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 212 764 0172 or email us at 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 an initial contact or continuing from a previous session, dancers across the country have the ability to connect with our counselors and access this unique program. Please contact us at 212 764 0172 to set up a CareerLine session or email us at 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
Career Conversations are a series of seminars designed to introduce dancers to a variety of career options and to elaborate on key topics to help with their development. Offered in New York City and Los Angeles, Career Conversations broaden dancers' knowledge of the vast array of career paths, opportunities, and resources available in their transition process. All sessions include a discussion component involving a panel of experts and former dancer-clients who have a profound 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, or how to balance your personal life and work schedule. Seminars always include a question & answer session so dancers can address issues unique to their own needs. Career Conversations are free and open to all dancers.

Keep up to date with Career Conversations seminars in New York and Los Angeles by checking the schedule of events.

Focus and support groups: Working together to achieve
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 four groups that 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.

Our Midcareer Moves group helps dancers in New York with issues affecting professional and personal change. Dancers gather to exchange information, ideas, and resources, in order to develop and implement action plans for the future.

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.

Similar to the Diamond Group, our Dancers For Dancers group helps mature dancers in Los Angeles address aspects of their work regarding retirement, healthcare and financial planning.

All groups meet monthly in New York City and Los Angeles. For more information on our groups, please contact:

Dana Harrison
groups@careertransition.org
New York City

Joanne DiVito
groups-la@careertransition.org
Los Angeles