There are least two levels of capacity building: practical usable tools, like technology and web-based platforms, and foundational skills, like adaptability, transparency, agility, and the ability to make clear decisions. Many organizations focus on the former–the usable tools–and assume that the latter will take care of itself, but time and again we see that is simply not the case. Many of the issues common in arts organizations, boil down to a lack of appreciation of and focus on developing the very skills vital to the health of any organization. As more information is transmitted to your audience through technology and the internet, there are increasingly more areas in which these two types of capacity merge. For example, Horace Dediu predicts on his blog Asymco.com that “the day when the tablet market (by units) will exceed that of traditional PCs will come sometime in the fall of 2013.” This means that a computing category that barely existed just two years ago has the potential to completely remake how Americans interact with technology–and your web content–by 2015.

In speaking with technologist / choreographer / consultant, Sydney Skybetter, he drew a clear picture of this intersection of adaptability, shifting culture, and technology. “I think this volatility frames a number of crucially important problems for the cultural sector, namely, that disruptive change in the consumer sector is increasingly consequential to ours. The event horizon for adaptation is categorically shrinking. Too many notable not-for-profits took as long as ten years to build websites after consumers got them. It took those same NFPs five+ years to begin adapting to online social networks. With mobile though, the stakes are much higher. Organizations have a window of about two years to remake their online presence before large segments of their existing content is rendered inaccessible to a majority of Internet browsers. The radical ramifications of mobile technology and the limitations of not-for-profit bureaucracy are crucial to understand as a field, and inform how decisions are made pertaining to everything from open source code to Facebook to hiring expectations to HR protocols to hashtags and much more.” In approaching this topic, it’s necessary that we understand that there is no one magic answer or blanket protocol that we can apply across a given discipline to help an organization thrive–I personally often wonder if there ever really was. I also wonder if the belief that there was a limited number of answers that worked led us down a road paved with standardization rather than creativity, that, perhaps, disabled the natural ability to take risks that arts organizations and artists must have in order to do our work.

In the following paragraphs we will explore how to approach building a specific gateway capacity: the capacity to fuel an organization that can face challenges head-on.

Approach your work as a process (also, manage expectations)

There is a process through which creative work is made. It stands to reason that there should be a creative process through which it should be delivered. In a recent conversation with Lisa Niedermeyer, Program Specialist at Fractured Atlas, she shared the following: “If I had to choose one thing that I think affects the field across the board in terms of capacity building it would have to be making time/valuing time to evaluate and assess. Assess an experiment, gather feedback, follow-up after an event. Look at the analytics, create tracking methods, feedback loops, reporting of metrics. And then take the time to learn from them. Take time for them to incubate and inform decisions and new directions. For profit organizations wouldn’t imagine not having assessment in their process. As an artist I find it an important part of the process. You don’t just create and be done with it. You create and put it out there to be tested, assess and reiterate if need be, or repeat if that makes sense. Or start all over again.”A recent study authored by Holly Sidford’s, (Helicon Collaborative) titled, Bright Spots Leadership in the Pacific Northwest looks at arts organizations that are thriving. The study aims to uncover common characteristics and strategies these organizations might share with others. What Sidford and her colleagues discovered are five basic principles, that Bright Spots organizations possess, that differ widely from less successful peer organizations. As reported in the study, these elements are:

(1) Animating purpose: They have a clear purpose and a compelling vision, delivered through distinctive, relevant, high quality programs that excite people.

(2) Deeply engaged with community: They operate in and of their communities, and they possess a deep understanding of their interconnectedness with others and their role as civic leaders.

(3) Evaluation and analysis: They are sponges for information and are brutally realistic in assessing their circumstances, and yet they see possibilities where others don’t.

(4) Plasticity: They are nimble and flexible about how they realize their mission, and very little about the organizational form is too precious to change.

