Networking!

Don't be the person at the dance party

who sits in the corner petting the kitty.

Here is a list of fun networking activities:

Networking
Specific Actions We Can Take:

Making connections:
Ÿ Attend a party
Ÿ Attend an event
Ÿ Attend a performance
Ÿ Attend an non-dance arts event
Ÿ Carry your business card
Ÿ Volunteer for a choreographer or organization
Ÿ Have a website
Ÿ Perform. Whenever you can. Anywhere.
Ÿ Perform at your church/place of worship
Ÿ Perform at your old high school
Ÿ Perform in your home town
Ÿ Perform at an open-mic night (Balls, Patrick’s Cabaret, etc.)
Ÿ Perform an informal showing in the dance program as a grad
Ÿ Take a dance class
Ÿ Teach a dance class
Ÿ Mail out your resume
Ÿ Mail a letter of interest
Ÿ Send an email
Ÿ Audition
Ÿ Ask to be introduced through a mutual friend and/or family
Ÿ Go to a summer dance festival
Ÿ Don’t be intimidated by talking about your work
Ÿ Introduce yourself (it can be brief!)
Ÿ Don’t play with the kitties at the cast party (talk to the PEOPLE not the PETS)
Ÿ Be careful not to belittle yourself too much
Ÿ Talk to teachers, choreographers, performers, and fellow students and audience members after classes and performances
Ÿ Open your mind to the student/artist relationship transitioning to a peer/collaborator relationship.
Ÿ Broaden your horizons
Ÿ Allow a contact to network for you
Ÿ Use bios as a resource to identify people to meet

Keeping Connections:
Ÿ Write a thank you note
Ÿ Mail out newsletters
Ÿ Write a blog
Ÿ Send out postcards about upcoming performances
Ÿ Send Holiday cards
Ÿ Send out your updated resumes
Ÿ Send out invitations to non-dance events
Ÿ Meet for coffee or a meal
Ÿ Volunteer
Ÿ Send an email
Ÿ Become Facebook friends or a Linked In connection
Ÿ Keep connections organized with a spreadsheet (with headings)
Ÿ Say “Hi!” even if they don’t remember you
Ÿ Have a get together with friends
Ÿ Have a party
Ÿ Set up events or fundraisers where you can invite lots of people
Ÿ Invite EVERYONE you know to performances you are a part of
Ÿ Give them a call on the phone
Ÿ Write a letter
Ÿ Support others’ work

Word of Mouth:
Keeping a Good Attitude and Acting Professionally
Ÿ Be on time
Ÿ Be prepared
Ÿ Be positive about the work and the process
Ÿ Go beyond what the choreographer asks
Ÿ Help the choreographer clarify their vision by asking questions
Ÿ Contribute to the process
Ÿ Deal maturely with health issues/injuries
Ÿ Do your best
Ÿ Be helpful to the choreographer and other dancers
Ÿ Participate in the non-dance parts (networking, schmoozing, marketing, etc.)
Ÿ Keep a sense of humor
Ÿ Be kind to yourself and others when mistakes happen
Ÿ Avoid spreading gossip or rumors
Ÿ Don’t burn bridges
Ÿ Talk about yourself without being egotistical
Ÿ Be careful not to overextend yourself
Ÿ Be constructive with your criticism

Be Proactive, Audition for Everything, and Work Hard
Ÿ Check the 550’s in the Star Tribune
Ÿ Check websites of companies for upcoming auditions
Ÿ Attend informational meetings
Ÿ Volunteer for a choreographer or organization
Ÿ Check bulletin boards after class
Ÿ Make sure friends and colleagues know what kind of work you are looking for
Ÿ Attend performances
Ÿ Get an agent
Ÿ Seek out non-dance company opportunities (opera, theatre, music, visual arts, clubs, festivals, etc.)
Ÿ Create your own opportunity
Ÿ Be confident
Ÿ Apply for a grant
Ÿ Take dance class
Ÿ Go to a summer dance festival

Health Insurance

***Some of this information is specifically for Minnesota-based dance artists, but there are a number of resources listed that are available nationwide.***

Health Insurance! You DO need it! Here's how to get it, by Kelsey K:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You want health insurance in case of an accident or sudden illness.
How do you pay a $30,000 hospital bill without insurance?
The hospital will help you find a way. Taxpayers won’t pick up the tab.

