How To Get Dancing Work For Stage & Screen
Dance can electrify stage and screen audiences, and productions featuring dance, including West Side Story, which premiered on Broadway in 1957, according to Britannica, feature plenty of professional dancers. Many popular stage productions are made into beloved films, as the Romeo and Juliet-inspired West Side Story was in 1961, so people who dance for a living have the chance to get hired for plays and films. If you’re interested in turning your talent and passion for dance into a thriving career, these tips will help you to get started. While this type of career will require hard work, determination and a thick skin, success in this field can be fulfilling and lucrative. To get where you want to go, you can access dance training, begin appearing in local theatre productions and independent films, and then audition for bigger stage and film projects.
Access Dance Training From A Trusted School
If you haven’t received dance training at a school with impressive credentials, you should make that a goal. Great dance schools have strong and positive reputations in the dance world, and tend to feature instructors who have danced professionally. Some dance schools may specialize in specific forms of dance. For example, New York City’s Martha Graham School (which was founded by one of the 20th century’s greatest dancers, according to Biography) has a modern dance focus. The Big Apple’s American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is centered on ballet studies. Some respected educational facilities for dance training include The Juilliard School, New York University, and Butler University, according to College Magazine. Certain dance academies offer different membership levels for students, to cater to their needs and budgets.
Begin Appearing In Local Productions
While developing dance skills can be a labor of love that lasts a lifetime, once you’ve developed yours enough to feel confident as a performer, you should begin dancing in local productions. To do so, join a local theatre group or dance troupe, or connect with local filmmakers to see if they need dancers for their independent projects. When you start small in your own community, and embrace your dance roles with professionalism and enthusiasm, you’ll begin to build confidence. As you get more involved with regional theater and film in your region, you may also build valuable connections who become more influential later on.
Audition for Bigger Projects
Once you’ve honed your dance skills in your region, you may be ready to branch out. If you’re not in USA entertainment hotspots, such as New York City or Los Angeles, you may decide to move to one of those places, so you can audition for bigger projects easily. One tip is to try and get an agent before you begin dipping your toe into a bigger pool. Any credits that you racked up regionally, as well as your dance education, may help you to find an agent who is able to point you towards stage and screen projects with real promise, which may offer higher pay than you’ve received in the past. If you don’t find an agent, you can begin auditioning without one, by looking for open audition ads in industry publications.
Now that you know more about how to become a professional dancer who appears in plays and films, you’ll be ready to access the education and relevant work experience that you need. While talent is always a plus in the pro dance world, hard work and a commitment to excellence also matter a lot. So, focus on developing the talent that you have to its highest level. Then, get ready to show off your ability to regional and larger audiences.