Embracing a precarious life : A study on the instabilities of the life of an independent dance artist

Abstract: The research question that motivates this study is: how might I, together with a collective of dance artists, explore stability while embracing instability? Looking at the precarious lives of independent dance artists in the context of Europe, this research seeks ways to understand and cope with the various unstable aspects that come with this lifestyle and profession. I place this study in relation to current economic trends where the individual is increasingly in focus, with very few social security rights, and where the dancer is often faced with solitary living and working situations. Furthermore, today’s dancers are often no longer working for a single choreographer, nor solely working as a dancer – but are rather entering many different projects and roles, arguably contributing to a life constantly subject to change. In this research, together with a group of dance artists, I explore understandings of instability and stability, and furthermore investigate how collective action might reinforce senses of stability. I, as the researcher, have applied a performative, practice-led research methodology, along with support from post-humanist/feminist theories. The findings of this research demonstrate how instability can be viewed as a state of not knowing within the precarious life of a dance artist but also within creative processes, and that trust is important in order to cope with the unknown. The findings have further led me to discuss the complexity and entangling of stability and instability, unfolding in a joint phrasing of in/stability, where I discuss how the fluid practice of dance not only corresponds with the wider socio-political landscape but also to an ever-changing world.  Keywords: independent dance artist; precariat; collective; leadership; collaboration; diffractive analysis