We are all pretty well aware of and have probably experienced stereotyping of careers, mainly if you go ahead with being an engineer, a doctor or a lawyer, you are considered to be on the right track. However, this generation is much more open minded... comparatively, but not completely. We often look for career options that have a promising future but if one is not interested in that particular field, how profitable is his/her career? Choosing a career based on your interests and potential would probably be more suitable. But it's easier said than done. In today's world, such professions are not well discovered, and there aren't any paths one can follow blindly.
Yet, we are very well aware of artists who have reached heights by following their passions and dreams. Even after being aware of all the struggles, why are artists asked about what they "really" do when they mention art as their career? Why is it that we still consider engineering, medicine and law only as "serious" and full time careers?
They sweat like others, they work hard like others, they manage expenses and pay bills like others, they learn new skills and gain experience just like any other career, then why is there still a state of mind that art is only a hobby and can't be made into the main goal of life?
Taking dance as a career for example, no matter how much the person is passionate about dance, it still requires the most of an individual's blood, sweat and tears. All professions have ups and downs throughout. Still, dance as a profession is acknowledged as something 'fun', even if it might be fun, it is often confused with being 'easy'. If one decides to follow the performing or choreography route, they need to be aware that the competition in the industry for work is fierce and success depends on talent, experience, contacts, determination and the most elusive factor of all – luck. Luck is what makes such professions seem like a toss of a coin, either reaching the heights or losing everything.
"Dance is just as nuanced and specialized as any PhD program in the sciences,"
says dancer, choreographer and teacher Eleanor Barisser. I used this as an instance because to most people, it will be very triggering. But how can one showcase the efforts and the time put behind a performance that an audience may perceive as fun, easy, effortless and natural? It’s not an easy route and demands a lot of time getting one's name out there and finding ways of funding the development of dance work whilst finding platforms for it.
Most people consider talent and passion to be something that people are born with and that it does not require any extra efforts put in to enhance it. Just because we are not schooled for these professions does not mean that they do not deserve credit, respect and recognition in the society, in fact, this is where artists struggle the most. They struggle to be seen as pursuing art as a career and not as an inborn hobby. A profession in the arts requires way more dedication and efforts than mainstream careers because being an artist is not a profession for the faint of heart or uncommitted. One thing almost all of the art related careers have in common is that they do not follow particular pathways, everyone’s route into their career is a story in itself.
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