Choreographer Career

Job Description: Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.


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Choreographer Career

What Choreographers do:

  • Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
  • Audition performers for one or more dance parts.
  • Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
  • Design dances for individual dancers, dance companies, musical theatre, opera, fashion shows, film, television productions, and special events, and for dancers ranging from beginners to professionals.
  • Develop ideas for creating dances, keeping notes and sketches to record influences.
  • Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
  • Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
  • Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
  • Read and study story lines and musical scores to determine how to translate ideas and moods into dance movements.
  • Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
  • Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
  • Coordinate production music with music directors.
  • Assess students' dancing abilities to determine where improvement or change is needed.
  • Restage traditional dances and works in dance companies' repertoires, developing new interpretations.
  • Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
  • Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
  • Design sets, lighting, costumes, and other artistic elements of productions, in collaboration with cast members.
  • Manage dance schools, or assist in their management.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Performing General Physical Activities - Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Holland Code Chart for a Choreographer