Freelance dance artists’ experiences of managing career challenges: insights into mental skills training from artists and practitioners

Abstract

Freelance dance artists (FDAs) need to manage major career challenges that could jeopardise their mental well-being. Even though research in sport implies that psychologically informed practitioners (PIPs) and mental skills training (MST) could offer FDAs valuable support in addressing these demands, little is known on how dancers use mental skills training to manage career challenges, and how practitioners support them to cope with these pressures. To address these gaps, this study explored FDAs’ experiences in managing career challenges, how mental skills development informed their experiences, and how PIPs supported dancers in navigating these challenges. Eight FDAs and eight PIPs were recruited for online semi-structured interviews. Underpinned by a pragmatic stance, data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes were generated: (1) Getting ready to address the challenges: (re)connecting to thoughts and emotions through metacognition, (2) It felt quite empowering: managing career challenges through self-regulation, and (3) Seeing the bigger picture: reaping benefits beyond the dance context. Findings suggest that MST in dance is a personal‑and‑interpersonal practice with potentially life-enhancing benefits increasing dancers’ mental well-being. PIPs played an important role in dancers’ mental skills development, and supported them in enhancing mental qualities that are transferable beyond the dance context. This study and the creative tools used to generate the data advances our understanding of MST in dance and suggests including interpersonal dimensions in future work.