American Dancer magazine - running thread, too

T

tanya_the_dancer

Well-Known Member
We should have a running thread about this magazine, too. Just got my issue last weekend.

I really have a big problem with their lead time. They're advertising things which are supposed to happen in November when the magazine gets delivered in the beginning of December.
 
They have REALLY improved the look of this publication. I have to say that I'm very impressed that this aspect was finally made a priority. There are still some editing/text-import problems here and there, but it's far better than before.

Yet, on the other side of the coin, I find myself flipping VERY quickly through it, looking at pictures, and then I'm done. I guess I chalk this up to not being the target audience, but that begs the question... who is the target?

Anyway, they deserve prop's for the aesthetic improvements.
 
Porfirio Landeros said:
Yet, on the other side of the coin, I find myself flipping VERY quickly through it, looking at pictures, and then I'm done. I guess I chalk this up to not being the target audience, but that begs the question... who is the target?
Click to expand...

I feel like there is a bit too much of senior stuff in it in general. So I am wondering, too.
 
Yeah... very interesting issue. People in my area have been xeroxing the letter to the editor and passing around, feeling all vindicated and such. It's been a bit surreal - we're getting e-mails and phone calls from friends all over the country who read it.
 
Porfirio Landeros said:
They have REALLY improved the look of this publication. I have to say that I'm very impressed that this aspect was finally made a priority. There are still some editing/text-import problems here and there, but it's far better than before.

Yet, on the other side of the coin, I find myself flipping VERY quickly through it, looking at pictures, and then I'm done. I guess I chalk this up to not being the target audience, but that begs the question... who is the target?

Anyway, they deserve prop's for the aesthetic improvements.
Click to expand...

It would appear to me to be targeting the social dancer, and I would say middle-aged and beyond, and mostly female. You walk into your average USA Dance function, and you see mostly people in their early 40's, and couples. (At least, this has been my South Mississippi observation.)

I noticed an article about a 'star' dancer was one who was featured a lot on television SYTYCD, instead of featuring perhaps a 'super star' comp champion. The featured couple was a sort of fairytale story about meeting 'the one perfect partner,' something a dancer of any level can appreciate. The story featuring the elderly lady would be to inspire a sizeable margin of their audience to continue dancing. A 'Christmas wishlist' article had people saying they wanted simple things, like a new pair of shoes, rather than people wanting designer competition gowns and what-not.
 
Me said:
It would appear to me to be targeting the social dancer, and I would say middle-aged and beyond, and mostly female. You walk into your average USA Dance function, and you see mostly people in their early 40's, and couples. (At least, this has been my South Mississippi observation.)

I noticed an article about a 'star' dancer was one who was featured a lot on television SYTYCD, instead of featuring perhaps a 'super star' comp champion. The featured couple was a sort of fairytale story about meeting 'the one perfect partner,' something a dancer of any level can appreciate. The story featuring the elderly lady would be to inspire a sizeable margin of their audience to continue dancing. A 'Christmas wishlist' article had people saying they wanted simple things, like a new pair of shoes, rather than people wanting designer competition gowns and what-not.
Click to expand...

Actually when they listed suggestions from different people, they had one from a lady from our chapter. ;)
 
I don't find anything written there much useful or interesting. If they cannot find something interesting to write about, I suggest that they put more dance phtographs. I think pictures can help non-dancers get interested in dancing. You know a picture is worth a thousand words.
 
Dancebug -- what would you find more interesting to read about?

The new editorial team certainly has done a very good job so far in improving the magazine. But I agree that they still have further to go in terms of content. I was really excited to see the product review section, but it was only a wish list. That's nice, but I want to hear about new shoes and what not and the pros/cons to different dance products. And they tend to only superficially cover things without asking the questions I really want answered. But it's a work in progress and they deserve a lot of credit for the work they have done so far!

Also, yeah, lead time needs to be improved. I shouldn't be getting the November/December issue in December -- especially if it's advertising events in November.
 
Me said:
It would appear to me to be targeting the social dancer.
Click to expand...
And as a social dancer, I thought the target must be competitors, because so much of the text is devoted to profiling competitors who I know nothing about.

Regarding the production schedule, the first issue by the new editorial team was the September/October issue, which got here at the end of October. In her column, USA Dance President Esther Freeman solicited member comments. I wrote about the timeliness issue (among other comments). Esther replied that the September/October issue arrived at members' homes three weeks later than expected, due to unanticpated mailing problems.

I expected that by their second issue, the new editors would have developed an understanding of how long it takes to get their publication into members' hands and edit accordingly. This does not, however, appear to be the case. The November/December issue arrived in late November and included future tense references to events that had by then already occurred.

Ideally, the January/Februray issue would arrive at the end of December and refer to any December events in past tense. If the issue doesn't arrive until late January, it should refer to January events in past tense. We shall see!

My two cents.

-IJ
 
The magazine is getting MUCH better. I actually found myself skimming through some of the articles with interest. I enjoyed reading the articles about the senior latin, and the article on Heidy. Overall, a thumbs up from me.
 
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