References: Dance Directory

[liebs]

I just found this listing of American ballet companies, which is updated every year and includes professional and semi-professional companies. It gives all kinds of info on each co. incl some audition and salary info.

 

For more info: DanceProfessionals@worldnet.att.net.

[Victoria Leigh]

liebs, is there a website for this, or just an email address? I tried a search, but did not come up with anything relating to dance company lists.

[balletbooster]

On a related note, I thought you might find this old thread of interest:

Companies with Contracts over 28 Weeks

 

While the data is a couple of years old, I don't think that the order has changed dramatically since then.

 

This list was begun with data received from John Munger, director of Research for Dance/USA (the national service organization for Professional Dance) and then added to by other posters.

[liebs]

Don't think there is a web site, just email. The directory is compiled by Faith Petrides, who is on the staff of NYCB.

[Victoria Leigh]

Okay liebs, thank you! Thanks for the other information, too, balletbooster.

[Alexandra]

I saw an issue of this a couple of years ago and it's quite solid.

[Pierrette]

I'm interested in purchasing the print edition of the 2007 Dance Annual Directory, formerly known as "The Stern's Directory," but it doesn't seem to exist anymore. The Dance Magazine web site doesn't include a link to "click here to buy the print edition" like they do with the College Guide. And Amazon only seems to offer a downloadable version. Isn't this the "must have" reference book that my daughter will need to help her in figuring out what dance companies are out there to possibly audition for?

[Tiffany]

You can search by type of company & location on Dance Magazine's website & pull up companies & print; I've done that....of course if you aren't looking at a specific region of the country as I was then that is going to be a lot of printing...Search Dance Magazine here

 

Oh did you notice that the Dance Annual Directory was included in the June 2007 issue of Dance Magazine (this info is stated on the DM homepage in the DAD section)? You can order back issues on their website.

[Pierrette]

Thanks, Tiffany, for that information. I've been trying to search my house to see if we managed to buy the June issue of Dance Magazine. But I was wondering, were the former issues of The Stern's Directory always small enough to be part of a magazine? I thought such a reference book would at least be as thick as the Dance Magazine College Guide.

[dancemaven]

Several years ago, a friend of mine gave me her copy of The Stern's Directory (which was probably 5-6 years old at that time). As I recall, it was a loose-leaf notebook with lots of paper. Not the size of a magazine issue. But, as I said, that particular copy was already several years old at that time, so the format could very easily have been changed.

[Robin G]

None of these publications is perfect. Stern's lists Princeton Ballet as a college. Nope. We have always laughed about that. One publication is co written by a dance department head from one of the schools, so there's plenty written about that college, and some obvious programs are omitted. Combined together with word of mouth may be the best bet, with a final check at the college dance websites.

[Tiffany]

There is also a career guide in Pointe magazine once per year in the February/March issue (which is too late to plan company auditions) so I would try to look at the 2007 February/March issue if you're interested in that. I don't understand why they don't have this information in the Oct/Nov issue since most company auditions are in the early spring, some even in December.

 

The only other company listing resource that I can think of is on dancer.com, the Gaynor Minden website. Here is their ballet company listing. My only complaint with it is that companies are not listed by region, they are listed alphabetically by name of company, so this was difficult for me to use to find companies in the couple of states in which I was interested in dancing. They also have separate listings of modern and other dance forms such as butoh, flamenco, tap, etc. Also, this lists companies all over the world, not just the USA. And this listing is partly the work of our own Amy Reusch!! Bravo to Ms. Reusch!!