Can Dance be an Actual Career?

Parents of young dancers rarely consider it a viable career.  More frequently, they think that their child should dance for fun, then go to college and get a “real job”.  In a sense, they are right.  Dance is a short career and it doesn’t pay much.  However, they are missing a crucial part about dancers: The training we go through makes us some of the most hard working, dedicated, and intelligent people you will ever meet.  When a dancer is ready to retire from the stage, they have the skills to excel in any field they wish. For example this dancer went to Columbia and became a doctor after their career, this dancer became a lawyer, and this dancer became an entrepreneur! But what exact skills does dance instill to help you throughout life?

Virginia Trudeau Photography, courtesy of Nevada Ballet

Neuroplasticity

Dancers are fast & malleable learners.  We have to learn 30+ minutes of choreography in under 2 weeks, then perform it at the highest level.

“On count one you’re going to step on your right foot with your head looking downstage, your right arm at a 45 degree angle in front of you with 2 fingers pointing, your back foot is pointed and your left arm is wrapped around your torso.  On count two…”

Sounds confusing, right?  That’s only one second of choreography.  Imagine memorizing, perfecting, and performing thousands of those instructions in a fast paced, high-stress setting.  

This hyper-fast learning and attention to detail translates to all aspects of life, like learning the 470 Excel commands (Excel With Mark, 2023). 

Performing Under Pressure

A live show isn’t a report you can spend hours revising.  You get one shot, and you’re in front of thousands of people.  You learn how to manage your stress, and turn anxious feelings into energy.  You learn how to instantly correct mistakes and make them look like you meant it.  If you fail, you have to keep going no matter what happened. Fast approaching deadlines, important presentations, and demanding bosses aren’t going to phase us.  In fact, the higher the stakes, the better we probably will perform!

Dedication

Being a professional dancer is a 24/7 job; the work is never finished.  To continue to improve, but also not get injured you have to GRIND.  My schedule typically looks like this:

Gym 8 - 9 am

Ballet Class 9:30 - 11:00 am

Rehearsals: 11:15 - 6:15

Physical Therapy: 6:30 - 7:30

BalletScout Work: 7:30 - 10:00

Yoga 10:00 - 10:30

100 hour weeks are normal for us and we love it.  Life feels wrong when we aren’t striving to be better and putting our heart and soul into our next project.  It’s no wonder that so many dancers go on to become successful doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs!