Professional Dancer

I REALLY want to be a dancer. I understand how hard it is to be in the dance industry but I want it, and I will work so hard. I am turning 17 in less than a week. My DREAM is to be a back up dancer for someone. Is this possible?

Asked by Jennifer about 12 years ago

Hi Jennifer, First let me start by saying I love that you are dancing! And also, I have a question for you. Are you training right now? By 17 and expressing the desire to be a professional back up dancer, you should be taking not only a lot of hip hop, jazz, and broadway style dance (for back up dancing) but also ballet, modern, and tap. You never know when you may need to pull some tricks out of that magical dancing bag. If you are not taking any dance class as of now, you should get in gear girl! Make sure your teachers have worked as professional dancers....Dance team in college doesn't count. Cheerleading does not count. A good teacher has a proper dance education from a college that provides a BA, BFA, or masters in dance performance or dance education. Also, does your teacher have professional performance experience? The reason I ask is, many 'dance teachers' open up studios in towns because they like dancing, they danced at some dolly dinkle (crappy) studio in high school and did some sort of kick line dance team in college. THIS DOES NOT EQUAL A COLLEGE DANCE DEGREE! I beg you..parents, kids, DO NOT go to these studios, these people claiming to be dance educators are destroying girls and boys bodies, training them incorrectly and setting them up for future disappointment and possible recurring injuries. Jennifer, if you are in fact, taking dance classes multiple times a week and getting good, strong, professional training...then you're on the right track. Go to a summer intensive that will refine your technique and will also let you get into some hip hop classes. I don't know about about hip hop, because I am a modern dancer, but I know that's what you need to master to get into back up dancing. Honestly I don't know about back up dancing auditions, that you will need to research. Not to be all tough love on you, but you may work really hard, and not get anywhere..that's the nature of the dance world. I have worked really hard multiple times...to not get that job, or not even get a second call back in an audition. It's the way of the world. But keep trying, you never know what the future holds. I have a friend who only did break dancing with his friends in high school. then when he turned 18 he decided he wanted to become a modern dancer and he busted his ass to get trained and eventually got into a college dance program. and Now he is a dancer here in NYC.

I'm 9 years old and take ballet 1 day a week.I have done ballet for 5 years.I was wondering if I'm ready to start pointe?I didnt want to ask ballet teacher because she probaly wouldn't even give a chance.Have any advise?

Asked by ballerinamaddie about 12 years ago

Hi Maddie,

   I'm going to be honest with you, one ballet class a week isn't enough for you to be strong enough for pointe work. Nine years old is also very young...I know it's probably your dream to be a ballerina en pointe, every little girl wants to be an elegant ballerina. But your body isn't quite ready yet.

I would suggest that you start taking as many ballet classes as your family can afford and as many as your teacher allows. I was taking three regular ballet classes a week, for 3 years before I was put in pointe shoes. I also had gone through puberty. Which is VERY important, because that's when your hips and muscles are beginning to develop into an adult body.

If you begin pointe too early (It's very rigorous on your body) you can stunt your bodily development. You also have to be VERY strong to do pointe, not just you legs and feet, but your whole body. Make sure you have a VERY well educated ballet teacher that has a dance degree and professional dancing experience. I suggest asking you parents to buy you a foam roller, a foot roller, and a thera-band. Then ask your teacher to teach you (or look it up online) some strenghtening and stretching exercises for your feet and ankles so  in a few years you will be strong and ready for pointe!

Good Luck Maddie!

Do you think there's truth to the "good dancer = good in bed" thing when it comes to men?

Asked by Izie almost 12 years ago

Is this a serious question? Well, I'll tell you one thing, when out dancing in a club, I'm pretty sure girls don't turn to each other and say, "OMG look at that sexy dude over there, he is such a good dancer, I bet he's good at fellatio and/or thrusting."

I'll go ask all of my male dancer friends if they have recieved any sort of positive or negative feedback from their sexcapades and I'll let you know.

Do you have to take dance classes in order to be a "good" dancer or to get into a dance school? I've been teaching myself and i'm worried that when I leave high school, a school wont except me. An I've only got a year left.

Asked by Alura over 11 years ago

No, I dont think you have to take dance classes to be a good dancer. But I think that it depends on what style of dance you are concentrating on. I have a friend that did break dancing and hip hop all through high school, but he never actually recieved any formal training (ballet, jazz, and modern) until college. If you are teaching yourself at home, you are not getting the proper technique that a true dance professional could give you. You are not learning about proper alignment of your bone structure or how to work correctly or efficiently. Honestly, if you are looking at any sort of college or university that requires an audition for admission, your chances are low that without proper training, you will be accepted. Could you take a proper ballet or modern class, and know exactly what the teacher was talking about throughout the class? Auditions for schools often require an abridged version of those classes and if you make it through that round, you show a solo piece. My advice is, get into the dance studio and start taking classes, as much as possible.

Hey, I have some problems with my dance. I have too long and over movable arms. It's a big problem for me because my dance steps goes wrong when I have too long arms. Do you have any idea what I can do?

Asked by Antonia about 11 years ago

Your dance steps go wrong when you have too long arms? I don't know what that means...what I can sort of defer from this question is that you have very flexible arms...practice control. Do some strengthening exercises. Again, I reccomend Pilates, it's pretty transformative and life changing.

Hey, I was trained in classical ballet for 11 years, and was pretty good at it. However I haven't danced for 5 years, or done anything physical. Some advice to get back in shape before I return to dance?

Asked by NikaInverse over 11 years ago

find a floor barre class. Classical Pilates is also really great.

How did you decide to pursue dance ?

Asked by Mariah over 5 years ago