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Choreographer

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What is a Choreographer?

Position Description Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.

Daily Life Of a Choreographer

  • Design sets, lighting, costumes, and other artistic elements of productions, in collaboration with cast members.
  • Read and study story lines and musical scores to determine how to translate ideas and moods into dance movements.
  • Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
  • Restage traditional dances and works in dance companies’ repertoires, developing new interpretations.
  • Design dances for individual dancers, dance companies, musical theatre, opera, fashion shows, film, television productions, and special events, and for dancers ranging from beginners to professionals.
  • Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.

Things a Choreographer Should Know How to Do

When polled, Choreographers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Choreographer Jobs

  • Dancing Master
  • Ballet Director
  • Dance Maker
  • Choreography Director
  • Dance Choreographer

Is There Going to be Demand for Choreographers?

In the United States, there were 6,900 jobs for Choreographer in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.9% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 200 new jobs for Choreographer by 2026. There will be an estimated 900 positions for Choreographer per year.

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The states with the most job growth for Choreographer are Nevada, Georgia, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Connecticut, or Wyoming. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Choreographer Make?

Choreographers make between $21,340 and $97,620 a year.

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Choreographers who work in New York, Tennessee, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.

How much do Choreographers make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
California $70,020
Connecticut $56,080
Florida $48,150
Georgia $51,690
Illinois $35,490
Kansas $39,830
Louisiana $43,680
Maryland $57,070
Massachusetts $60,150
Minnesota $49,400
Nevada $55,100
New Jersey $55,680
New York $85,720
Ohio $47,840
Oklahoma $65,600
Pennsylvania $37,560
South Dakota $31,400
Tennessee $65,990
Texas $61,850
Virginia $58,240
Wyoming $35,000

Tools & Technologies Used by Choreographers

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Choreographers may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Web browser software
  • Email software
  • Word processing software
  • Social media sites

How to Become a Choreographer

What kind of Choreographer requirements are there?

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What work experience do I need to become a Choreographer?

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Where do Choreographers Work?

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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References:

Image Credit: Jazzart Dance Theatre via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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