How to become a professional dancer in south africa
How To Become A Professional Dancer In South Africa? – Greater Good SA
If you are seeking to become a professional dancer, a degree in Dance or Performing Arts is highly recommended. It’s not just the big cities who host professional dancing examinations. Many dance schools across the nation do, too.
Table of contents
- what qualifications do you need to be a professional dancer?
- how do i start a career as a dancer?
- what are the compulsory subjects for a dancer?
- how long does it take to become a pro dancer?
- how much do you get paid to be a professional dancer?
- how do i start my career as a dancer?
- can a dancer be a career?
- what career can dance lead to?
- what subjects are needed for dance?
- what course should i take to become a dancer?
- what is dance subject?
- what knowledge do you need to be a dancer?
- how many years does it take to become a professional dancer?
- what it takes to become a professional dancer?
- is it hard to become a professional dancer?
How Do I Start A Career As A Dancer?
How Do I Start My Career As A Dancer?
What Career Can Dance Lead To?
What It Takes To Become A Professional Dancer?
Watch How To Become A Professional Dancer In South Africa Video
How to Become Professional Dancer South Africa
Professional dancer. A person trained and skilled with qualifications in a specific form of dance or variety of dancing employed in a professional capacity to perform in variety of settings.
Below are steps to Become Professional Dancer South Africa
Professional dancers are passionate, determined and persistent toward achieving their goals. Here are some steps to help you transition to professional dancing:
Receive extensive training
You don’t need any qualifications or a degree to become a professional dancer, but training is an important factor. Professional dancers begin their training at the age of five and start auditioning for permanent work at 18. The training helps with the development of muscle strength and techniques needed to turn talent into a profession.
. Consider getting a bachelor’s degree
It isn’t mandatory to have a degree to become a professional dancer, but majoring in dance can give you exposure to different dance genres.
You also have the option of concentrating on a specific dance. A variety of universities and colleges offer majors in dance through the fine arts or theater departments.
In a dance major, you learn about:
Choreography: You learn performance skills through various dancing techniques and ways of expressing yourself through choreography.
Production: As a student, you learn about the processes of backstage production. This can include sound operation, how to run a light board, costumes, lighting design and stage management.
Gain experience
If you want to increase your chances of getting hired as a professional dancer, you should consider relocating to a city where entertainment thrives. However, take time to research art communities in your area where you can volunteer to dance. You can also gain experience by:
Taking classes: Participating in dance classes helps you build your craft, stay physically healthy and gain more experience.
Dance classes also increase your chances of getting booked during auditions because the director or choreographer may be familiar with your work or have experience working with you.
Skills for a professional dancer in South Africa
Apart from being talented, you need to possess skills that can help you have a successful career.
These skills are:
Creativity: You need to have interesting, innovative ways to express your ideas through dancing.
Physical strength: You need to have excellent mobility and strength to move your body without losing your balance or falling and have the ability to work for extended periods.
Interpersonal skills: You must have the ability to interact with others effectively because you will work with many people.
What qualifications do you need to be a professional dancer in South Africa?
You’ll usually need a degree or diploma in professional dance or musical theatre. These take 2 to 3 years to complete and are offered by dance schools, performing arts schools and universities. Academic qualifications may not be essential if you show enough talent at audition.
Is it hard to become a professional dancer?
There’s no way around it: Becoming a professional dancer is hard. Whether you dream of becoming a hip hop dancer in commercials and music videos, a principal in a ballet company, or a backup dancer on tour, making it as a dancer is no cakewalk.
Can I become a professional dancer at 30?
You can become a good dancer at any age, if you train smart and a lot. Just go to dance classes four times a week. Just add some stretching and Pilates. Also just add a couple of strength training classes to make sure your body looks even better.
Is it worth being a dancer?
The truth is that for so many dancers, their love of dancing and passion for the art overrides all of the drawbacks. So even though things can be outrageously challenging and competitive and painful, both physically and emotionally, dance is so emotionally fulfilling that it can absolutely all be worth it.
Is dancer a good career?
Various job opportunities present for dancers and choreographers: “The avenues through dance are aplenty.
Whether it is becoming a performer in films, shows or musicals, or teaching in academies or schools, there are various strong career opportunities,” says Shiamak Davar. Teaching in schools or corporate.
How do professional dancers make money?
Commercial dancers are paid as independent contractors by the producing organization of a project. If you have an agent, the agent gets 10% – 20%. And when it comes to set up, having an agent generally assures that you’re getting paid what you’re worth because agents work on your behalf for that.
How can I earn money by dancing?
Here are 7 ways to earn extra money as a dancer.
Write Dance Articles.
Perform/Choreograph for Special Events.
Teach Privates Lessons or Classes.
Sell Your Own Merchandise Online.
Become an Affiliate Seller.
Monetize Your Social Media Account.
Freelance Other Services.
Where can a dancer work?
Dancers work in dance schools, theaters, performing companies, TV or movie studios, at casinos, on cruise ships, and at theme parks.
When on tour, dancers have long workdays, rehearsing most of the day and performing at night. Self-employment, and part-time dance work is common.
Madina Beisekeyeva: 10 life hacks on how to become a professional dancer
Madina Beisekeeva is a professional choreographer, director of the MB DANCE dance studio. She has been dancing all her life and today travels and teaches dance in China.
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Set a goal
Why do you want to become a professional dancer? There are two types of people: professionals who dance for themselves, like to work on themselves, gain new knowledge and become better. And there are those who want to become a dancer for a specific purpose.
