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.
Dancers typically do the following:
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:
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 6,300 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of choreographers were as follows:
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 52% |
| Self-employed workers | 31 |
| Performing arts companies | 9 |
Dancers held about 6,200 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of dancers were as follows:
| Self-employed workers | 31% |
| Performing arts companies | 29 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 10 |
| Spectator sports | 8 |
Dance takes a toll on a person’s body, so on-the-job injuries are common in dancers. In fact, dancers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations.
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.
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.
Many dancers begin training when they are young and continue to learn throughout their careers. Ballet dancers begin training the earliest, usually between the ages of 5 and 8 for girls and a few years later for boys. Their training becomes more serious as they enter their teens, and most ballet dancers begin their professional careers by the time they are 18.
Leading professional dance companies sometimes have intensive summer training programs from which they might select candidates for admission to their regular full-time training programs.
Modern dancers normally begin formal training while they are in high school. They attend afterschool dance programs and summer training programs to prepare for their career or for a college dance program.
Some dancers and choreographers pursue postsecondary education. Many colleges and universities offer bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees in dance, typically through departments of theater or fine arts. As of March 2016, there were about 75 dance programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. Most programs include coursework in a variety of dance styles, including modern dance, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop. Most entrants into college dance programs have previous formal training.
Some choreographers work as dance teachers. Teaching dance in a college, high school, or elementary school requires a college degree. Some dance studios and conservatories prefer instructors who have a degree; however, they may accept previous work in lieu of a degree.
Nearly all choreographers begin their careers as dancers. While working as dancers, they study different types of dance and learn how to choreograph routines.
Some dancers take on more responsibility if they are promoted to dance captain in musical theater companies. They lead rehearsals or work with less experienced dancers when the choreographer is not present.
Some dancers become choreographers. Dancers and choreographers also may become theater, film, or television producers and directors.
Athleticism. Successful dancers must have excellent balance, physical strength, and physical dexterity so that they can move their bodies without falling or losing their sense of rhythm.
Creativity. Dancers need artistic ability and creativity to express ideas through movement. Choreographers also must have artistic ability and innovative ideas, to create new and interesting dance routines.
Leadership skills. Choreographers must be able to direct a group of dancers to perform the routines that they have created.
Persistence. Dancers must commit to years of intense practice. They need to be able to accept rejection after auditions and to continue to practice for future performances. Choreographers must keep studying and creating new routines.
Physical stamina. Dancers are often physically active for long periods, so they must be able to rehearse for many hours without getting tired.
Teamwork. Most dance routines involve a group or pairs, so dancers must be able to work together to be successful.
Median hourly wages, May 2021
The median hourly wage for choreographers was $20.53 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.65, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $37.52.
The median hourly wage for dancers was $18.78 in May 2021. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.03, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $47.62.
In May 2021, the median hourly wages for choreographers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Performing arts companies | $23.87 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 18.72 |
In May 2021, the median hourly wages for dancers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Educational services; state, local, and private | $25.47 |
| Performing arts companies | 23.13 |
| Spectator sports | 15.41 |
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.
Percent change in employment, projected 2021-31
Overall employment of dancers and choreographers is projected to grow 27 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 2,700 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.
Much of the projected employment growth in these occupations is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession of 2020 and is likely to occur early in the decade. However, because these are small occupations, over the projections decade the fast growth is expected to result in only about 1,500 new jobs for dancers and 1,900 new jobs for choreographers.
Many of the new jobs for these workers are expected to be in private dance schools. However, demand for dancers and choreographers may be contingent on available funds for the establishments that employ these workers.
| Occupational Title | SOC Code | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | Employment by Industry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | ||||||
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program |
|||||||
Dancers and choreographers |
27-2030 | 12,400 | 15,800 | 27 | 3,400 | Get data | |
Dancers |
27-2031 | 6,200 | 7,700 | 24 | 1,500 | Get data | |
Choreographers |
27-2032 | 6,300 | 8,100 | 30 | 1,900 | Get data | |
For more information about dancers and choreographers, visit
National Endowment for the Arts
National Association of Schools of Dance
For a career video on choreographers, visit