Choreographers

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

Median Annual Wage: $44,250

Education: High school diploma or equivalent (32%); Bachelor's degree (28%); Some college, no degree (12%)

Projected Growth: Much faster than average (22% or higher)

Related Job Titles: Choreographer; Artistic Director; Dance Director

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Choreographers.

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  • Read and study story lines and musical scores to determine how to translate ideas and moods into dance movements.
  • 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.
  • Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
  • Advise dancers on how to stand and move properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
  • Coordinate production music with music directors.
  • Audition performers for one or more dance parts.
  • Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
  • Develop ideas for creating dances, keeping notes and sketches to record influences.
  • Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
  • Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
  • Assess students' dancing abilities to determine where improvement or change is needed.
  • Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
  • Seek influences from other art forms such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
  • Design sets, lighting, costumes, and other artistic elements of productions, in collaboration with cast members.
  • Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
  • Re-stage traditional dances and works in dance companies' repertoires, developing new interpretations.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Choreographers.

  • 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.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Choreographers.

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