Whether you dream of pirouetting as a prima ballerina, gliding around the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom, or busting moves as a backing dancer to a major music star, you’ll need motivation and a business mindset as well as fancy footwork. As the doyenne of modern dance, Martha Graham, once said, “Great dancers are not great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.”
Dance is an extremely competitive industry, and many of those in it have been training since childhood. The life of a dancer can be tough, but it can also be creative, exciting, and rewarding. If that sounds like you, here’s our step-by-step guide to launching your dance career.
1. Assess your skill set
Most professional dancers have years of dance lessons and training behind them before they embark on their careers. Professional dance is not an easy road. Dancers are dedicated individuals whose success is the result of hours and hours of practice. In addition to being a gifted mover, those who find success as a professional dancer typically also have the below skills in common:
- Creativity: Are you always creating new moves or routines? Do you enjoy improvising? The ability to push boundaries and do things differently can turbo-boost your career and get you noticed by the choreographers who matter.
- Collaboration: It may seem like an individual pursuit, but dancers are team players who enjoy working as part of a group. You’ll be spending a lot of time in a rehearsal room with these people, so good social skills are important. It’s also crucial that you are able to take direction from a choreographer or dance captain. No one likes a diva!
- Be business-minded: As with most creatives, dancers are freelancers who always need to be on the lookout for work. That means being a go-getter and marketing your talents to potential employers.
2. Learn the industry
Immerse yourself in the world of dance. Discover what you like and don’t like. If you are considering a career as a professional dancer, chances are you have a background in at least one type of dance. But there are so many styles to have a go at, from ballet to hip-hop to tap to Latin. Professional dancers often turn their hands to several different styles, but knowing what suits you as a dancer will help you sell yourself to employers.
As well as taking classes, check out live shows by some of the big UK dance companies that often tour nationwide. These include the Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet, Rambert, and the Akram Khan Company. Also, look at local listings and Facebook groups for smaller performances closer to home – you might be surprised by how much dance-related activity is taking place nearby.
If costs are a barrier to seeing live performances, remember that a lot of performances can be found online. Check out the Royal Ballet’s streaming platform and Sadler's Wells' Digital Stage, as well as Dance Umbrella's video channel, which regularly curates a selection of great performances.
YouTube is also a great platform on which to do some digging. You’ll find performances by Josephine Baker, Margot Fonteyn, Fred Astaire, Pina Bausch, and Mikhail Baryshnikov, among other icons.
3. Decide what type of dancer you are
If you’re considering a career as a professional dancer, you have likely already honed a performance style. Now you need to think about the type of work that would suit you best.
- Commercial dancers: These performers earn money from dancing in commercial productions. Work is often in films, musical theatre shows, music videos, adverts, dance events, or cruise ships. The work is freelance, and you would be hired on a gig-by-gig basis, so it’s worth thinking about whether an irregular schedule and unreliable wages would suit you.
- Company dancers: These artists are employed by a dance company to train and perform in their productions, often on longer or ongoing contracts. In the UK, prestigious dance companies include Northern Ballet, Protein, Wayne McGregor, Phoenix Dance Theatre, and New Adventures.
- Multi-hyphenate careers: Some dancers are their own bosses, choreographing work for themselves or other dancers to perform; teaching at dance schools; segueing into working as a dance health practitioner (for example, helping performers avoid injuries or recover from them); dance movement therapist; or a combination of the above. One Dance UK offers many suggestions for a career in dance.
4. Get training
If you’re considering a career as a professional dancer, especially in a classical style like ballet or jazz, you’ve likely been training from a very young age. But there are newer types of dance, including street and contemporary, that are typically picked up by teens or young adults. For example, Stevie Prickett ditched her maths degree for contemporary dance and is now a professional dancer. In 2021, Dance Magazine ran an inspiring article celebrating dancers who broke into the industry in their 30s.
When it comes to training, there are several different options.
- Dance degree or diploma: A qualification in dance is a chance to learn the theory as well as the physicality of your discipline. Most courses last three years and include some study of the history of dance, but their content and aims can vary, so it’s important to research thoroughly before committing. Institutions like the University of Lincoln, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance offer specialised programmes. Check out the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) for more details.
- Vocational training: You can also study dance at conservatoires where the focus is on practical vocational training at the very highest level. These institutions have international reputations in their fields and have trained some of the world’s leading figures in the performing arts. The national standards body of the dance industry, the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT), provides information on dance colleges offering vocational training, some of which also offer degree and postgraduate courses.
- Dance classes: Classes in traditional dance styles, like ballet, offer a good foundation for other dance styles and can help build strength and flexibility. Adult classes are often available at community centres and specialist dance centres like Pineapple Studios or The Place in London.
For a professional, dance training never stops – and that’s no bad thing. It’s a chance to keep learning, innovating, and widening your network of fellow dancers and choreographers – professionals who could help support you in your career. They’ll become your sources to tap about gigs, jobs to avoid, and, crucially, how to get your foot in the door at auditions.
5. Gain experience
Dancers need practice to stay on top of their craft, so take opportunities wherever you find them. Attend workshops, dance in amateur productions, enter a dance contest, or do a recital for your family and friends. Get dance experience wherever you can.
Keep an eye out for open casting calls as well as opportunities posted on specialist dance sites like Dancing Opportunities, Community Dance, Dance Europe, and Au-di-tions.
Check the websites of UK dance companies for opportunities to audition. For example, the choreographer Matthew Bourne runs Swan School to find talent for his long-running production of Swan Lake.
6. Look after your body
If you’re not dancing, you’re not earning, so knowing how to look after your body is important. Dancers are athletes who need physical strength, energy, and resilience in droves. You’ve got to be prepared to prioritise your health to avoid injuries and stay in shape. Taking supplementary classes like pilates, barre, and yoga all help lubricate the joints, as does swimming. Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for any dancer, and physiotherapy can help reduce the risk of injury and optimise performance.
7. Prepare for success
Make sure you’re ready to hit the ground (or dance floor!) running by ensuring you have your CV, headshots, and a showreel of your best performances ready should a dance company or casting director show interest. Your CV should detail your dance training, prior experience, and relevant skills (such as which styles of dance you are competent in). Don’t forget to put your contact details on there too! These documents should be available in both digital and hard copy form.
Being ready for when opportunity comes knocking is key, but most of all, to quote TV’s most famous dance show, “Keep dancing!”