| Is dancing something that you love doing? Do you love | | | | probably the best training that'll be more focussed. |
| going to dance classes or just dancing in general and | | | | There are other routes into becoming a professional |
| wonder how you could do it for a living? | | | | dancer as well. For example if belly-dance is your |
| Well it's certainly possible. There are many ways you | | | | passion as far as I know there aren't many full-time |
| can become a professional dancer. The routes vary | | | | belly dance schools and employers rarely ask for a |
| depending on what type of dancer you want to be. | | | | sheet showing your belly dance qualifications! You'll still |
| One thing's for sure, attending a full-time dance college | | | | need to do your training by going to classes and |
| for 2 or 3 years will give you the most options. It will | | | | learning the skills to a high standard but you won't |
| give you a lot of skills which will also be transferable | | | | necessarily need to have gone to a dance college. |
| and help you whatever route in the dance world you | | | | Hip-hop dance is another field that is popular. You don't |
| decide to go down. | | | | necessarily need to have gone to dance college in |
| There are a lot of dance colleges around so it's best | | | | order to get work as a hip-hop dancer but there are |
| to do your research and decide whether you want to | | | | some very complex choreographies and it definitely |
| stay local or are willing to relocate in order to go for | | | | needs regular training. Many hip-hop dancers do go to |
| the dance school of your choice. | | | | dance college because there's a lot of crossover with |
| Every dance college is different and they have | | | | hip-hop and other dance styles such as jazz. |
| different specialities. If you're sure you want to go | | | | If you want to be a club dancer then it is possible to |
| down a certain path then by all means specialise but if | | | | get work in clubs by natural dance talent. I think being |
| you're unsure you're best going to a college that'll give | | | | an entertainer is as important as anything but some |
| you a good all round training in jazz dance, ballet, tap | | | | clubs will only hire professionally trained dancers. |
| and other styles. | | | | So whatever type of dancing you want to do, do |
| If you're sure that ballet is what you want to do or | | | | some research and find out what qualifications you |
| contemporary for example then it really would be wise | | | | need (if any), then do whatever it takes and work hard |
| to go to a dance college that specialises in this as not | | | | to be the best you can. |
| only will you get the best teachers in that style but also | | | | |