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Dancers: Career Overview

Perform dances. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for video recording.

What Tasks Do Dancers Do?

The day-to-day responsibilities of dancers cover:

• Study and practice dance moves required in roles.
• Harmonize body movements to rhythm of musical accompaniment.
• Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
• Coordinate dancing with that of partners or dance ensembles.
• Develop self-understanding of physical capabilities and limitations, and choose dance styles accordingly.
• Perform classical, modern, or acrobatic dances in productions, expressing stories, rhythm, and sound with their bodies.
• Collaborate with choreographers to refine or modify dance steps.
• Audition for dance roles or for membership in dance companies.

Skills and Knowledge

Top dancers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Key Skills

These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Core Knowledge

Types of Dancers Jobs

People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:

• Acrobatic Dancer
• Ballerina
• Ballet Company Member
• Ballet Dancer
• Ballet Soloist
• Belly Dancer
• Burlesque Dancer
• Company Dancer

Employment and Demand

The U.S. employs around 242,113 dancers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +0.9% over the projection horizon.

How Much Do Dancers Make?

Statistic	Value
Annual median	$74,180
Hourly median	$35.66
10th percentile	$52,906
25th percentile	$63,543
75th percentile	$84,816
90th percentile	$95,453

Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.

Which Industries Hire Dancers

Most dancers work in these industries:

Industry	Employment	Median annual wage
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	5,330	n/a
Accommodation and Food Services	2,960	n/a
Educational Services	480	n/a
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	100	n/a
Information	50	n/a
Transportation and Warehousing	40	n/a

Below are examples of industries where dancers work:

Software Dancers Use

• Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
• Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
• Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
• Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)

The Day-to-Day Environment

Daily working conditions for dancers reflects the following characteristics:

• Physical Proximity
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
• Contact With Others
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body

Education and Training

Typical dancers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.

Other Careers to Consider

Similar Occupations

• Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (Supplemental)
• Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
• Self-Enrichment Teachers (Primary-Long)
• Craft Artists (Supplemental)
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators (Supplemental)
• Actors (Primary-Short)
• Talent Directors (Primary-Long)
• Athletes and Sports Competitors (Primary-Long)

Top Programs to Study For This Career

Aspiring dancers often complete programs in:

Visual and Performing Arts

5 programs across 2 majors

• Dance
• Drama & Theater Arts

Sources

Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
• BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
• O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 27-2031.00 (Dancers).