Throughout 2018, we are reading, researching, and sharing about 12 different websites/platforms for writing on dance and dance criticism.

For the month of January, I will spend time each week on the Dance Tabs website.

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My prior experience/knowledge of the site:

I have read reviews over the years, mainly when they pop up through my Bloglovin feed. (Bloglovin is a beautifully designed site for people who enjoy regularly reading blog posts…..it captures all of the blogs you choose to select….Bloglovin reads like the NY Times website – with an image, title, and a few sentences for each piece as a preview.)

I personally view Dance Tabs as having a heavy focus on ballet, versus modern dance. I know I have looked at two reviews in recent months of 2 Bay Area performances (Paufve Dance and Nol Simonse/Christy Funsch).

First impressions:

• Clear homepage; simple design
• I like the categories: Galleries, Reviews, Interviews, and Features
• Delineation of which regions of the world the site mainly writes about: Boston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, and Washington
• When going to the "About" page, I appreciated gaining a bit of history  and viewpoint, and also reading how this site morphed from the original Balletco site/magazine.
• A bit unclear to me how to pitch an article or a performance to possibly get reviewed. (I personally know two of the Bay Area writers, so will ask them this week….)

My wonderings over the next month:

How many posts will be shared each week? One? Two? 

What is its Twitter feed like?

What is its presence on Facebook?

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Reading Dance Tabs throughout January 2018:

January 12th: On the site….seeing 4 posts since January 1st. All ballet….looks good, but not my top area of reading interest these days…I pass and not click through.

January 20th: Viewing the site….a new ballet post. Where is contemporary dance?

January 23th: Checking out the site – several new reviews, photos in the gallery. London focused, SF Bay Area focused. Read Heather Desaulniers' review of the SF Movement Arts Festival. Enjoyed reading the piece, but was surprised that there is a star system in reviews (0-5 stars); this festival received 3 stars. 

January 29th: Several new reviews of ballet performances. I do spot a review of the SF modern dance performance of EAMES (Kristin Damrow & Company). I read and enjoy this review….I did get to personally experience the show as well opening night.

 

Final thoughts: 

As with most dance websites and venues for dance criticism/review/reflection….I appreciate and value that the site exists. Whoever out there who is funding it, editing the work, and maintaining the site – thank you. 

However, Dance Tabs just does not have enough content to drive me to the site on a weekly basis for reading up on dance. Most of my reading on the site will continue to come through links and "click throughs" when I see something posted on Facebook or through the site Bloglovin. 

I wonder – how do most readers find out when a new post is on the site? What is the readership size these days? Does artsjournal.com frequently repost pieces?

Considering Dance Tabs from a SF Bay area lens, I am appreciative that two thoughtful, caring writers are working for Dance Tabs right now – Claudia Bauer and Heather Desaulniers. We need their voices, their writing, and their mirrors back to us post-performance. Thank you for representing the good work going on in the Bay Area – of a variety of dance forms – through your writing on Dance Tabs. Here's to more dance criticism, reviews, and reflection throughout 2018!

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Please add to this conversation! If you have experience with Dance Tabs, please write a comment below. Thank you.

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