The aDvANCE Project: A Study of Career Transition for Professional Dancers [2003]

The aDvANCE Project [Australia] contacted the entire known population of current and former professional dancers in Australia with a mailed questionnaire and reply-paid envelope. Questionnaires were mailed to a total of 1,412 current and former dancers. For privacy reasons, 343 questionnaires were sent directly by the Australia Council and 90 were sent directly by the Australian Ballet with an explanatory letter indicating that the completed survey should be returned in the pre-paid envelope to Macquarie University. The researchers received 251 usable returns, a 17 percent response rate. Of the respondents, 35 percent are current dancers and 65 percent are former dancers. The survey was conducted during 2003. The aDvANCE Project [Switzerland] attempted to locate and contact the entire population of current and former professional dancers in Switzerland. Dancers from subsidized state theater companies were interviewed in person, and independent dancers were mailed questionnaires. The questionnaire was offered in German, French, and English. Thirteen of the completed questionnaires were invalidated for one or more of the following reasons: (a) it was clear that the person was not and had never been a professional dancer, (b) the person changed the wording of questions, or (c) the person answered the questions for both current dancers and former dancers. The researchers received 356 usable surveys. Of the completed questionnaires, 219 were in German, 89 were in French, and 60 were in English. Of the respondents, 203 are current dancers and 153 are former dancers. The survey was conducted during 2003. The aDvANCE Project [United States] consisted of 220 dancers, drawn randomly from a list of dancers in the United States compiled through a collection of organizational sources. The sample of dancers included 49 current dancers and 171 former dancers. The survey was conducted by mail during 2003.