(5) Transparent leadership: They distribute authority and responsibility across the organization and practice transparent decision-making.”The principles of being a good organization are no different from those of being a good person or a good neighbor. It is all about the fundamentals–treat people with respect, share what you have, do good work that matters, and so on. We all know all of this, but when we go to work as part of an organization we sometimes forget how to behave like a human being.”Sandra Jackson-Dumont, Seattle art Museum (as quoted in the Bright Spots study)

Learn to ask WHY–and ask it often

In a recent article published in Fast Company titled, Why Small Companies Should Scrap Strategic Planning, the author calls for strategic thinking–not planning. Perhaps there is no better example of how this works than the many start-up companies that have cropped up quickly only to experience huge growing pains as they expand and age. What helped them gain momentum was fast maneuvering and on-their-feet-thinking. What weighs them down is the sitting and planning for an uncertain future, in an uncertain climate, in a quickly changing market place. This is not to say that planning for the future is a thing of the past, it merely suggests that strategic plans must be developed with flexibility in mind and revaluation mandates in place. The question ‘why’ can be a driving force–as long and the answer is not ‘because–it’s in the strategic plan.’As a contributor to the Huffington Post, I have the opportunity to chat with many dance-focused folks–artists, administrators, presenters, and critics from around the world. There is a surprising word that has emerged from corresponding with the artists like, Ballet Next founders Michelle Wiles and Charles Askegard; hip-hop / spoken word poet and Director of Performing Arts at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Marc Bamuthi Joseph; Congolese dancer / choreographer / activist, Faustin Linyekula; and Trey McIntyre, Artistic Director and founder of Trey McIntyre Project. That word is JOY. People in the arts are working hard. The lines between the artist and the business of art have blurred, if not vanished. The life of the artist is now focused on work–long, hard days of polymathic, multiple-facing, highly entrepreneurial hustling. And from some of the top and most successfully flexible artists there is a resounding echo reflecting, “If I am not enjoying this–if it’s not filled with purpose and human connection–why the heck would I do it.”Note that these artists didn’t say “fun.” It’s not always fun to cut through internal and external red tape, fear or judgment. But the need to feed one’s self and one’s community through art is at the core of the work these companies do and therefore a larger vision supports every project. It’s also worth noting that some of these artists make hard-hitting, deeply personal work–when you are true to the mission, be it individual or organizational, even emotionally painful work can be enjoyable.

In a recent interview with Jacob’s Pillow Executive and Artistic Director, Ella Baff, she credited the boards of the organizations coming together, the Pillow and Mass MoCA, to present visiting artist, Chunky Move. Baff’s advice in order to do the kind of work they do, on their own and in collaboration, is that organizations and their boards must, “have a clear understanding of [their] mission and keep a hand on the rudder.” As we spoke, her enthusiasm was palpable. I often speak with leaders and they talk through tight lips and grinding teeth about their boards, constituents, company members, and coworkers. The limited willingness to truly bend and collaborate with one’s team is akin to what is known as a limiting agent in chemistry, or an element that once used up prevents change or transformation from occurring. You could think of it in terms of starting a fire in a vacuum–once all of the oxygen is used, the lack of oxygen prevents the fire from continuing to burn. Generative questions to ask may be: What drives our organization toward change (or stokes our fire)? What elements stand in the way of trying new things? How can we reduce our adversity to risk-taking by continuing to fuel the fire? And lastly what new energy, or sources of oxygen can we introduce into this process?Harkening back to the Bright Spots study, the authors conclude:”We heard repeatedly about what keeps organizations from succeeding: fear of failure and the unknown, lack of discipline or will to change, unclear priorities, ignoring facts that challenge a preferred view of the world, and inadequate cooperation with others internally and externally. These behaviors are the inverse of the qualities we discerned in the bright spot organizations.” They then went on to write, “bright spot cultural organizations are exquisitely attuned to their core purpose, use their assets inventively and maintain relentless focus on achieving tangible results. Like alchemists, they combine ordinary materials in unconventional ways in order to make something exceptionally valuable.”

Build a Culture of Value

A recent American Psychiatric Association (APA) report found that, “half of all employees who say that they do not feel valued at work report that they intend to look for a new job in the next year.” Additionally, the survey found that, “employees who feel valued are more likely to have higher levels of engagement, satisfaction and motivation, compared to those who do not feel valued by their employers.” An organization is only as effective as the humans who are working for it. By building an organization fueled by trust, respect, and appreciation of your employees, your supporters, and your community, you build a sustainable company. Additionally, taking risks and trying new things with the support of a group and within a community who has helped create a plan or program is markedly less scary than doing it on your own, under the weight of a team of naysayers.In order to capture and engage an audience–be it show-goers, funders, advertisers, or collaborators–you must first harness the energy of your employees. The APA also found the following: “Almost all employees (93%) who reported feeling valued said that they are motivated to do their best at work and 88 percent reported feeling engaged. This compares to just 33% and 38%, respectively, of those who said they do not feel valued.”

