The first step towards any career is determining whether it is really the career for you. Too often people spend a lot of time and effort preparing for a career that they do not realize is not the career for them until they have spent years in education and training and are actually working in that industry.
While deciding if dance is the career for them, it is important for a dancer to look at the various opportunities available and what is the likelihood they will actually be able to avail themselves of those opportunities. It is well known that the competition for jobs in the world of dance is fierce. Additionally, a future dancer has to realize that a career in dance is physically demanding and the risk of injury is always present. The chances of having steady employment as a dancer are rare and when you do have work, the hours are very irregular and usually include hours of rehearsal in addition to daily performances with matinees on weekends.
Regardless of the difficulties in reaching their goal, most professional dancers would never change their lives. For those with a passion for dance, a career as a professional dancer would be like living a dream. Obviously, the first requirement for a being a professional dancer is a deep and abiding love of dance and performing. The second requirement would be talent, training and the willingness to never give up.
Another consideration is the average professional life span of a professional dancer and what they might do once they can no longer perform professionally. Most often when a dancer can no longer perform, they move to teaching, owning a studio, choreography, or some other related occupation.
Once you have decided that this is the career you want to pursue, it is important to take as many dance classes as possible including all genres of dance and from a variety of teachers. Professional dancers need to be exceptional in many genres. It is not uncommon to go to an audition and learn that the audition requires two or more genres of dance. You may be a fantastic dancer in jazz with flawless technique but if your hip hop is below par you will be cut before you can begin. Additionally, even if you never plan to be a ballerina, ballet is a dance form in which you should definitely become proficient. Most teachers will tell you that ballet is the basis of all dance styles and learning ballet will only improve your overall dancing technique no matter what genre you are performing.
Most dancers are loyal to the studio in which they grew up. Therefore, it may be very difficult for them to attend classes in another studio. However, no matter how amazing your teacher is, the best way to become a better dancer is to learn from a number of different teachers. Summer comprehensives and workshops taught by professional dancers are priceless. If a dancer is serious about dancing professionally, then they seriously need to learn from dancers and choreographers who are known in the industry. Los Angeles is probably the best place to do that since there are so many famous choreographers in the area.
Another source of dance education is undergraduate through post graduate studies in dance. College studies offer the opportunity to explore the various genres of dance and/or to focus on their preferred discipline. In addition, these studies often provide the opportunity to perform and obtain practical experience. The curriculum not only provides classes in the various dance genres but also usually includes classes in contemporary dance trends, movement analysis, rhythm and dynamics, dance composition, dance history and choreography. Masters of Fine Arts in dance includes study in advanced dance theory and classes in a chosen dance style under the guidance of a faculty mentor. These classes are particularly useful for those wishing to teach or choreograph. Having a college degree will help you in many ways besides in the world of dance. If, God forbid, you were to be injured while dancing, having a college degree will be invaluable.
Whether a dancer is currently working professionally or not, they must stay in top physical condition at all times. It is necessary for them to spend eight hours or more a day practicing, rehearsing and/or performing in order to keep in top shape. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dancers are one of the most likely to sustain on-the-job injuries so it is extremely important to keep their bodies strong and healthy in order to stave off these injuries.
Because of the intense competition, only the most successful dancers will find well-paid and steady work. Consequently, it is helpful to join organizations such as the American Guild of Musical Artists (MGMA). MGMA is a union that will entitle the dancer to collective bargaining services that can ensure a minimum salary. Also, members of unions or guilds can be kept abreast of local auditions. Other ways of getting your name out as a dancer and to learn of activity in the dance world is on social media such as Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, You Tube, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Having a LinkedIn account is highly desirable because for many professionals LinkedIn is considered the new active resume.
As far as social media, probably the most important thing you should do is to create your own YouTube account. YouTube has dramatically changed the world of dance in a large way. It is amazing how often you will land gigs when someone views your YouTube videos. It is important to put yourself out there and social media, especially YouTube, is the easiest way to do that. Creating a large following gives you a huge advantage at auditions because it lends credibility to your name and your skill. The key to YouTube is not just having an account. It is posting videos on a regular basis. Whether it is practice footage or an actual performance is not as important as having the videos that show the quality of your dancing and to help you enlarge your followers.
Additionally, dancers should tap into their network of friends, family members and former business associates to find work. A lot of times artists are afraid to ask for assistance in obtaining possible work. If you do not ask, you will not receive. However, if you reach out to people, things are more likely to open up for you.
That said, you need to keep an emergency fund that will give you the ability to make those trips to Los Angeles or New York to audition for a gig or a talent agency. Assuming you have the confidence and skills, it will usually take at least several months of auditions before you land your first job. Being represented by a big, well known talent agency like MSA will help you get your foot in the door but it is not a guarantee you will get the jobs. There are a lot of dancers out there. It is also important that you have the funds for travel and living expenses. You need to plan on getting a flexible job that will allow you to attend auditions. Most corporate jobs will not be flexible enough to probably end up with a retail or restaurant job. Most likely you will need additional funds to supplement your income. The worst thing possible would be to run out of money just as you are getting close to getting that first gig.
As far as getting that first job, it is imperative that you audition, audition, audition and audition. You will probably receive 100 rejections before you get your first gig. Sometimes you will not even have the chance to actually dance at an audition just because you do not have the “look” they are seeking. Obviously, you need to develop and maintain a thick skin, have great determination and a boatload of self-esteem. Even once you get that first gig, there will be more rejections along the way. It is just the way of the world of dance and you should not take it personally or necessarily as a statement on your talent. Bottom line is that you need to be persistent.
One of the perks, and the drawbacks, of being a professional dancer is the fact that travel is often a requirement. Tours, sometimes to exotic locations, may last for months at a time. A dancer needs to consider whether they and their family life can accommodate these separations from family and friends.
For those with a passion for dance, a career as a professional dancer would be like living a dream. Obviously, the first requirement for a being a professional dancer is a deep and abiding love of dance and performing. The second requirement would be talent and training. Although the risks of injury are high and the chances of becoming a professional dancer are low, the relationships you create, the experiences and memories make that journey well worth it. Your life is changed from that point on.
