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Dancers Embrace Motherhood On Stage
10 Oct
Summary
- Theatre company offers childcare support to performers.
- Dancers can continue careers without sacrificing family.
- Industry-wide change needed for freelance performers.
The Rhiannon Faith Company (RFC) in Essex is pioneering support for performing artists with young families. Established in 2019, RFC provides practical assistance, including childcare payments and help with touring, allowing talented individuals like dancer Finetta Sidgwick to continue their careers while pregnant or raising children. Sidgwick expressed gratitude, stating she felt supported to maintain her position within the company.
Performer Shelley Ava Haden also benefits from RFC's support, with the company covering costs for her mother to accompany her on tour and assist with childcare. Haden acknowledged that this support was essential for her to continue dancing. RFC's artistic director, Rhiannon Faith, emphasizes that such support is vital for retaining skilled artists in the industry, warning that a lack of financial aid could lead to a significant loss of talent.
While RFC offers substantial help, Parents in Performing Arts notes that more comprehensive industry-wide solutions are required. The organization highlights that many performers, particularly freelancers, face significant barriers to affordable childcare outside traditional working hours. They advocate for broader financial support to ensure that artists do not have to choose between their careers and starting a family.
