Working as a professional dancer is undeniably challenging. The path is demanding, and not everyone finds it a perfect fit long-term. Whether dancers face the adversity of injuries forcing a career change, or simply feel a pull towards a different lifestyle, the question of “What Are Related Jobs To A Dancer?” often arises. However, it’s important to recognize that dancers possess a unique blend of resourcefulness, discipline, creativity, and intelligence. These are highly transferable skills applicable across a multitude of professions. The professional dancing world, while central, is only one part of the larger dance ecosystem. Fortunately, this vibrant field offers numerous opportunities that allow you to remain connected to your passion for dance, even if you’re not center stage. Here are 15 fulfilling career paths to consider when exploring what are related jobs to a dancer.
1. Choreographer or Director
For many dancers contemplating what are related jobs to a dancer beyond performance, choreography and directing emerge as a natural progression. Stepping off the stage doesn’t mean leaving the artistic world behind. Instead, it can mark the beginning of a new creative chapter. Whether you envision running your own dance company, setting your artistic vision, or choreographing for grand stages like Broadway, your deep-seated dance knowledge becomes your greatest asset. This transition allows you to channel your expertise into shaping movement and narratives, guiding performers, and crafting the overall artistic experience.
While the path of a choreographer or director shares some of the challenges inherent in a performance career – the need for self-promotion, networking, and artistic vision – many find they are inherently more drawn to the art of creation than solely to performing. This role demands leadership, strong communication skills to articulate your vision to dancers and collaborators, and a profound understanding of movement vocabulary. Successful choreographers and directors are not just skilled dancers; they are storytellers, leaders, and artistic innovators who shape the future of dance.
2. Lighting Designer or Set Designer
Consider being the person who orchestrates the visual magic of a performance if you are exploring “what are related jobs to a dancer” that tap into your artistic and technical sides. If you possess a love for the theater, an artistic eye for aesthetics, and a knack for technology, a career as a lighting designer could be an incredibly rewarding path. Lighting designers are crucial in setting the mood, highlighting dancers, and creating dramatic effects that elevate a performance from simply seen to truly experienced. They work with complex systems, understand color theory, and collaborate closely with choreographers and directors to bring the performance’s visual narrative to life.
Dance costume design sketch
Similarly, set design offers another avenue for artistic and creative individuals to contribute to the theater without being on stage. Creating sets involves transforming a bare stage into a world that supports the dance narrative. If you are skilled with your hands, enjoy painting, sculpting, or have an aptitude for spatial design, set design allows you to use these talents to build immersive environments. Set designers are problem solvers, visual thinkers, and collaborators who work with various materials and scales to create the physical world of a dance performance. Both lighting and set design provide fulfilling careers for dancers who want to stay deeply connected to the performing arts while utilizing different, but equally vital, creative skills.
3. Stage Management or Production Crew
Behind every seamless and captivating dance performance is a dedicated team working tirelessly backstage. If you’re someone who thrives in organized environments, pays meticulous attention to detail, enjoys leading people, and excels at problem-solving under pressure, stage management could be your calling when thinking about “what are related jobs to a dancer” that utilize your organizational skills. A good stage manager is absolutely essential to the entire lifecycle of a show, from the initial rehearsals to the final curtain call on closing night. They are the central hub of communication, coordinating everything from scheduling rehearsals and managing backstage crew to calling cues during a performance and ensuring everything runs smoothly and on time.
For dancers who enjoy the technical aspects of theater production and working as part of a team, joining a production crew offers an insider’s perspective into the intricate workings behind the scenes. Production crew roles can encompass various specializations, such as sound technicians, wardrobe managers, prop masters, and more. These roles are crucial for the technical execution of a performance, ensuring that all elements – sound, costumes, set changes – are perfectly synchronized to support the dancers and the artistic vision. Stage management and production crew positions are ideal for dancers who are organized, detail-oriented, and enjoy the collaborative and fast-paced environment of live theater.
4. Company Managing or Administration
Have you ever wondered how dance companies secure performance venues, organize tours, or manage their finances? If the business side of dance intrigues you, and you are exploring “what are related jobs to a dancer” that are less performance-focused but still deeply involved in the dance world, company management and administration offer exciting opportunities. Company managers are the backbone of dance organizations, handling everything from booking venues and negotiating contracts to organizing national and international tours, managing budgets, and coordinating logistics. They are essential for the operational success of a dance company, ensuring that dancers can focus on their art.
Company managers are skilled communicators, problem solvers, and organizers who work closely with artistic directors, dancers, and external partners to ensure the smooth operation of the company. Depending on the size and scope of the dance company, there are also numerous administrative positions available. These can range from general office management, handling day-to-day operations, to specialized roles in marketing and public relations to promote the company and its performances, and fundraising to secure financial support. Dance companies, like any arts organization, require a diverse team of skilled individuals to function effectively. For dancers with an interest in business, organization, and the broader dance ecosystem, administrative roles offer a fulfilling way to contribute to the art form they love.
