After graduating, some dancers choose to move on with dance professionally. There are lots of options for professional dance, and I’ve made a mind map to show some of the options and have attached it below!

What is Professional Dance?

Professional dance can be any job that a dancer is hired for. The most common places to see professional dancers are music videos, commercials, TV and movies, concerts, and other live performances. Many dancers will sign with an agent, and that agent will make dancers aware of any auditions for jobs that require dancers. There are also lots of dancers who will seek out acting jobs alongside dancing. In places like New York, many dancers will dance professionally in broadway shows as well. In Canada, the best places to seek out dance jobs are in Vancouver and Toronto, but there are smaller jobs that can be found in Victoria occasionally! Professional dance can look like a lot of different things, but these are just a few examples.

How to Dance Professionally:

In western Canada, the best place to begin a professional dance career is in Vancouver. There are many talent agencies such as DaCosta or Premiere Talent Agency. There are also programs that dancers can audition for after graduating that help prepare dancers for the professional world. One example is ITP at Harbour Dance Centre. Harbour ITP aims to help dancers prepare for a variety of styles in the professional dance world. There are other programs as well, but ITP is the most well-known. Another way to get your name out into the professional dance world is by attending auditions and master classes. Even without an agent, dancers can find auditions and attend them. Even if you don’t get the part, you are introducing yourself to the choreographer or whoever is hosting the audition. This is a great way to step into the professional world without needed to be part of an agency. Again, there are many ways to get into the professional dance world, and these are just a few!

Summary:

I have never been a part of the professional dance world, it isn’t for me. However, I have met some dancers who have entered the professional world, so I know a bit about it. I have also had a dance teacher that previously worked professionally. She talked to us about how it can be hard working professionally, because there are tons of dancers and not as many jobs. It can be hard to financially support yourself as a professional dancer. Seeing as how you don’t have a reliable source of income, it seems like it would be stressful! Professional dancers are so talented, and it is very inspiring. If you have time, you should look at background dancers for big artists like Taylor Swift, Tate McRae, Missy Elliott, or Beyonce. I will attach two videos below for you to look at, pay attention to the dancers!

This first example is from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. This video is my favourite dance performance in the concert. Fun fact, I’ve taken class from one of the male dancers in the video when I was in Vancouver many years ago!

The second example is from a Missy Elliott tour. Fun fact, one of Missy Elliott’s dancers was a judge at a dance competition I was at a few weeks ago!