Choreographer

Choreographers use creativity to make or interpret dance routines for a variety of shows, including stage performances, live events, TV, films, music videos, fashion shows, corporate events, and even on ice

As a choreographer, you'll typically be involved in planning a whole dance performance, from teaching the steps to working with costume designers and directors. You might create your own dance pieces or interpret a director's instructions, depending on the brief provided.

You'll need a high level of energy and dancing ability, as well as the patience to teach others and to know what looks good to a wider audience. Good communication skills are also vital to make sure your instructions are coming across clearly to your dancers.

The most successful choreographers run entire shows by themselves, playing out storylines and themes through meticulous planning of dances, costumes, music, and visuals in order to engage audiences. They may also run their own dance schools, which involves balancing their accounts and managing costs.

Types of choreography

Choreographers are passionate about many, if not all, types of dance. However, most usually specialise in one style of dance, including:

• classical ballet
• contemporary dance forms, such as jazz, hip-hop, street, or freestyle
• musical theatre
• ballroom and Latin American, such as salsa
• highland or Scottish Ceilidh (which means 'gathering') dancing
• cultural, including Irish, Indian, African, or belly dancing
• ice dancing
• disability dance.

Responsibilities

As a choreographer, you'll need to:

• develop ideas and create routines to produce a well-polished performance
• plan movements to fit to music, guided by artistic and musical directors
• meet with producers, costume designers, as well as musical and artistic directors to discuss ideas and plans
• choose music suitable for the concept or subject you have been tasked with
• audition, teach and rehearse dancers
• for some forms of dance, you may be required to record the steps using a notation system, similar to music notation, such as Labanotation or Benesh
• work with other professionals to choreograph fight scenes or theatrical stunts
• be able to work on more than one show at a time.

According to Union Learn, around 61% of choreographers in the UK are freelancers or self-employed. If you're freelance, you'll also need to promote and market yourself, find new work, and deal with your own tax and accounts.

Salary

Earnings for choreographers can vary widely, depending on experience, reputation and the type of contract and production worked on.

What you earn will also depend on whether you work purely on a freelance basis, run your own company or work for someone else on their productions and projects.

Equity, the performers' union, negotiates minimum rates of pay for choreographers each year, for both commercial and independent theatre. The Independent Theatre Council (ITC) also publishes minimum rates of pay.

• Initial rates for preparation and up to two weeks' rehearsal is a minimum fee of £2,425.50.
• The minimum weekly fee (for more than two weeks of rehearsals) for a choreographer is £601.
• The minimum daily rate is £195.30.
• The minimum session rate (maximum of three hours) is £126.

Working hours

Your working hours will depend on your employer. For example if you're working within an educational setting, your hours will be dictated by the student's hours. You'll still need to consider the time outside of delivery hours, in which you'll be preparing your choreography and making arrangements for events.

Choreographers tend to work long hours due to rigorous teaching demands in the daytime and further classes or performances in the evenings.

This is especially so when you're working on more than one performance at a time, which is often the case. As such, you'll need to be prepared to work weekends and bank holidays.

Work may be based around short contracts rather than one permanent job, which can also have an impact on the hours and regularity required of you.

What to expect

• You're likely to be working on more than one production at a time.
• You may work largely in dance studios and rehearsal rooms, but also in theatres, film and TV studios, nightclubs, halls, and holiday centres.
• There may be a lot of travel, including overseas. There will likely be more travel involved the higher up the chain you get, as popular shows often tour a country or even internationally.
• You must keep up your fitness and stamina levels throughout your career.
• You might have to spend long periods away from home.

Qualifications

While there are no formal qualifications required to enter this role, many choreographers start off as dancers, having studied at college or university. A background in dance (preferably as a performer) is more important than academic qualifications.

Several courses include an option in choreography, and you can study dance and performing arts (including dance) at different levels, from National Certificate (NC) to National Qualification (NQ) and up to Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND), and degree.

Not all courses need academic qualifications, although there's usually an audition. You may also be required to undertake a physical or medical assessment.

It's useful to have experience in English (required by many courses), expressive arts subjects such as dance, music and drama, and physical education. Many start at an early age and undertake graded examinations through dance classes.

There are also courses at private schools. Information on recognised dance courses is available from the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT).

Learn more about conservatoires.

Skills

You should have:

• a creative imagination
• a high level of dancing ability and general fitness
• an excellent sense of rhythm and understanding of the theory of timing in music
• a knowledge of established dance steps and movements
• the ability to explain effectively and to teach others
• a knowledge of human anatomy
• good spatial awareness
• a good memory to recall sequences of movements
• energy and stamina to try out the movements yourself and demonstrate them to others
• patience, stamina and excellent focus
• self-discipline and determination
• good communication skills for working with people

If running your own business, you'll also need:

• an awareness of health and safety
• marketing and business skills, if working freelance.

Work experience

Each job helps build experience and can lead to more recognition and bigger opportunities.

Showcase your choreographic work whenever possible. Any performances you have done in community productions, dance recitals, and festivals, for example, offer an opportunity to demonstrate your artistic skills.

Consider ways to gain experience, such as working on cruise ships, as a leisure activity class instructor, or in teaching positions. You could also develop your skills by volunteering to choreograph amateur dance club performances in your local area.

You may find it useful to get work experience with an established choreographer. The UK Choreographers Directory (UKCD) compiled by the support organisation, One Dance UK, is a free, searchable directory of independent choreographers with experience in the arts and entertainment industries.

Employers

There are no official central or major employers, just a multitude of creative companies that require such expertise. Dance schools will always need choreographers, as will production companies and those dealing with arts events.

Jobs may be advertised in publications such as The Stage and on dance-related websites, such as The Place - which also produces a monthly magazine, Juice. Choreographers must also be able to network and promote themselves.

Dance UK has a Choreographers Directory and national forum. Freelancers are often advised to contact individual companies speculatively, as a lot of choreographer roles are not actively advertised.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Dance Europe - Auditions & Jobs
• Dancing Opportunities
• Mandy
• One Dance UK Careers Hub
• People Dancing

Professional development

Dancers tend to begin training early in their lives, completing grades and exams in specific styles. Many go to a dance school or take a dance or musical theatre degree, some of which will include modules on choreography.

Being a dancer already, while not mandatory, will be greatly beneficial. You can then look into becoming an assistant choreographer, gaining further experience before going on to gain an official qualification.

You can then start putting yourself out there as a professional choreographer in your own right. From this point, all progression is performance-based. The best way to get noticed is to choreograph routines that show off your creativity and that simply cannot be ignored.

A lot of choreographers have an ambition to set up their own dance school so they can bring in other teachers and pass on their skills to the next generation of dancers.

One Dance UK provides professional development opportunities including networking, mentoring, and training courses, which include dancers' health, teaching and fundraising.

The Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) is the membership body for the professional dance industry. It organises a programme of continuing professional development (CPD) alongside specialist companies, teaching societies and other bodies operating the arts.  

Career prospects

Many choreographers progress into teaching, either in the private or public sector. The CDMT provides details of accredited professional courses available. Following this route, you could opt to run your own dance courses, or consider running a franchise within a health and fitness club.

Other career options include working as a dancer or actor or taking on a director or management role within the film, TV, or theatre industry.

Some choreographers also go on to become dance movement psychotherapists, a therapeutic process which helps clients address their problems or develop personally through dance and movement. You could also work as a movement coach for actors.