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Work on oneself
It may be different. Physical activity: push-ups, jumps, squats or work on mistakes. To see your mistakes, you need to film the dance. You will find out what you are missing and work on it.
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For those who choreograph
Try to update your playlist frequently.
I am inspired by music. My choreography depends on the music and my mood. If the music is lyrical, then I dance accordingly. The same with hip-hop. -
When there is no inspiration
This happens periodically. Especially among the residents of my country, because there are few events related to dancing. I advise you to leave the country, take master classes, return charged and teach others.
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Try something else
Trying different types of dance is important. If a dancer dances in one direction and takes a master class in another, then he will not achieve anything. Therefore, I advise you to develop yourself in different styles.
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Decide on a basic style
In order to achieve a certain effect, you need to focus on a specific style. You need to decide what you like best. For example, what do you do best?
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Always go forward
There are times when you choreograph and you start to get stuck at one point.
In such cases, I advise you to skip it and move on without getting hung up. -
Follow Instagram
It's the 21st century, so no matter how talented you are, your resume and portfolio is Instagram. Even if you don't have that many subscribers, then try to work on the content. If you dance at home and don't share your creativity with the world, then no one will know about you.
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Don't think too much
For example, you are at a master class and you are learning new moves. Your body has muscle memory. When your body is relaxed and ready to work, then at that moment the mind can declare: there are so many people here, they are looking at me and I can’t. Then the blocking of the body begins and there is no freedom of action.
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Accept yourself and your shortcomings
You can win hundreds of battles, dance on all popular stages, but if you don't decide that you are a professional, then this will not happen.
There are flaws in dancing and complex movements where your teacher bypasses you, but the trick is that you are different. And it's wonderful!
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Alex Choi – Samsung Newsroom Kazakhstan
A story about ballet, determination and working with data
If you try to describe Choi's approach to life in one word, that word would be "perseverance". Among his peers, he is known for his extensive expertise in logistics, but few of his colleagues at Samsung Electronics in South Africa would have thought that he was once a professional ballet dancer. It was thanks to his perseverance that he managed to build a career in ballet, and then decide to become a Samsung employee.
Choi studies in the ballet studio while working in Mexico
First steps
By professional standards, Choi came to the ballet world quite late.
This decision was inspired by a childhood friend who chose modern dance as a specialization at the University of Seoul. Seeing the opportunities open up for his friend, Choi decided to become a dancer. Usually a career in ballet starts early: children enter ballet school at the age of seven or eight, and Choi began studying when he was 18. However, this did not stop him, and he continued his passion.
“From the very first day I started studying, my life was completely devoted to ballet. I took breaks only for eating and sleeping, the rest of the time I was engaged. Although there was some element of luck in my career, I can definitely say that at that time I honed my skills in the studio for days on end.
Choi (pictured above, standing in the center) gave his all in every performance
It takes a lot of practice to become a ballet dancer, but having natural talent also plays a part. Choi, despite coming to ballet late, had all the physical features and had a natural flexibility and physical endurance.
He had eighteen months to reach his goal. Choi was accepted into the ballet class of the newly opened Korea National University of the Arts, located next door to the Seoul Arts Center.
Twists of Fortune
The life of a young dancer was quite difficult. The young man gave all the best in the dance program. After graduation, he was accepted into the Universal Ballet Company. There he began his professional career as a dancer.
“Korea Universal Ballet is famous for its world tours. As a member of the troupe, I visited the USA and Europe, traveled all over the world, and it was during these trips that I caught myself thinking that I was interested in getting to know different cultures of the world. I worked hard to get closer to the goal - I wanted to apply for a job in a company outside of Korea, and then something happened that happened.
Choi was diagnosed with a stress fracture. In addition, he had to interrupt his ballet classes for the duration of his mandatory military service *.
“During my service in the army, my diagnosis began to bother me less, because I did not dance and did not create an excessive load on the musculoskeletal system. After finishing my military service, I resumed ballet lessons. I had to restore my form and look for a new troupe. I've been to job interviews all over the world - and I was ready to dance everywhere."
Choi performs in Swan Lake while working at Joburg Ballet
While touring in Japan, he joined the Japanese ballet. “It was not easy for a number of reasons. First of all, everything was in Japanese, so I had no choice but to start learning Japanese. However, after six months I was fluent in this language. Another difficulty was that I had a family that needed to be supported somehow. So I took on other jobs, and in addition to speaking, I gave lessons.” After Japan, Choi worked briefly in Mexico, which ended up with a major ballet company in South Africa, Joberg Ballet.
Within six months, he became the leading dancer of the ballet troupe.
“Thanks to the opportunities provided by Joburg Ballet, I took part in more performances, I spent twice as much time on stage. But the diagnosis made by the doctors again made itself felt.
Act II
After 18 years as a dancer, Choi had to leave the stage. “It was very difficult to get through. Ballet meant literally everything to me, my whole life was built around it.”
Choi knew that his perseverance and determination would help him. He caught sight of a position in the logistics department at Samsung Electronics' South Africa office and devoted his time to learning the necessary skills for the job.
Choi (second from right) with his colleagues at the Samsung Electronics Africa office, where he is a valued member of the logistics team
Choi is a firm believer that hard work always pays off and is now revered by his peers as a master of spreadsheets – thanks to the tenacity and determination that ballet instilled in him, he has developed all the necessary skills for a new position and working with data.
