15 Related Careers for students of dance

Working as a professional dancer is a challenging path, and not everyone is cut out for it. Whether you are forced to stop dancing due to injury or you simply feel drawn to another kind of lifestyle, figuring out what to do instead can be difficult. Dancers are resourceful, disciplined, creative, and intelligent people that have a multitude of skills that can be utilised in many different professions. Here are just a few!

1

Dance Company Director | Choreographer

Whether it’s running your own dance company or choreographing for Broadway, you can take your dance knowledge and embark on a creative career of your own.

2

Lighting Designer | Set Designer

Be the person who makes all the magic happen on stage! If you love the theatre and have both an artistic eye and a technology bent, becoming a lighting designer could be the path for you. Similar to lighting design, creating sets can give artistic, creative souls a rewarding career path in the theatre without actually being on stage. If you’re good with your hands and like to paint, you might consider pursuing how to put those skills to use by becoming a set designer.

3

Engineering | Stage Management | Production Crew

Design stage construction for performance festivals. A good stage manager is crucial to the arc of a show, from rehearsals to closing night. If you have good attention to detail, enjoy overseeing people, and are good at problem solving in a crisis, you might be the type of person the dance world needs to run their shows. If you enjoy working on a team and like the technological aspects of putting together a show, being on a production crew can give you an inside look at what really happens backstage.

4

Lawyer specialising in contractual law for Performing Arts Professionals

Professional dancers, actors and singers require legal representation at various stages of their careers including contractual advice and general counsel. Your knowledge of the performing arts environment can be a drawcard to build a legal practice.

5

Operations Manager | Administration

In addition to dance companies, there are many different types of institutions that support the arts where administrative-minded folks might be able to pursue careers. Some examples include theatres, foundations, museums, community centres, and more. From accounting to development, from programming to facilities management, you can carve out a place for yourself among the people who make it possible for dancers to rehearse, create, and eventually perform on stage.

6

Dance Writer | Dance Blogger | Dance Influencer

As evidenced by this article, you can turn both your passion for dance and writing into a career! From advice articles to performance reviews, you can be an integral part of the dance community by using language to support the field of dance.

7

Dance Medicine | Dance Physical Therapist | Dance Psychology | Dance Dietician

This one takes some extra schooling, but physical therapists are crucial to the field of dance. If you love learning about the body, enjoy science, and like to help people, setting off on this path can lead you to a rewarding career. Your understanding of what dancers need and go through on a regular basis with their bodies will help make you a compassionate physical therapist who can guide dancers through a healing process.

8

Lighting Designer | Set Designer

Many dancers choose the path of teaching in a related-field, such as yoga & pilates or work with physios to coach mobility and movement to a cross sector of communities across the world. These movement practices are both good alternatives and complements to dance training, so you might feel naturally drawn to these fields as a sustainable lifestyle choice.

9

Marketing | Graphic Designer

From website design to bus shelter displays, dancers need excellent visuals to promote their work. If you enjoy working on computers and experimenting with visual art, you can support dance by creating the images that draw people into the theatre.

10

Performance Coach | Personal Trainer | Group Fitness Coach

Have you always loved the fitness aspect of dancing? Maybe you even played sports as a kid before running off to ballet class? With some extra training you can turn your passion for fitness into a career as a coach, either for private clients or maybe even for sports teams if you have the
experience.

11

Costume Designer | Activewear Designer

If you love to sew, designing costumes can be an excellent way to stay connected to the world of dance and performance. In collaboration with directors/choreographers and often lighting/set designers, you can be an integral part of an entire production’s visual design.

12

Photographer | Videographer

Dancers are in constant need of photos for marketing materials, as well as for personal headshots and for websites, so there is a definite market for those who are skilled with a camera. Additionally, choreographers need video records of their work for both archival and promotional purposes.

13

Talent Manager | Talent Agent

Your knowledge of the entertainment & performing industries can support a career as a talent scout, manager or agent. If you love to network & connect people, this may be your pathway!

14

Musical Theatre Director | Performing Arts Director | VCE VET Teacher

If you enjoy working with children, consider getting qualified as a school teacher so you can teach dance in a primary or high school. This can be a rewarding way to use the creativity of dance in an educational format. Leading a performing arts based curriculum is a rewarding career pathway

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