After the applause subsides and the curtain closes on the last show, dancers take a deep sigh of relief. For members of a secure company, their hard-earned vacation time has finally arrived. But for freelance dancers, this marks the beginning of a period of uncertainty. Either way, dancers often wonder, “What do I do now?” Dance Magazine spoke with Melissa Rector of Koresh Dance Company, James Ihde of Pennsylvania Ballet, and Karine Plantadit, most recently of Come Fly Away, to find out how they cope with the sudden lack of work.