Dancers and Choreographers

Dancers and choreographers use dance performances to express ideas and stories. There are many types of dance, such as ballet, tango, modern dance, tap, and jazz.

Duties

Dancers typically do the following:

• Audition for a part in a show or for a job within a dance company
• Learn complex dance movements that entertain an audience
• Rehearse several hours each day to prepare for their performance
• Study new and emerging types of dance
• Work closely with instructors, choreographers, or other dancers to interpret or modify their routines
• Attend promotional events, such as photography sessions, for the production in which they are appearing

Dancers spend years learning dances and perfecting their skills. They usually perform as part of a group and know a variety of dance styles, including ballet, tap, and modern dance. In addition to traditional performances in front of a live audience, many perform on TV, in videos on the Internet, and in music videos, in which they also may sing or act. Many dancers perform in shows at casinos, in theme parks, and on cruise ships.

Choreographers typically do the following:

• Put together moves in a sequence to create new dances or interpretations of existing dances
• Choose the music that will accompany a dance routine
• Audition dancers for a role in a show or within a dance company
• Assist with costume design, lighting, and other artistic aspects of a show
• Teach complex dance movements
• Study new and emerging types of dance to design more creative dance routines
• Help with the administrative duties of a dance company, such as budgeting

Choreographers create original dances and develop new interpretations of existing dances. They work in dance schools, theaters, dance companies, and movie studios. During rehearsals, they typically demonstrate dance moves, to instruct dancers in the proper technique. Many choreographers also perform the dance routines they create. Some choreographers work with performers who are not trained dancers. For example, the complex martial arts scenes performed by actors in movies are arranged by choreographers who specialize in martial arts.

Some dancers and choreographers hold other jobs between roles to make a living.

Choreographers held about 4,600 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of choreographers were as follows:

Dancers held about 12,300 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of dancers were as follows:

Many dancers stop performing by the time they reach their late thirties because of the physical demands of their work. Nonperforming dancers may continue to work as choreographers, directors, or dance teachers.

Work Schedules

Schedules for dancers and choreographers vary with where they work. During tours, dancers and choreographers have long workdays, rehearsing most of the day and performing at night.

Choreographers who work in dance schools may have a standard workweek when they are instructing students. They also spend hours working independently to create new dance routines.

Education and training requirements vary with the type of dancer; however, all dancers need many years of formal training. Nearly all choreographers began their careers as dancers.

The median hourly wage for choreographers was $26.73 in May 2024.

The median hourly wage for dancers was $23.97 in May 2024.

Overall employment of dancers and choreographers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 2,500 openings for dancers and choreographers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.