Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Updates, and a Blog Question

February has historically been my least favorite, least productive, most miserable month of the year. This month has been no different until recently...and now as the last week or so of February approaches I'm finding myself with lots of exciting things going on, thank goodness.

Going from my insane schedule before New Year's to my current "normal person" kind of schedule feels like going from a marathon to a snail's pace, and it has taken some getting used to.

Anyway, good thing number one is that I get to go back onstage at Radio City next week!

Through a friend of a friend I found out they were looking for dancers for a weekend concert of David Byrne at Radio City (I admit, I had not a clue as to who he was until this came up). After some up in the air time, today I finally got confirmation that I'll be participating. It's just a brief part, but I get paid AND I get to return to my favorite stage far sooner than expected. We rehearse two days next week and then we're on Friday and Saturday at 8pm next weekend. Yay!

Good thing number two is that I got a scholarship to a summer intensive in Austria!

Since about November I've had this undying urge to travel to Europe. So much so that I had scouted out plane tickets and youth hostels and had everything planned as if I had won the lottery and were really going. I've never been anywhere outside the US (except the island of Aruba when I was young) and am majorly jealous of many college friends spending a semester abroad (in London, Italy, etc...). SO I was extremely pleased to hear I had been accepted to and even gotten a partial scholarship to this month long program in beautiful Salzburg, Austria. Unfortunately I still don't know if I'll be able to actually go yet...It's still so expensive for flights and so on but...we'll see.

Besides that audition season has been fairly glum...not many opportunities, and there are about a thousand people going to everything that is actually auditioning. I did make it through a Hubbard Street Dance Chicago audition the other day but...waiting to hear results.

Anyway.

Another reminder for this panel I'm speaking at next week for Career Transition for Dancers. It's on dance and blogging. My question to readers for the day is this: If you were attending this "Career Conversation" what kinds of things would you be interested in hearing about? Do you have questions about dance blogging? What are some of your favorite dance blogs? How can bloggers improve/catch your attention?

Feel free to comment and leave your answers! I want to give a helpful presentation and it will definitely help me to hear from you...

4 comments:

Victoria said...

Well, obviously I like your blog because your YOU and I LOVE YOU, but from a more objective standpoint your blog is also really interesting because you tie in your own life with interesting and influential things that are happening in the dance world. For example, the way you found that obituary and wrote about Balanchine's original dancers being an their way out. Your reviews are also really nice, and so was that article about Dance on a Dime. I think those are really helpful for people because then they know about a ton of stuff they wouldn't have otherwise, and more people get exposure to dance!
Hmmm...what else...I would be interested to know what types of people read dance blogs. Is it mainly other dancers? Patrons of dance? Random people with an interest in the art? Not sure if there's any way to find that out though.
From an outsiders standpoint, I think your blog is particularly interesting because you are a dancer as well as a writer, and therefore are writing about something you know well and are passionate about. I think that's really important, and very evident in your writing.
Hope this helps :)
I miss you!
I'll write more if I think of something...

Taylor said...

Thanks Victoria :) Miss you!!

Anonymous said...

How do you keep your blogging audience interested enough to return repeatedly? Do you realize that your responsibility as a journalist is even greater now that print is becoming obsolete? Do you forsee a way to make a living at blogging? Could you for instance work for a specific or group of specific dance/ballet companies as part of their marketing team blogging in order to promote them and if so would you as a blogger feel biased and that the essence of blogging to inform others of all that's out there now becomes more one dimensional and you merely a saleswoman driven by your paycheck as opposed to your true feelings about the art?
When blogging have you considered targeting a more specific audience to increase your readership, say for instance young girls or parents of them who are considering the idea of forgoing college to follow the dream of moving to the big city and becoming a star?
As a blogger how personal do you feel it's necessary to get or is appropriate in order to keep your audience?
Have you as a blogger brainstormed in order to find an alternative way to suppliment your income (aside from possibly waiting tables and other such typical jobs) in these tough times especially for the arts? When I say brainstormed I mean develop an entire alternative dance related "career transition" the way the internet opened the doors of communication to the world. Is there another way to form a career in these tough times after or during your dance career? Aside from your Radio City gig, how do you support yourself since blogging does not provide an income? Although admirable and an excellent resource for others what drives you to continue to blog without any financial reward?

Hope this helps!

Taylor said...

Wonderful, thank you! Lots to work with there.