5. General Arts Administration
Expanding beyond dance companies specifically, the broader arts sector offers a wealth of opportunities for administrative-minded individuals considering “what are related jobs to a dancer” that leverage their organizational and passion for the arts. Many different types of institutions support the arts, including theaters, non-profit foundations, museums, community arts centers, and government arts agencies. These organizations require skilled administrators to manage various aspects of their operations.
Roles in general arts administration are incredibly diverse, spanning from finance positions like accounting and budgeting to development and fundraising to secure resources, programming and curatorial roles to select and manage artistic content, facilities management to maintain venues and spaces, and marketing and communications to engage audiences. In each of these roles, you are directly contributing to creating environments where dancers and other artists can rehearse, create, and perform. For dancers seeking a career path that supports the arts on a larger scale, arts administration offers a fulfilling way to use their skills and passion to make a significant impact on the cultural landscape.
6. Dance Writer
As you’re reading this article, you’re witnessing firsthand one example of “what are related jobs to a dancer” that combines a love for dance with another skill: writing. If you possess a passion for dance and a talent for communication through the written word, a career as a dance writer could be an ideal fit. Dance writers play a crucial role in the dance community by providing commentary, analysis, news, and critical perspectives on the art form.
Dance writing encompasses a wide range of styles and platforms. You could write advice articles to guide aspiring dancers, craft performance reviews to critique and celebrate dance works, develop features and profiles on dancers and choreographers, or contribute to dance blogs, magazines, and academic journals. Dance writers act as storytellers, historians, and advocates for dance, helping to document its evolution, promote its value, and engage broader audiences. For dancers with a strong writing aptitude, this path offers a unique way to remain deeply connected to dance while contributing to its discourse and appreciation.
7. Physical Therapist
While requiring further education, becoming a physical therapist is a highly rewarding and impactful career path for dancers considering “what are related jobs to a dancer” that directly utilize their knowledge of the body and movement. Physical therapists specializing in dance medicine are crucial to the health and longevity of dancers’ careers. If you have a deep interest in human anatomy, physiology, and the science of movement, and you enjoy helping people recover from injuries and improve their physical well-being, physical therapy could be an excellent choice.
Your firsthand experience as a dancer provides an invaluable advantage in understanding the unique physical demands and challenges dancers face. This embodied knowledge makes you a more compassionate and effective physical therapist for dancers. You’ll be able to guide them through injury recovery, develop preventative strategies, and optimize their movement patterns for enhanced performance and injury prevention. While it requires a significant commitment to schooling and certification, a career as a physical therapist specializing in dance offers a deeply fulfilling way to combine your love for dance with a helping profession.
8. Yoga, Pilates, or Somatic Teacher
Many dancers, when exploring “what are related jobs to a dancer” that still involve movement and teaching, naturally gravitate towards related movement disciplines like yoga, Pilates, and somatic practices such as Feldenkrais or Gyrotonic methods. These practices share a common foundation with dance in their focus on body awareness, mindful movement, and physical well-being. For dancers, these fields often feel like a natural extension of their existing movement vocabulary and understanding of the body.
Yoga, Pilates, and somatic methods can serve both as complementary practices to dance training and as fulfilling alternative career paths. Becoming a certified teacher in one of these modalities allows you to share your movement knowledge, guide students in their physical development, and create a positive impact on their well-being. These teaching roles are often more flexible than a demanding dance performance career and can provide a sustainable and rewarding way to stay connected to movement and help others.
9. Massage Therapist
If you enjoy working closely with people in a healing and relaxing environment, massage therapy is another option to consider when thinking about “what are related jobs to a dancer” that focus on physical well-being. With dedicated training and certification, you can acquire the skills to help people relax, relieve muscle tension, and restore their bodies. Massage therapy can be particularly beneficial for dancers, who often experience muscle soreness, tightness, and injuries due to the physical demands of their art form.
As a massage therapist, you could specialize in working with dancers, using your understanding of their unique physical needs to provide targeted and effective treatments. This career path allows you to use your tactile skills and empathy to help people improve their physical comfort, reduce stress, and enhance their overall well-being. Massage therapy offers a hands-on, people-oriented career that can be deeply rewarding, particularly for dancers who are interested in the healing arts.
10. Graphic Designer
In today’s visually driven world, strong visual communication is essential for dancers and dance organizations to promote their work. If you have an artistic flair, enjoy working with computers, and are drawn to visual design, a career as a graphic designer could be a valuable way to support the dance field when considering “what are related jobs to a dancer” that utilize visual creativity. From designing engaging website layouts and eye-catching posters for subway platforms to creating marketing materials for social media and print, graphic designers play a critical role in shaping the visual identity of dance.
