Job descriptions and industry overviews

Dancer

25 Jan 2023, 13:37

For a successful career entertaining and storytelling through performance as a dancer, having talent, determination and the ability to self-promote is essential.

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A dancer uses movement, gesture and body language to portray a character, situation or abstract concept to an audience, usually to the accompaniment of music.

The performing arts industry is very competitive and auditions will attract a large number of dancers.

Work activities

  • Learning and performing dance sequences and routines.
  • Taking direction from choreographers and directors.
  • Attending auditions to win roles in productions.
  • Performing various styles and forms of dance.

Work conditions

Travel: is dependent on employers and contracts.
Working hours: are long and unsociable with rehearsals during the day and evening performances.
Location: mostly larger cities with theatres and television or film studios. Opportunities overseas are available.

Entry requirements

Training to become a dancer often starts from a very young age, particularly for classical ballet, but many other dancers start training in their teens or even when they're at university.

It's vital to have a high level of training and ability in at least one form of dance, for example:

  • classical ballet
  • modern stage dance
  • contemporary dance
  • street dance
  • African or Asian dance

Formal dance training and a wide variety of experience in performing is essential for professional dancers. For certain dance genres, such as ballet, intensive training must begin from a very young age. A graduate degree is not usually necessary, however relevant degree subjects such as performing arts and theatre studies could help dancers gain further experience.

gradireland editorial advice

This describes editorially independent and impartial content, which has been written and edited by the gradireland content team. Any external contributors featuring in the article are in line with our non-advertorial policy, by which we mean that we do not promote one organisation over another.

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