Last fall I participated on a panel for a digital marketing bootcamp for performing arts marketers, hosted by Capacity Interactive (CI). In a conversation with Erik Gensler, digital consultant and CI’s president, and digital marketing staff from both Carnegie Hall and BAM, we spoke about capacity building for digital. The buzz-word was trust. When hiring someone to manage your online presence trust yourself to make a good hire and then trust your employee to do a good job. Long chains of approval slow down what should be a fast process. Lisa Niedermeyer, in our recent conversation made a salient point: “Have the faith to let go of people who are not competent or a good fit with your goals. Because, in the arts, we are often asking favors and paying minimum levels for people’s time we put up with a lot because of how much energy it takes to find someone new to replace someone. Having someone who isn’t great isn’t better than not having anyone at all.”Any performer will tell you that the way to capture an audience is to let them in. Offering ever a small amount of genuine openness and vulnerability into your performance gives viewers space to connect with you and a level of comfort where they too can bring themselves to your work. The same rules can be applied within organizations. When upper managers can admit that they do not have all of the answers and create an environment where everyone can learn together, and where everyone’s input is received equally, a foundation of trust and respect can be solidified. Particularly in today’s world of active participation where we are invited to give feedback and companies pay attention, if your employees do not feel that same level of importance and involvement, morale will plummet.

In conclusion, the way to survive and thrive in the current climate while preparing for the future is to take thoughtful risks born of and supported by your organization and your community–both geographic and online. In the words of New York based Choreographer and owner of Gibney Dance Center, Gina Gibney: “You have to be willing to apply your creativity and resourcefulness not only to your work but to the business of your work. Economic challenges and the rapidly changing focus of funders require constant adaptation. Adaptation may sound healthy from a business perspective, but for an arts organization it zaps time and resources that would be better applied to making art or implementing programs. If you believe in your work, you can’t stop–but you may have to constantly refocus and regroup in order to survive.”

*Note: This piece was first published in In Dance, a publication of Dancers’ Group.

Contrary to common sentiment, ‘next-gen’ does not refer to ‘looking to the youngest person in the room.’ From our perspective, ‘next-gen’ refers to a combination of skills that are effective in their approach to contemporary technology and strategic thinking—a fluid and plural intelligence that entails technologic savviness, an ability to delegate to trusted online presence experts, and a willingness to learn amidst increasingly volatile conditions. The practice of entrusting your intern to develop your digital media presence is dangerous, as is asking interns to create email campaigns. Your various outreach platforms are the performative portals for your work. Just as no one would hope to entice audience members with a performance put on by a class of new students, untrained office newbies should never be handed what will inevitably be the introduction to your work for a countless number of potential new fans and contributors. This principle applies even more so when focusing on digital content.

Recently, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg described a notion that is fast becoming known as “Zuckerberg’s Law.” Much like Moore’s Law (which states that the number of transistors on a microchip will roughly double every year), Zuckerberg’s law states that the amount of content shared on the Internet will double every year. This simple statement encapsulates a pressing technologic riddle for many organizations—namely, ‘how can one be seen in an ever more crowded space?’ It also distills a truism about our contemporary moment that will require a radical re-alignment for organizations interested in reaching an audience on the Internet—specifically, ‘once people have been reached, how does one hold their interest?’

This realignment is far from easy to accomplish of course, and many organizations have controls in place that prevent exactly the sorts of agile maneuvering required to make these critical adjustments. To address this we need next-generation strategic planning—but first we must explore what that means, where problems lie, and how we might re-tool our approach in order to, as Ben Cameron (paraphrasing Wayne Gretzky) often encourages, “skate to where the puck will be.” When exploring how we perform next-gen intervention in the field of dance, we must first take a hard look at where we are.

The dance world, with few exceptions, is working far behind the times. Little is being done to counteract this on any level: perhaps, least of all, at universities, conservatories, or professional companies. Even dancerly periodicals do little to combat the problems that hold the field back.

What we have:
1. Dance has a split personality disorder: Dance organizations have been known to expend more energy delineating between high-art professional companies and commercial dance, than they do developing outreach strategies, growing audiences, and conveying the relevance of dance in general. Most consumers know nothing, nor care, about the internal struggles that prevent the field from developing.