•• How Does Health Insurance Work?
with three basic terms…

• Deductible: the highest amount you would pay out of pocket for health insurance per year. Often insurance does not kick in until after you reach this amount. (e.g. your deductible is $1,000, insurance pays everything after $1,001.)
**People often opt for a higher deductible to keep their monthly premium to a minimum
• Monthly Premium: the amount you pay per month
• Co Insurance or Copay: a shared responsibility for costs between an insurer and insuree at a specified percentage. (e.g. an 80/20 split means insurer pays 80%, you pay 20% up to a defined amount per year.)
** Rates are based on how likely you are to utilize your insurance. Typically preventative care (annual physicals, etc. are well covered); Price increases as you reach childbearing years and retirement age.

But chances are, you can’t afford to insure yourself without an employer’s help. So what do you do?

•• Local Options: Student Conversion Plan
This is ongoing healthcare coverage offered to students from the University of Minnesota after graduation, and it offers a guaranteed coverage option for an unlimited time period between graduation and the time you become eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance. The program gives you your choice of five Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota individual plan options for guaranteed coverage without having to prove insurability. Costs are based on the deductible and network you choose.
According to the service’s website, you must be enrolled in the University-sponsored Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) in the previous semester to be eligible for the Student Conversion Plan. That said, if you are currently covered by a different health insurance plan and would like to utilize the University Conversion plan, consider switching to the SHBP prior to your last semester. Students who remain on their parent’s plan or other insurance plan will not be able to take advantage of the Student Conversion Plan after graduation.

•• For those without Employer’s Insurance:
Minnesota Care (Government Supported)
Minnesota Care is a service offered to Minnesota residents who do not have access to affordable health care through Blue Plus, a local non-profit affiliated with Blue Cross Blue Shield, and is funded by enrollees' premiums, copayments, and statewide taxes, including a 5-cent increase in cigarette tax.
According its to website from the Minnesota Department of Human services, eligible individuals can choose their primary care physicians and will be covered for a variety of services, including doctor visits, hospitalization up to $10,000, family planning prescriptions, eye exams, interpreters, eye glasses, dental care, etc. Premiums are based an individual’s income, and these income limits vary by family size. Eligible applicants must have lived in Minnesota a minimum of six months prior to applying and must have a social security number and be a U.S. Citizen. Only those who do not currently have health insurance or are not able to get health insurance from an employer offering to pay at least half the monthly cost will be considered.
For a full list of income and asset limits, visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services website. Asset $10,000 for a single person and $20,000 for a family of two or more — houses, vehicles and independently owned retirement funds are not included.


•• An Introductory Guide to Insurance at
The Minnesota Department of Health:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/clearinghouse/purchase.htm#What%20are%20your%20choices

•• Minnesota Insurers:
Websites include general quotes for Individuals, Families, and Companies

Blue Cross and Blue Shield/Blue Plus of Minnesota
 
(651) 662-8000 
http://www.bluecrossmn.com/
HealthPartners
(952) 883-5000 
http://www.healthpartners.com/
Medica 
(952) 945-8000
http://www.medica.com/
• Medica Solo Plan is designed to be very affordable with young adults (ages 19-29) in mind
PreferredOne
(763) 847-4000 
http://www.preferredone.com/
UCare Minnesota
 (612) 676-3200 
http://www.ucare.org/
• Minnesota Care is an Entity of UCare
• UCare is the only health plan in Minnesota to own and operate a mobile dental unit providing preventive cleanings and checkups to UCare members across the state.

•• A Resource for Comparison:
eHealthinsurance.com
• Uses basic information like gender, age, etc.
• Inquires the beginning of coverage
• And Compiles a list of compared quotes that are organized by:
eHealthInsurance’s Picks
Price
Deductible
Ratings
Company etc.

Artist Statements

The process of writing an Artist Statement can seem daunting at first.

How do you represent who you are on a small piece of paper? How do you show where you've been and where you want to go? How do you convey your drive? Your passion? Your talent?

Guidelines for Artist Statements are often vague and lacking in details. Use this to your advantage; make everything in your statement a symbol of your self-identity-- everything from the content down to the font, to the overall appearance of the statement itself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Here's a compilation of info. & tips about creating and shaping an Artist Statement from Julia P:

WHAT IS AN ARTIST STATEMENT?
A brief text composed by an artist and intended to explain, justify, and contextualize a body of work or create context for performances.

