Do you love to dance and perform in front of an audience? Are you athletic and well-coordinated?  Are you willing to work hard? Then a career as a professional dancer might be in your future.

Nature of the Work

From ancient times to the present, dancers have expressed ideas, stories, and rhythm with their bodies. They use a variety of dance forms that allow free movement and self-expression, including classical ballet, modern dance, and culturally specific
dance styles. Many dancers combine performance work with
teaching or choreography.

Professional dancers perform in a variety of settings, such as musical productions, and may present folk, ethnic, tap, jazz, and other popular kinds of dance. They also perform in opera, musical theater, television, movies, music videos, and commercials, in which they also may sing and act. Dancers most often perform as part of a group, although a few top artists perform solo.

Working Conditions

Dance is strenuous. Many professional dancers stop performing by their late thirties because of the physical demands on the body. However, some continue to work in the field as choreographers, dance teachers and coaches, or artistic directors. Others move into administrative positions, such as company managers. A few celebrated dancers, however, continue performing beyond the age of 50.

Daily rehearsals require very long hours. Many professional dance companies tour for part of the year to supplement a limited performance schedule at home. Dancers who perform in musical productions and other family entertainment spend much of their time on the road; others work in nightclubs or on cruise ships.

Most dance performances are in the evening, whereas rehearsals
and practice take place during the day. As a result, dancers
often work very long and late hours. Generally, dancers and
choreographers work in modern and temperature-controlled
facilities; however, some studios may be older and less comfortable.

Employment

Professional dancers and choreographers held about 37,000 jobs
in 2003. Many others were between engagements, so that the
total number of people available for work as dancers over the
course of the year was greater. 

Dancers worked in a variety of industries, such as private educational services, which includes dance studios and schools, as well as colleges and universities; food services and drinking establishments; performing arts companies, which includes dance, theater, and opera companies; and amusement and recreation venues, such as casinos and theme parks. Almost one fifth of dancers and choreographers are self-employed.

New York City is home to many major dance companies;
however, full-time professional dance companies operate in most
major cities.

Training and Advancement

Training varies with the type of dance and is a continuous part
of all professional dancers’ careers. Many dancers and dance instructors believe that dancers should start with a good foundation in classical dance before selecting a particular dance style. Ballet training for women usually begins at 5 to 8 years of age with a private teacher or through an independent ballet school. Serious training traditionally begins between the ages of 10 and 12. Men often begin their ballet training between the ages of 10 and 15.

Students who demonstrate potential in their early teens receive
more intensive and advanced professional training. At about this time, students should begin to focus their training on a particular style and decide whether to pursue additional training through a dance company’s school or a college dance program.

Many dancers have their first professional auditions by
age 17 or 18. Training is an important component of professional
dancers’ careers. Dancers normally spend 8 hours a day
in class and rehearsal, keeping their bodies in shape and preparing for performances. Their daily training period includes
time to warm up and cool down before and after classes and
rehearsals.

Because of the strenuous and time-consuming dance training
required, some professional dancers view formal education as secondary. However, a broad, general education including music, literature, history, and the visual arts is helpful in the interpretation of dramatic episodes, ideas, and feelings. 

Many colleges and universities award bachelor’s or master’s
degrees in dance, typically through departments of music, theater, or fine arts. The National Association of Schools of Dance
accredits 57 programs in dance. Many programs concentrate on
modern dance, but some also offer courses in jazz, culturally
specific, ballet, or classical techniques; dance composition, history, and criticism; and movement analysis.

A college education is not essential to obtaining employment
as a professional dancer; however, many dancers obtain
degrees in unrelated fields to prepare themselves for careers
after dance. The completion of a college program in dance and
education is essential in order to qualify to teach dance in college,
high school, or elementary school. Colleges and conservatories
sometimes require graduate degrees, but may accept
performance experience. A college background is not necessary,
however, for teaching dance or choreography in local recreational
programs. Studio schools usually require teachers to
have experience as performers.

Because of the rigorous practice schedules of most professional dancers, self-discipline, patience, perseverance, and a devotion to dance are essential for success in the field. Dancers also must possess good problem-solving skills and an ability to work with people. Good health and physical stamina also are necessary attributes. Above all, dancers must have flexibility, agility, coordination, grace, a sense of rhythm, a feeling for music, and a creative ability to express themselves through movement.

Dancers seldom perform unaccompanied, so they must be
able to function as part of a team. They should also be highly
motivated and prepared to face the anxiety of intermittent employment and rejections when auditioning for work. For professional dancers, advancement takes the form of a growing reputation, more frequent work, bigger and better roles, and higher pay.

Job Outlook

Professional dancers face intense competition for jobs, and only the most talented find regular employment. Employment of dancers and choreographers is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2012. The public’s continued interest in dance will sustain larger dance companies; however, funding from public and private organizations is not expected to keep pace with rising production costs.

National dance companies should continue to provide jobs
in this field. Opera companies and dance groups affiliated with
colleges and universities and with television and motion pictures
also will offer some opportunities. Moreover, the growing
popularity of dance in recent years has resulted in increased
opportunities to teach dance. Finally, music video channels
will provide some opportunities for both professional dancers and choreographers.

Earnings

Median annual earnings of salaried dancers were $21,100 in
2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $14,570 and
$34,660. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $12,880, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,350.

Professional dancers who were on tour received an additional allowance for room and board, as well as extra compensation for overtime. Earnings from dancing are sometimes low, because employment is part year and irregular. Dancers often supplement their income by working as guest artists with other dance companies, teaching dance, or taking jobs unrelated to the field.

Earnings of many professional dancers are governed by union
contracts. Dancers in the major opera ballet, classical ballet,
and modern dance corps belong to the American Guild of Musical
Artists, Inc. of the AFL-CIO; those who appear on live or
videotaped television programs belong to the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists; those who perform in films and on television belong to the Screen Actors Guild; and those in musical theater are members of the Actors’ Equity Association.

Related Occupations

People who work in other performing arts occupations include
actors, producers, and directors; and musicians, singers, and related workers. Those directly involved in the production of
dance programs include set and exhibit designers; fashion designers; and barbers, cosmetologists, and other personal appearance workers. Like dancers, athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers need strength, flexibility, and agility.

So if you're highly motivated, patient, and self-disciplined, and you love to dance, then a career as a professional dancer might be in your future. You'll want to start early in life, get a good education, and spend as much time around other performers as possible. And steel yourself to the fact that you'll probably be facing a lot of competition and intermittent employment.

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