Career Overview
Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.
Also Known As
- Choreographer
- Dance Director
- Dance Maker
- Opera Choreographer
Alternate Job Titles
- Ballet Director
- Choreographer
- Choreography Director
- Dance Choreographer
- Dance Director
- Dance Instructor
- Dance Maker
- Dance Master
- Dancing Master
- Musical Choreographer
- Opera Choreographer
- Teaching Choreographer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
- Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
- Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
- Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
- Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
- Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
- Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Plan and direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Fine Arts
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Coordination
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Social Perceptiveness
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Gross Body Coordination
- Oral Expression
- Gross Body Equilibrium
- Originality
- Oral Comprehension
- Fluency of Ideas
- Visualization
- Extent Flexibility
- Stamina
- Trunk Strength
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Innovation
- Adaptability
- Leadership Orientation
- Social Orientation
- Perseverance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Relationships
- Independence
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Salesforce software
Tools & Equipment
- Compact disk CD players
- Digital stopwatches
- Digital video cameras
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Electronic metronomes
- Laptop computers
- Multi-speaker stereo systems
- Personal computers
- Stage lighting systems
- Tablet computers
Work Environment
- Physical Proximity
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $33,080 |
| Median | $55,600 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $94,090 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 3,430
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Dancers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
Music Directors and Composers
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $63,670
Musicians and Singers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: Varies
Actors
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: Varies
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $80,190
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.