Ethics in Professional Dance

I mentioned on a previous post that to understand ethics in your workplace is important in keeping one’s dignity. One of the articles I referred to also mentions that ethics are necessary because dancing is not just a hobby for professionals but their career, and pretty much their life. They should ‘consider moral values and duties relevant to dance, as a representative of that profession.’

In keeping your own status, it is just as important to keep your status as a dancer a professional, and a company member.

Relating to my own inquiry, I believe having a good ethical conduct, good moral values will add to enhancing the enjoyment and success of a dancer’s career. It can in turn help them grow, and to keep going strong! 

What I thought of as ‘ethics’ in the work place were just the outlined pointers of what should and shouldn’t be done- respecting authority, how to behave in the studio, rehearsals and shows, how to look and care for yourself. These guidelines are known through experience, and become common sense to dancers.

When researching I was able to pick out these pointers, however there is a lot more reason to just a few

‘guidelines.’

Holding your own values, and respecting an employer’s or employee’s morals is regarded as ethical. For example, respecting value of freedom enables its use to others artists, and allows freedom of expression. This brings creativity into the picture, and dance relies heavily on creativity to keep moving forward.

‘Like an artist, a dancer should be a champion of freedom, which entails an openness to plurality of beliefs, worldviews, perspectives, ideals, preferences, and needs.’ ( Malitowska, A.)

Therefore respecting each other’s values is an important ethical conduct to follow in the dance world.

Other main ethical principles that came up were:

·      Professionalism- respect the dance profession

·      Autonomy- respect for the clients (dancer) to be self-governing

·      Beneficiary- promoting well-being of the dancer

·      Non-maleficence- avoiding harm

·      Moral Qualities- respect, empathy, competence and integrity

·      Responsibility- respect policies, rules and regulations

http://www.ethicsdance.co.uk/resources/downloads/ethics-in-dance---a-debate-yet-to-be-held.pdf

http://www.radcanada.org/studiodirectory/codeofethics.htm

http://xtremedancenc.com/studio-policies/

Described as ‘dancer’s duties’:

·      Professional requirements- improve one’s competence, care for their image as a professional, a good representative

·      Respect- other professionals, including their values of freedom

·      Support each other in realization of their goals as dancers work as a team in many ways… especially the corps de ballet!

·      Responsible to fair play- friendly competition and perfectionism (improving one’s self).

http://www.dancearchives.net/2012/08/13/anna-malitowska-dancers-professional-ethics/

One of my main sources of information, highlights the issues of ethics in dance where every decision of a dancer’s life is in a way morally evaluated therefore considered from an ethical point of view. Thus exploitation can take place with the demands of the industry and from societies perspectives- e.g keeping very slim, harsh training hours and trying to find an overall balance.

This really shows how important ethics are in the professional dance world, and in any work place. Directors, teachers, choreographers, as well as dancers work as one unit to keep the dance industry going. It makes so much sense to be aware of the basic ethics, to respect each other’s values.