| If becoming a professional dancer has always been | | | | at least some of their classes at an accredited dance |
| your dream, there is no reason it cannot come true. | | | | school. Some of the most elite dance academies will |
| You will find many who have made it to the top who | | | | require an audition before admission, so be prepared |
| overcame enormous obstacles to follow their heart | | | | to strut your stuff so that you can become a |
| and vision. | | | | student and study with the best. |
| Dancing is a creative art that takes years to learn | | | | There are also a number of universities that have |
| and perfect, and practice and refining your techniques | | | | courses in many different types of dance |
| is a daily struggle. If you are truly meant to dance | | | | movements and styles. Be prepared to find the best |
| though, this struggle gives you reason to rise up each | | | | dancing instruction programs you can and attend |
| morning, and put both a weary body and painfully | | | | class no less than 3-5 times a week. There is also |
| sore muscles through another grueling practice | | | | home practice that will be involved in order for you |
| session. You know that true dancing perfection is | | | | to move to the top of your class. |
| always one more step ahead of you, no matter how | | | | A dancer needs to be creative, flexible, and graceful. |
| hard you work. | | | | Classes in gymnastics, posture and even modeling |
| Dancing is also a talent, it comes from the very | | | | classes can be useful in helping you incorporate |
| heart, soul, and mind of an individual, and it requires | | | | movements and elegance into your own dancing. |
| commitment, passion, and love for this form of | | | | Some people will find work in their communities as |
| artistic self-expression. | | | | assistants or owners of dancing schools, and others |
| To be a dancer is to touch another person's soul and | | | | may perform in local theater productions or at |
| to fire his or her imagination for even the briefest | | | | benefits and festivals. Others will aspire to larger |
| moment in time. Many people who train to become | | | | venues such as working with professional dancing |
| dancers would continue dancing even if they were | | | | troupes and ensembles, or they may set their sights |
| not paid, because they simply cannot imagine a life | | | | on Broadway or Hollywood. |
| without the enjoyment and creativity of dance. | | | | There are many places and companies that will use |
| Exactly what might be those qualifications that you | | | | professional dancers, but these places want only the |
| will need to become a dancer? Extensive training in at | | | | top percentage of dancers from around the world. |
| least one specific form of dance is a must. Most | | | | While it is good to be well versed and proficient in |
| dancers will have training in several different dance | | | | many areas of dance, one or two dance styles will |
| disciplines and this is the best idea of all. The more | | | | usually be your strongest performance areas. These |
| experience and understanding of dances that you | | | | are the ones you should try to showcase at any |
| have, the more capable a dancer you will become. | | | | audition, so you will be sure that the people who are |
| While many types of dance training appear to have | | | | watching you will see you at your best. |
| little in common, you will find that what you learn in | | | | Dancers can find work with ballet companies, musical |
| one style of dance will assist you in another style as | | | | theater groups, and at entertainment venues like |
| well. | | | | Disney World, Las Vegas, cruise ships and other |
| People who have studied ballet and tap may have | | | | similar settings. Much of the work in the world of |
| difficulty in interpreting and performing some of the | | | | professional dancing is done under contract and many |
| hip-hop dance moves at the very beginning, but their | | | | of the contracts may be short term. These will often |
| dance training will give them a great advantage as | | | | stipulate the hours you must practice, the shows |
| they learn these new dance steps and routines. | | | | that must be performed, and even how much you |
| Anyone who takes dance classes learns quickly how | | | | can weigh. |
| to move with the rhythm of the music with grace | | | | If you are prepared to make some sacrifices for the |
| and precision. | | | | chance to dance then the world really does await |
| Most people who serious about becoming dancers will | | | | you, but it will take enormous effort on your part to |
| begin taking dance classes at a very early age. It is | | | | succeed in such a competitive field. The more dance |
| not unusual to see ballerinas, or professional dancers | | | | experience and education you have, the better your |
| in a troupe who have just turned 21 and have | | | | chance of success. |
| already been taking dance lessons for 17 years. While | | | | Some people today are raising their level of visibility |
| it is possible to begin your dance career at a later | | | | by auditioning for some of the televised reality |
| age in your life, you must be prepared to devote | | | | shows that look for dancers to appear in front of |
| yourself to your training and dance studies. | | | | national audiences. This may be another way for you |
| The majority of professional dancers will have taken | | | | to take your dancing to another creative level. |