The Disadvantages of Being a Dancer (2024)

A career as a dancer can be extremely rewarding. Those who want to pursue their passion must look realistically at the life of a professional dancer and consider not only the advantages but also the disadvantages of being a dancer.

Types of Dance Careers

As professionals, dancers perform in any number of styles and venues. Ballet dancers tell stories through graceful movement, usually set to classical music. Dance troupes such as New York City's Rockettes and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater star in shows comprised of a number of dance vignettes. Chorus line dancers perform in stage shows as part of an ensemble cast supporting the leading actors and actresses. Backup dancers help create the energy that is part of a rock star or hip-hop artist's vocal performance.

There are also careers in which performance is not the primary objective of the dance professional. Instructors teach children, teens and adults in the many genres of dance, from ballet to ballroom and from Irish step dancing to jazz. Classes may be held at private dance studios, community and adult education centers, and in high schools, colleges and universities. Dance therapists use movement to help with clients' mental and physical well-being. Choreographers compose the sequence of steps that dancers perform.

Disadvantages of Being a Dancer

Dancers are athletes. Like those who play professional sports, professional dancers usually begin training at a young age. Training is intense, requiring long hours that demand both physical and mental stamina. There is always the risk of injury and, in some cases, those injuries can end a career. Even without significant injury, dancing can take a tremendous toll on the body. Dancers may have to shift their focus and change career goals as they get older.

As the jobs website Indeed points out, performing in a Broadway show is a dream come true for many dancers. With the experience and skills gained from being part of a Broadway show, dancers and their understudies may go on to busy, well-earning careers. Competition for jobs is intense – there can be literally thousands of hopefuls when there are dancer auditions for a major show.

Even if you're not auditioning for a major show, dancers typically face a great deal of competition from other talented and trained individuals. Arts programs frequently face funding challenges and positions for dancers, choreographers, instructors and therapists may suffer. For most communities, there is a limit to how many dance professionals it can support.

Becoming a Dancer

Becoming a dancer requires years of rigorous training, which comes at a cost. Many professional dancers will tell you that they started with ballet lessons at the age of three or four and continued with advanced classes that included training in other genres, such as tap and jazz. DanceParent101 surveyed 50 dance studios in the U.S. and found that the average weekly group lesson for a child or teen is $61.

For a top school such as New York City's School of American Ballet, admission is by audition. Tuition for the 2019-2020 school year ranged from $3,555 a year for beginning classes to $26, 135 a year for advanced resident students.

In addition to years of training, dancers purchase clothing, costumes and shoes. Shoes are a dancer's most important item. Pointe shoes, which are essential for ballet dancers, typically require custom fitting and cost well over $100 per pair.

Dancer Salary and Job Outlook

Though their training may be as intense as that of a sports professional, professional dancers do not typically earn high salaries. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which tracks data for nearly all civilian occupations, placed the median 2019 wage for dancers and choreographers at $18.68 per hour. Median pay means that half in the profession earned more, while half earned less. The good news for dancers and choreographers, according to the BLS, is that job growth rate is expected to be about 6 percent through 2029, a rate considered slightly faster than average compared to other jobs.

The jobs website Indeed reported that dancers earned a nationwide average of $24.50 per hour in 2019, with dancers in New York City averaging $64,256 per year. Another jobs website, ZipRecruiter, reported that dance teachers earned an average of $51,087 a year as of 2020. ZipRecruiter also reported that dance therapists earned an average of $58,137 per year.

The Disadvantages of Being a Dancer (2024)

FAQs

The Disadvantages of Being a Dancer? ›

There is always the risk of injury and, in some cases, those injuries can end a career. Even without significant injury, dancing can take a tremendous toll on the body. Dancers may have to shift their focus and change career goals as they get older.

What are the downsides of dancing? ›

Overtraining – dancing for too long or too often can lead to a wide range of overuse injuries. Shin splints and stress fractures in the feet are common dance-related overuse injuries.

What are the disadvantages of being a ballet dancer? ›

Your legs would be particularly vulnerable. Some unfortunate dancing injuries to the feet include blisters and calluses, ingrown toenails, sprained ankles, Metatarsalgia, Plantar fasciitis, Bunions, Hallux rigidus, and stress fractures.

