Dancing is something that most people will get in touch with at some point in their lives. The unique characteristic of dancing is that it can communicate feelings and information in general without words, which is only the case in a few art forms. This way of communicating allows people all over the world to “talk” to each other even though they do not speak the same language. This is why many people are so fascinated by this kind of sport. Some people even make the decision to make their hobby, which is most likely their passion as well, their occupation. They decide to dedicate their whole lives to it and give everything they have, like their mental and physical abilities, to this job.

But what does it even mean to be a professional dancer? A person who is qualified, skilled, and trained in a certain kind of dance is referred to as a professional dancer. Professional dancers do choreographed dance for an audience while expressing emotions via movement that creates a story. They are experts in a variety of dance forms, for instance, ballet, modern dance, hip-hop, etc.

Furthermore, one can differentiate between three categories.
The first kind of dancer is called a company dancer. They are usually hired by a dance company and stay there for a longer period of time.
The second category of dancers is called commercial dancers. Commercial dancers usually freelancing for jobs in the music, movie, musical, or even cruise ship industry.

Becoming a professional dancer requires a lot of hard work and dedication. In order to get hired, it is important to gain experience, fill your CV with internships and workshops, and join dance classes that help you improve your abilities and style. Also, attending auditions is impossible to avoid because they will land you jobs and maybe even a contract.

Of course, becoming a professional dancer requires a lot of other requirements besides the willingness to work hard. It is important to have a good ability to memorize things. For example, a dancer may have to memorize the steps to many different choreographies at the same time. Without a good memory, he or she will not be able to do this job.
Moreover, it is important to be able to work with many different types of people, such as choreographers, other dancers, dance teachers, and many more. Not complying or having issues with following the rules could be your doom.
Other than that, it is important to handle stressful times and a busy schedule. Most dancers have many different projects that require a lot of hard work, training, and dedication. They barely have holidays or days off, so being stress-resistant is essential.
Naturally, being a professional dancer means that you need to work on your physical abilities constantly. You need to make sure you stay fit and build muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility. At the same time, you need to be careful not to overexert your body because if you injure yourself, you may not be able to dance for a longer time, which would be bad for your career.

To conclude, dancing as an occupation brings you a lot of possibilities and career opportunities. Because it requires a lot from you, mentally and physically, it can also be very rewarding. You will build a network, maybe even around the world, where you can connect with people from the dance industry who are able to pave your way for new job offers.

Sources:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-professional-dancer
https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/dancer#:~:text=Regardless%20of%20how%20they’re,make%20the%20most%20of%20opportunities.