We recently connected with Laura Goossens and have shared our conversation below.

Laura , appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Earning a living as a freelance dancer is definitely not easy. A lot of dancers take up side jobs to be able to maintain themselves. In my case, I am on a Visa which doesn’t allow me to work outside of my field of study (which is dance). This means I have been forced to figure out a way to live off of money made just from dance (or dance-related) work. It’s a blessing and a curse— it puts a lot more weight on having successful auditions or interviews, but it also has kept me on my path. When I graduated college, I was terrified of what was next. I had already been auditioning for major companies but nothing had come out of it. I had no idea what was out there; no concept of how freelancing as a dancer works. I spent all my time online looking for auditions in NYC and any other dance-related jobs, as well as talking to everyone in my life for any leads. I was very afraid I would fail to find employment (which would’ve meant I’d need to leave the country). Now, almost a year later, I feel like I have found my footing a little bit. I can’t say it isn’t still stressful at times, but I enjoy getting to do many little different things. I currently work as rehearsal director for two different companies, dance teacher, performer with companies as well as gigs, and dance model. Some months my schedule is completely full, and others I find myself having more free time than I know what to do with. Some months I make a good amount of money, and others I have to dip into my savings. Overall, my experience freelancing as a dancer has been surprisingly fruitful and exciting.

Laura , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Laura Goossens, and I am a professional dancer based in Brooklyn. I freelance, meaning I do a bunch of different gigs within my field. I am rehearsal director for the Joffrey Concert Group and Mason Lee Dance Theater; two contemporary companies based in NYC. My job as rehearsal director includes running rehearsals when the director isn’t there, giving notes to the dancers, assisting any choreographers who may come in, and anything else I am needed for. I also perform with some different companies as well as in any gigs that may come up. I mostly do contemporary, but also contemporary-ballet and modern. I have very versatile training— I have always trained in many different styles. This has made me feel ready to take on any type of performance job and has opened different doors for me. One thing I like about freelancing is that it works well with my love for variety. Even in a single day I will find myself moving from thing to thing. After rehearsal or class in the morning, I teach in the afternoons— mostly little kids. I’ve always loved working with children and it is a good consistent job to have. Then I’ll move on to more rehearsals at night. I also have been doing dance modeling, some runway but mostly photography, which has been a good supplemental income and something I find very enjoyable. One thing I am looking to expand on is my work as a choreographer. I’ve had the pleasure of choreographing a couple of times, including recently a evening-length piece accompanying a life flute, cello, and percussion concert. I really enjoy creating my own work, both on myself and others, and hope to get more chances to do so.
I never really planned on becoming a professional dancer. Maybe I never thought I’d get close to being good enough, or maybe I just assumed I’d follow my parents’ footsteps a little more closely. My love for dance has always made me prioritize it over anything else, and it feels like life just kind of led me to be where I am today. Any time an opportunity to dance even more presented itself, I took it. Even now that it is my professional and livelihood, I find myself inspired and eager for more.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew that a lot of the work had already been put in. By being here in NYC, at a dance school where I got to meet many different people in the industry; I had already built a network. Many of my gigs have come through people I worked with during my time at school. Other jobs I got because of experience I gathered while in the school company, or even through people I knew who have nothing to do with dance. This isn’t something I had anticipated happening. They say it’s all about who you know, and not only is that true in a lot of cases, but it’s also a resource that you have without even needing to make a conscious effort.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The pride I feel when succeeding in some way is what keeps me going. A clear example of this is after a performance; when you get to celebrate with the people who support you and with those who have been working alongside you during the long process leading up to it. There are so many rewarding moments in my career; it can be something big like getting a job I feel excited about, or as doing a clean pirouette in a ballet class. I think it’s about seeing that hard work has paid off.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: laurajgoossens
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/lauragoossens9

Image Credits

Michael Waldrop
Paul Dubois
Frank Fumelli
Danel Photography