If your answer to "So You Think You Can Dance?" is a resounding "Yes, I do!" then perhaps you are considering a dance career. Whether you plan to hoof it on Broadway, plie your way into a ballet company, shake it up as a famous singer's backup dancer, or strut your stuff in a music video, you will need to have years of dance study under your belt in order to make it as a professional dancer. That is why many aspiring dancers attend years of dance school or even choose to pursue a degree in dance at dance colleges, a conservatory, or a liberal arts college or university that offers a dance major as part of the larger theater arts program.
Conservatory programs in dance are often considered the most competitive, but that doesn't mean that a conservatory education is the only way to go. There are many liberal arts colleges and universities that have excellent theater arts programs, of which a dance program is a major component. Most students enrolled in a dance college will pursue either a B.A. or B.F.A. in dance. A good number of students also major in education, or at the very least take some education classes, in order to become dance teachers and instructors on a part-time basis to support themselves financially as they attend dance auditions.
Even if you plan to blaze a trail with your own style of dance and choreography, you will have to study the masters who have come before you, like Graham, Fosse, and Balanchine, just to name a few. As a dance major, you will enroll in a variety of classes ranging from modern dance and hip-hop to tap, jazz, and ballet. Many students at dance colleges also take acting classes in order to improve body movement and to help them better interpret the roles they will take on as dancers. Classes in choreography will also be helpful, not only for aspiring choreographers, but also for dancers, who will learn how a dance is created from concept to performance.
Just Dance!
For those interested in a career as a Broadway dancer, there are many excellent dance colleges and programs in the New York City region, as well as many dance companies for which one can audition to become a member. However, it is not necessary to pack up your belongings and move to New York right away, as there are also many wonderful dance companies throughout the country. Most states and major cities have dance companies which allow audition opportunities. Also, many shows and companies embark on national or world tours, which means that a dancer can find work anywhere there is a stage!
Dancers require a lot of stamina, not just to get through grueling performances, but to continue through the audition process, which can be very daunting at times. Most "overnight sensations" have actually been dancing for many years, so their fame is very hard earned. Because dancing is so hard on the body, many dancers retire at a fairly early age and then proceed to begin a second career as a choreographer.
Top dancers and choreographers can earn good salaries, but for dancers who are at the beginning of their careers, it can be very tough to support oneself on a dancer's salary, therefore many people take on a second job. That is why even though a dancer might have earned a spot in a show or a company, he or she is always looking to audition at new places in order to ensure continuous employment.
There are lots of options for continuing your dance education, so grab those dance shoes, hitch up the leg warmers, and get moving on your dance career!
