We are going on a… Summer holiday?

As I already mentioned in the post “material world“, dancers salaries are all but superflous. Although I have been lucky enough to have a job ever since I finished school, I’m yet to become accustomed to caviar and champagne after performances (expect in the weekends, but that’s another post.. )

So what does dancers do to subsidize their extravagant lifestyle? They work, all summer long.

Being a professional dancer takes the most part of your days, 6-7 days a week. There is simply not time enough left to have a “side job” for most of us, also because it is very hard to find a job that is flexible enough to fit a busy – and often varied performance schedule. Bottom line is, dancers don’t work too much with other stuff, opposite to for example actors, who are famous for waitering in restaurants and making bars go around all over the world.

Alcohol – sponsoring artists all over the world

But in the summer, most theaters has a long break – often more than a month – leaving the dancers “unemployed” for a relatively long period. Depending on contracts, many go unpaid in july and august, and with a mediocre salary for the rest of the year, theres not many dollars to put aside for an unpaid summer. That means one have to find a summer-job, and unless you are able to find a suitable dance-project or work in the field for the actual months, that means doing other stuff. This year, my girlfriend and I have been cleaning office-buildings a month in July, and I’ve also been working as a bartender at nighttime.

But no performances doesn’t mean lying on the lazy side when it comes to physical training, even though one might train less (and gain some weight…) during the hot months of the year. But if you leave the studio and the gym to dust for the whole off-period, you’re making life very difficult for yourself once you start dancing again. I still didn’t meet the theatre-director that thought that “it has just been summer” was a valid excuse for being out of shape and doing a bad performance.

I’ll put up a post on how to get back in shape after the summer soon – realizing the irony of putting this up now, in August. But I guess you guys have to give me a break, you see, I’ve been working my ass off this holiday. Now it’s time to return to work.

Hope everyone had a great summer, and that you continue to follow us when Tights and Tiaras now return with weekly posts on the glamorous life of a satiric dancer and the great art of ballet. What did you do this summer? Have any funny stories? Been to a summer intensive? Working in funny places? I’d be thrilled to hear!

See you soon! Ta-ta!

H