2. Conservatism is intrinsic to the form: In the field of dance, the most valued players systematically recreate classical works. Subject to its own particularly myopic form of founders’ syndrome, the dance community has the propensity to suffer from its own history. History is of course valuable, but when examining the future of a company, it is also useful to acknowledge that the audience for dance continues to change. Insistence on total ownership, infrastructural opacity, and baroque-era hierarchies has locked much of the field in stasis and makes it hard to navigate in this ever-evolving art world.

3. A lack of understanding that tech tools are only tools: In dance performance, good choreography is key. Anyone can string together sequences of steps, but transitions (the intention, exactness, and understanding with which those steps are executed) make a dance piece function at a high level. For dance organizations, everything from the mission statement, to email work flow, to social media marketing must be drawn together in choreographic harmony. These organizations need more than efficiency consultants, and upgrades to their hardware and websites. Companies need a plan and the training, understanding, and empowerment to implement that plan.

What We Need:
1. Brand Management: Most dance companies focus on projects and programs—not on building a marketing strategy for themselves. This hurts companies because they have not taken the time to establish a clear identity and, therefore, often find it hard to build new relationships with audiences in the quickly shifting landscape of our modern world. By building and marketing a clearly defined brand, dance companies can open a channel to their audience through which vastly different programs can flow—this can happen without having to reinvent the wheel for every new offering. MSNBC, PBS, and HBO don’t have to market their channel in order to launch a new show. Audiences have an understanding of what these brands represent because they broadcast the consistent message of who they are.

2. A Culture of Trust: Fear is rampant in the dance field, and fear leads to paralysis, which is not healthy for any organization—especially an art form that prides itself on virtuosic flexibility. This discrepancy is ironic, because down to is bones, the model for dance companies is stiff and sedentary. Perhaps managers need to spend more time in the studio—but that’s another subject altogether. It is imperative to learn to set boundaries, protocols, and structures necessary to build trust in co-workers, managers, and teams. The only way to move information through an organization and out to an audience—including funders, board members, and staff—is to trust employees to do their jobs well. In this undertaking, it is vital to build a workplace where people feel safe enough to ask for help when it’s needed and get the assistance they need—without judgement or criticism.

3. Vision-Keepers: Successful CEOs of major companies are often called visionaries. They are successful because they can dream big and inspire others by sharing that dream in such a way that it seems not only attainable but meaningful. Their work has a purpose that has been clearly defined. Fundamentally, the dance world appears to have a lack of vision as a whole.

In order to cultivate a vision for the field, we need people willing to nurture and share their dreams, and we need others to feed, hold, and share those visions.

Where We Can Start:
There are four core components to building a company that is sustainable: First is a clear and compelling vision. This is the dream of your ideal future. It is specific and grand. Your vision is the reason you and every other member of your organization will get up and come into work each morning. Second is your mission. The mission of your organization essentially outlines what you need to do in order to work toward that dream. Your mission and vision are two separate things. Your mission is doable in a definable amount of time, while your vision will take a lifetime (or several) to achieve. The third is your message, or the true story(ies) you craft about each step and out-growth of your mission as it supports your larger vision. Finally, make sure that the content you disseminate encompasses working examples of your message / mission / vision and brings them into the context of people’s everyday lives.

Next-generation consultants must help complex organizations function with speed, agility, and transparency. A core theme persists: productive teams rely on flexible, focused infrastructure achieved through equal attention to human and technological capital. Dance organizations must understand the gravity of environmental shifts in the field and the need to engage expert trailblazers and guides for this new terrain. Organizations can prepare for the future best by coming to the table, with a strong vision in hand, a want to bring it to fruition, and an open approach to change.

*Note: This piece was first published in In Dance, a publication of Dancers’ Group.

You spend more waking hours at work (and traveling to and from work) each week than you spend at home (not working). Your ‘life space’ very much includes the space in which you work, and in today’s world, that space is more than likely largely comprised of a computer screen. Therefore, it is important to customise your work space – create a place where you feel comfortable and confident.

In the face of an organizational shift in technology, the simple facts outlined above are paramount concerns. Often this ‘customization of technological work space’ has been maintained by employees holding on to older operating systems that they feel comfortable with. There is often a lot of emotional attachment to these systems, and, although teams loose many hours a week due to discrepancies in technology, this is often  considered easier than converting all team members to one more effective system. However, if attention is paid and time is allotted upfront to train employees, manage the emotions associated with change, and lay roads for open communication throughout the transition, your organization can implement a more effective technological work-flow or content management system while establishing a more clear and non-emotional communications infrastructure.

