What is a choreographer? What does a career in dance choreography look like? A successful choreographer creates and plans routines for performance, usually to music or to evoke an idea in the heads of the audience. They can also create dance routines to entertain at live shows, events or for TV and films.
Choreographers are required to plan the whole performance, from teaching the steps to the dancers to working with costume designers and directors. On top of being creative and having some sense of administrative details, you will also need to have a high level of dancing ability, the patience to teach others and to know what looks good to a wider audience, as well as the communication skills needed to make sure that your directions are coming across clearly to your dancers.
But that said, are there any specific requirements or degrees that you need to become a choreographer? Keep reading to find out more.
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Responsibilities of a Choreographer
What is the actual job of a choreographer? The level of commitment needed by choreographers is huge since they run whole shows by themselves, playing out storylines and themes through the planning of dances, costumes, music and visuals.
That said, the responsibilities of a choreographer go beyond dancing and teaching, they need to make sure everything makes sense for the show, be it conducting auditions and even doing administrative work. These are some of the responsibilities of the choreographer in a performance:
- Develop ideas and create and develop routines;
- Plan movements to fit to music, guided by artistic and musical directors;
- Discuss ideas and plans with producers, costume designers, and musical and artistic directors;
- Choose music suitable for the concept or subject you have been tasked with;
- Audition, teach and rehearse dancers;
- Be able to work on more than one show at a time;
- Meet regularly with producers, musical and artistic directors and costume designers;
- Attend rehearsals of dancers and cast members and ensure everyone is at the same level and has a clear understanding of the routine;
- Ensure the routine looks good to an audience and everyone is in time with each other and the music;
- Make sure the movement follows the original interpretation.
As you can see, the role of a choreographer is essential to make a good performance and it shouldn't be taken lightly. With that in mind, another question comes to mind: what are the requirements to become a choreographer? Keep reading to learn more.
Learn more about choreography as a career.
Steps To Become A Choreographer
In a strict sense, choreographers don't need to have any specific education in order to put on performances and teach dance. Still, there is a very important thing that they do need to have: many years of experience.
Choreographers typically start dancing when they are children and they gain quite a lot of experience just from being on their toes. But the professional world is different and they will need to prove themselves to the industry if they want to make it.
These are some steps you can take in order to become a great choreographer:
- Receive dance training: you will need to have a strong dance background that lets you demonstrate steps for dancers to imitate. It is important that you consider having a good number of years of dance training so you can learn a variety of techniques and dance styles to incorporate into a future career.
- Be multifaceted: The type of dance training choreographers need depends on the interpretation of dance they wish to produce. From classical ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern and dramatic dance... Choreographers often study as many forms of dance as possible in order to have a broader scope of movements and steps.
- Formal education: while you don't need a degree to become a choreographer, some performances and employers do require people to have a bachelor's degree in dance. These degrees include education in dance history, movement analysis, dance composition, performance and movement practice in a variety of dance forms.
- Gain as much experience as possible: The choreo world is a world where you need visibility. People need to see what you are capable of doing, the dances you choreograph and your skills. Showcasing work whenever possible is important, and choreographers at any stage of their careers may find that community productions, dance recitals and festivals offer opportunities to demonstrate their artistic skills.
Find great dance classes near me here on Superprof.
Places to study coreography
Some universities that you can look at for a dance degree are:
- University of Winnipeg: the objective of the Dance Program in the University of Winnipeg is to prepare you for graduate equivalent training and/or professional work in performance, teaching, or choreography. This program is offered jointly with the Professional Program of the School of Contemporary Dancers. Entrance to the Professional Program of the School of Contemporary Dancers is by audition. Once admission is obtained, you must also apply for admission to the University of Winnipeg.
- Centennial College: facilitated by the School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design, the Dynamic Dance Performance Program is on the cutting edge of what's new, innovative, current and popular in today's dance culture. This college diploma program will focus on helping you develop a high standard of performance and technical dance skills as well as understanding professional industry standards and expectations. With a holistic approach, this program not only focuses on the physical aspects of dance but strives to build a strong sense of self-esteem, confidence and self-belief.
- Ryerson University: This one-of-a-kind, conservatory-style program offers rigorous professional training in multiple dance styles including ballet, modern, jazz, West African, street styles and contemporary styles.
- University of Regina: This program is only open to those students enrolled in the BEd Arts Education Dance Major Program. The degree is granted only concurrently with or after the awarding of the BEd in Arts Education. To qualify for the three-year Bachelor of Dance, students must complete at least 90 credit hours of specified courses.
- Concordia University Montréal: Concordia University is one of the few universities in Canada that focuses on choreography and creative process as well as a comprehensive approach to contemporary dance that teaches technical skills, theory, creative thinking, self-direction and studio exploration.
- York University: Dance students take a common first-year and then branch into one of two streams according to their interests and goals. Upper-year students may audition to join the department’s resident company, the York Dance Ensemble. Students also have the opportunity to gain valuable training in lighting design and dance production, to embrace emerging media and integrate technology into their dance practices, and to extend their professional experience through field placements, collaborative research and guest teaching.
If you want to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of being a dance choreographer, you can head to our article here.
Dance Lessons with Superprof
Do you want to give dance lessons for beginners? Giving the occasional dance class is a great way for you to gain more traction as a choreographer, make yourself known and of course, make ends meet. Maybe you need to create a hip hop dance choreography, give swing lessons, teach a couple how to dance... Whatever it is, it can become a very valuable asset to your job as a choreographer.
But the problem is: where can you find students to learn from you? Well, Superprof has got your back! Our platform is design to connect prospective students with professionals who are looking for work in certain fields. We are present all over the world and have a big network in Canada and all the different provinces.
In order for students to find you easily, you will need to create your teacher profile with all your information. From the programs you attended, the jobs you have had, your work and teaching experience... All of these are important details to tell your prospective students. This way they can have a better idea of your professional experience, academic background and the approach you will have to their lessons.
Once you have your profile ready to go, you will need to wait for students to reach out to you and then start wowing them with your skills. We recommend that you set up an initial class or lesson in order to get to know each other and give them some insight into your skills as a dance teacher and choreographer. You can also use this time to make sure your objectives are aligned and there are no questions left unanswered.
Once you have a couple of students, don't forget to ask them to give you good reviews as having these on your teacher or tutor profile is key to land even more classes!
Start teaching dance and choreography with Superprof.
Learn more about jobs for choreographers in Canada.
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