A choreographer is an artist who creates dance moves by scrutinizing musical rhythm and focusing on form and motion. They teach amateur dancers to become experts and work with professionals to rehearse new techniques for a particular song or musical piece. If you're considering a career in choreography, it's important to weigh both the pros and cons of the profession. Read our guide to find out if a career in dance is right for you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Passion | Stress |
| Chance to improve your health | Risk of injury |
| Flexibility and independence with your schedule | Freelancing jobs can be inconsistent |
| Having consistent clients | Contracts have the possibility of only lasting for a season |
| Getting to travel for work | Being on tour can be tiring |
| Unique career and community | Stage pressure |
| Getting to create and teach others | Motivating others can be challenging |
| Constant learning opportunities | Physical demands on the body |
| Positive financial growth | Potential for repetitive work |
| Creative expression | Inconsistent income |
Pros of Choreography
There are benefits and downsides to every job, and choreography is no different. What are the benefits of being a choreographer? Becoming a choreographer is unique as it gives you space to be creative and stay fit while you make money. Keep reading as we discuss the advantages of being a choreographer.
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Passion
As most people choose to become doctors, engineers, or architects under tremendous pressure, a creative career can only be someone's personal choice, meaning they have a passion for it. This pressure to select a prestigious profession comes from society or our parents. But those who choose to become choreographers show that this pressure doesn't get to them.
So, if you have a career in dance choreography, one of the most significant benefits is that you can get to live out your passion and get paid to do what you enjoy.
Staying Healthy
Physical fitness is a must for dance choreographers. And unlike corporate employees, dance choreographers get an immediate reward for the hard work they put in for the day or a week. Working as a choreographer keeps you moving, maintaining your energy levels throughout. It never makes you bored or distracted.
Be Your Own Boss
You can pick your employer, or if you want, you can even become your boss. You have plenty of options to choose your clients. If you wish to have a regular work schedule and routine, you could work for a company, but you can start working as a freelancer if you prefer flexibility.
A freelance choreographer can charge per hour, which is another great benefit. Remember, being a dance choreographer, you do not need to have a permanent job in an organization or industry. You could always pick up freelance work. There are many benefits of working as a freelancer. You can work on your chosen time, reschedule whenever you want, and charge hourly.
Yes, as a choreographer, you can choose to work as a freelancer, which gives you the ability to choose your clients and schedule.
Regular Clients
Having a career in dance choreography means having a solid clientele. Of course, by this, we're referring to those who work for a dance troupe, institute, or studio. Choreography jobs lie in the category of temporary employment and require contract renewals every now and then. You might also need to renew your contract after you finish a project or after a particular period, depending on the nature of your contract.
You have to be the one promoting yourself. If you don't think that you're worthy, you're never going to make it.
Misty Copeland, American ballet dancer
Traveling as a Choreographer
Another perk of choosing a choreography career is traveling. However, some people may count it as a disadvantage as they remain away from home for long periods. But, for most people, getting to travel to places they wouldn't have if they had regular jobs is a huge positive. In addition, choreography jobs give you the perks of traveling at the company's or client's expense to places people go for vacations.
Makes You Part of a Fraternity
The pressure of performing on stage in front of spectators is quite unnerving and sometimes demoralizing. However, this nervousness brings the team closer by instilling a sense of "we're in this together." Moreover, this becomes even more taxing when you're working in Hollywood, on Broadway, or another high-strung employer in America. Surrounded by the pressure on stage, you begin to trust people who show you loyalty while performing together, and you start feeling proud. So, there is a chance of forming lifelong friendships while you take on massive choreography contracts.
Motivation for Choreography
Working as a choreographer makes you an artist. So, choreographers feel the same happiness upon seeing their dance on the big stage as a director feels when watching their movie. Seeing the fruits of your labor is incentive enough for anyone, especially those working in creative fields. It could be taken as a motivation to do better, or could also be taken as a lesson to improve upon mistakes.
Constant Learning
A choreographer is an artist who never gets old, not only because of their exceptional physique and health, but also because they never stop learning. Chasing your passion and constantly growing makes you creative. This is a vital prerequisite because coming up with new dance moves requires a creative mind.
Positive Financial Growth
Another perk of having choreography jobs is the desired money it brings in. This is dependent upon how much you are willing to work and how much effort you can give to the job, however, with more fame, experience, and positive client feedback, your take-home can only increase exponentially. You can also start your own company, which is yet another perk of choreography jobs.