What are the negative effects of dance competitions? ›

While competitive dance has its benefits, it's negative effects on the dancers often get overlooked. The stress and anxieties of competition can lead to low self esteem, bullying, rivalries, favouritism, financial stress and much more.

What are the disadvantages of being a dance teacher? ›

The cons of being a dance teacher include wear and tear on the body. The physical demands of choreography work are significant. StateUniversity.com states that the job is often tiring and stressful.

What are the pros and cons of being a dancer? ›

Pros and cons
  • Pro #1: Getting paid for what you love. ...
  • Con #1: Instability of contracts. ...
  • Pro #2: Travel. ...
  • Con #2: Too much travel. ...
  • Pro #3 The camaraderie. ...
  • Con #3: Stage nerves. ...
  • Pro #4: Keeping fit while you work. ...
  • Con #4: Injuries.
Mar 3, 2017

Is being a dancer stressful? ›

Dance can be one of the most uncertain and stressful jobs imaginable. Just like any art form, dance is constantly evolving and changing. Thus, the demands and expectations placed on us are constantly changing as well. Sometimes it feels like we just have far too much on our plate to even begin.

What dancers should not do? ›

21 Things To NEVER Do In Dance Class
  • Compare yourself to others. ...
  • Stretch without being warm. ...
  • Put another dancer down.
  • Ask to go to the bathroom during the first two minutes of class. ...
  • Do your hair in a way that you know will fall out when you're turning.

What age do ballerinas stop dancing? ›

At what age do most dancers retire? Most dancers stop dancing between 35 and 40 years old. Sometimes a dancer may have a specific injury that has forced them to stop dancing and sometimes their bodies are just tired from all the physical strength that is required for ballet.

Is ballet good or bad for your body? ›

You needn't look beyond the physiques of professional ballet dancers to realise that ballet is fantastic physical training. And taking up ballet in your spare time is no different. At all levels, ballet engages the entire body from head to toe, with each exercise at the barre working different muscle groups.

Does dancing affect your body? ›

Dancing can be a way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. It has a wide range of physical and mental benefits including: improved condition of your heart and lungs. increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness.

What does losing a life in dancing mean? ›

The sections go from beginner, starter, intermediate, champ and the prem champ, which is the hardest one to get to. In order to move up, you have to lose three lives for each section you are in. In order to lose a life, there has to be seven people in your section and if you come first place then you lose a life.

How many hours a week do dancers train? ›

This is invaluable in becoming a more accomplished dancer. Most competition dancers are able to reach an ability level far beyond that of the average recreational dancer. Competition dancers usually train and rehearse every day often including weekends. They are most likely in the studio 15-25 hours a week.

Why are dance teachers so strict? ›

Many dance teachers believe that the strict, stern, disciplinarian approach is the only way to train the precision, strength and technical ability needed to be a dancer, and this approach has worked for many years.

What are some disadvantages of a teacher? ›

The Cons of Teaching
  • You'll never really have a “work-life balance.” ...
  • Diverse student backgrounds. ...
  • Unruly behavior, constant noise, and messy workspaces. ...
  • Change is constant. ...
  • Low pay. ...
  • Lack of funding. ...
  • You'll always be accountable for your students' success—or lack thereof. ...
  • Difficult parents.

Are school dances a good thing? ›

In order to get teenagers to socialize more with kids in positive manners you need to provide opportunities to build social skills, cultivate positive emotions, and practice face-to-face communication skills. School dances, like Prom or Homecoming, serve as a place for social interaction.

What is the hardest thing about dance? ›

Portraying emotion is already a hard thing especially when your body, movement, feeling is all in the face. If you can't feel the music, nothing will go right. Most people say the key is to have fun and practice, but I feel like they leave out “feel the music” part even though everyone knows to do that.

Why are some people not good at dance? ›

People who are beat deaf, much like deaf people face a great deal difficulty in their hand-eye coordination and have poor motor skills, which stops their brain from creating a natural rhythm flow or synchronisation. They have the ability to clap or tap their feet better when there is no music.

What does dancing lead to? ›

Health benefits of dancing

improved condition of your heart and lungs. increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness. increased aerobic fitness. improved muscle tone and strength.

Is dance good or bad? ›

Dance is a healthy physical activity, with many far reaching physical, and psychological benefits. Dancing can be enjoyed in many forms, and is for every age and ability. This physical activity appeals to some who may not typically be active, and therefore may be another alternative of exercise.

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