Feature ~ Blog

To retrain, and start a new career while being in your forties is no walk in the park.

Many professionals in the Arts have had the necessity to retrain after an injury or retirement…Unfortunately, the professional life of an artist is short lived. In the case of dancers and athletes who work in the arts (as in the case of circus and solo performers), need to push their own limits, keeping up with the demands of choreographers and stage directors in an era where everything must move to the fastest speed. This situation has created this “special” work force that is pushed out of their first love, due to injuries or aging, and placed in a new world where no help is provided.

Let’s say that we are over the fact that we need to leave behind our first love in order to pursue a new interest. Everything till here sounds exciting… Now let’s think about “the new life” that our experienced performer has chosen. If this new path is related to the world that has been her/his career for an x amount of years, maybe the transition won’t be so harsh. Maybe… What about the ones who chose something totally different…?

At this point we have to consider the fact that nowadays, the work force has been invaded with babies. The new generation of workers is younger and younger. Experience is still the key of success. In their case, they usually start working while studying, so they acquire experience faster and faster. Most government programs are oriented to this young generation that is just emerging. They have it all: grants, government agencies and programs that help them to start a business or travel in order to give them that first push…What about us: this group of forty something years old professionals that just started to get acquainted with new technology new systems, no experience and the stigma that in this era is almost like a sin: YOU ARE OLD! 

You start your new life with a big bag on your bag. These new professionals have bills to pay, maybe a mortgage and sometimes a family to support… They have to have a part time in order to continue to pay the bills and school tuitions. Some get student loans which ad to the pile of bills to pay for later…

Thank god for organizations like “The Dancers Transition Resource Centre”, who help dancers to start a new life with grants that allow them to start this new life…Unfortunately, Oasis like that is so rare that most artists bury their dream of a new career and turn to retail. Not a bad thing but only a patch.

Let’s say again that we finished our program. What now? How do I start: I am forty something and looking for a job.  People look at me funny because I am asking for a position that should belong to a young person. You sit for your interview and most of the time you think that the person interviewing you is half your age, and maybe you should be the one interviewing her/him…

A lot of times I read in papers or on line that volunteers are needed for entering positions in companies. The arts are full of “those ads” but it is funny how sometimes they emphasize the fact that they are giving the chance to young people to try these positions because it helps to build their resume. These ads and what they are trying to do to help young professionals is not bad. It is a good thing! If only these companies could be more understanding when a middle age “new professional” appears, and ask to try this position in order to build resume…

I truly believe that it is an honor to work with someone that has already had a full professional life, and has the humility to start again. They never checked their prior experience at the entrance door. Most times these individuals are a valuable asset to companies because they posses “this baggage” called life experience that will always help them to be a better worker, a better collaborator, the best resource…

Government organizations should think a bit about these individuals that are force to leave their comfort zone in order to survey: physically (they need to earn their living), intellectually (they need to be part of the world), and emotionally (they need to feel fulfilled).

The arts need and should value these “recycled” gems. 

Jorge Sandoval is a former professional dancer and now retrained professional in the field of Costume Design. (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Photograph by Ella Cooper of dancer Neil Sochasky