Tag: professional dancer

When You Should—and Shouldn’t—Teach for Free

Ever feel the exciting rush of landing your first gig, only to have your stomach drop when you realize you won’t be paid? If you haven’t found yourself in this tricky situation yet, you might’ve still heard the warning stories from other dancers. And if it’s one of your first serious offers to teach or […]

How Freelance Dancers Have Survived—and Thrived—During the Last Year

Broadway’s shutdown. Canceled competitions and conventions. Closed studio doors. It’s been a rough year for dancers everywhere since pandemic-related closures began rocking the arts community last March. But what have the last 14+ months been like for freelancers, dancers who do not belong to a specific company or studio but instead make the majority of […]

5 Pro Dancers Reflect on Their Pandemic Silver Linings

March marks one year since the official start of pandemic-related closures, and many are looking forward to a healthy and (hopefully) vaccinated 2021. That’s especially true for the dance community, as the arts industry as a whole has been near-halted over the last 12 months. But with new hope in sight—live theater is scheduled to […]

How to Build Your Professional Resumé in College

A college education offers a massive amount of opportunity—not only to further your dance training, but also to prepare for a successful career post graduation. The experiences you have throughout college, and the connections you make in school, can have a real impact on your job prospects once you enter the professional market. So how […]

What It's Really Like to Work as a Professional Dancer—Via Zoom

Throughout quarantine, many dance companies have streamed prior performances and offered company classes on Zoom. But Mark Morris Dance Group was one of the first to create all-new works virtually. To hear what it was really like to create new dances via Zoom, we spoke with MMDG company member Karlie Budge—on the phone, of course. […]

"My Dance Family Tree": 5 Pros on Their Training Roots

You’ve got your mother’s eyes, your smile is just like your dad’s, and it’s uncanny how much you look like photos of that great-great aunt you’ve never met. But where did you get your distinctive port de bras from? What are the origins of your signature tap sound? Chances are, your technique and style can […]