Building a choreography start-up is comparatively more accessible than any other business, requiring a low amount of investment. Choreographers with meager work experience are also paid well. They make up to $30,970 per year, and experienced choreographers earn about $68,760 a year.
Data via the Bureau of U.S. Labor Statistics
Creative Expression
As a choreographer, you'll get to use creative thinking skills each day on the job. Maybe you want to incorporate a new style of dance into the mix. Or, perhaps you hear a song with a unique beat that gives your brain a challenge. Whatever the case, your creative expression can take center stage in this role.
Cons of Choreography
What are the cons of being a choreographer? Like every career, there are downsides to working in choreography. From too much stress to financial instability, these are the things to consider when you're thinking of becoming a choreographer.
Too Stressful
Yes, a choreographer who loves dancing would love their job, but the stress involved in getting the routine perfect can't be denied. Most major film, TV, or streaming projects come with massive budgets, and the choreography section accounts for the brunt of it. As a result, the expectations are off the charts. Such high expectations create tremendous stress.
Too Much Movement Can Be Hazardous
Having a dance choreography job keeps you jumping and rolling throughout the day. Even though daily exercise is beneficial, anything in excess can harm you. Dance is not always about proper movement. Sometimes a dance move can give a severe strain, keeping you from regular activity and even making you experience tremendous pain. Furthermore, when you learn new moves as a choreographer or dancer, you never know which part of your body it will stress.
Inconsistency of Freelance Work
Freelance work in any form can lack consistency. The drawback of not having a job in an organization means an inconsistent workflow. So, it means you might not get work when you need it, which can ultimately spell financial insecurity.
Not Every Contract Gets Renewed
Contractual positions are often widely contested, just like a vendor contract – decision-makers will always explore cheaper alternatives at the time of renewal. As a result, there is a risk attached to it, and the fear of not having a new contract prevails. Job insecurity is the leading cause of depression, anxiety, and even suicidal tendencies globally. Therefore, this is a massive downside to a career in dance choreography. And it applies, even if you're heavily qualified.
Traveling Non-Stop
Some companies make their choreographers travel too much. For instance, Hollywood films are shot across several different locations, and a team of choreographers follows. Tours can last months or even years. Remember, choreographers also orchestrate fight scenes, which keeps them tied to the crew for the entirety of filming, going from location to location.
There is no doubt that traveling has its privileges, and nothing can be more fun and exciting than visiting beautiful places, but can you imagine returning from a trip to pack another bag? It is exhausting!
The Stage Pressure Might Affect Your Performance
The tremendous stage pressure that brings the team together can also have adverse effects on individuals. Sometimes, the performance anxiety can take hold of the whole body. This starts from the night before the show when you can't sleep because of the uncomfortable restlessness.
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Motivating Your Team Can Be a Challenge
Motivating your team, including the content team and sales department, is a real challenge if you are running a setup. Therefore, coming up with a new creative way to inspire a team regularly is burdensome. On the other hand, if you're a freelancer, the sheer struggle to acquire even a solitary client may also be quite demotivating.
Physical Demands
Dancing can be physically taxing on the body. When you're working as a choreographer, you'll have to do a lot of repetitive moments. This can lead to injuries, especially as you age. You'll need to be extra cautious and make sure to take care of yourself by taking breaks, stretching, and always doing your cool-downs and warm-ups.
Potential for Repetitive Work
Dancing can be repetitive as it tends to run in seasons, especially if you're at a studio. You may get bored of following the same calendar year or teaching the same classes over and over. But keep in mind that this can be a problem in any career path, so don't let it discourage you from pursuing your passion.
Inconsistent Income
Income from dance can be inconsistent. This often happens because many jobs are freelance, which makes it hard to estimate your future earnings. This can impact your ability to budget consistently. As you grow in the field and become more well-known, it can be easier to get jobs and a consistent income.
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Become an Expert Tutor and Find Dance Students
Now that you know what you're signing up for, you should find yourself a clientele. We know that it's easier said than done so, we've got a solution for you.
Sign up to Superprof! Superprof provides directories of experienced tutors in every discipline under the sun! Take advantage of this by setting up your choreography profile and advertising to people in your area.
Every time someone in your vicinity searches for choreographers on Superprof, your name will show up. So visit today and become America's top choreographer!
References
- United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Dancers and Choreographers.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, 18 Apr. 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/dancers-and-choreographers.htm.
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