Transferable Skills/Alternative Career Support

What main skills can you take from dance?

Dance provides you with so many key qualities and skills that are relevant to any job, even outside of the performing arts sector. Within the performing arts sector especially, a dance degree or other dance qualification really opens up your choices for a career.

• Perseverance

• Resilience

• Responding to instructions

• Working as a team

• Cooperating

• Listening

• Creativity

• Attention to detail

• Self esteem

• Taking initiative

• Self awareness

• Taking responsibility

Careers Related to Dancers and Choreographers

Actors

What does the job consist of? Actors express ideas and portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media. They also interpret a writer's script to entertain or inform an audience.

How does it link with dance? Much like dancers they use their expression and body language to play a character and perform to an audience on stage. Actors also require a similar skillset to a dancer including teamwork, perseverance and confidence.

Art Directors

What does the job consist of? Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie/television productions. They also create the overall design of a project and direct others who develop artwork and layouts.

How does it link with dance? Much like dance, there is a large focus on meanings behind colours and aesthetic and creating something from nothing. Transferable skills from dance include attention to detail, creativity and patience.

Music Directors and Composers

What does the job consist of? Music directors, also called conductors, lead orchestras and other musical groups during performances and recording sessions. Composers also write and arrange of original music in a variety of musical styles.

How does it link with dance? Its obvious that this job is very similar to a chorographer in the way that they lead a group of people and compose music in the way in which a choreographer would create choreography. Skills that you could take from dance for this job would include the ability to give feedback, creativity and knowledge of different historic and/or modern styles.

Musicians and Singers

What does the job consist of? Musicians and singers play instruments or sing for live audiences and in recording studios.

How does it link with dance? Much like dance, singers and musicians entertain an audience. Most singers also dance during their performance or at least in music videos. Transferable skills include creativity, stamina, dynamic quality (in their vocals as well as movement) and resilience.

Postsecondary Teachers

What does the job consist of? Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They may also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.

How does it link with dance? For this career, substantial knowledge about dance is required as well as the ability to give instructions and so it is very similar to the choreographer side of dance. Skills that teachers could take from dance is leadership as well as teamwork, creativity and good attention to detail.

Producers and Directors

What does the job consist of? Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, commercials, and other performing arts productions. They interpret a writer's script to entertain or inform an audience.

How does it link with dance? Much like a dancer their intention is to entertain and inspire an audience, they also have to direct like a choreographer would and so there are many transferable skills from dance. They include being able to provide feedback, take control and creativity to some extent.