Dancer
Use movement to interpret music, tell stories and express emotion. Dance for live audiences or in recorded performances for television, film or music videos.
About the job
Salary
Source: LMI for All
Weekly
£760
Average
Monthly
£3,293
Average
Yearly
£39,520
Average
Information not available
people are currently employed
Low growth
No change in number of jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You'd use movement to interpret music, tell stories and express emotion. You’d dance for live audiences or in recorded performances for television, film or music videos.
You’d use your talent, rhythm and timing combined with years of training to give the best performance to entertain the audience.
In most cases you'd follow a choreographer's steps, although you might also improvise movements.
You would usually specialise in one form of dance, such as:
classical ballet
contemporary dance
modern stage dance, which includes jazz and tap, and could include singing and acting in musical theatre
African or Asian dance
street dance
Performing would only be a small part of your work. You’d need to rehearse, and attend dance classes to keep fit and maintain your skills.
You’d also need to prepare for, and go to, auditions. You’d spend time promoting yourself and finding the next job.
Hours
Environment
Travel
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Creative
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- taking responsibility
- self awareness
- taking initiative
- self esteem
- attention to detail
- creative
- listening
- cooperating
- resilience
- persevering
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Dance
Drama
Media
Performance Arts
PE (Physical education)
Skills for Work: Creative Industries
An important part of the selection process is an audition.
Many dancers study dance at college or university.
You can enter Higher National Certificate (SCQF Level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF Level 8) with National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.
Entry to a degree (SCQF Level 9/10) usually requires an audition and relevant qualifications.
Many dancers start at an early age and undertake graded examinations through dance classes.
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