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Choreographer

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JOB OUTLOOK

Increasing

What They Do

Choreographers Career Video

About This Career

Creates new dance routines. Rehearses performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.

This career is part of the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Performing Arts pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Directs rehearsals to instruct dancers in how to use dance steps, and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
  • Teaches students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
  • Chooses the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
  • Advises dancers on how to stand and move properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
  • Designs 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.
  • Seeks influences from other art forms such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
  • Experiments with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
  • Trains, exercises, and attends dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
  • Develops ideas for creating dances, keeping notes and sketches to record influences.
  • Directs and stages dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
  • Work in this occupation involves keeping or regaining your balance more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves bending or twisting your body more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Maintaining a body position that prevents falling when in an unstable position
  • Moving the arms, legs and torso together when the whole body is in motion
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching quickly and repeatedly
  • Using muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
  • Seeing clearly at a distance
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
  • Exerting oneself physically over long periods of time without getting out of breath
  • Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

  • Irregular hours
  • Overnight travel
  • Weekend work

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Dance Director
  • Dance Maker
  • Musical Choreographer
  • Ballet Director

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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