{"id":321,"date":"2022-02-25T16:31:52","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T17:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tanzania-gazette.com\/?p=321"},"modified":"2024-06-12T19:46:03","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T19:46:03","slug":"beyond-the-super-bowl-dance-artist-athlete-taja-riley-is-demanding-better-treatment-for-dancers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tanzania-gazette.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/25\/beyond-the-super-bowl-dance-artist-athlete-taja-riley-is-demanding-better-treatment-for-dancers\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond the Super Bowl: Dance Artist-Athlete Taja Riley Is Demanding Better Treatment for Dancers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eight mandatory rehearsals. One nondisclosure agreement. Zero pay. These were a few of the specifications laid out in a casting call for dancers to be a part of the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show. After news got out that some dancers would be working as volunteers, and receiving no real benefits besides the exposure opportunity of a lifetime, Taja Riley<\/a> was one of many who decided to speak up about how off-putting and disrespectful this offer felt, as well as how accepting jobs like this keeps dancers underpaid and underappreciated.<\/p>\n

Just in time for the most-watched sporting event in the country, Riley successfully spearheaded a movement (on behalf of as many as 400 performers) to ensure that all dancers for the halftime show<\/a> got fully compensated for their time and energy. For dancers in the community and supporters of the movement who helped spread the issue far and wide, this news felt like a game-winning touchdown\u2014the type that calls for a celebratory dance! But the work doesn\u2019t end there. It\u2019s just one part of a continuous conversation.<\/p>\n

Speaking up about the mistreatment of professional dancers is nothing new for Riley, a self-proclaimed dancer artist-athlete who, since the early quarantine days, has sparked some important conversations about the realities of the industry on social media. \u201cWe need to start educating people on the state of our community, in addition to being clearer with dance jobs about how our time, energy and influence should be valued,\u201d says Riley, who uses she\/he\/they pronouns.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Taja Riley \ud83d\udd79 AKA \u201cT.K.O\u201d (@tajariley)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Along the way, Riley shared their own experiences in a way that pretty much every dancer can relate to. Now they\u2019re building an entertainment company, TKO Quarantainment Inc., and developing a multitude of creative projects. Riley has put their own career dancing with some of the world\u2019s top music artists to the side to \u201cleap into the unknown\u201d in pursuit of a better future, where dancers are valued and the dance community as a whole is elevated.<\/p>\n

Riley recently spoke to Dance Magazine<\/em> about some of the inequities that dancers have faced on set, from unreasonably low wages to questionable contracts and the absence of credit. \u201cYes, some of these production companies may be trying to undermine us, but I\u2019m starting to discover that most of them just don\u2019t know, or are following previous patterns,\u201d they say.<\/p>\n

The message is now en route to millions of people worldwide as Riley continues to use their voice and platform to heal, inspire and empower the dance community to see the worth of its members, so that the rest of the world can too.<\/p>\n

What Sparked the Action:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Having worked with a long list of prominent names like Janet Jackson, SZA, Beyonc\u00e9 and Jennifer Lopez, Riley has experience to pull from when addressing industry issues. Despite the great experiences that they\u2019ve had throughout their career, it was the few bad experiences\u2014and the normalized fear of speaking up about them\u2014that inspired the action Riley is taking today.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Taja Riley \ud83d\udd79 AKA \u201cT.K.O\u201d (@tajariley)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Feeling the need to walk out on a dream job in 2011, due to their moral standards being tested, helped Riley to understand the deeper implications of how dancers were viewed in the industry and led them to focus on redefining those standards. \u201cI expressed my concerns with some of the other dancers on set, and there were multiple that felt the same way,\u201d they say. \u201cI was in a state of shock,\u201d but eventually Riley pulled the choreographer aside to express appreciation, and kindly let him know that they weren\u2019t willing to compromise who they were. \u201cIn this moment, when I was asked to do choreography that I felt went against my faith, the way that I viewed the dance industry completely shifted, and it actually latched onto my love for dance,\u201d they add.<\/p>\n

As a second-generation entertainer, Riley had always viewed themself as a business, and that\u2019s part of the reason they\u2019re fighting so hard for dancers to understand the importance of honoring the craft while honoring personal boundaries.<\/p>\n

