\/p>\n

The next time you\u2019re at a live theater performance, look around to see how many people are watching through their\u00a0iPhone camera. It\u2019s mind-blowing. Filming is not only distracting for the performers and other audience members, but it is also illegal and negates the magic of live performance.<\/p>\n

PRO: Branding<\/strong><\/p>\n

Organizations and individuals can use social media to build their brand. Think of the image, copy and messaging of New York City Ballet or Broadway Dance Center. And also look at the channels of popular dancers like Katie Boren, Ashley Everett\u00a0or Maddie Ziegler to see how each dancer is able to show\u00a0her\u00a0personality and professional abilities through social media.<\/p>\n

CON: Getting jobs <\/strong><\/p>\n

In both the commercial and theater worlds, casting directors often ask you to include your social media handles on your resume. Your number of followers and online image\u00a0can make or break whether you book a big job.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CON: Hate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0gossip, criticism or outright bullying, social media is a breeding ground for hate. For some reason, people feel more confident airing their grievances online, often posting things they would never say in person. As an example, one dancer published a Facebook post mocking a recent\u00a0Broadway revival. Well, that dancer made her Broadway debut\u00a0in that very show<\/em>\u00a0just months later and had to personally apologize to each member of the cast.\u00a0Our business is tough enough. Don\u2019t contribute to the hate.<\/p>\n

PRO: Promotion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Social channels like Instagram and Twitter offer free (and\u00a0also\u00a0relatively inexpensive) marketing tools for teachers, choreographers, studios and performing arts organizations. It has become so much easier to advertise classes, shows and services and to increase awareness of issues in our community (i.e. #boysdoballet).<\/p>\n

CON: Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n

As if filming class wasn\u2019t enough of an invasion, auditions are often filmed nowadays as well. Behind-the-scenes segments are always intriguing and great for marketing a new show, but that added pressure at auditions is every dancer\u2019s worst nightmare.<\/p>\n

Social media rules of thumb:<\/strong><\/p>\n

#1. Keep class a\u00a0safe space.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Honor the sanctity of the dance studio. Class should first and foremost be an encouraging, challenging and motivating environment to foster growth, creativity and artistry.\u00a0If you\u00a0(teacher\u00a0or<\/em>\u00a0student) are\u00a0hoping\u00a0to\u00a0record the class combination, ask permission from\u00a0everyone<\/em>\u00a0in the studio and save filming for the very, very end of class.<\/p>\n

#2. Live theater\u00a0should be experienced\u00a0<\/strong>live<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019re on our phones over three hours each day. When you\u2019re seeing a live performance, put your phone away so that you can really be present to the experience. Encourage your peers to do the same.<\/p>\n

#3. Advertise classes that will be filmed.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Learning to dance for the camera is a tremendous skill! If you want to focus on this, advertise your class accordingly and take the time to\u00a0teach and practice<\/em>\u00a0how dance for\u00a0film\u00a0differs from\u00a0dance on stage.<\/p>\n

#4. <\/strong>Always<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0be\u00a0professional.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

That goes for\u00a0when you\u2019re\u00a0on stage, in the studio and online.\u00a0This industry is incredibly small, and no matter how much talent you have, your reputation always precedes you. Make sure it\u2019s one you can be proud of.<\/p>\n

#5. Dance for\u00a0<\/strong>you<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t dance for comments or likes or\u00a0with\u00a0the goal of going viral.\u00a0Never lose sight of creating meaningful art, honing your craft and performing simply because you love to.<\/p>\n

By Mary Callahan of Dance Informa.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The post Social media: How does it affect the dance world?<\/a> appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Social media. It\u2019s infiltrated\u00a0every\u00a0part of our life\u00a0\u2014 our relationships, travel, work, news, school and entertainment. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dance-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=540"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":541,"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/540\/revisions\/541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.yumemirai21.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}