Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Choreographers
Choreographers create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.
What they do
Choreographers create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.
- Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in how to use dance steps, and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
- Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
- Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
- Advise dancers on how to stand and move properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Choreographers train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness. They advise dancers on how to stand and move properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
A typical day for a Choreographer will also include:
- Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in how to use dance steps, and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
- Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
- Develop ideas for creating dances, keeping notes and sketches to record influences.
- Assess students’ dancing abilities to determine where improvement or change is needed.
- Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Choreographers also manage dance schools or assist in their management. They may also direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in how to use dance steps, and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Choreographers audition performers for one or more dance parts. They might also choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
In addition, they read and study storylines and musical scores to determine how to translate ideas and moods into dance movements.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them design sets, lighting, costumes, and other artistic elements of productions, in collaboration with cast members.
To some Choreographers, it is also their responsibility to seek influences from other art forms such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
Freedom to make decisions
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Structured vs unstructured work
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Featured Schools
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
68% said they were satisfied with their job and 49% said they found their job meaningful.
My day starts by checking email and responding to questions from current and prospective families.
The next part of my day is the administrative part of the business: sending out a weekly newsletter, updating my website or social media, choreographing dances, planning classes/performances/competitions, costume or prop repair/creation, etc. I am also a part of a coaching/networking group for dance studio owners, so I have about one call with them per week for troubleshooting or professional development.
I teach classes for about 4 hours per night, Monday through Friday. During the fall I also run rehearsals on Saturday for 6 hours. I teach all ages (3 through adult) and ability levels (beginning through advanced).
Pros
- Able to be creative: choreography, creating new productions
- Get to work with a lot of different ages of clients
- Get to watch my students grow up
- Have control over the length and timing of my summer vacation
- Knowing I have made a difference in the lives of my students
- Getting to introduce ballet to a new generation, help dancers rekindle their love of ballet or fulfill a childhood dream of learning ballet
- Seeing the excitement on the dancers’ faces when they see their recital costume for the first time, start learning a new dance, etc (this is the adults too)
Cons
- I currently don’t have staff, so there are certain times of the year when my to-do list can be overwhelming. Sometimes I can have volunteers help with things, but other times it has to fall on me.
- If a student doesn’t want to be there (meaning taking ballet was their parent’s idea), they can sometimes be difficult to handle.
- There are always a few families who don’t read the newsletters or write important information on their calendars and then miss meetings or deadlines.
- I occasionally have to deal with a parent who thinks their dancer is more advanced than they are, or who thinks the studio should be planned around what they want. (Luckily this doesn’t happen very often.)
Pros
Suitable for people who like to work with designs.
Suitable for people who value achievements and are results-oriented.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
One of the fastest-growing careers.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to follow routines.
Salary is below average.
It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Choreographers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $21,180 to $29,420 per year or $10 to $14 per hour.
| Salary range | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $49 | $101,250 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $30 | $63,080 |
| Middle (Mid 50%) | $21 | $43,680 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $14 | $29,420 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $10 | $21,180 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
Work with group or team
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Deal with external customers
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Manage or lead others
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Telephone
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Group discussions
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Public speaking
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Frequency of conflict situations
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Dealing with angry people
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Dealing with physically aggressive people
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Level of competition
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Repetition in this job
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Impact of decisions on co-workers or company results
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Frequency of decision making
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Responsibility for others’ health and safety
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Responsibility for outcomes and results
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What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
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Relevant work experience
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On The Job Training
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Should you become one
People with this personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with forms, designs, and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
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