DANCING AT ANY AGE

HOW many professional dancers do you know who are over 35?

The career span of a dancer is notoriously short, with the majority retiring in their thirties. We’re all familiar with the reasons for this. Most commonly, the physical demands of the artform wear the body down. Family can be another factor – the schedule of a dancer isn’t exactly conducive to parenting, with evening and weekend shows, and time away from home for those lucky enough to tour.

But the small number of dancers working over age 40 isn’t solely the result of physical limitations or practicalities. It’s also about the perception that the art-form is best suited to younger bodies. Often there is pressure on dancers to make the move into teaching, choreography … or indeed, into a different profession altogether.

But should older dancers be heard and not seen?

Back in 2000, I had the opportunity to see Netherlands Dance Theatre’s main company, as well as their company for dancers over 40, the now defunct NDT