Numerous artists have passions in other fields. In the dance community it is not unheard of to have multiple jobs, dance related or not. In Dance posed the question to our community, What is your non-dance job? And here are some responses we got in return:
Charlene Bittinger,
Xpose Dance Theater Company
I work 9-6 as a Production Accountant for television. I’ve found that I really enjoy working on the business side of a creative business.
Joni Campbell
My other work besides dance is artist. I work in both clay and painting. My goal is to somehow combine these two passions. My dance group is Rhythm & Motion at ODC and Santa Cruz Dance company.
Charlotte Moraga, Kathak dancer, teacher and choreographer
In my late teens and early twenties, I made ends meet with so many interesting odd jobs: I was a go-go dancer at a new wave club and danced in a weekly “Flashdance” show. I worked as a shoe-shine girl, pro-shop attendant and racket-stringer, waitress, and admitting clerk in the ER of a hospital. I currently teach third grade at Grattan Elementary School. I’m actually a very shy and introverted person, so being a teacher has really helped me as a performer and Kathak has trained me to be a good storyteller, so that helps keep the attention of my third graders!
Julie Potter
I am a yoga teacher, a dance writer for Examiner.com, a gallery guide at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, a work/study at ODC, communications manager for San Francisco Bay Area Emerging Arts Professionals, and a barista at Philz Coffee.
Jodi L. Collova, dancer
My non-dance job is working as an attorney in the area of worker’s rights. I represent employees in suits against their employers, such as discrimination or wage violations.
Cathleen McCarthy, Lecturer
SFSU; Adjunct Faculty USF
I volunteer once a week at Juvenile Hall and tutor the incarcerated youth in writing. I did a stint teaching dance classes and felt ineffectual, as they really just wanted to play basketball. I thought I could be more helpful getting them on the road to getting their GED. Today, I tutored a sixteen year old—a father of a one year old. I introduced him to author David Sedaris, who he did not find amusing at all. I’ll keep trying.
Natalie Greene
I teach theater to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated adults.
Raissa Simpson, Director Push Dance Company
Currently, I serve as Project Director for Bay Area National Dance Week where relationship-building is an important part of my job. I have internalized organizational skills that I have built over the years which allowed me to dance and execute choreography so, project directing excites me in the same manner.
Holly Shaw, dancer/choreographer/ producer, Eve’s Elixir
As a single-mom, working as an accounting manager supports my family and affords me enough flexibility to squeeze in a dance career.
Magdalena Soul
I have a tax free online business that I run. I answer surveys online and offline and facilitate focus groups.
This article appeared in the January/February 2010 issue of In Dance.
