How to Become a Choreographer

About Choreographer

Choreographers create original dance acts and steps to form new interpretation. They teach and direct performers in movies, theatre and reality shows. Most study several dance forms to provide the best expression of their creative vision and imagination. Depending on the size of the production/show, a choreographer will likely audition dancers for a piece, have input regarding costumes, set design and lighting, and will choose the music for the show. Some choreographers, who work for a dance company and also manage the administrative. Choreographers can be self-employed, while others work exclusively with one dance company. 

A choreographer's responsibility is to design fresh dance steps and unique dance performances. The field of choreography is expected to grow significantly in the future due to the growing interest of young people in dance. Up until 2022, the employment of choreographers is predicted to grow at a rate of 24%, which is significantly higher than that of other occupations. Students are not required to meet any particular requirements to become choreographers. Many students choose to get a diploma in choreography instead of the degree that some colleges offer in performing arts and dance. A UG degree may cost between INR 4,600 and INR 2 lakh. To brush up on their knowledge, students can enroll in a short-term dance course, a BA Dance, a BA Fine Arts, or a diploma programme.

The ITA School of Performing Arts, University of Mysore, Institute of Creative Excellence, and other top universities all offer courses in choreography. In addition to earning between INR 2.5 and 3 lakhs per year, choreographers can find work as dance instructors, teachers, critics, freelance dancers, dance medical therapists, etc.

People who work as choreographers dance and create dance routines for these songs. People who choose to pursue careers as choreographers are not only in demand in the film industry, but they may also have a successful career teaching dance for various cultural programmes, events, or theatres. A choreographer creates various catchy, appealing, and entertaining body movements and postures for dance. In addition to creating the best dance moves, professionals and well-known choreographers also put those moves through practice to make sure they match the music and entertain the audience. People who choose to pursue careers as choreographers may work with small or large groups of dancers. While the duration of the final dance may only be a few minutes, even a brief routine can take weeks or even months to perfect. To choose a career as a choreographer, students can pursue a BPA (Bachelor of Performing Arts) or Master of Performing Arts.

Roles and Responsibilities as a Choreographer

The major responsibility of a choreographer is to create and instruct dance routines. Depending on whether they are self-employed or employed by a company, such as a dance company, their responsibilities may also change. The following are just a few of the choreographer's typical duties:

• Combining movement patterns to create new routines and interpretations of dances already performed
• Explaining to dancers the steps and movements, then modifying them as necessary
• Experimenting with different dance movements and styles while receiving input from other dancers
• Directing the selection process for dance or show companies
• Deciding on music to go with dance routines
• Making dance moves that correspond to the music and lyrics
• Attend rehearsals to make sure cast members or dancers are familiar with the routine.
• Supplying feedback on the artistic components of dance performances, such as costumes and lighting
• Examining new dance fads and styles to stay current and create inventive routines
• Attending trade shows and events to network professionally and gain inspiration

Eligibility to become Choreographer

Most of the choreographers enhance their dance skills and dance forms by joining a dance school. Some of the dance forms require years of practice and hard work and children as young as 4 years old start taking formal training for the same.

• There is no set eligibility criteria to become a choreographer as it depends on one’s own ability and dance form. However, some dancers and choreographers pursue post-secondary education. Many colleges/universities offer bachelor’s or master's degree in dance through fine arts.
• Even though some choreographers start without getting a formal education, but most of the choreographers acquire formal training through a dance school/institute to brush up their skills.
• Students can join dance classes for a more formal training and learn different dance forms. A
• In addition to these qualities, dancers must be physically coordinated, flexible and fit to perform different acts and forms.

Steps to Become a Choreographer: Steps to Take

It takes a certain amount of work to succeed as a choreographer. Although there is no set requirement for becoming a choreographer, the majority of students prefer to pursue a degree in dance and performing arts.

Make your decision: Students who choose to pursue careers as choreographers need to love to dance. Many kids begin practising as early as age 4 or 5. Students who want to pursue this career must work hard and practise frequently.

Subject selections: If a student wants to sharpen their dance abilities before becoming a choreographer, they must pass class 10+ 2 in any stream.

Preparation for entrance exams: Some selective colleges require applicants to take entrance exams in order to gain admission, whereas many colleges do not. DUET, BHU UET, LPU NEST, and other exams are frequently taken to gain admission to different dance programmes.

Choosing the appropriate path: Students who want to become successful choreographers can enroll in a 1- or 3-year diploma programme. The various undergraduate courses, such as BPA, BFA, BA Dance, BVA, etc., that they can enroll in themselves.

How to Become a Choreographer?

Step 1: Clear 10+2

You will be given several instructions on how to become a choreographer in this section. It is more important to have the right skills than to have a degree to become a choreographer. However, in order to enrol in a degree programme, a student must have earned their 10+2 in any stream.

Step 2: Entrance Exams

There aren't any national entrance exams just for choreographers, but individual choreography colleges or schools may have their own requirements. Here are a few steps to follow if you want to learn how to choreograph.