The Story [more bluntly put]:
Technology’s a Bitch… and I mean that in every possible sense of the word. Technology can be a hassle. It can be hard to work with, and it can be fussy, temperamental, and downright difficult.

However, consider that adopting new technology might be analogous to adopting a new puppy. As any dog-owner knows, adopting a new puppy involves much training. When you adopt a puppy, you must spend plenty of time with it and integrate its needs and schedule into your life. This is a process – a learning experience for both you and your new pup.

The more you treat your experience with a new system, software, smartphone, or website as though your are in the process of adopting a new puppy – including the pre-adoption trial period and in-home visits – the easier and more gratifying this transition will be.

Quick tricks to ‘loving and laughing’ with your tech.

1) As you begin the process of learning to use your new product, spend sometime uploading images you find relaxing to whatever interface you might be working with.

For instance: when working with a new technology, I keep a stash of uploaded baby animal images nearby. I refer to these as a calming distraction or break whenever I start to feel frustrated.

While this may sound hokey, keeping cute or relaxing content a click away may dissuade you from being tempted to yell at or bang on your new technology. It can also help you keep from breaking down in front of your coworkers.

Remember that what saves the pup and makes you love her is that she’s so gosh-darn adorable. Your loved ones and office mates will thank you.

2) Give yourself time and many ‘passes.’ Nothing comes out of the box ready-to-use (even if it advertises as much). Play with simple things first – colors, backgrounds, fonts, wallpaper, file titles and organization, and other small customizations that will slowly help you feel at home in your new work-system.

3) When in doubt, ask. Set up a clear process for seeking help. Here is my suggestion:
a) Google your question.

b) Read through forums and watch tutorials for no more that 15 minutes – if you don’t find the answer…

c) Take a walk, look at relaxing images for 2 minutes, or listen to one of your favorite songs – clear your head and release your frustration.

d) Ask a coworker, and / or your in-house IT person – but never go to them frustrated. You will be more pleasant, able to listen, and equipped to learn if you have a clear and open mind.

Reluctance to embrace innovation holds the field of dance in stasis. This reluctance (or hesitation) limits outreach, spreading and feeding what many call “fear of change.” My interest lies in disrupting this dangerous pattern of institutionalized thinking in order to challenge each of us to see the possibilities and opportunities that technology, new media, and community engagement offer on a larger scale. Analogies abound relating change to the human experience, to the seasons, to life itself – we all know change is inevitable. Yet when I speak with arts organizations (and other non-profits) about the shifts technology has caused in creation and development of work, I often experience huge resistance to what they refer to as “change.”

I propose this is not actually a fear of change, but for arts organizations, it’s a fear of loosing control over the field and the channels of disseminating information. And for performing artists, it is a fear of loosing live audiences do to the performative nature of new media. The boon of new media is often misunderstood – connection is constant and fluid through social media. Infusing this type of practice into our creative habits will  sustain the field.

The biggest shift in audience engagement
Clay Shirky, author of Here Comes Everybody and Cognitive Surplus—Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age, speaks of the shift in audience engagement as a transition from passive consumer to engaged co-creator. He points to the fact that people are actively participating in developing and spreading ideas and products through social and new media projects. This pays off for for-profit corporations like Coca Cola, whose EVP and Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, Joe Tripodi wrote in the Harvard Business Review blog:

“Our [Facebook] fanpage wasn’t started by an employee at our headquarters… it was launched by two consumers… as an authentic expression of how they felt about Coca-Cola. A decade ago, a company like ours would have sent a ‘cease and desist’ letter from our lawyer. Instead, we’ve partnered with them to create new content, and our Facebook page is growing by about 100,000 fans every week…. Consumers have become empowered to create their own content about our brands and share it throughout their networks and beyond.”

Later in the piece he urges, “Be a facilitator who manages communities, not a director who tries to control them.”