Graphic designers for dance need to understand the aesthetics of the art form and be able to translate the dynamism and beauty of dance into compelling visual designs. This role involves working with design software, understanding branding principles, and collaborating with dancers, choreographers, and company managers to create visuals that effectively communicate their message and attract audiences. For dancers with a passion for visual arts and technology, graphic design offers a creative and in-demand career path within the dance world.
11. Athletic Coach or Personal Trainer
For dancers who have always enjoyed the fitness aspects of dance and perhaps even participated in sports before focusing on dance, becoming an athletic coach or personal trainer is worth exploring when considering “what are related jobs to a dancer” that leverage their physical expertise. With additional training and certifications in fitness and coaching methodologies, you can transform your passion for physical conditioning into a career helping others achieve their fitness goals.
As a coach or personal trainer, you can work with individual clients, guide athletes in specific sports, or lead group fitness classes. Your deep understanding of body mechanics, movement principles, and physical training acquired through dance provides a strong foundation for a career in fitness. You can specialize in working with dancers to enhance their strength, flexibility, and endurance, or broaden your scope to work with a diverse clientele. This career path combines your love for movement with a desire to motivate and guide others in their fitness journeys.
12. Costume Designer
If you have a love for sewing, fabric, and visual aesthetics, costume design offers an excellent way to remain deeply connected to the world of dance and performance while exploring “what are related jobs to a dancer” that utilize your crafting skills. Costume designers are integral to the visual storytelling of a dance production, collaborating closely with directors, choreographers, and often lighting and set designers to create the overall visual concept for a performance.
Costume design involves sketching designs, selecting fabrics, overseeing construction, and ensuring that costumes not only look visually stunning but also allow dancers to move freely and expressively. It requires a blend of artistic vision, technical skills in garment construction, and a deep understanding of dance movement and theatrical storytelling. For dancers with a knack for fashion, sewing, and visual detail, costume design offers a creatively fulfilling career path within the performing arts.
13. Photographer or Videographer
In the visually-driven world of dance, high-quality photography and videography are essential for marketing, promotion, archival purposes, and personal branding. If you have a talent for capturing images or videos, exploring “what are related jobs to a dancer” in photography or videography can be a lucrative and creatively satisfying option. Dancers constantly need professional photos for marketing materials, audition headshots, websites, and social media. Choreographers require video documentation of their work for archival purposes, grant applications, and promotional reels.
As a dance photographer or videographer, you’ll need to develop skills in visual composition, lighting, editing, and understanding the specific demands of capturing dance movement effectively. This career path allows you to witness dance from a unique perspective, collaborating with dancers and choreographers to create compelling visual representations of their art. For dancers with an eye for visual storytelling and technical skills in photography or videography, this field offers a way to combine artistic and technical abilities within the dance world.
14. Group Fitness Instructor
The popularity of group fitness classes continues to rise as people seek fun and engaging ways to exercise. Dancers possess a wealth of knowledge about the body and movement that is highly valuable in this format, making becoming a group fitness instructor a great option when thinking about “what are related jobs to a dancer” that utilize their movement expertise in a teaching context. Currently trending are barre classes, which incorporate techniques from ballet to provide a full-body workout. Zumba and other dance-inspired fitness classes are also widely popular.
If you are energetic, enjoy motivating people, and have a passion for sharing your movement knowledge, becoming a group fitness instructor can be a rewarding career. It requires certification in specific fitness formats and strong communication and motivational skills to lead and engage classes effectively. For dancers who enjoy teaching and sharing their love of movement in a high-energy, group setting, group fitness instruction offers a dynamic and accessible career path.
15. Public School Teacher
For dancers who enjoy working with children and are passionate about education, becoming a public school teacher, particularly in dance or related subjects, offers a fulfilling way to integrate their dance background into an educational setting and explore “what are related jobs to a dancer” in education. Many college dance programs offer K-12 teaching certifications that enable graduates to teach dance in public schools, as well as potentially other subjects depending on their qualifications and certifications.
Teaching dance in public schools provides an opportunity to nurture creativity, physical literacy, and artistic appreciation in young students. It requires further education in pedagogy and curriculum development, as well as state-specific teaching certifications. This path allows you to use your dance expertise in a meaningful way, shaping the next generation’s understanding and appreciation of dance within the formal education system. For dancers with a passion for teaching and working with children, public school education offers a stable and impactful career path.
These 15 career paths represent just a starting point when considering “what are related jobs to a dancer.” The skills honed through dance training – discipline, creativity, collaboration, communication, and physical intelligence – are highly valued and transferable across a diverse range of professions. Exploring these options, and others beyond this list, can lead to a fulfilling and sustainable career that keeps you connected to the world of dance, even as your role evolves.
By [Your Name/Dance Informa Content Creator] of ten-dance.com
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