How to become a profesional dancer

How to Be a Professional Dancer in 5 (Not So Easy) Steps

Posted By JBS Admin on Jun 15, 2020 |

Professional dancers come from many walks of life, with different sets of experience and backgrounds. Some have been studying ballet since shortly after taking their first steps. Others begin dancing as tweens or teens and soon find themselves consumed with dreams of dancing for a living. But regardless of how you get started, there are 5 steps you’ll need to follow if your goal is to become a professional dancer.

Train with the Best

If your goal is to become a professional dancer, the quality of training you receive will make or break your chances of making it as a professional. Many dancers start their careers in local studios or companies, but when you become serious about turning professional, it’s time to look for the best training you can find.

That’s where Joffrey Ballet School’s pre-professional training comes in. Our pre-professional dance trainee program is a full-time course in dance that prepares you for a career as a professional dancer. We offer two tracks: Ballet and Jazz & Contemporary. Both programs provide thousands of hours of dance training, performance preparation and experience, along with classroom instruction in Career Planning; Critical Analysis; Music; Anatomy; Dance History; Health and Nutrition and more.

If your goals are more long term and you’re not quite ready to make the leap into pre-professional training, a summer dance intensive offers an opportunity to enhance your training and gain skills rapidly, without making a full time commitment to training until you’re ready. And it’s a great way to “try on” full time training and find the school that is right for you.

Gain Versatility and Performance Experience

At Joffrey, one of our mottoes for our pre-professional trainees is to “be the dancer that has it all.” What we mean is that a professional dancer needs more than just strong technical skills in a single discipline to be successful as a professional dancer.

Why is versatility so important? It used to be the case that dancers focused mainly on a single discipline because that is what the majority of roles required. Today, dance productions tend to be more “multi-disciplinary,” often incorporating multiple styles and disciplines in a single production or role. For instance, a ballet dancer could be called upon to incorporate elements of classical, modern and Latin dance in a role. The dancer who will be hired for that role is going to be the one with the training to excel in all of those disciplines.

So, when developing yourself as a dancer, look for opportunities to gain versatility and experience that could benefit you later by being willing to try new things and step outside the box. A summer dance intensive is a great way to do this, and that’s why Joffrey offers intensives in so many different styles.

With us, you can study classical or contemporary ballet, latin dance, jazz, tap or hip-hop. You’ll gain performance experience in our in-studio performances and student showcases in professional venues. You’ll gain versatility in a short period of time that you’ll need in your future professional career, and who knows? You just might discover a new passion in the process.

Have Realistic Expectations

One of the toughest decisions a dancer has to make is to determine which career preparation track to follow: studying dance at a college or university, or enrolling in some form of pre-professional training. There are pros and cons to both forms of training: college might allow you to pursue other options as well as dance, providing a backup plan of sorts for when your dance career ends.

Yet, while a backup plan is nice, dancers also have to accept that dance is also a time-limited career, one that favors younger dancers. Finishing high school and college, followed by a year or two of pre-professional study puts you well into your twenties by the time you finish. Most dancers will retire when the wear and tear on their bodies takes its toll, usually in their 30s or 40s if they are fortunate. For dancers that choose the college track, that means a career of 10 to 15 years, at best, plus being at a possible disadvantage compared to the dancers who got their start younger, when their bodies were stronger and more resilient.

By combining high school completion and pre-professional training, dancers can extend their careers on stage and get a much younger start, but there is a risk if their careers come to a premature end due to injury or other factors – or never really get started at all.

For these reasons, dancers need to be realistic and ask themselves the tough questions about their ultimate life and career goals. Are you willing to forego the college experience in order to extend your career and improve your dance prospects? Do you have a plan for what you will do when that career ends? Dancers who want to make it as a professional need to consider not just their dance career, but their ultimate life goals.

Put Together a Professional Portfolio

Okay, so let’s say you’ve got the training. You’ve got the talent. You’ve got the versatility. And you’ve asked the hard questions about your chosen career path. You’re ready to take the next steps. That means putting together a professional dance portfolio.

At Joffrey, we offer career planning and work with our pre-professional trainees as they near the end of their time with us to put together their portfolio. The portfolio includes a resume or CV (short for curriculum vitae) and professional headshots. Dancers should also curate what used to be called a dance “reel”; a video of dance clips showing your best skills. These can be shared electronically via file sharing apps, on a disk or thumb drive as a video audition.

Your resume should include your name, contact information (phone and email), a complete listing of your dance training and education, your representation (if you have an agent) and your union status. You should also list your training and performance experience: all schools attended, years of training and levels attained with each school, and specify your performance experience and roles. Dance competition experience and placement should be included as well.

For your headshot, professional photography and makeup is also very helpful. And while your dance clips don’t have to be professionally produced, you’ll make the best impression if they are well lit, well produced and show your dancing off to best advantage.