How this translates to the dance community: It is imperative that we start valuing our audiences; beyond the money they pay for a ticket or donate to our companies. Their feedback and input are important; yet, it has been common practice in the art world to direct a one-way flow of communication from lighted stage to darkened audience. Dance is a monologue in a world now driven by open conversation, and people are starting to tune us out. It is time we learn to listen and apply what we learn. Audiences want to see themselves reflected in our work. They see this everyday on Facebook, which is one of the biggest stages in the world. They see photos that reflect their lives and messages that matter to them. More than that, they have access to and impact on the flow of information as it circulates. By the same token, art that is “all about the artist” with no entry points for the audience, feels withheld, inaccessible, and outside of the scope of those we strive to reach.

Every Expression Counts
Much of Joe Tripodi’s piece in the Harvard Business Review centered on the idea that in marketing, the reach of a campaign has been calculated in terms of “‘impression”’ or how many people will see, hear, or read about you via Facebook postings, print materials, reviews, listings, etc.

“But,” writes Tripodi, “impressions only tell… the raw size of the audience. By definition, impressions are passive. They give us no real sense of engagement, and consumer engagement… is ultimately what we’re striving to achieve. Awareness is fine, but advocacy will take [you] to the next level…  So we are increasingly tracking ‘consumer expressions.’ To us, an expression is any level of engagement with our brand content by a consumer or constituent. It could be a comment, a ‘like,’ uploading a photo or video or passing content onto their networks.”

How this translates to the dance community: Social media is a creative medium. I implore you to stop approaching Facebook, blogs, and twitter as “marketing tools.” A common complaint from organizations is that they post events and calls to action on Facebook with little response. They promote shows and see little increase in audience attendance. This is because they are using social media the same way they use flyers and postcards. But social media is closer to an open studio showing than a marketing campaign. It is a big platform, open for you to share work. But it’s not an improv jam—you should ‘practice’ your social media voice—e.g. edit and stream line your message. It is also not a formal performance—so stark and in the spotlight that it lacks transparency. Instead, new media is a stage that welcomes continued conversation and process through dialogue.

Think about how you use Facebook with friends. When you log in and post pictures of your new puppy to your wall for friends to see—what are you selling? You’re not selling at all—you are sharing. You are inviting people you know into your life, and you are offering them a seat on your couch. You are also asking them to do the same. Dancers and dance-makers must approach social media projects (indeed all projects) like new virtual puppies—have fun—play—share and allow others to engage with you. This includes commenting, sharing, ‘liking’, and re-posting their content as well. Create work that you want to create, but with waves and winks at those who care about your work—your co-creators and audience members.

From the dance world, I like to use the example of Trey McIntyre Project and their employment of new media. Few companies are doing what they are in terms of bringing online and in-person communities to their work and maintaining honesty and transparency in every endeavor. TMP fluidly blends new media creation with their professional stage work to such an extent that they have blurred the lines between what would typically be the ‘creative work’ of a company and its ‘marketing materials.’ All their work is creative work, and, therefore, one clear message pervades all of their projects: online, in hospitals, during international tours, or a New York season. TMP does not need to talk about their mission – they live it.

Often, hesitating to engage in conversation with one’s audience stems from fear of criticism. In a recent interview on the Today Show, Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary of The Pontifical Council For Social Communications addressed this concern – one that the Catholic Church, arguably one of the oldest and most criticized non-profits, faces often. He said, “We’re not just interested in talking to people. We also wanted to listen and sometimes listening to your critics enables you to understand why they’re critical and maybe you can readdress them in a different way.”

A final radical notion: We will own legitimacy on the national stage when we transcend our respective niches. The only thing that needs to change is the distance we put between our organizations and the rest of the world. Though I am certainly not advising everyone to audition for So You Think You Can Dance, I am suggesting that we stop sequestering dance—walling it off from the general population through how we talk about our art form. Make yourself and your work relevant within the context of your community. This will aid in forging organic, strategic partnerships. You just have to ask what people (your audience, and your community – external and internal to your company) need and be willing to listen to and take action on what you learn.

*Note: This piece was first published in In Dance, a publication of Dancers’ Group.

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”   ~ Judy Garland

One of the most common complaints I hear from solo-preneurs and small business owners is that they feel behind and overwhelmed. Finding time to get our work finished and the motivation to do it can be challenging. We often push ourselves with fear (of not getting it done, of not being good enough, of not landing the client, of all the ‘what if’ scenarios we can think of). We also often feel that we are alone in our struggles and further our anxiety with internal questions of ‘what’s wrong with me’. That fear of an unknown future coupled with the pressure to change, stimulates the stress response. Many of us fall into the habit of stress, but it’s easily remedied. The following are practical tools to get started.

