So… you want to be a dancer? (Pt 2)

 

So we have established that, like any profession, you need to work at perfecting your craft in order to be of any worth. In Dance that means you need to go to class and train, train, train.

The next thing is to be aware of where you want to go with your dancing. There are many professions in the area of dance, and performing is not the be all and end all. Many dance enthusiasts and trained dancers work in the dance industry but not as performers. Dance jobs could include:-

Choreographer
Movement Director
Dance Teacher and Tutor
Dance Critic
Dance Producer
Dance Journalist
Dance Therapist
Community Dance Specialist

It is important to be aware of which paths you are interested in so you can work to broaden your skills and abilities in that area and become employable. Dance is so diverse that you can even combine other hobbies and interests such as writing (Dance Journalist), counselling (Dance Therapist) and photography (Dance Photographer).

For young people who are interested in dance, there is a lot of provision and opportunities in London at the moment and its beneficial to build a track record, so join a youth dance group, go to some classes and look at dance options in colleges to get an idea of whats available. Londondance.com is a good point of reference because they have a list of Youth Dance groups/companies based in different areas as well as a youth audition notice board and information on summer schools and training/courses. Visit London Youth Dance to check it out.

For adults, its harder to get into dance because if you have not trained, performance opportunities tend to dry up the older you get. It is also more difficult to juggle dance around other commitments such as work and family. However, there are still plenty of other types of work you can get involved in and of course nothing will stop you from finding classes to continue/start your training. Teaching young people is one of the most fulfilling dance jobs you could have, and you will find that most children are very enthusiastic about learning to dance. It is still physical and will help you to strengthen your choreographic abilities. You can start by volunteering at local youth arts centres or youth clubs that provide dance and offering support to the teacher. Please note that you will need to have CRB check to work with children and vulnerable adults. You can also attach yourself to a dance company/group and source behind-the-scenes career opportunities within the organisation.

For those wishing to stick to dance as a recreational activity,  Again, londondance.com lists interesting dance events and shows that you may be interested in visiting. Events and shows in the last month include

• Dare 2 Dance – Nike girl group clash
• Big Dance – indoor and outdoor dance events nationwide
• London Youth Dance Day – Day celebrating youth dance
• Zoonation:Into the Hoods – Hip Hop musical taking the Uk by storm(still showing >>>)
• Cloud Dance Festival – Contemporary dance platform
• Akram Khan Company – Popular choreographer who fuses Kathak and Contemporary dance

Participating and going to watch these activities will inspire you to continue your training and might open opportunities that you may have missed otherwise. Remember to always work hard to the be the best you can be. You never know, you might surprise yourself!

PT3 – Coming soon.