There are many forms of dance and opportunities in which to use them. Classical ballet, modern dance, cultural dances, jazz, folk, tap, hip-hop, Latin, ball-room, swing, country, crunk, and many more. Dancers can find jobs in operas, musical theater, television, movies, music videos, commercials, dance companies, concert halls, to name a few. With all those opportunities, one would think that a dancing career would be easy. That is anything but the truth.

Dancers begin training at a young age. Many top dancers are trained classically first before branching out into other forms. For example, Robert Hoffman of “Step Up 2” & “Wild N Out” fame is most known for his hip-hop and contemporary dancing. He’s trained in jazz, ballet and tap. Those who hope to get on with a good dance company should start training between 5-8 years old for girls and 10-12 for boys. By age 10 most aspiring female ballet dancers are into extensive dance training at an advanced level. In high school is when dancers find their first auditions. Many opt to continue training in school or with a dance company although a few do get lucky and find success while teens. The explosion of dance shows and movies can sometimes give a false impression that there are many jobs out there for young dancers. Center Stage for example, has a number of dancers, many teens when filming. Four members of that film were actors, everyone else was a member of the American Ballet Academy. The majority of them simply continued on with their training when the movie was done. It wasn’t a film starring dancers, it was just filmed at a dance school where dancers were convenient. Don’t let the movies fool you about the difficulty of a dance career.

Its important to note too that professional dancers are finished with that career by their late thirties. There are of course rare exceptions such as Mikhail Baryshnikov. Some do find other work though as teachers, directors, choreographers, or take over administrative work at companies and theaters. That’s another key aspect to dance. You have to be willing to someday do more than just dance. It is very important to learn about all aspects of dance, not just the part on stage. You’ll need that degree to someday teach, another reason many dancers continue their education.

Dancers take about 35,000 jobs each year. That’s barely the tip of the iceberg. But as more dancers search for careers, the opportunities need to grow as well and they aren’t growing as fast. The average dancer earns $29,000 (US) a year. In some cases, room and board is provided, especially with travelling companies or theater productions. That’s survivable in smaller cities but in the big cities, like New York, where many companies and jobs are based, you’ll need another job. Its for these reason that one website points out the needs of a dancer. “Dancers must have self-discipline, patience, perseverance, and a devotion to dance. Good problem solving skills, teamwork, good health and physical stamina also are necessary attributes. Above all, dancers must have flexibility, agility, coordination, grace, a sense of rhythm, a feeling for music, and a creative ability to express themselves through movement.”

With all these downsides, one might wonder why anyone would consider a career in dance. First, there are always success stories. Take Sabra from “So You Think You Can dance”, she had only been dancing for 4 years before appearing on and winning that season. Second, ask any dancer why they dance. Odds are they’ll tell you because they have to. What else can they do? It’s a passion and you can’t ignore your passion.