9.12: Conclusion- A Pedagogy of Productivity

College dance education should adopt a pedagogy of productivity. Dance can be a career that is intrinsically fulfilling to the dancers who take the leap. But being a dance major can also be extrinsically productive to maintain one’s life economically and serve in contributory citizenship (Morgan, 2019). Dance is multi-faceted and if a dancer can comprehend the four areas of competence with dance as a creative act, they should also be guided in cultivating entrepreneurial competence and leadership skills. Dance in the 21st century asks dancers to seek a career beyond the stage, and to be nimble. Having the ability to create choreography and produce a show multiplies a dancer’s skillset making them more marketable, confident, humble, and empowered to support their own life in the dance milieux.

The identification and alignment of a dancer’s interests as a future dance professional should not only be for stage performance, but should include capabilities in alternative role(s) that could be fulfilling. For example, a choreographer would be able to diagram their work using methods that track their choreographic process from inspiration to bona fide intellectual property.

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