November 29, 2005

Part I of IV: Building a Profitable Dance Economy

In this post (which consists of four parts) I offer my gameplan for how dancers and choreographers can make more money by first creating a universal dance notation language.

I realize that making a connection between notating a dance piece (think of writing out a music score but doing it for dance movement instead) and making more money for dancers may sound like a strange connection. But I encourage you to read on. There definitely is a connection and one that will help grow the dance economy in unprecedented ways.

Here’s the quick summary of my gameplan:

1) The dance industry creates a universal, easy-to-use dance notation language that all dancers and choreographers will use to notate and preserve almost all of their dance works.

2) Since a large percentage of dancers will be ready to use this new dance notation language, software developers will have an economic incentive to create and sell software programs that save dance choreography in this new notation language.

3) Dancers and choreographers will want an additional faster means of notating dance works that does not require use of a software program. Because of the burgeoning market for notation services, motion-tracking-based dance notation bureaus will spring-up in cities and towns around the world to record dance performances and convert them into 3D computer-based renderings. (Think of a recording studio but for dance performances). These sequences of wireframe images can then be output automatically into the new dance notation language.

4) Dancers and choreographers in large numbers will now submit copyright applications of their dance works. These applications will consist of a printed and digital version of the choreography in the new notation language along with a complete digital video version of the dance performance. Now all submitted dance works will be in the same identical dance notation format, which means that they can be searched and compared for the first time.

5) Before detailing how the dance economy will explode as a result of taking the above steps, legal issues relating to the protection of intellectual property rights for dancers, and the recommendation of guidelines for the optimal way of licensing this intellectual property must be considered.

6) As a result of the existence of a large library of notated and protected dance works supplemented with digital video of these performances, private companies will have a huge incentive to create revenue-generating online services and distribution channels that will enable dancers and choreographers to make money through licensing, sales, performances and classes on an unprecedented level.

Previous Post Recaps

The four parts of today's post are a continuation of two posts that I wrote a couple of weeks ago. Here are links to these earlier posts with brief descriptions of each:

In Part I (November 10, 2005), “Dance Insider Calls for New Management for Dance Notation Bureau,” I wrote about Dance Insider Publisher and Editor Paul Ben-Itzak’s call for new management for the Dance Notation Bureau (DNB). Then I share my premise which is that the DNB should not just get new management but they should change their focus and direction to ensure the vitality and profitability of the dance world.

In Part II (November 10, 2005), "Dance Notation and Why Dance Pieces are not Documented," I point out that the Labanotation dance notation system used by DNB to document and preserve dance works has only limited value since almost nobody uses it and it is too difficult to master. Then I compare Labanotation with our music notation system which is easy to use and master, has no competition from other forms of writing musical scores, and is universally used by amateurs and professionals alike. I conclude by saying that a successful dance notation must have the same positive qualities as our standard music notation system if it is to be embraced on a large scale.

Today's Post

In this article, I want to layout the steps that an entity such as the Dance Notation Bureau (DNB) or its replacement should take in order to strengthen the dance community and help dancers and choreographers make more money.

Starting Premises

I’d like to first recommend a few starting points:

1) The only way that the DNB can preserve the great works of dance is by ensuring that all works of dance can be preserved. Refer back to what I said about music notation. The masterpieces of classic music are widely accessible because all music can be documented. If the works of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven were preserved in an obscure music notation system, then none of their works would be played today except in very rare cases and only for very small elite audiences.

2) The fact that you have to be a highly trained dance notator to record a dance piece means that the dance notation system being used is too difficult. For 99% of dance works, it should not be difficult for a choreographer or dancer to notate the piece - and to do it in a reasonable amount of time.

3) The DNB must be commercially-minded. If the DNB continues to use an obscure notation system to notate a limited number of works, funding organizations will never provide the needed financial infusion.

(This post consists of 4 parts: This is part I. Link to remaining sections: Part II, Part III and Part IV)

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