<p>My sister turns 64 next week. She’s been a professional dancer since high school (although she graduated from Radcliffe summa cum laude and occasionally teaches theater history) and is still a professional dancer. She’s never had a lot of money, but she seems to manage okay. </p>
<p>Yes, to succeed in dance/theater/art, etc. you need to be serious, passionate, resilient, etc. But you know, millions of people DO succeed at one level or another. Check out this study on the economic impact of “the arts”: <a href=“http://ww3.artsusa.org/information_resources/press/2002/2002_06_10.asp[/url]”>http://ww3.artsusa.org/information_resources/press/2002/2002_06_10.asp</a></p>
<p>among other figures: 4.85 million full-time-equivalent jobs.</p>
<p>Compare that to 2.7 million NEA (education union) members.</p>