Grants
Danse Transition can award a study grant for dancers retraining for a new professional career. The study grant covers, entirely or partially, the career transition study fees' expenses.
Additional living costs' grants can be awarded in some cases. Living costs' grants serve the purpose of compensating occasional loss of income during the career transition period.
Career transition projects are evaluated by their potential of improving dancer's earning capacity and increasing their employability, allowing dancers to reach financial autonomie.
Grant Request application
Any support provided entails the responsibility of the recipient, who is obliged to diligently pursue their professional career transition training. If the study program is interrupted without a duly justified reason, Danse Transition has the right to terminate its financial support, which will imply the total or partial restitution of the grant received.
Grant Request application process
- Get in contact with Danse Transition to set up an appointment for a one-to-one counselling session
- Apply for a scholarship in the canton of your residence
- Prepare your Grant application dossier, which should include the following documents:
- Grant application form properly filled out
- Curriculum vitae
- Motivation letter explaining your second career choice, transition project and financial situation and needs
- Budget
- Information regarding the chosen study/training program and the costs involved
- Admission confirmation from the school/institute in which the study/training programme will take place
- Copy of the last decision from the Cantonal tax office
- References, diplomas
- Proof of application to a cantonal scholarship in the case of a federally recognized training
- Submit your Grant Request application to Danse Transition at one of the 3 annual submission deadlines.
Download the application form
Eligibility
Eligibility criteria
- To have danced professionally for at least 8 years, of which 4 in Romandy (French-part of Switzerland).
- To have not stopped dancing or being professionally active in the dance field in the past 4 years.
- To be at least 28 years old.
- To prove that your main professional activity belongs to the field of dance
- To have contacted Danse Transition at least once during the previous 4 years preceding the request.
The coherence of the career transition project is decisive for the grant awarding process. Dossiers will be examined by Danse Transition's Grant Awarding Committee.
Apart from the criteria mentioned above, Danse Transition has the right to consider any exceptional and justified application case.
Meeting the above criteria does not imply an automatic grant of a scholarship from Danse Transition. The association remains free in assessing Grant Request dossiers and taking decisions accordingly.
Danse Transition has established a list of criteria which helps in recognising professional dancers.The association remains free in assessing Grant Request dossiers and taking decisions in consequence.
Danse Transition has laid down a list of criteria which helps recognising professional dancers. You can download the document below
Grant Awarding process
The Grant Awarding Committee evaluates the coherence of the professional transition project. It aims to understand the dancer's goals and to assess the available means to put the project in place and to achieve its objectives.
The candidate is informed of the Grant awarding committees' decision by e-mail. He/she will sign a Grant awarding agreement with the association defining the respective commitments of the two parties.
Decisions are not subject to appeal.
Grant Awarding Committee
Aline Müller Guidetti
Psychologist FSP-psy4work, in charge of a work psychology practice in Lausanne. She is specialized in professional orientation and transition, as well as in individual and collective support around issues related to the world of work. She is particularly interested in the interactions between health, work and ecology. She practices dance as an amateur and has taught modern jazz.
Ramon Moraes
Human Program Support Specialist at Airbnb, a philanthropic initiative which allows guests to provide free temporary accomodation for people displaced by conflict, natural disasters or illness. BA in International Relations & MA in Leadership and Development, former dancer and Danse Transition Grant recipient.
Katrin Kolo
Degree in economics and master in transdisciplinarity in the arts. Former dancer and choreographer, director of the Theater Casino Zug, office manager of the Festspiele Zürich, co-director of the Tanzhaus Zürich, production manager of Joachim Schlömer projects, project manager. Coach and responsible for career transition workshops for professional dancers.
Danse Transition would like to thank Caroline Olivier, Jean-François Kessler, Anne Rubinstein, Carlo Bagutti and Gabor Varga for their great commitment and valuable help to the Grant Awarding Committee in the past years.
Submission deadlines
The Grant Awarding Committee meets 3 times a year to take a decision on the grant applications. Applicants are requested to submit their applications no later than one of the following dates: September 16th, February 18th, May 27th, of each year.
Grant Awarding decisions will be sent by e-mail within approximately two months after the application's submission deadlines.
IOTPD Philippe Braunschweig Grant
As a member of the International Association for the Transition of Professional Dancers (IOTPD), Danse Transition is proud to present the result of a joint and international effort: the IOTPD Philippe Braunschweig Grant.
This International Grant helps dancers prepare for life after dance and honours IOTPD Founding President, Mr. Braunschweig.
Dancers with international careers have the opportunity to apply for funding to help them prepare for life after dance.
Mr. Braunschweig was passionate about dance and dancers, and tireless in his efforts to improve the situation of dancers facing career transition. He died in 2010. Paul Bronkhorst, IOTPD President said, “Philippe made a significant difference for dance and dancers around the world. Our world is a better place because of his efforts.”
The annual IOTPD Philippe Braunschweig Grant was awarded for the first time in June 2013 and provides a transitioning dancer with up to € 5,000 to help them retrain for a second career. For dancers with international careers, this type of support is essential, as many have not danced long enough in any one country to be eligible for support from a national transition program. This award was developed specifically to provide assistance to those dancers who may otherwise ‘fall through the cracks’. Further details and the grant application are available through the IOTPD website.
This year's application deadline is Spring 2022, to be confirmed.