Portrait de l’enseignement de la danse au Québec
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http://www.quebecdanse.org/section/qui_sommes_nous.htmBased on surveys of dance schools and dance educators in Quebec, this report provides a profile of dance education in the province. The report outlines some aspects of the estimated 700 dance education establishments, including educational institutions (elementary, secondary, college and university), private schools (non-profit, for-profit and unincorporated businesses) and municipalities. The report estimates that about 1,300 dance teachers give classes at all levels to over 90,000 people. Despite this level of enrolment, the report finds the dance schools to be in precarious financial shape. The report also notes that teaching, learning and safety conditions are often “inadequate”. For example, only 19% of teaching positions are full-time positions and 35% of teachers have more than one job. The report also finds a lack of recognition of the dance teaching profession and of the importance of dance education.
Dance educators in the province are predominantly female (84% of respondents). About one-half of respondents earn less than $30,000 per year, including one-third who earn less than $20,000 per year. The educators in the sample earn on average 59% of their income from teaching, 3% from dancing, 3.5% from choreography, 9% from other dance-related pursuits, and 25% from non-dance work. The survey also shows that the respondents have many years of experience – 18 on average. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents have taught since the beginning of their professional dance careers. About three-quarters of dance educators have a university-level education, and about 43% specialized in dance.
This report is an interesting first step, limited of course to Quebec, in improving knowledge about how dancers, and artists in general, integrate teaching into their work routine.
