Choreographer

You'll need a high level of dance training and experience. You could do a foundation degree, degree or postgraduate award to develop your skills.

Relevant subjects include:

• professional dance
• musical theatre
• dance and choreography

These are offered by dance schools and universities.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

• to pass an audition

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

You could start out as a professional dancer and combine this with an assistant choreographer role.

With further training and experience you could work your way up to become a choreographer.

You may find it useful to get work experience with an established choreographer.

You could also develop your skills by volunteering to choreograph amateur dance club performances.

You may be able to apply for work if you're an experienced professional dancer or dance teacher.

Career Tips

When you're starting out it's good to have a mentor, perhaps someone whose work you admire, to guide you and give you advice.

You can find professional choreographers in the UK Directory of Choreographers .

Observing as many different types of dance to increase your knowledge of dance styles is also useful.

Professional and Industry Bodies

You can join One Dance UK for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Further Information

You can find out more about becoming a choreographer from One Dance UK.

As a choreographer, you could:

• come up with creative ideas and turn them into dance routines
• work with producers, costume designers and musical directors
• choose music, costume styles and props
• audition and teach dancers
• record dance steps using a notation system

If you're self employed or run your own dance company, you'll also:

• promote yourself or your company
• deal with your own tax and money
• hire and manage staff
• apply for funding

You could work in a creative studio, in a theatre, at a film studio or at a TV studio.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding, you'll travel often and you may spend nights away from home.