Dancer Benefits Comparision

[artspatron07]

Some feel that there is an increase in foreign students studying at big name US professional company ballet schools, and that US ballet companies are employing more foreign dancers.

Does the American dancer have an equal chance for success in finding employment in Europe? I just thought these questions might provoke interesting discussion regarding the needs of the European dance market in comparision to the US dance market.

How do salaries and benefits differ for an entry level Corps de Ballet dancer employed by a European ballet company compared to a dancer employed by an American ballet company? (This question refers to similiar companies in both markets of similiar size and reputation.) NYCB Verses Royal Ballet, ABT Verses Vienna State Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet Verses Stuttgart Ballet, etc.)

How difficult is it for an American professional ballet dancer (at entry level) to secure a job in Europe? (More difficult , less difficult, about the same, assuming the individual has had a sucessful professional training history, a good facility for ballet, and recognized talent.)

How important is it that a professional dancer be a citizen of a European Union country to secure a job in Europe? Are candidates with a EU designation given preference in some European countries?

Does training in Europe verses training in the US have any benefit to securing a dance job in Europe?

With regard to employment in the US, should entry level US dance candidates be given preference over European/ Asian Candidates?

Should US ballet company affiliated schools recruit candidates from their own schools first and with priority over a foreign candidate who may have already completed his/her training in Europe?

[mmded]

It's Stuttgart Ballet or Stuttgarter Ballett.

[artspatron07]

Thank you mmded. I have edited the post with the correct spelling. Do you have any opinions on this topic?

[mmded]

I would certainly say that training in a school that is affiliated with a company that a dancer wants to dance with in the future makes sense. Students may have the opportunity to either perform with the company or at the very least understudy for the company which allows the students to be seen by artistic staff and at times do company class. Depending on the company, artistic directors may also observe school ballet exams and attend student performances. If a dancers travels far to audition (for example from North America to Europe) it is often difficult to do class on a regular basis and therefore it is more difficult to to be in ideal condition at an audition. On top of that there are language barriers, strange food and travel issues that may throw off a dancer's daily routine. Of the dancers I know personally who have done the "audition tour" of Europe from North America it has been less than ideal and the results have not been encouraging.

If you look at dancer bios on company websites you will be able to see in many cases where dancers have trained and often they come from the schools that are associated with the companies or are from schools in the same country and therefore the style and level of training is well known to the company. JMHO

[Leigh Witchel]

How difficult is it for an American professional ballet dancer (at entry level) to secure a job in Europe? (More difficult , less difficult, about the same, assuming the individual has had a sucessful professional training history, a good facility for ballet, and recognized talent.)

How important is it that a professional dancer be a citizen of a European Union country to secure a job in Europe? Are candidates with a EU designation given preference in some European countries?

This is far harder than it was a decade or so ago before the EU. It can be done; it takes a connection or an established career.

[Helene]

I would certainly say that training in a school that is affiliated with a company that a dancer wants to dance with in the future makes sense.

How difficult is it for an American professional ballet dancer (at entry level) to secure a job in Europe? (More difficult , less difficult, about the same, assuming the individual has had a sucessful professional training history, a good facility for ballet, and recognized talent.)

How important is it that a professional dancer be a citizen of a European Union country to secure a job in Europe? Are candidates with a EU designation given preference in some European countries?

This is far harder than it was a decade or so ago before the EU. It can be done; it takes a connection or an established career.

One way to get experience, exposure, and connections is through the Prix de Lausanne competition.

http://www.prixdelausanne.org/e/prize/index.php

According to the Prix website,

The purpose of the Prix de Lausanne is to facilitate the professional debut of its young prize-winners by granting them scholarships which enable them to improve their skills for a year in one of the schools which are partners of the Prix, or in one of the professional dance companies also partnering the Prix.

Here's a link to a list of past winners and the schools they attended. The page includes a link to a .pdf with a spreadsheet of winners from 1973-2003 and what they're doing now.

[mmded]

Competitions are pretty much the best way for a Canadian dancer to dance not just in Europe but certainly in the States. Many Canadian dancers head off to Europe to try to find employment rather than go to the States. In fact dancers are told to forget about even trying for jobs in the U.S. unless they are able to do one of the European competitions or one of the American ones such as YAGP or Jackson. I don't want to get completely off topic but the importance of ballet competitions to secure a place in either a top level professional training program for finishing or an entry level position in a prestigious ballet company is something that is relatively new (I think) and for parents who are already struggling with the high cost of funding a dancer's professional training may be overwhelming!

Are foreign students studying in the States on scholarship or are they paying to train at American schools? I know that non-Canadian students at both RWB and NBS pay significantly more for tuition and residence than Canadian students. At the other end training in a professional level training program is state funded in Germany for both German and foreign students and classes are very much multi-national.

[artspatron07]

Competitions are pretty much the best way for a Canadian dancer to dance not just in Europe but certainly in the States. Many Canadian dancers head off to Europe to try to find employment rather than go to the States. In fact dancers are told to forget about even trying for jobs in the U.S. unless they are able to do one of the European competitions or one of the American ones such as YAGP or Jackson. I don't want to get completely off topic but the importance of ballet competitions to secure a place in either a top level professional training program for finishing or an entry level position in a prestigious ballet company is something that is relatively new (I think) and for parents who are already struggling with the high cost of funding a dancer's professional training may be overwhelming!

Are foreign students studying in the States on scholarship or are they paying to train at American schools? I know that non-Canadian students at both RWB and NBS pay significantly more for tuition and residence than Canadian students. At the other end training in a professional level training program is state funded in Germany for both German and foreign students and classes are very much multi-national.

Upon reviewing the referenced Prix de Lausanne link of "past prize winners and what they are doing now" I noticed only 3 American prize winners during the last 15 years? Is this an indication of the quality of training offered in the US compared to other participating countries. It is my understanding the success of many of the Europeam schools is due to the generous support provided by government funding.

I know several talented pre-professional European, South American, Cuban, and Asian students who have decided to complete their training in the US, many who are scholarship students at well known company schools, and plan to audition for ballet companies in the US. In addition, I also know a talented pre-professional American ballet student who was recently offered the opportunity to train at 3 well known company affiliated European schools next year. She submitted her application to these schools by video audition and has not recently participated in a major competition. Her formal training has included some well known US company affiliated ballet Schools since age 13. One European school offered her a generous tuition scholarship, a limited supply of Pointe Shoes, and class attire. She is currently weighing her options of beginning her dance career this season in the US as a company apprentice or attending one of the European Schools during her post graduate year to launch a career in Europe.

[CDM]

I cannot take exception with Leigh Witchel's comments except to say that things moved quite smoothly for our daughter. She studied for four years at the KAB in Washington and then was invited (during an SI in Vail) by Peter Pestov to train at the Cranko School in Stuttgart. She studied for two years there beginning at age 16 and then went straight into the Stuttgart Ballet. She had little difficulty in entering Germany or staying there except for the usual visa pains. She is now considered a "permanent resident" of Germany which means she does not have to renew her visa each year.

I cannot speak to her income (not appropriate here) but the Stuttgart Ballet performs all year except for approx four weeks off in August. That is to say the season is longer than most, if not all, U.S. companies. I can say that she does not need a side job to make ends meet.

One other note...she has many friends from the KAB who seem to move at will between U.S. and European companies. There seem to be no particular barriers to such movement from one company to another.

[CDM]

There are several American and Canadian dancers in the Stuttgart Ballet so it is not out of the question getting a contract there. There are also several Americans in the Cranko School currently.

CDM