Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
In a country that has rapidly evolved in many industries, it has always mystified me as to why advancement in the arts, specifically dance, has lagged behind. My hypothesis as to why this is occurring is that concert dance in America is not as synonymous to the cultural identity of the nation as it is in comparison to its European ancestors. I began my research with the creation of ballet in order to determine the cultural roots that were established within particular societies. I then compared the funding models between the nations with this deep attachment to the funding models of our country. After making the comparison, it was evidently clear that the difference lies within our economic structure. America being capitalistic and the European nations being socialist, the state can only have so much influence in its contributions to the companies. I also realized that the companies, being primarily nonprofit institutions, are not fully utilizing their resources. I then proposed that the only way to establish the cultural identity of concert dance within America is to do what America does best: establish corporate sponsorships. By understanding the current sports marketing, advertising, and sponsorship tactics being utilized by major corporations, I proposed the same tactics be used for concert dance companies. The financial risks would then be lifted from the companies whose sole purposes should be to create meaningful art. One way to fully test the effectiveness of this method would be a corporate sponsorship of a small dance company to see how it affects its growth. Because major companies have already established a rapport with its community, the effectiveness of the tactics would not be as apparent. After its effectiveness is evaluated, corporations could see the potential benefits of associating their brand with the brand of a cultural institution.
Recommended Citation
Rosenberger, Taylor, "Establishing Cultural Identity in American Concert Dance: How Corporate Funding Can Revitalize the World of Dance" (2018). Honors College Theses. 180.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/honorscollege_theses/180
Comments
Original document was submitted as an honors thesis requirement. Copyright is held by the author.