Why New York is a Good Place for Dancers

Of all the reasons to love New York, the vibrancy and cultural relevance of the performing arts is one that all of us, especially dancers, hold dear. We cherish the opportunity to work in such a place, a place that is the pinnacle of artistic creation and dance in the United States. After spending so much time away from the city after the end of the season, and returning for a brief few weeks, I discovered a new appreciation for how life in New York uniquely contributes to the life of a dancer. In New York you're surrounded by movement, by sound, and by art. It is a catalyst stick and immensely gratifying atmosphere for an artist.

Every day I am inspired simply by my commute, the movement of the trains and the poetic music of the wheels on the tracks. My favorite train ride is the one on the Q train, from Dekalb Avenue in Brooklyn to Canal Street in Manhattan. The train goes over the Manhattan Bridge, with a pulsing and ever-changing view of the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan. 

Here is a video I created to capture this feeling:



 

Even when getting by on a dancer's wage in one of the most expensive cities in the United States, living here as a dancer is much more than bearable. Not only can we rely on incredible organizations like Career Transition for Dancers or the vast dance community here in the city, but we may also count on a much more important and stable resource: the fact that we are surrounded constantly by movement and sound, things that drive us as artists and creators of dance.