Circles are groups or committees of DANC members working collectively on a specific goal. Circles are intended to be continuously ongoing, while focus groups are for short-term projects. If you would like to join a circle or focus group, reach out via the emails below. If you’d like to work on a project that isn’t listed below, we invite you to create your own circle or focus group. Send your idea to us at freelancedanceartists@gmail.com (or mention it in a DANC meeting) and we’ll help you get started.
Active Circles
Envisioning Circle
DANC’s Envisioning Circle is a fluid group made up of BIPOC and disabled+ DANC members who propose directives, priorities, and ideas, that guide the work of DANC at large. Envisioning activity is led by two Envisioning Coordinators, who serve on DANC’s Leadership Committee.
To join this circle or learn more about its work, email bipoc.disabled.danc@gmail.com and a volunteer will reply.
Communications Circle
This circle is focused on all things social media, newsletter, and any external-facing communications.
To join this group, learn more about its work, or for any questions, feedback, and contributions, email socials.DANC@gmail.com and a volunteer in this circle will reply.
Funding Circle
This circle seeks to understand the various sources and modes of funding that might be available to DANC — knowing that a system of unpaid labor privileges those who have free time to volunteer. The group will also make recommendations on what legal structure DANC might need to take in order to be eligible for outside support such as grants, and will consider DANC’s past and current and income expenses.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email funding.DANC@gmail.com and a volunteer will reply.
Advocacy Circle
This circle works to create opportunities for DANC members to engage in ongoing education, leverage DANC’s community for political action, and to build alliances across the labor movement.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email advocacy.DANC@gmail.com and a volunteer will reply.
International Dancers Circle
This circle provides a place for international dance workers to discuss their unique needs and challenges, particularly in the context of a hostile immigration system, and for citizen dance workers to ally themselves.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email internationaldancers.DANC@gmail.com and a volunteer in this circle will reply.
Letter of Agreement Circle
This circle is working on a letter of agreement template and a negotiation toolkit for freelance dancers. The construction of these documents began collectively, through satellite focus groups of DANC members to address wages, benefits, working conditions, equity, and negotiation.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email letterofagreement.DANC@gmail.com and a volunteer in this circle will reply.
Membership Circle
This circle is focused on building DANC’s membership and facilitating meaningful participation in DANC’s organizing work. Projects for this circle may include developing recruitment videos and organizing events aimed at inspiring dancers to join our collective efforts. This group meets monthly over zoom, and/or members can engage in asynchronous work outside of meetings as they are available.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email membership.DANC@gmail.com and the Membership Coordinator will reply.
Dormant Circles
DANC has huge dreams and innumerable goals for the future of the dance field. But we’re a collective run primarily on volunteer power, and we seem to always have more on our plate than we can handle. We have a number of projects that have been started but not completed. We also have several unstarted projects that we want to see happen. Below is a list of circles that are currently inactive, but could be reactivated at any time by you! Email freelancedanceartists@gmail.com or the email addresses listed below to express your interest in reviving any of these projects.
Internal Structure Circle
This circle is focused on reimagining and evolving DANC’s structure of leadership & representation as well as its manner of meeting. Areas of inquiry include elections and other voting occasions, building racial and geographic equity, ensuring accessibility, and decentralizing power.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email internalstructure.DANC@gmail.comand a volunteer in this circle will reply.
Outreach Circle
This circle is especially focused on making connections with educational and training institutions, in order to reach dancers who have yet to enter the workforce.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email connecting.DANC@gmail.com and a volunteer will reply.
Unionization Research Focus Group
This short-term research-based focus group will work to understand the practical and legal feasibility of a union for freelance dancers, looking at the National Labor Relations Act, past efforts to unionize freelance cultural workers, and other models of collective organizing and action both within the United States and outside of it.
To join this group or learn more about its work, email unionresearch.DANC@gmail.com and a volunteer will reply.