The New Jersey Dance Needs Assessment Project 2005

Produced By: Research Center for Arts and Culture, 2005, New York, New York

Funding Agencies/Sponsors:

• The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
• The New Jersey State Council on the Arts

Author: Jeffri, Joan  (Research Center for Arts and Culture)

Contributor: Dance New Jersey  (Dance New Jersey)   --  Initiator

Abstract (CPANDA): The purpose of the study was to develop a comprehensive profile of New Jersey’s dance workforce and to better understand the most critical needs confronting dance community. The dance community members were defined as the dancers and workers involved in dance, and included individual choreographers, performers, folk and traditional artists as well as administrators and educators, managers, dancers, costumers, and designers throughout the state of New Jersey.

Methodology (CPANDA) : A total of 992 individuals were identified as dancers or dance workers in New Jersey. The list included 363 dance workers, 126 dancers, and 503 individuals who did not identify either dance workers or dancers. The lack of identification is because those individuals play multiple roles in dancing, teaching, managing and producing dance. Seventy seven percent of the individuals identified for the study lived in north and central New Jersey, and 23 percent lived in south Jersey. North is more active in dance because of its proximity to New York, and the geographic distribution of the respondents reflects that of dance activities in New Jersey. Paper survey was mailed to the identified individuals. RCAC had difficulties in identifying the addresses of the names they acquired through dance organizations, and 98 surveys were returned for bad addresses. To reach non-English speaking individuals, cover letter included a phone number for assistance in filling out the questionnaire in Spanish, Chinese, and Italian. A total of 170 responses were returned with a response rate of 17 percent.