Dancer
Use movement to interpret music, tell stories and express emotion. Dance for live audiences or in recorded performances for television, film or music videos.
About the job
A day in the life – Ballet dancer
What it's like
Dance is a creative and physical career where you use your body to bring music and stories to life. If you love movement, enjoy performing and don’t mind hard work behind the scenes, this could be the job for you.
As a dancer, you'll interpret music to express emotion, ideas and narratives. You might perform live on stage for an audience or appear in recorded performances for television, film or music videos. Your rhythm, timing and years of training all come together to entertain and connect with people.
Most of the time you’ll perform routines created by a choreographer, but you may also be asked to improvise or help develop new movement ideas. You’ll usually specialise in one style of dance, such as classical ballet, contemporary, street dance or musical theatre, though many dancers train in more than one style.
You could work in theatres, studios, schools, on tour or on film and TV sets. What you do each day can vary a lot, but performing is only a small part of the job. A large amount of your time will be spent practising and preparing.
Your tasks might include:
rehearsing routines and learning choreography
attending dance classes to stay fit and maintain technique
performing in live shows or recorded productions
improvising movement during rehearsals or performances
preparing for and attending auditions
promoting yourself, networking and looking for your next role
You’ll also need to prepare for and attend auditions, often learning routines at short notice. You’ll spend time promoting yourself, building contacts and looking for your next job, as many dance roles are short-term or freelance.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Royal Academy of Dance – find classes, teachers, exams and access resources and events
Creative Scotland – get support developing ideas, applying for funding and bringing projects to life
Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) – discover the main industry body that supports, promotes and sets quality standards
Dance UK – find information about a specialised advanced dance training programme for young dancers interested in professional performing or teaching career
Dancers' Career Development – a charity dedicated to supporting professional dancers with career development and transition
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Select qualification level(s)
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
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Creative
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- self awareness
- taking initiative
- self esteem
- attention to detail
- creative
- listening
- cooperating
- resilience
- persevering
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Dance
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Drama
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Media
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Performance Arts
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PE (Physical education)
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Skills for Work: Creative Industries
There are different routes you can take to become a dancer.
University
You can study a degree qualification in a relevant subject at a vocational dance college or conservatoire.
Useful subjects include:
BA (Hons) Dance
BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance
BA (Hons) Ballet
Professional Diplomas in Dance or Musical Theatre
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
HNC/HND Dance
NC Dance or Performing Arts
Typically, auditions are more important than grades in the selection process. You'll need to show strong technique, physical ability and commitment.
Use the My World of Work course search to find university or college opportunities.
Many dancers start at an early age and undertake graded examinations through dance classes.
Dancers often have years of dance training outside school (classes, youth companies).
You'll need to specialise in one or two styles (e.g. ballet, contemporary, musical theatre).
Dancers must have good fitness, discipline and resilience.
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