Writing for dance magazines
It’s hard to remember a time when dance was as popular as it is now. Programmes such as ‘Dancing on Ice’, ‘Britain’s got talent’ and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ have all made a huge impression on society at large. The number of people attending dance classes has increased, the number of men becoming more involved in the art of dance has increased, and the number of aerobics classes and keep fit videos that now incorporate some form of dance have also grown in number. It isn’t surprising then that there has been a corresponding increase in the demand for written material on dance. Internet sites that contain information on dance have started to become more popular as our general demand for information, tips and advice on dancing have increased. In the same way, there is a greater demand for informative articles on dance, and these are usually found in the now hugely popular dance publications and magazines.
So, if you are a freelance writer who has a keen interest in dance, writing articles for a dance publication may offer a great opportunity for you to see your name in print and to earn some extra cash. The first thing you need to know however, is what magazines should you be pitching your article ideas at.
The top 3 dance magazine titles are; ‘Dancing Times’, ‘Ballet.co’, and ‘Dance Dynamic’. Each of these publications welcome freelance ideas, but they all put their own separate emphases on different elements of dance. ‘Dancing Times’ for example looks to encourage high standards of teaching and awareness of dance history, and advocates the importance of teaching dance in general secondary education. ‘Ballet.co’ on the other hand does focus on Ballet, but has a wide coverage of other areas of dance too. It focuses on making Ballet more accessible to everyone, and has a dedicated section that looks at Ballet’s legends of the past. Finally, ‘Dance Dynamic’ is young and fresh, with vibrant article titles and information that covers every possible element and type of dance.
Now that you know which titles to write for, the next important step is in understanding what these publications actually want articles on. It appears that currently the publications are looking for:
-Reviews of dance productions and shows
-News stories that will help push dance into the national spotlight
-Ideas that explore new developments in the dance world. This could cover fashion, technique or revivals of older dance forms
And finally, it is important to know the audience for which your article is to be aimed at. Having this important piece of knowledge can ensure that the style of your writing and the tone of your writing both match the requirements of the reader. The market for dance magazines can generally be split into:
-Dance professionals, teachers and students
-Dance lovers; those individuals who love to watch dance and who will be after information on dance shows, reviews and previews
-Novices; those individuals whose enthusiasm for dance has recently sparked, probably following the recent television interest in dance. They will be looking to dance publications to find out more about the art form, and to start making a decision about how far their love for dance could stretch.