AN ARTIST STATEMENT CAN TAKE ANY OF SEVERAL DIRECTIONS:
- Information about your background
-Development of your work
-Interests as an artist or aesthetic position
-Your future artistic direction
-Any other information you feel pertinent

WHEN IS AN ARTIST STATEMENT USED?
- Apply for commissions
- Apply for schools
- Apply for residencies
- Apply for jobs
- Awards
- Forms of institutional support such as grants

ARTIST STATEMENT TIPS:
- Write your statement in language that anyone can understand
-Your statement is about you, so personalize
-Make “I” statements, rather than “you” statements
-Be specific, not vague
-Avoid obscure references to music, art, dance, literature, or anything else that require detailed explanations
-Avoid comparing yourself to other artists
-Don’t instruct people on how to see, feel, behave, respond, or otherwise relate to your art
- GET FEEDBACK!
- Be genuine and honest
-Be consistent and focused
- Be simple, clear, and direct
-ALWAYS spell check and review for grammatical errors
-Avoid self-indulgence

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN WRITING YOUR ARTIST STATEMENT:
-What are the basic themes of your work?
-Why did you create this work?
-What drives you as an artist to make the work you do or perform the way you do?
-What are some of your sources or influences?
-How does this work differ from your previous work?
-What are your plans for the future?
-Where is your art taking you?

Check out this page for sample Artist Statments from emerging and established artists:
http://www.dancesurvival.com/artist-statements.php

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REMEMBER: Be yourself! Don't try to change who you are to suit a panel's expectations. Demonstrate your relevance, don't fabricate it.

Writing an Effective Resume

We've all heard about the importance of a well constructed resume, but how do we go about creating one? Here are some helpful tips from fellow dancer and writer Kelsey Kudak:


Resume Writing Tips.
“Like it or not, employers will usually make a judgment about your resume in 5 seconds.”

While writing, keep these in mind:

Basics First
•Do include: full name, address, phone number, current position/status as student, etc.
•Don’t include: age to avoid discrimination

For whom are you Writing your Resume?
•A resume is not an all-purpose document: Therefore, structure toward the Company that will be reading it.
•Always maintain an updated version

Utilize Brevity:
•No more than a Page
•Organize by priority with paired bullet points (2 or more)
•Necessary Addendums should be explained via cover letter
•Omit obvious information

Use effective Descriptors, and Begin with them:
•List descriptive Titles in your position ( e.g. Founder, Manager etc. Rather than “accounting”)
•Active verbs require a Thesaurus
--Managed, Organized, etc. are strong, active verbs that employers will look for.
•Avoid personal pronouns “I” “Me” etc.

Utilize a Clean Presentation:
• Fonts should be san-serif
• Standard is 12 Points, but nothing smaller than 11
• Streamline the structure of the body to flow easily on the eyes

Proofread! On your own and With a Friend:
•Grammatical errors could mean the difference between your hire and that of another individual.

For More Details Visit Daily Writing Tips.com
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/resume-writing-tips/


Good luck and happy writing!

"Highly Qualified" Teacher Requirements

Don't worry, apparently you don't need to be "qualified" if you teach dance.

I pulled the Minnesota Department of Education "Highly Qualified" Teacher Requirements because they essentially follow guidelines dictated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Click the link labled Minnesota Plan for "Highly Qualified" Teacher Requirements. I found pages 4, 5, and 20 particularly interesting.

http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Teacher_Support/Educator_Licensing/Highly_Qualified_Teacher_Require_MN_State_Plan/index.html

If you are interested in getting your teaching certificate, I found a helpful site that provides a step-by-step guide of the process as well as links to online teacher preparation programs:

http://www.teacher-world.com/certification/minnesota-initial-certification.html


***UPDATE: Recent changes have been made to qualifications to teach dance in public schools. After three years of teaching, you must have or be working towards a teaching certificate or its equivalent.***

National Dance Education Organization

The National Dance Education Organization has compiled an archive of research regarding dance education. If you are willing to part with the $75, it looks to be a promising collection.

http://www.ndeo.org/research/

Status of Dance in Education, Lynnette Young Overby

Overby's article on the Status of Dance in Education may be a little dated, but dance in public schools is still a subject near and dear to my heart. She acknowledges the paradox of 'dance education' when certified teachers aren't qualified to teach dance and qualified dancers aren't certified to teach.

http://www.vtaide.com/png/ERIC/Dance-in-Ed.htm