On Dancers Viewing Themselves as a Business:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cDo you have a mission statement? When you\u2019re working, do you have a vision or a purpose for why you’re there? As a dance professional, that\u2019s what you stand on. That\u2019s your foundation. Who you are can then be broken down into concepts and statements, which can help you organize your value and the definition of your product, which is your likeness.\u201d<\/p>\n

These are crucial factors to take into consideration so that dance artists can stand firmly on what they believe in while on the job, and easily discern what they\u2019re willing to stand for, fall for or sacrifice when it comes to certain dance jobs.<\/p>\n

Tuning In to \u201cTAJTV\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Taja Riley. Photo by Lee Gumbs, Courtesy Riley. Design by The Circle & The Square<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Riley plans for TKO Quarantainment\u2019s debut television program series, \u201cTAJTV,\u201d to serve as a resource to help uplift the dance community. It\u2019s a unique talk show that\u2019ll feature a number of special segments featuring an elite cast of mainstream entertainers, and tap into topics of concern within the industry, while discussing how to build solutions. \u201cI want to be able to show the great parts of the dance industry, as well as touch on some of the things that need more awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve already shot some of the pilot, and I\u2019m so thankful to all of the donors to the GoFundMe<\/a>! We would love to finish it so that we can pitch it for up-fronts.\u201d You can find updates on Riley\u2019s GoFundMe page as they inch toward the $15,000 goal to get the show off the ground and onto television screens. <\/p>\n

The Day-to-Day of a Dance Activist:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As someone who\u2019s working to improve the reality of dance artists, daily life is \u201cunpredictable,\u201d Riley says. \u201cSome days are very empowering, productive and triumphant, and other days feel very sad and draining.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s also the physical work and outreach, like contacting media, and a long to-do list for projects in progress: The continual development, executive producing, going out to get people on board, contracting, developing, templating, creating, reading, amending and delegating to the team. Then, of course, there\u2019s leaving space for my emotional work, which I find in my dance training, and even horse training! Awakening myself dance-wise has been crucial for grounding myself during this process. \u201d<\/p>\n

Riley feels the busy schedule is worth it because they\u2019ve focused on the bigger picture: impacting the dance community\u2014and beyond. Inspired by the openness of Oprah Winfrey, Riley is hoping that this movement can have the same impact for dance as major media figures and publications of that level have had on other fields.<\/p>\n

On Memes and Bringing Humor Into the Mix:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Many of the memes on Riley\u2019s Instagram page<\/a> use humor to shine a light on some seriously shady issues that dancers face. \u201cI think that the best way to heal is to laugh and cry,\u201d they say. \u201cBeing a part of meme culture is being able to captivate the subconscious of the alter egos inside of you in a way that feels relatable.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Taja Riley \ud83d\udd79 AKA \u201cT.K.O\u201d (@tajariley)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

How Others Can Get Involved:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cWe must unify! We have so much power, and we\u2019re so much stronger together,\u201d Riley says. \u201cWhen you read this article, go talk to someone about it. Bring it to your parents, your dance teacher, your dance peers, and have a discussion about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making Dance History:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The bottom line is that despite the popularity that dance artists have helped make possible for so many brands and music artists over the years, they are often still grossly underappreciated. Riley believes that professional dancers should be treated and paid equally to professional athletes and musicians. For a lot of folks, such drastic change just isn\u2019t fathomable, but Riley continues to push the vision forward and unapologetically highlight the mistreatment of dancers, so that positive change can be applied within the industry little by little.<\/p>\n

Riley is inspiring dancers to move past unethical traditions just because \u201cthat\u2019s the way things have always been.\u201d Questioning is the new cool. Respect is a must. Dancers are artists and athletes, and should be treated as such. And Riley reminds us of the need to continue the fight for progress: \u201cThis whole movement is just beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grow Your Knowledge:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u2022<\/strong> The <\/u><\/span><\/a><\/em>Ins and Outs <\/em>Podcas<\/a><\/span>t<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 DanceSpeak<\/em> Podcast<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 Pro Cheerleading Podcast<\/em><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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The post Beyond the Super Bowl: Dance Artist-Athlete Taja Riley Is Demanding Better Treatment for Dancers<\/a> appeared first on Dance Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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