Stepping Into CYBERSPACE: The Art of Finding DANCE JOBS ONLINE

Dance Magazine, Feb, 2001 by Darrah Carr

The Internet has recently drawn the dance community into its Web, offering the potential to change the way dancers build their careers: auditioning, being seen by professionals and getting cast.

Thanks to several innovative Web sites, dancers may now develop a comprehensive online portfolio featuring text, images, audio and video that can be used to network directly with industry professionals.

The dominant site--the biggest and best organized, and the one with the most features--offering this service is www.IAM.com, a home base for dancers, singers, actors and musicians. A starting package of the site's services costs $29.95 annually and includes the online posting of two photographs, an audio sample of up to five minutes, a bio, resume, vital statistics and contact information. Pro Membership, which costs $149.95 per year, includes all of the above, in addition to ten photographs and a video of up to five minutes. With this program, you can develop as broad a portfolio as possible, demonstrating your skills through photographic stills and recorded movement in several styles ranging from tap to hip-hop to ballet to ethnic.

My portfolio, for example, includes not only a standard head shot but also images of my performance in modern dance and Irish step dance and group shots of my choreography. My video clips show the same range of skills, so I feel well represented in each area. It is important to present yourself as broadly as possible, because viewers respond to different aspects of your portfolio. I realized this shortly after receiving one lead for Irish dance work and another phone call from someone interested in financially supporting my modern dance choreography. Furthermore, the text files of my portfolio include a 250-word bio, a resume (there is no limit to the permitted length), and a detailed vital stats page listing my strengths, special interests and areas of expertise. If you want to update your resume or portfolio with a new home address or your latest career coup, you can do so from your home computer, at no charge, as many times as you want. The specificity of the vital stats page enables casting agents to search for exactly the type of performer they need, saving both them and you the time and energy of exploring roles that would not be a good fit. A potential employer can search performers' postings for relevant key words (such as "Irish dance," in my case) and then email performers directly through their online postings.

The most attractive feature of IAM.com (especially for people who aren't terribly computer literate) is how easy it is to compile a portfolio. After you submit a membership request, IAM.com sends you, via snail mail, a welcome kit with a small booklet that guides you through the submission process, which essentially involves sending 8-by-10-inch photographs, a VHS videocassette or DVD, a CD or a cassette tape, all in a stamped return envelope that the company provides. IAM.com promises that submissions will be posted within seven to ten days; in my case, it kept that promise.

It's important to remember, however, that IAM.com does not represent or manage talent. It is simply a service that enables you, or your own agent, to develop a portfolio that will attract industry professionals who use the site to search for talent. At the same time, IAM.com does not take a commission from any work you may receive via your portfolio. The amount of work you get, like most things in the entertainment business, depends on timing, a little luck and the quality of your materials. There are instant success stories, like that of Joel "Teknyc" Martinez, who landed a music video with Whitney Houston and Enrique Iglesias after casting agents in L.A. saw his footage and bio online, or that of Shalene Eve, who was signed by Ryan Artists after an agent saw her portfolio. Other clients have found that their portfolio has given them access to a greater number of auditions. Take James "Nytecrawla" Campbell, for example. His portfolio resulted in several calls for upcoming auditions for a Las Vegas show and an R & B concert tour. As he said, "Pretty cool breaks--now I'm just being patient until everything comes through."

Even if you don't get an instant break, the site does increase your exposure and gives you a presence on the Web. Dancer Kim Craven, a writer for the site, described the online portfolio as "an electronic calling card" and pointed out that when you meet potential contacts, you can tell them to log on to the Web site to find further information about you. As Martinez said, "This site puts you ten steps ahead of the game. It's powerful. Casting directors can hear you speak, see you, read about you, sometimes before they even meet you. Then when they do meet you, it's like they already know you. It makes the whole process much more comfortable and familiar." Marguerite Derricks, an Emmy Award-winning choreographer, says, "I am excited about my affiliation with IAM.com and look forward to their search engine as a tool for casting dancers on my projects."