Thank you, Caroline.
The Canada Council, in partnership with the Ontario Arts Council, has undertaken a multi-year study of dance in Canada. The purpose of the dance mapping study has been to get a clearer picture of the ecosystem of dance in Canada and to understand its social impacts.
An important aspect of the dance mapping study, which sets it apart from other Canada Council research, is that it has been holistic in looking at both professional and non-professional or leisure dance. This helps to situate what the council supports, professional not-for-profit dance, in a much broader and engaged ecosystem.
So far there have been six research projects undertaken, with the seventh and final project currently under way. I will focus my remarks today on the findings of the Yes I Dance survey, which was released earlier this year, as it responds to the committee's interest in understanding how dance affects Canadian society.
This landmark study, while not statistically representative, gathered data from over 8,000 respondents aged 16 and older who dance, teach dance, and choreograph dance in some type of organized or ongoing way. Questions captured the breadth and diversity of dance in Canada. In many ways the survey showed how important dance is in the lives of those who engage in it, whether they are professionals or leisure dance participants. This can be seen in the amount of time spent on dance, the history of involvement, and the variety of dance forms that respondents are engaged in.
The survey revealed that 80% of respondents engage in more than one form of dance. Notably, 190 forms are represented, from ballet to Bollywood. Leisure dance participants spend an average of six and a half hours per week dancing, while professionals spend almost 18 hours. Survey respondents have a lifelong involvement in dance, ranging from almost 17 years for leisure dancers to almost 24 years for professionals.
Why do people dance? Motivations include enjoyment, artistic expression, fitness, and social connection. In fact, three out of four respondents say it is part of a healthy lifestyle, bringing exercise and fitness into their lives. It provides them a sense of mental and physical well-being, stimulation, and escape from the stresses of daily life.
The survey findings have been visualized in an online interactive dance wheel that allows viewers to learn about different dance forms, where they are practised, and about the people who dance them. The full survey report is available on the council's website. It helps to illustrate the impact of dance on people's lives, and helps to raise awareness of the incredible diversity of Canadian dance.
The final component of the dance mapping study is a look at the social impacts of dance organizations, such as the benefits to health, identity, and social cohesion among other factors. The results will be available later this year.
As Kate Cornell of the Canadian Dance Assembly said last week in her presentation, the findings of the study are of vital use to the sector in understanding and articulating its impact. We hope they will be useful to you as well. A handout has been prepared that outlines the major research components.
Thank you.
Thank you.