Dancer

Dancers use movement to tell stories, express emotion and interpret music.

They normally specialise in one form of dance, such as: ballet; contemporary; stage dance (jazz, tap and possibly singing and acting in musical theatre); African/Asian dance; or street dance.

They perform live or dance in TV/ film or music video productions and mainly interpret the work of a choreographer, although they also improvise.

Performing is only a small part of a dancer's work. They also spend time rehearsing, preparing for and attending auditions, attending dance classes to keep fit and maintain their skills, and promoting themselves and finding the next job. Dancers sometimes combine performing with other activities such as teaching, choreography, community dance, or arts administration.

Other types of social dancing (such as ballroom or line dancing) are usually done for fun, but dancers can make a living from these by teaching or entering professional competitions.

Your income as a dancer would depend on the amount of work you find.

You would often be freelance and be paid a fee for each contract or performance.

As a member of Equity (the performers' union), you should earn at least £336 a week.

Non-Equity work may pay less. See Equity’s website for more details.

You will need a high level of training and ability in at least one form of dance.

Most professional dancers start taking dance classes from a young age, and often take graded exams from awarding bodies such as the British Ballet Organisation or the Royal Academy of Dance.

Classical ballet dancers in particular start training very young, usually before their teens. It is possible to make a career in contemporary dance if you start at a later age, if you are prepared to work hard and put in a lot of training.

Many professional dancers train at a vocational dance school, with an intensive three-year degree or diploma or a one-year postgraduate course in professional dance or musical theatre. To get onto a three-year professional degree/diploma you must pass an audition. Some dance schools also ask for A levels or equivalent (such as a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts – Dance), although academic qualifications may not be essential if you show enough talent at audition.  

For a postgraduate course, you will need a dance-related degree. You should check exact entry requirements with each dance school.

You can find more information about professional dance courses on the Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET) website. You may be able to get funding for approved professional courses through the Dance and Drama Award Scheme. Several universities also offer degrees in dance, although some focus on dance administration or development rather than performance.

For a university dance degree, you will usually need two A levels or equivalent qualifications. You may also need to pass a dance audition. Check exact entry requirements with course providers. It is also be a good idea to join a local dance company to build your experience of performing.

See the CDET website for links to dance companies and organisations all over the UK.