Career counseling promotes self-evaluation and discovery that leads to future success. Counseling also encourages dancers to celebrate their achievements, an important part of the transition process that's at the very heart of our mission.

We provide both individual and group counseling services free of charge to our dancer-clients across the country.

Individual counseling: Dialogue at the personal level
We know that dancers come from all different styles and backgrounds, and have unique interests and goals. Our individualized career counseling enables the organization to address these interests by providing emotional and practical guidance that recognize transition as an individual process. Services are offered on an open-ended, as-needed basis to fit each dancer in making his/her transition.

A sample of the services offered in individual counseling sessions include:

  • exercises to assess an individual's abilities, skills, values and interests
  • help with identifying and examining career options
  • creating an effective plan to pursue a given career path
  • assistance with identifying undergraduate or graduate degree programs and/or specialized certification programs
  • help in locating additional funding sources for education and retraining
  • techniques for networking within a chosen field
  • assistance with resume preparation and job search methods
  • assistance with cover letter text and presentation
  • help with initial approach for specific job openings
  • employment interview strategies
  • negotiating for responsibilities and compensation in a new job
  • discussing the emotional aspects of a dancer's career development

To set up a career counseling session, please call us at 212 764 0172 in New York, 323 549 6660 in Los Angeles or 312 666 0234 in Chicago. Contact us now from within our site or send an email to info@careertransition.org.

CareerLine: Individual counseling across the nation
Our nationwide toll-free hotline recognizes both the geographic distribution as well as the rigorous touring schedules of dancers nationwide. Whether making initial contact or continuing from a previous session, dancers across the country have the ability to connect with our counselors. To set up a career counseling session, please call us in New York at 212 764 0172, in Los Angeles at 323 549 6660, or in Chicago at 312 666 0234. Contact us directly from our site or email info@careertransition.org.

CareerLine is sponsored by the Nora Kaye-Herbert Ross Foundation, the Silbert Family Foundation, and Cynthia Fischer.

Career Conversations: Introducing dancers to options >
Hosted in New York City and Los Angeles, Career Conversations are seminars that broaden dancers' knowledge of the vast array of career paths, opportunities, and resources available during their transition process. All sessions include an open discussion that involve a panel of experts and former dancer-clients that share a rich knowledge of the subject matter.

Past Career Conversation topics have included how to start your own business, what you need to know before returning to school, and how to balance your personal life and work schedule. Seminars always include a question and answer session to address issues unique to attending dancers. Career Conversations are free and open to all dancers.

Career Conversations Videos are available for viewing directly from our site. You can also subscribe to our video podcast with iTunes, and share video links with friends. Check the Workshops and Career Events for upcoming Conversations.

Focus and support groups: Working together to achieve success
Counseling groups allow dancers to gather with their peers in a positive and stress-free environment. Purposely small in size, dancers are aided by one of the organization's counselors and a consultant who provide dancers with invaluable personal enrichment and career development.

We have two groups that meet monthly to address specific needs:

Our Business Group provides dancers in New York with practical business information and also allows them to network with other entrepreneurs and business people.

Meetings are held from 6:30 - 8:00pm.

Our Diamond Group allows mature dancers in New York to meet and discuss common concerns that relate to career development, finances, health, work-related skills, and other aspects of their professional lives.

Meetings are held from 11:00am - 1:00pm.

Meeting times and dates for groups may vary. To get more information about our meetings join our Facebook Fanpage or email:

Dana Lutt
groups@careertransition.org
New York City

Joanne DiVito
groups-la@careertransition.org
Los Angeles