Working on a clearly defined project

What I already know about my topic is that artists are underpaid in Mexico. Most of the Mexican population has a low income and has priorities when it comes to basic needs (eating and a place to live), and education. The education system does include a music class in elementary and middle school, but does not include visual and performing arts until the last year of high school and it is optional to take the class. There is a PE required class throughout the k-12 system, and only sports come into consideration. Dance isn't in the realm of PE class. Most of the funding that goes into dance is directed toward ballet and danza folklórica, not modern dance. 

I am drawn to this topic emotionally and intellectually. I can't avoid feeling like I need to do something about the lack of cultural education in Mexico, in order to help my country. I feel less valued because I am a dancer and not an architect and I wish this would change. I think dance and the arts are the soul of communities and without it people would be more stressed. I think that the body and movement are fascinating subjects; I want to keep studying them and share them with more people.

This project would benefit me because I'll be able to show a good research project to scholarship donors and possibly get funding to study in London. The project would benefit children in the k-12 education system in Mexico, since they would be more exposed to art and hopefully as they grew up would be more likely to support the arts. Mexicans would become aware of culture and the financial support for postmodern art would hopefully increase.

I have a cousin who used to dance in one of the stronger modern dance companies in Mexico City before it closed in 2009; I know I can contact and interview her on the project. I also know a teacher in the National Center for the Arts whom can give me other people's contact information; especially someone in the National School of the Arts. I can research articles about building audiences in the U.S.; interview directors from places such as On the Boards and local choreographers; research how small modern dance companies in Mexico have built their audiences over the years. I can research the last proposal or program held by the Mexican government in support of the arts.

I am concerned about how to organize so many questions into sections of my thesis. I worry that I won't find enough information on the subject in Mexico or that it will be difficult to find information in Mexican web pages.

I didn't find a lot of articles in Wikipedia about building Modern Dance audiences and the k-12 art/dance education system. It only directed me to the National Dance Education Organization, which I didn't know existed. However in Google I found an article with information of audiences from the Dance Research Journal which I think is a valuable source. I will keep this in mind while I go about my research.

List of 5 potential guiding questions:

1. How have modern dance companies, choreographers and theaters built up their audiences over the years in Seattle and how would I apply this knowledge in the educational system in Mexico in a way that it makes sense for such a different culture?

2. Why are audiences less likely to attend a modern dance concert than a ballet or danza folklórica performance? How are the issues different between the two countries, Mexico and the U.S.?

3. Why has history of some art not been made a requirement in k-12 education in Mexico and you only receive this course during a semester or a year in your last year of high school?

4. How many and which dance groups have toured or asked to perform in k-12 public and private schools?

5. Why is there no government support for modern dance in Mexico? Why is INBA taking all their financial support away from dance companies? Why is art the first area to be relieved of financial support when there are insufficient funds? How has this affected art instructors and education in the k-12 system?

Keywords

• modern dance education
• 20th century concert dance
• Building audiences for modern dance
• dance curriculum in k-12
• national dance surveys
• modern dance attendance
• national endowment for the arts
• dance funding
• modern dance Mexico
• government support dance Mexico
• proyectos de la Escuela Nacional de Danza
• educación cultural en primarias, secundarias y prepas