Stress Management Involves the Body
The mind is built to think of what’s coming next. Even as you walk, your brain is thinking of the next step you’re going to take. The only part of you that is focused on the present – the reality of the moment – is your body. Therefore, the best tool for managing stress is building a grounded relationship with your physical self. You do this one step at a time and at your own pace.

1) Take three full breaths (at least) 3 times a day – everyday. ‘Take a breath’ is a cliché for a reason. Deep, full breathing engages the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), which stimulates the body to release ‘relaxation hormones’ or the chemicals opposite to those released during a ‘stress response.’ Simply put: breathing – into the sides and back of your rib-cage – or taking a full breath – reduces the feelings and symptoms of stress.

Practice this before placing phone calls or speaking publicly. You will find that your voice is stronger and more confident. You may also find that you are able to think better on-the-go and get more done throughout your day.

2) Before checking your email: find your seat
In yoga (a common fallback for stress management) every pose ends with the word ‘asana’ or ‘seat’. Every physical pose in a yoga class relates to finding a calm, relaxed, flexible place within your body. Though rarely taught in this manner, the deeper wisdom of a physical yoga practice is building mental and emotional flexibility into every aspect of your work-life. Remember, ‘yoga’ refers to finding ‘union with yourself’; therefore, by integrating you into your e-mail practice, it feels less foreign, daunting, and alienating.

Before you fall down the rabbit hole that often accompanies opening your inbox, clear your mental to-do list by writing down (at least) 3 things you must get done in your day. Then take three breaths, feel your sitting bones on the seat of the chair, and exhale the apprehension of what awaits.

3) Balance Means Integrating Work and Life
Feeling ‘on’ all the time is another common factor of entrepreneurship and free-lancing. Integrating work and life does not reflect working all of the time. Quite the opposite, historically humans have worked and lived fluidly; it is only recently that we have divided the two. When you stay focused on where YOU are (in your body) and erase the hardline division between aspects of your life and time, it becomes easier to move from ‘work,’ to ‘parent,’ to ‘lover,’ to ‘me-time’. It’s when we compartmentalize different aspects of our lives that we feel as though the world is encroaching on our time. We feel torn and stressed-out because we are pushing against the natural flow of life (that includes work).

Last Note on Managing Stress:
No matter what method or technique you use to release tension, it should be:
1) Applicable: implemented easily, in the moment, and throughout the day
2) Affordable: cost-effective (in terms of money & time)
3) Logical: your choices must make sense to you – in your mind, body, and within the context of your lifestyle

*This piece was originally posted on the In Good Company blog.

Technology is taking the lid off of dance somewhat forcibly. The only way dance will thrive in this climate is by adapting, innovating, and meeting its audiences where they are. While the primacy of live dance performance is not in doubt, its scalability is. The relative popularity of television programs like “Dancing with the Stars” and entirely online dance spectacles like “The LXD” attests to a national interest in dance, which the contemporary dance community has been slow to address. The NEA study, Audience 2.0: How Technology Influences Arts Participation, reported that “over half of all U.S. adults (53 percent, or 118 million) participat[e] in the arts through electronic and digital media.” Therefore, we need to see dance in non-dance-focused tech-space: on Facebook, YouTube, monitors in the local mall, in the iTunes store, on Netflix, on airplanes, on hospital room TV screens, and in classrooms. In order to remain visible, the dance community must build new stages across multiple media platforms.

1. Audience expectations have changed. People are no longer as receptive to being talked at. Audiences want to have conversations. They expect a certain level of interaction and two-way communication. Audience expectations have changed. People are no longer as receptive to being talked at. Audiences want to have conversations. They expect a certain level of interaction and two-way communication. They want to be engaged and to see the results of being heard.

For a very long time we in the dance field have focused on “educating audiences” about dance, e.g., how to see, experience, and appreciate the art form. However, by actively listening to the needs of our communities we: 1) become trusted resources, 2) use our creative talents to fuse our vision with a collective desire, and 3) make our jobs easier—because we can spend time on sell-able programs. Sharing information of value, and generating solution-focused conversations are the currency of fruitful collaborations, and there is no easier way to join a conversation than through technology and social media.

