When dance becomes a career

If you enjoy tapping your feet to the music, moving your body with grace, creating new steps and training others in dance movements, you might want to take up dance choreography.

A choreographer’s job is to conceptualise the dance steps and facial expressions, select the dance form and train the dancers for performances for TV, movies, music videos, stage shows, and even weddings.

Skills needed

A choreographer must be passionate about dancing and have training in dance forms. Self-discipline, persistence and determination, a basic sense of rhythm and beat, flexibility, a love for music, patience while teaching and imagination are the desirable qualities. Also, a choreographer should be able to judge what dance movements are apt where.

A TV film and music video choreographer must be aware of the situation for the song, the camera placement, light sound, etc. Only the knowledge of dance is not enough to be a choreographer. You should be able to visualise the entire song sequence and be creative and innovative as a choreographer.

"Choreographers must be able to effectively communicate their ideas and instructions to dancers. They must cope well with stress, be physically and mentally fit, and be punctual and prepared to work for long hours. The success mantra is never to stop acquiring specialised knowledge. One has to keep reinventing, updating, and learning. People who sustain are the ones who keep updating themselves and keep learning popular dance forms,” says Trupti Shah, Mumbai-based choreographer and event planner.

Growing field

A formal dance education can give a firm foundation in the technical aspects of dance, as well as provide opportunities to learn about different dance styles, movements and techniques. This can help develop the skills and knowledge necessary to create and execute the choreography. Study various dance styles, such as classical, western, and contemporary forms to gain a better understanding of movement. Consider enrolling in classes or workshops specifically designed for choreography. This will help you learn the process of creating dances and experiment with choreography.

Building relationships with other dancers, choreographers and dance companies can be helpful. In the initial years, it is better to work as an assistant choreographer, to gain experience. To be successful as a choreographer requires creativity, imagination, and an artistic vision which comes from self-learning, enhancing dance skills and improvisation.

Choreography is a growing field and there are plenty of job opportunities for choreographers, in films, television—where dance-based reality shows are currently popular, theatre groups, and dance training schools. Most choreographers work with dance troupes and institutes. One can also work as a choreographer for wedding functions as in India, Sangeet ceremony is an integral part of wedding ceremonies, and families like to learn a few dance steps from a choreographer and then perform.