Dancer
Dancers use movement, gesture and body language to portray a character, story, situation or abstract concept to an audience, usually to the accompaniment of music. This normally involves interpreting the work of a choreographer, although it may sometimes require improvisation.
Dancers work in a variety of genres including classical ballet, modern stage dance, contemporary dance, street dance and African or Asian dance. They may perform to a live audience or take part in a recorded performance for television, film or music video.
Many dancers follow portfolio careers, combining performance with teaching, choreography or administrative work in a dance company.
Work activities will differ from dancer to dancer, depending on the contract, but usually include varying combinations of the following:
Self-promotion is also a significant feature of the work, be it through sending out your CV and/or photographs/footage, delivering presentations, running workshops or attending auditions and meetings.
Training to become a dancer often starts from a very young age, but many dancers start training in their teens or even when they are at university.
It is vital to have a high level of training and ability in at least one form of dance, for example:
Details of accredited courses are available from the Council for Dance Education & Training (CDET) , the national standards body of the dance industry. The courses offered by CDET-accredited schools cover the disciplines of classical ballet, musical theatre and contemporary dance. Most courses last three years and vary widely in style, content and aims.
There are a number of universities that also offer dance courses or degrees with an element of dance. See the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website for details. Check the content of courses before applying to make sure it meets your career needs.
A postgraduate or vocational course, while not essential, could be helpful in furthering your career once you have gained a few years' experience in the dance industry. See the CDET website for course details.
For more information on training to become a dancer, including possible sources of funding, see the Guide to Careers in Dance , produced by Youth Dance England .
Joining a local dance company or dance school can help build your experience of performing. Work shadowing a dance teacher can also be useful.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
Competition for jobs is fierce. It is important to get involved and to be persistent in seeking opportunities, auditioning for as many suitable roles as possible. Active networking to establish contacts and build professional relationships is essential.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Training continues throughout a dancer's career, with even the most experienced dancers attending daily classes. Out-of-work dancers still need to continue to attend open classes in order to maintain and develop skills.
In order to increase your employability, you may also wish to gain further training and qualifications, particularly in other types of dance. Details of courses are available from the Council for Dance Education & Training (CDET) , the national standards body of the dance industry. Dance UK also has information on training and networking opportunities in the independent sector. Taking singing or acting classes may also be useful in developing your range of skills.
Dancers also need to maintain a healthy body in order to keep fit and stay in work. The Healthier Dancer Programme (HDP) run by Dance UK provides advice, events and conferences on health, fitness and injury prevention.
Some dancers choose to train in areas related to dance in order to help boost their income and to develop a portfolio or second career. Popular areas include:
Some dancers also undertake further training to work in complementary therapies or to lead fitness classes such as yoga, pilates and the Alexander Technique. Another option is to become a personal trainer.
Short courses in IT and project management may also be useful when seeking temporary work or work in dance administration and development.
For more information on training and career development opportunities, including possible sources of funding, see the Guide to Careers in Dance , produced by Youth Dance England .
There is no clearly defined career path for a dancer. Most dancers will start their careers as dancers, or combining another aspect of dance with performance, and then move out of performance into a related area.
Many dancers progress into teaching, either in the private or the public sector. The Council for Dance Education & Training (CDET) lists accredited teaching qualifications on its website. Many qualified dance teachers run their own courses and some large chains of health and fitness clubs offer franchises to run classes. Contracts are sometimes available to teach in leisure facilities, hotels or on cruise ships. Another option is to open a dance school or buy an existing one. Advice can be sought from one of the four Arts Councils (Arts Council England , Arts Council of Northern Ireland , Arts Council of Wales and Creative Scotland ).
Dancers may move into choreography or work as dance notators. Others become dance administrators or work for dance development organisations, such as Dance UK or the Foundation for Community Dance .
Another way to utilise dance knowledge and experience is to write articles or review performances in the press. This is normally part-time, freelance work and tends to be part of a portfolio career alongside teaching or choreography. Short courses in dance writing are offered at festivals, or you could consider an MA in a related subject like journalism.
Some dancers go on to become dance movement psychotherapists, which requires a relevant MA. This therapeutic process helps people address their problems or develop personally through dance and movement.
See the Guide to Careers in Dance , produced by Youth Dance England , for more information on the variety of dance-related careers.
Dancers' Career Development (DCD) provides career support and retraining services to dancers looking to make the transition from professional dancing to a new career.
The dance economy employs around 30,000 people in the UK, with 2,500 working directly in performance. Typical employers include:
Many dancers work on a freelance basis on short, fixed-term contracts. However, there are some opportunities for full-time work with dance companies.
Dancers will often combine performance with a range of other roles within the dance industry. Typical employers in the broader industry include:
Dancers sometimes set up their own companies, perhaps obtaining funding from one of the four Arts Councils.
You will need to take a creative and proactive approach to job seeking by networking and establishing contacts, as well as fostering links made through previous work, and attending classes and courses.
The Dance UK website includes links to dance companies and national dance agencies.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
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