New Steps: EU’s first steps towards career transition support for dancers

New Steps is a 36-month project focused on supporting European dancers by equipping them with educational tools, career development opportunities, and networking activities to address the critical issue of career transition. Dancers face unique challenges when leaving performance due to the physical demands of their profession, which ties their career longevity directly to their bodies. This makes their transition more abrupt and precarious than for most other artists. The project aims to support dance institutions across the EU in developing structured pathways to help dancers navigate this fragile phase.

To achieve this, the consortium introduces the concept of “dual career pathways” from the sports sector into the cultural domain. This approach enables cultural institutions to provide education and capacity-building programs that prepare dancers for alternative roles beyond the stage. By doing so, the project helps dancers apply their existing human capital in related cultural and creative industries (CCIs), contributing to sectoral growth and reducing unemployment and welfare dependency among retired performers.

The project includes EU-level research to address the current lack of data on dancers’ career transitions. Based on this research, the first EU e-learning course on dance sector economy and management – co-created by universities, dance institutions, and educational centers – will be developed. This course will serve as a long-term capacity-building tool for institutions and dancers alike. Finally, New Steps will host networking events, conferences, and meetings, connecting all stakeholders across the dance supply chain to raise awareness and foster collaborations. The aim is to facilitate dancers’ integration into cultural management roles and to strengthen strategic capacities within the sector.

[Vir: portal F&TOP]

Plesno, športno, umetniško in kulturno društvo Mimi

(Partner) Ljubljana

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