Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Let Your Dancing Feet Move You to Career in Dance and Entertainment

If becoming a professional dancer has always been your dream, there is no reason it cannot come true. You will find many who have made it to the top who overcame enormous obstacles to follow their heart and vision.

Dancing is a creative art that takes years to learn and perfect, and practice and refining your techniques is a daily struggle. If you are truly meant to dance though, this struggle gives you reason to rise up each morning, and put both a weary body and painfully sore muscles through another grueling practice session. You know that true dancing perfection is always one more step ahead of you, no matter how hard you work.

Dancing is also a talent, it comes from the very heart, soul, and mind of an individual, and it requires commitment, passion, and love for this form of artistic self-expression.

To be a dancer is to touch another person's soul and to fire his or her imagination for even the briefest moment in time. Many people who train to become dancers would continue dancing even if they were not paid, because they simply cannot imagine a life without the enjoyment and creativity of dance.

Exactly what might be those qualifications that you will need to become a dancer? Extensive training in at least one specific form of dance is a must. Most dancers will have training in several different dance disciplines and this is the best idea of all. The more experience and understanding of dances that you have, the more capable a dancer you will become.

While many types of dance training appear to have little in common, you will find that what you learn in one style of dance will assist you in another style as well.

People who have studied ballet and tap may have difficulty in interpreting and performing some of the hip-hop dance moves at the very beginning, but their dance training will give them a great advantage as they learn these new dance steps and routines. Anyone who takes dance classes learns quickly how to move with the rhythm of the music with grace and precision.

Most people who serious about becoming dancers will begin taking dance classes at a very early age. It is not unusual to see ballerinas, or professional dancers in a troupe who have just turned 21 and have already been taking dance lessons for 17 years. While it is possible to begin your dance career at a later age in your life, you must be prepared to devote yourself to your training and dance studies.

The majority of professional dancers will have taken at least some of their classes at an accredited dance school. Some of the most elite dance academies will require an audition before admission, so be prepared to strut your stuff so that you can become a student and study with the best.

There are also a number of universities that have courses in many different types of dance movements and styles. Be prepared to find the best dancing instruction programs you can and attend class no less than 3-5 times a week. There is also home practice that will be involved in order for you to move to the top of your class.

A dancer needs to be creative, flexible, and graceful. Classes in gymnastics, posture and even modeling classes can be useful in helping you incorporate movements and elegance into your own dancing.

Some people will find work in their communities as assistants or owners of dancing schools, and others may perform in local theater productions or at benefits and festivals. Others will aspire to larger venues such as working with professional dancing troupes and ensembles, or they may set their sights on Broadway or Hollywood.

There are many places and companies that will use professional dancers, but these places want only the top percentage of dancers from around the world. While it is good to be well versed and proficient in many areas of dance, one or two dance styles will usually be your strongest performance areas. These are the ones you should try to showcase at any audition, so you will be sure that the people who are watching you will see you at your best.

Dancers can find work with ballet companies, musical theater groups, and at entertainment venues like Disney World, Las Vegas, cruise ships and other similar settings. Much of the work in the world of professional dancing is done under contract and many of the contracts may be short term. These will often stipulate the hours you must practice, the shows that must be performed, and even how much you can weigh.

If you are prepared to make some sacrifices for the chance to dance then the world really does await you, but it will take enormous effort on your part to succeed in such a competitive field. The more dance experience and education you have, the better your chance of success.

Some people today are raising their level of visibility by auditioning for some of the televised reality shows that look for dancers to appear in front of national audiences. This may be another way for you to take your dancing to another creative level.

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