Take Care of Your Body

Remember when we said that the average dancer’s professional career would likely end in their 30s or 40s? That’s one of the hardest truths about choosing to become a professional dancer: your time on stage will likely come to an end sooner than you might wish. Often, this will happen because your body simply can’t handle the strain as you get older.

However, the good news is that while aging is inevitable, you’re not helpless against it. You can extend your career through careful attention to your nutrition and conditioning throughout your career. Younger dancers benefit from the fact that the human body typically gains muscle through one’s teens and twenties. However, at around age 30, this starts to change quickly as the body begins to lose muscle mass at a pace of about 3% to 5% per year.

So if you want to be as strong as possible in the later portion of your career, don’t delay in paying attention to diet and strength conditioning.

Be the Dancer that Has it All With Joffrey

Training, experience and versatility, realistic expectations, a professional portfolio and a commitment to nutrition and conditioning are just five of the factors you need to make it as a professional dancer. If you’re ready to learn more about how to succeed in this career path, contact Joffrey today to learn more about our pre-professional training and summer dance intensives.

JBS Admin (69 Posts)

Founded in 1953 by Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, Joffrey Ballet School maintains the vision of its founders to transform passionate dance students into versatile, individualistic artists able to collaborate and evolve fluidly in a fast-changing society. With an accredited dance program that offers two core areas of study – ballet and jazz/contemporary – JBS is known for its diverse curriculum and has the largest summer intensive training program in the country.

3 Tips for How to Become a Professional Dancer

To The Pointe

Follow us to stay updated on the latest news from our school & faculty. We also aim to provide inspiration and encouragement to aspiring dancers and their families interested in learning more about the world of ballet!

Sep 29, 2021 | Ballet

Ballet dancers practice one of the oldest arts of movement in the world, one that uses centuries-old techniques to express emotions and entertain with grace on stage. Dancers are storytellers – using a mixture of free-flowing and choreographed routines to share their narratives.

While there’s no clear-cut path to becoming a professional dancer, there are ways to train your skills enough soar through an audition.

The First Steps to Take to Become a Professional Dancer

Tip #1: Train with Reputable Performing Arts Schools

Just like any other skill, education can do wonders for extending your knowledge and honing your abilities as a ballet dancer. Getting training from established teachers allows you to learn from the best of the bunch.

Training with reputable dance companies like Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, for instance, can help you develop your muscle memory, flexibility, discipline, and technique so that you can propel your talent to greater heights.

If you want a less traditional route, you can also get a bachelor’s degree to unravel the technicalities behind choreography, production, your specific dance history, and extensive training to enhance your body alignment.

Tip #2: Explore the Expansive World of Dance and Gain Experience

Training helps build your foundation and strength but being versatile in today’s professional dance world is essential. Having experience and taking classes in character, modern, and even hip-hop will help you become the dancer that a director can count on.

Tip #3: Attend Auditions to Gain Networks and Build Reputation

Aside from gaining experience from other forms, it helps to attend as many auditions as you can to build your strength in a high-pressure environment. This is closely related to acquiring more real-world knowledge on how dance works in the professional world, so you can step out of your comfort zone and boost your reputation in the process.

The Bottom Line: The Steps to Turning Your Talent into a Profession

The road to becoming a professional dancer and flourishing on stage is unique to every individual, but the steps to reach your dreams of dancing can feel clearer when you know the basics.

Why Choose Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet?

Are you looking for a ballet academy in Central Pennsylvania? If so, then the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet may be for you!

Marcia Dale Weary founded this reputable ballet academy in 1955, so we’re known worldwide for providing one of the finest classical ballet training programs.

Train with us today and see what we can do to fuel your passion!

Follow Us For More Content

← Previous Article Next Article →

Let’s Start the Conversation

Send us a message today!

Thanks for Reading!

Looking for more information on issues related to the study of ballet or news about CPYB programs?

Return To Blog

How to become a professional dancer?

Many young people today do not just want to learn how to dance beautifully, but seriously dream of becoming a professional dancer. This unusual profession attracts romantics and connoisseurs of beauty.

More often only girls and young girls dream of becoming dancers, fascinated by the light and air images of ballerinas. Indeed, what could be more beautiful than shine on stage, receive flowers from fans every evening and listen to applause! This magical picture is mesmerizing, and the prospects become gray an office worker cause only bouts of melancholy.

However the path to the top of a career as a professional dancer is not as easy as it could be appear at first glance. As in any business, this area is filled not only beauty and smiles, but also difficulties hidden from the eyes of the audience.

Before than to make a decision about choosing a profession, the future ballerina, as well as her parents should know what is hidden under the beautiful title of "ballet dancer". Costs note that in many professional groups the position of a dancer sounds as a "ballet dancer", regardless of the stylistic direction of the choreography.

