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A choreographer is like the director and the screenwriter of a film, all rolled in to one, but for dancers and dance routines instead of actors on screen.
Choreographers create and arrange original dances, combining steps and movements to form an artistic whole. They also develop new interpretations of traditional dances
. Choreographers usually audition performers and teach them a dance at rehearsals. They often stage and direct presentations of their own works.
Choreographers work in all forms of dance, including classical ballet, modern, tap, jazz, folk, ethnic, and ballroom. They must be knowledgeable not only about dance techniques but also about music, costumes, lighting, and drama.
Many of the major full-time professional dance companies have resident choreographers under contract. These companies also invite guest choreographers on a seasonal basis. Some choreographers work for small, regional dance companies. Others find work with opera companies and in musical theater, television, movies, music videos, and commercials.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Put simply, in a lot of cases there are no official qualifications you will need in order to become a choreographer. Some universities and dance schools offer specific qualifications in choreography, with entrance determined through a dance audition and interview, but they are not mandatory.
The best qualification for becoming a choreographer is to display a deep knowledge of, and passion for, dance, as well as having a good amount of experience of dancing itself. Another good tip is to make yourself available as an assistant choreographer while dancing, which shows a commitment to the role before actually carrying it out properly.
SKILL REQUIREMENTS
These are some of the aptitudes you will need to display or develop in order to be successful as a choreographer –
- Patience
- Creativity and flair for ideas
- Enthusiasm
- Resilience
- Fitness
- Imagination
- Excellent communication skills
- High level of concentration, in order to remember and recall complicated dance routines
- The ability to build productive working relationships with people under stress
JOB MARKET
First of all, being a dancer, while not a prerequisite, will stand you in good stead in terms of experience. Then you can offer yourself as an assistant choreographer, gaining further experience before possibly going on to gain an official qualification or putting yourself out there as a choreographer in your own right.
A lot of choreographers have an ambition to set up their own dance school, so that they can bring in other dance teachers and bring up the next generation of dancers.
Employment of dancers and choreographers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. A growing interest in dance and in pop culture may provide opportunities in dance schools and in fields outside of dance companies.
Some dancers take on more responsibility if they are promoted to dance captain in musical theater or a ballet master/ballet mistress in concert dance companies. They lead rehearsals or work with less-experienced dancers when the choreographer is not present.
ARE YOU FIT FOR THE JOB?
Choreographers create original dances that tell a story through movement. They, or their Assistant, then teach the steps to the dance company, which the Choreographer both casts and supervises in rehearsals.
When it comes to daily work, “things change hourly, minutely,” Dancer and Choreographer Desi Jevon says. “Things change from the dance studio to set, and you have to tell people that everything they’ve been rehearsing for eight hours a day, for eight days straight, now you have to reverse it.”
The main job of the Choreographer then is to “not stress out, go with the flow and get it done. Be a Therapist. And get the Dancers as prepared as possible.”Whether you’re thinking about going to school to become a Choreographer, you’ve just graduated and need some advice to start your career, or you’re interested in a career change, this definitely suits you.
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