You probably do...if you already volunteer somewhere...
or have seen a live performance lately...
At least according to the stats.
I asked our research associate, Andrew Swales, to write something for the blog on the environmental scan of the Canadian contemporary dance “industry”. Essentially his findings, or more aptly, his lack of findings, confirmed our impressions of this marginal art practice. He was struck by the lack of reliable statistical data on contemporary dance and found his efforts to establish a potential audience for Kaha:wi Dance Theatre frustrated by unclear or downright contradictory data.
Without consistent numbers it was difficult to uncover which demographic finds contemporary dance the most appealing or to determine the share that Kaha:wi could claim.
Traditional demographic indicators (e.g. income, education) were not reliable predictors of a potential audience, but other indicators, such as whether someone is involved in his or her community, or whether someone has visited an art gallery, do appear to be more closely related to other arts participation rates that could be applied to dance.
Therefore, it is more beneficial for Kaha:wi, a small company with a negligible marketing budget, and niche artistic groups like it, to try to connect with arts audiences as they volunteer or take in other live performances, rather than spending advertising dollars on targeting a gender, income bracket or education level.
Specifically it suggests that those who are interested in art and performance of any kind could be interested in contemporary dance. There are undoubtedly huge marketing benefits that could be reaped simply by collaborating with artists in other disciplines.
It appears that dance “enthusiasts” make little distinction between enjoying dance and enjoying any other art form. The challenge for Kaha:wi and those working to broaden the audience for contemporary dance is to create bridges with other disciplines that people can cross with ease.
Without consistent numbers it was difficult to uncover which demographic finds contemporary dance the most appealing or to determine the share that Kaha:wi could claim.
Traditional demographic indicators (e.g. income, education) were not reliable predictors of a potential audience, but other indicators, such as whether someone is involved in his or her community, or whether someone has visited an art gallery, do appear to be more closely related to other arts participation rates that could be applied to dance.
Therefore, it is more beneficial for Kaha:wi, a small company with a negligible marketing budget, and niche artistic groups like it, to try to connect with arts audiences as they volunteer or take in other live performances, rather than spending advertising dollars on targeting a gender, income bracket or education level.
Specifically it suggests that those who are interested in art and performance of any kind could be interested in contemporary dance. There are undoubtedly huge marketing benefits that could be reaped simply by collaborating with artists in other disciplines.
It appears that dance “enthusiasts” make little distinction between enjoying dance and enjoying any other art form. The challenge for Kaha:wi and those working to broaden the audience for contemporary dance is to create bridges with other disciplines that people can cross with ease.
Photo by jere-me
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