Consider advantages and disadvantages of such a profession as "dancer" or "ballet dancer". Assessing them, it will be easier for you to make an important decision or to abandon it.

What Pros and prospects are given by the profession "ballet dancer"

- Excellent physical shape on throughout life. Professional dancers are distinguished good physical form. In order to have the correct posture, thin waist and tightened hips, dancers do not need to visit gyms and fitness clubs. The physical form remains ideal in the process of daily performance of their professional duties. Work schedule for dancers so saturated, and the physical load is so high, that all this is not allows people in this profession to gain excess weight.

- Opportunity to see the world in within the framework of professional activity. Occupation dancer associated with active touring activities. Typically the most famous choreographic groups visit major European cities, and all without exceptions continents and countries. Work schedule provides dancers a wonderful chance to see the world without spending your own money on it.

- Fame, admiration, recognition and love of the audience. An integral attribute dancer's professions are the love of the audience, applause and, finally, the real glory. Choreographic activity will become an ideal profession for those who childhood to strive for admiring glances and under the footlight feels like fish in the water. Dancers on stage live a special life. Many people are attracted to profession with an incomparable feeling of flight and the release of adrenaline into the blood under thousands of admiring glances.

- Profession is a favorite occupation. Most often, dancers become by vocation those people for whom choreography is a favorite pastime that has become a profession. Highly it is difficult to imagine a good professional dancer who would not love my job. Here, more than anywhere else, burning eyes and emotional dedication. This becomes possible only if the dance is for of a person is the most favorite occupation in life and the only possible choice professions.

- The profession is related to beauty. The work of a dancer perfectly develops a sense of style. Professional dancers - some of the most beautiful people in ordinary, everyday life. Thanks to daily work with stage costume and make-up people of this profession harmoniously develop a sense of proportion and aesthetic perception.

- Dancers are always in the focus of the media, on the TV screen. One one of the advantages of the profession is the fact that dancers can often be seen central television channels. Concerts with famous bands broadcast on TV quite often. In addition, dancers are often invited to participate in the filming of video clips and commercials. For many young people and girls, this becomes a significant incentive to choose dance art business of a lifetime.

- Possibility to create your own dance school. Very often a logical continuation the career of a dancer becomes the career of the owner of a choreographic school or dance group leader. This enticing prospect attracts very many future stars of the scene.

Underwater stones of dance art as a profession

- Daily physical labor. Having done choreography by their profession, young people must be prepared for the daily hard work. Many hours of training at the ballet barre, rehearsals and staging new dances, mastering unfamiliar styles, mandatory attendance master classes from famous choreographers, as well as evening performances on stage. Often you will have to perform in open areas under the scorching sun in heavy suits. Becoming a dancer, you will no longer have the opportunity to relax, as it is necessary always keep yourself in shape.

- High risk of injury. Rare there is a dancer who has not experienced at least one professional injury. dancers hurt ankles, knees, tear back, damage ligaments. not excluded fractures and sprains. It must be remembered that the body is a working dancer's instrument. In case of damage, we can talk about professional unsuitability and parting with a career as a dancer.

- Age restrictions. Century the dancer is short. It is unlikely that you will be able to shine on stage and be a soloist after as a dancer turns 35 years old. Since this age is associated with the heyday vitality, sunset in the professional sphere can lead to unwanted psychological consequences, the development of depression and feelings of inferiority.

- Difficulty balancing work and personal life. Unfortunately, very often professional dancers fail to create a family, become a happy mother and wife. Due to the tight touring schedule, the free time of the dancers is very limited. At the same time, heavy loads can cause hormonal disruptions and reproductive difficulties in women.

C where the dancer begins

For in order to become a dancer, first of all, you need to get an initial choreographic education. The most successful in the profession are those who I started dancing in early childhood, at the age of 5-6 years. Already at this time girls and boys are accepted into choreographic schools, which issue a certificate according to their ending. At this stage, a great responsibility lies with the parents, who should notice in time the giftedness and ability to dance in their child.

To make no mistake, just bring your child to the choreographic school for viewing. Here, experts will determine exactly how successful they can become. child in dance art. As a rule, to determine giftedness and the potential ability to learn to dance in a child is possible already at the age of 5 years.

Requirements to those entering choreographic schools

dance school, an aspiring dancer will need to continue their education. At the same time, it is desirable to constantly dance in some choreographic team, gaining performance experience.

How as a rule, choreographic schools, studios and colleges present to applicants similar requirements:

Talent, creative giftedness.
Musicality, perfect ear, sense of rhythm.
Compliance external and physical data to the requirements of the school, college or dance team.

school, the competition commission evaluates with prejudice such data of applicants, like height, weight, stretch, flexibility, plasticity, eversion, ballet length step, as well as the presence of an ear for music.