2. Visibility of the individual dancer is on the rise. Points of public engagement and audience dialogue include, and are often driven by, individual company members, not PR and marketing associates. We are learning that by humanizing dance—telling the stories of dancers—we can engage new, younger, and more diverse groups of people. Trey McIntyre Project perfectly exemplifies this type of soft marketing. TMP company members are virtually present and followed by the public on platforms such as Twitter and Tumblr. This dynamic normalizes lives of dancers as they share experiences many people can relate to—getting engaged, having birthday celebrations, and eating food together. By providing common ground for the public, dancers are simultaneously cultivating points of engagement for current and future audiences.

3. Companies are being forced to innovate. In the IT world the mantra “Innovate or Die” has been circulating—and not without validation. Given the rise and popularity of new and social media, arts managers should note that this mantra applies to them as well. In a Fortune Magazine piece featuring the consulting firm Fahrenheit 212, the case was made for innovation:

“Faced with more frugal consumers and lacking the advertising dollars to court them, [the] companies [that] reevaluate their businesses and invest in one or two bold moves to make them stand out in the competitive landscape … [are often propelled] past their more conservative counterparts ….”

It is imperative to understand that these technological advancements are here to stay. While Facebook may not last forever, when it fades some other media platform will take its place. This is an exciting time—opportunities abound for true creativity and growth. Let’s continue this conversation—both through the comment box below and at the conference in July.

First published in the Dance USA’s e-journal, From the Green Room.

“American dance is a fugitive art, resistant to capture, elusive in definition, and difficult to quantify.” – Douglas C. Sonntag, Director of Dance for the NEA, 2003

Contemporary dance has an image problem. Its impermanence makes it difficult to critique, its apparent opacity makes it impossible to ‘sell,’ and the bureaucracy around dance production is resistant to innovation. Online crowd-sourced fundraising and audience engagement seems, to some, a natural tool for the dance community to ask its audiences for help, but in the face of overwhelming fear by much of the dance establishment to online exposure, precious few dance companies have successfully implemented online engagement and development plans.

Yet a new study released by the National Endowment for the Arts may ease tensions around electronic media and audience participation, and proves the necessity for wide-spread and consistent online audience engagement. The NEA report, Audience 2.0: How Technology Influences Arts Participation, persuasively makes the case that online arts engagement supports, extends, buffers, and diversifies real-life arts going audiences. While this seems obvious to many, it may be the proof that boards and administrators need to seriously contend with online and social media. Marc Kirschner, founder of Tendu TV wrote on the Dance/ USA blog,

“a general consensus throughout many dance company boards maintains that risk should be avoided, instead of managed. Progressive initiatives are stalled because decision-makers are unfamiliar, don’t understand, condescend toward or don’t even use the new technologies.”

This lack of understanding of online culture at the highest levels is a certain cause for dance’s lag in attendance behind other art forms. According to the 2008 NEA Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, a mere 7% of the US adult population participates in live dance performance, including ballet. That number increases to just 7.9% when those who participate through electronic media are included. The dance community must do a better job of entertaining and educating individuals through online engagement. While the primacy of live dance performance is not in doubt, its scalability is. Given artists’ diminishing access to performance venues, and declining ticket sales across the board, the relative popularity of television programs like “Dancing with the Stars” and entirely online dance spectacles like “The LXD” attests to a national interest in dance that the contemporary dance community has utterly failed to address. If people must see contemporary dance performance to appreciate it, given the hundreds of millions of individuals with known interest in dance, online audience engagement is arguably a more effective medium for dance than the proscenium stage.

In a recent Time Out New York interview, dancer / choreographer Savion Glover pointed to kids texting in dance class as evidence of technology “seeping into the arts.” From the teachers’ standpoint, this can be frustrating, but as artists and community organizers, we are missing an incredibly opportunity if we do not allow time, space, and exploration of this technologic platform to develop. With over half of all U.S. adults (53%, or 118 million) participating in the arts through electronic and digital media, we are more than missing the party if we continue to maintain our distance.

Contemporary dance was born of a want to break free of the constraints of aristocratic balletic form. Free movement, modern psychology, and social commentary shaped the art from its infancy, and technology is its next frontier. Ballet did not fade with the advent of contemporary dance- its existence has arguably been prolonged by the hands of contemporary movers. Likewise, live dance performance will not be obsoleted by the next evolution of technology driven, influenced, and inclusive dance presentation. If anything, it will survive because of it.

First published in the Huffington Post.