What do I need to do to become a professional dancer?
Becoming a professional dancer can be one of the most exciting and rewarding careers in existence, so it’s no surprise that one of the most commonly asked questions by student dancers coming through is “What do I need to do to become professional dancer? It’s an industry which to the outsider can appear shrouded in mystery and finding a clear pathway to becoming a working professional is not easy.
The cold truth is that there is not always a clear route to becoming a professional dancer. If you want to become a Lawyer it’s relatively clear what you need to do – study law for 7 years, pass the Bar exam and you will stand a great chance of becoming permanently employed in your chosen field of law, simple! As dance artists, our paths are murkier and with less chance of guaranteed success.
Working as a professional dancer is a career like no other
Although this prognosis may not sound too encouraging, it is important not to forget that working as a professional dancer is a career like no other: It allows you to travel the world, meet fantastically talented people, perform on stages in front of 1000’s of people and live the artistic dream! It is a pursuit worthy of your time and energy, but as with everything that is worth having, it takes time, sweat and real courage to see this journey through and become a successful professional dancer.
I should also note that the term “Professional Dancer” is a broad one. The pathways to becoming a professional Contemporary, Classical or Commercial dancer can be quite different, requiring training in different styles and with different approaches.
However, the 4 fundamental principles which I am going to focus, have remained constant across the techniques and form the foundational requirements of a Professional Dancer. Whether it’s as a Commercial Dancer specialising in television and film, in a Contemporary Dance company or as a Musical Theatre dancer – these guiding principles are relevant to all:
Get professional dance training
Simple. Train, train and train some more. There are no short cuts or cheat codes to avoid this. Become one for the best in the techniques that are required in your chosen field of dance.
Basic technique, learnt through repetition of movement in dance studios over 1000’s of hours of classes will ensure that you stand the test of time.
Most Conservatoire dance training courses are 3 or 4 years for a reason and these are usually intended not as a starting point, but as a top up to the many years of dance training the students have already completed from a young age.
Options if you want to study dance
There are different routes that developing dancers can take in order to get to the level necessary to be a professional dancer.
A) Enrolling in a Dance Conservatoire or getting a Bachelor Degree in Dance
There are different routes that developing dancers can take in order to get to the level necessary to be a professional dancer. One of the most common routes is to train at a vocational Performing Arts Conservatoire and graduate with a degree in Dance. This pathway has many positives: it allows you to study intensively at a recognised institute on a programme tailored to the area of dance you wish to specialise in.
For example, at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona we have two BA programmes which cater for the interests of students with different professional goals – the BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance and BA (Hons) Commercial Dance as well as a Foundation Dance Diploma course. Studying on a course such as this assures you top level training with teachers and choreographers who can deliver technical training in techniques such as Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Hip-Hop styles whilst also connecting you to professionals in the industry.
Do I need to get a dance degree to become a professional dancer?
Gaining a degree is another important plus of studying at a recognised conservatory; it can be extremely useful for your professional life in future years, giving you the opportunity to develop your career in other directions should you wish to.
Do I need to get a dance degree to become a dance teacher?
If you wanted to teach or lecture in dance, a BA or BFA degree combined with professional performance experience is essential and it also allows to continue studying on an MA or MFA course should you wish to. A degree gives you security – knowing that you can develop and diversify your career further after performing, should you wish to.
B) Self-Directed Training: Creating Your Own Professional Pathway
Another way to get the training you need to work professionally is to go your own way! Finding your own classes, workshops and intensives and creating your own programme of training by visiting dance centres can give you the technical knowledge you need.
Specialise in your chosen area of dance but also have an eye for other styles and techniques that will broaden your skill set and therefore increase your opportunities for success in the professional world.
Importantly, do not spend too much time on internet dance trends or current styles which “everyone seems to be doing”. Its’ important to be aware of these industry trends but more importantly, recognising that understanding the fundamentals of a dance technique and conditioning your body and mind to perform these at the highest level is what will get you through an audition.
So, training hard and putting in the work in a sweaty dance studio is a non-negotiable part of becoming a professional dancer! Your skills will get you in the room – whether that is the audition room or rehearsal room, but what will keep you in the room for 20 years + are the next steps.
Life skills: Get good at the small stuff
Advice from Dance Industry Professionals
Become good at the small stuff. The basic stuff. Be on time, be reliable, be supportive, be easy to get on with. Listen. Respect others you work with – the choreographer, the director, your fellow dancers. Learn to read a room – know when to be quiet. Take yourself seriously as an artist and be informed – know the work of important choreographers, and other productions and events happening in your industry. Respect yourself as a performer but don’t lose your sense of humour and remain humble!
Why is this so important, more important than in a “regular” 9-5 office job? Because as dancers and choreographers we often operate in very pressured environments. Live television performances and touring productions operate under limited time, limited budgets and with no room for error. Inviting a dancer to become part of your touring company or to partner a well known singer is a gamble and a risk on the choreographer’s part. They must be able to trust their chosen dancer 100%.
When a choreographer books a dancer they require a number of elements to be satisfied:
- Firstly, can the dancer perform the material to the choreographer’s high expectations? (see point 1: Master Your Technique)
- Will the experience of working with this dancer, on a personal level, be an enjoyable one?
- Can the creative team trust them and are they confident that this dancer will be a reliable addition to their company of dancers?
It is being good at these “life skills” that will get you invited back into the room and booked on the next job.
Many extremely talented dancers lose out on consistent work because they struggle with these basics – they are unreliable, show attitude or don’t communicate professionally with their choreographer, agent or director and it can cost them jobs.
Location and Network
Where you choose to live and the network of people you create for yourself will play a large part in your employment possibilities and future successes.
Like it or not, cities such as London, New York, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Amsterdam are still the epi-centres for the dance and performing arts industries in terms of high level professional productions and projects.
Hofesh Shechter
Is an Israeli-born choreographer, dancer & composer based in London. Founder of Hofesh Shechter Company (2008), known for explosive, visceral works with intense physicality & self-composed scores – e.g., Political Mother, Grand Finale. OBE honoree & Sadler’s Wells associate.
Parris Goebel
Is a NZ dancer/choreographer of Samoan / Chinese / Scottish descent. Founded The Palace studio at 17; her high-energy hip-hop style powers hits like Bieber’s “Sorry,” J.Lo’s tours, Ciara, Rihanna & Super Bowl shows. Known for raw power & cultural pride.
The old saying goes that “it’s not what you know but who you know” (although I only partly agree with this, the “what” is very important, as point 1 “Learn Your Discipline” explains, a professional dancer has to be able to execute the choreography to a high level).
However, it is through classes, auditions and social events that we meet other dancers and learn the real intricacies of the industry. Actively create a friendship network of motivated people involved in the dance industries.
Surrounding yourself with positive, energised people undoubtedly rubs off on you. Having a coffee after class is often the way for people to get to know you better and also when we hear about that last minute audition or a new agency that is opening it’s books!
4. Develop an immunity to the word NO - Tenacity is key
Lastly, recognise that being successful in the dance industries will require you to keep going, even when things get tough and the disappointments mount up. Even when you get 3 call backs for your dream job only to miss out because you are a little too tall, have the wrong hair colour or don’t know the choreographer as well as the other dancer who had just done their workshop last weekend.
Keep going. Develop a thick skin and do not let the word “NO” dent your armour. You only need one “YES” from a choreographer to significantly alter the course of your career. Often, when one door opens a few others do too but you have to have the tenacity to still be knocking on the door to get that one important “YES”.
