Globe-trotting dancer Noam Gagnon, co-artistic director and choreographer of The Holy Body Tattoo, hurt his neck 11 years ago when he was 37. A year or two later, a chiropractic adjustment kept him from dancing for six months.
Unwilling to give up dancing, Gagnon applied to the Dancer Transition Resource Centre, of which he is a member, to help him pursue his second passion-Pilates.
Gagnon had been practicing the core strength building exercise and teaching Pilates since 1992. "The reason, also, why I started to do Pilates and to teach Pilates and do personal training is because I wanted to stop washing dishes to subsidize my dance career," he said.
In 2002, he wanted to study the classic method to benefit his body and bank account. But studying at a top U.S. school was an expensive endeavour.
Travel, courses and living cost him close to $35,000. The centre contributed about $8,500 to the coursework and provided additional money to help with food and rent.
Gagnon founded Beyond Pilates, Noam Gagnon's Wellness Centre in 2007. He continues his dance career with Compagnie Vision Selective, which he started in 2005. The Holy Body Tattoo is on hiatus.
The income from Beyond Pilates has been welcome relief for the 48-year-old.
"I'm making just maybe $4,000 more [per year] than when I came out of university," Gagnon said.
"And it's crazy because I'm the best that I've ever been in my field and I'm productive. I do well." But he noted his income has been hit by provincial arts funding cuts in the past year and a half. "And, basically, $16,000 is pretty much the standard of what a dancer makes on a yearly basis," he added.
Dance is the most under-paid profession in the arts.
Gagnon will dance and speak at the Dancer Transition Resource Centre's 25th anniversary gala and fundraiser at the Norman Rothstein Theatre, Dec. 1.
The evening will feature entertainment directed by a former principal dancer with Ballet BC, and include performances by Danny Nielson, Goh Ballet and dancers from So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
The Dancer Transition Resource Centre helps dancers transition into, within and from professional performing careers. Through offices in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal and regional representatives across the country, the resource centre has helped more than 10,000 dancers and provided more than $5 million with grants and a full range of counselling referral services. Dancers have transitioned into vocations that include accounting, aviation and chemistry.
The gala starts at 8 p.m. at 950 West 41st Ave. For more information, see dtrc.ca.
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