Remember that ideal data only opens the door to the world of dance opportunities. Whether you become a successful dancer depends on how much work and hard work will be applied to talent and creative endowment.

Even if your desire to conquer world scenes is very strong, remember that the profession a dancer is a way of life that not everyone can do.

So, choose the profession of a dancer if any other activity for you is completely unthinkable, and you see yourself only on the stage. In this case, high the chances that you will become not just a professional, but an outstanding, famous dancer.

Valentina Nikonova /teacher in folk dances, especially for the portal SportSamara.ru/

ᐅ How to become a dancer? | How do they become dancers?

Many people dream of working as a professional dancer, imagining fame, popularity and brilliance of spotlights. But how to become a dancer, what is needed for this? Let's find out!

To begin with, it is worth understanding that this is, first of all, hard work, and only a few are given to break onto the stage.

The profession of a dancer requires good physical shape and long training sessions.

  Content:

How to become a dancer?
How do you become a dancer from scratch?
Schools where one becomes a dancer
How to become a dancer without education?
How to become a good and successful dancer?

How to become a dancer?

Anyone can become a dancer. This does not require special education, somewhere to study, and all that is needed is to experience the pleasure of dancing. But that's if it's a hobby. Amateur and professional dancing, pleasure and work as a dancer are very different concepts.

I dream of becoming a professional dancer. How do they become dancers in general, what do you need to know and be able to do, how to start?

Unfortunately, and maybe fortunately, not all become successful dancers. To do this, you need not only to love to dance, but also to have a confident and strong desire to improve, overcoming difficulties.

In order to reach the top in the profession, it is not so much external data that is important, but attitude to business and diligence. With these qualities, you can become a good dancer, whose performances are pleasant to watch the audience.

How do you become a dancer from scratch?

In order to become a dancer from scratch, you need to be sure that this particular job will become the work of a lifetime. Such a creative profession requires complete dedication and the ability to express vivid emotions.

In addition, you need to prepare physically and develop endurance. After all, rehearsals last many hours and take place almost every day.

Before you start mastering the profession, you need to decide on the style.

There are a huge number of them, and it is important to choose the most suitable one for yourself. When choosing, it is worth considering personal preferences and your level of physical fitness. For confidence, you can rehearse in front of a mirror.

Schools for becoming dancers

You can become a dancer after receiving a special education. To do this, you need to enter an art college or university. They are accepted here on the basis of nine and 11 classes, depending on the direction.

To enroll in a group, you need to pass a creative competition, for which you should prepare well. You also need to be ready to provide the results of the exam in Russian and literature. The exact list of subjects required for admission can be clarified at the educational institution.

Training to be a dancer in an educational institution is not yet a guarantee that you can become one.

Getting a professional education on the basis of a college or university will not yet give you the opportunity to become a dancer, but it is an opportunity to acquire all the necessary knowledge and skills.

Experienced teachers will help you develop your talent and fully reveal your creative potential. They will point out mistakes and help correct them. But a lot depends on the student. Therefore, the educational institution itself will not make you a dancer, it will only give you an opportunity.

For example, while studying, students have the opportunity to participate in many competitions and festivals, which will help them test their strength and even get a job offer.

How to become a dancer without education?

Many people become dancers without special education. For this profession, attitude and talent are much more important. If a person truly loves to dance and develops his abilities, then he will be able to achieve considerable success. It is important to understand that a couple of hours of training three times a week is not enough to become a professional dancer. You have to work hard and hone your skills.

For beginner dancers, it is not so much the technique of performance that is important, but the development of endurance and the ability to express their emotions through body language. The presence of charisma and a bright personality distinguishes a good dancer from the rest. You need to be ready for constant hard training and strictly follow the regimen.

You can learn to dance professionally if you have good skills on your own. But it is better to seek help from professionals. To do this, there are many circles, courses and dance schools. There, in a fairly short time, you can master a certain dance style. Regular classes with a dance teacher will help develop physical endurance, learn basic dance moves, and develop talent in yourself.

Members of clubs and dance schools often get the opportunity to participate in competitions and perform at concerts. This has a positive effect on emotional mood, increases confidence and gives you the opportunity to express yourself. Achievements in competitions will be a great addition to the portfolio of a novice dancer.

How to become a good and successful dancer?

In order to succeed and shine on stage, you will have to make a lot of effort. The most important qualities of a good dancer are charisma, perseverance and hard work.

The main thing is to choose this profession consciously and remember that behind the beauty and brilliance of dancers' performances there are constant training and heavy workloads.

And as mentioned above, one cannot become a dancer overnight, without proper preparation. You need to play sports and follow the necessary regimen. Only thanks to this, professional dancers cope with difficult numbers and exhausting rehearsals.