Today we are excited to have Kathy Dunn Hamrick, Artistic Director of the Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company in Austin, Texas, share her experience and ideas with choreographers building their own companies. When asked to pick a topic for the post, Kathy selected the subject of the audience.

Dear Choreographer,

If you have, or are starting, a modern dance company, I already know you are passionate about your work. I already know you are willing to tackle the perpetual lack of funding and the ever-crushing workload of running a dance company in order to make your dances your way. This makes me very happy.

Unfortunately, even talent and a strong work ethic are not enough to guarantee success. I’ve seen many dance companies led by gifted, passionate choreographers close, not because the work wasn’t brilliant, but because not enough attention was paid to audiences.

How we extend our artistic work beyond the stage and to an audience member – both real and potential – is crucial, and yet I’m still surprised by the lack of attention paid to cultivating this relationship. As an audience member myself, I’ve pretty much had it with lack of information, poor sight lines, ill-prepared front of house staff and sloppy production values. 

I think my own dance company would have collapsed long ago had we not focused on the audience experience. We look at everything we do from the perspective of an outsider, and then we try to figure out what will make that person feel respected and appreciated and what will make that person’s experience valuable and meaningful.

So, that’s more work for you, right? Just what you need! Except the cool thing is that as you start looking at your dance events from the outside, you’ll find new and interesting ways to talk about and market your dance company. As you search for those choreographic moments and ideas that will connect you to your audience, your work will become clearer and more substantive.

That’s a win for everyone.

Here are a few questions you might ask yourself before your next show:

• Do people know how to get to your performance venue, including location, directions, transportation options and parking?
• Are your guests greeted at the door, thanked and directed to the box office, theater, or wherever?
• Can your audience see all of your work, or is their experience diminished by poor seating arrangements or obstructed sight lines?
• Do you ask your audience members how they found out about your performance?
• Can you share something about your creative process, thematic material or imagery with your audience before the show?
• Can you talk about why you made the work and what you discovered along the way?
• Do your audience members have an opportunity to comment on their experience?
• Can you personally follow up with a few people who attended your show and ask them some of the questions above? Let them know you are trying to make their experience more positive, more worthwhile and more meaningful. Let them know their candid responses will help you do that.

Sincerely,

Kathy

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