Step 3: Pursuing Bachelors

One can enroll in a variety of courses that offer choreography as a major or minor or pursue informal training to pursue a career as a choreographer.

Undergraduate Choreographer Course List

 Step 4: Pursuing Post Graduate

After earning their bachelor's degree, people can begin working as assistant dance instructors in dance studios. He or she may decide to pursue a master's in dance.

Postgraduate Choreographer Course List

There are also a number of PG diploma programmes available, so if one of those fits the student's needs, they can enroll in it. Choreography is a very artistic discipline. There are a lot of dancers in the nation who succeeded after years of practise and dedication. Understanding the dance form thoroughly is crucial for success as a choreographer. Learning the skill is a prerequisite for teaching it to others. Degrees or certifications are not a requirement in any way.

Types of Job Roles Choreographer

Choreographers face intense competition for jobs and most of the actors started their careers by assisting an established choreographer or as an instructor in dance schools. However, with the advancement in the field of media, there is an ample number of job profiles for choreographers. Earlier the job profiles for choreographer were limited to films and television Listed below are some of the popular job profiles for the choreographer:

Dance Instructor /Teachers:  Dance instructors are responsible for leading dance classes for individual or groups of people. Their duties are closely related to teaching various dancing techniques. They may work at production companies and also at school/university/colleges level.

Freelance Dance Performance Artist: They do not work full time but perform in various dance shows and events.

Artistic Director:  Many choreographers become artistic directors and their job responsibility is to develop and implement the artistic vision and focus of the organisation. They are responsible for choreographing planning and directing the show.

Dance Critic:  They are responsible for attending the live dance performances/shows to publish and broadcast reviews of those dance performances. Dance critics critique the quality of the dance performance and dance forms based on their experience and knowledge.

Employment Opportunities for Choreographers

There are lots of employment opportunities available for choreographers You can easily find jobs after pursuing courses in this field. Some popular employment opportunities for choreographers are listed here:

• School/Colleges
• Dance Schools and Institutes
• Film Industry
• Television
• Movie Production Houses
• Music Video Production Houses
• Advertising Agencies
• Performing Dance Troupes

Top Recruiting Companies for Choreographers:

Top companies that hire choreographers are listed below:

• UTV Motion Pictures
• Balaji Telefilms
• Eros International
• Ashley Lobo Danceworx
• Bhartiya Natya Academy
• Rajshri Productions
• T-Series

Employment Sector/Industry for Choreographer

Below are a number of choreographer positions with various job titles and duties that you could pursue as your career as a choreographer advances.

Dance Instructor: A professional dancer is in charge of instructing pupils in both dance methodology and dramatic abilities. They frequently focus on particular styles of choreography, like ballet, jazz, or tap. Some of the routines may be choreographed by the dance instructor at other times, a professional choreographer may be hired.

Dance Instructor: Dance teachers are in charge of teaching private or group dance lessons. They perform tasks that are closely related to instructing different forms of choreography.

Artistic Director: The person in charge of selecting and interpreting the method that provides by a theatre, ballet, or opera company.

Rehearsal Director: The rehearsal director is in charge of organising and supervising rehearsals within a company. They may be referred to as the choreographer's right-hand man, and it is usually their responsibility to ensure that the dancers understand and can interpret the choreographer's work.

Dance Critic: A dance critic is someone who goes to live dance performances and writes or broadcasts reviews of those performances.

Stage Performers: A performance in the performing arts is typically an occasion where a performer or group of performers presents one or more works of art to an audience. Performance is frequently referred to as "play" in instrumental music (and in drama). Typically, the performers take part in practise sessions beforehand.

Dance Therapist: Dance therapy is the psychotherapeutic application of movement and dance to support the body's cognitive, emotional, and motor functions.

Dance Assistants: They are in charge of teaching dance lessons to both individuals and groups of people. Their duties have a close connection to instructing different dance styles. They could work in educational institutions like colleges and universities as well as production companies.

Freelance Dance Performance Artist: Freelance dancers are performers who are compensated for their services based on their artistic abilities as dancers. As a substitute dancer, artistic consultant, choreographer, or dance captain, one is occasionally hired for a brief period of time within a year.

Skills Required to Become a Choreographer

To become a choreographer, you need to have a variety of skills. Some of these abilities include:

• Creativity enables choreographers to develop new dance moves and come up with novel ways to communicate concepts. To be able to express themselves through dance steps, choreographers need a high level of creativity
• A high level of flexibility, endurance, physical strength, and power are required of choreographers in order to move in rhythm for extended periods of time
• Knowledge of various dance genres to make it easier to create new steps
• Choreographers must be able to put in a lot of effort because they must work nonstop for long periods of time
• They must have patience and focus in order to spend extended periods of time with people
• A choreographer must also possess other qualities such as leadership, discipline, and punctuality

Pay Scale/Salary of Choreographer

The salary of a choreographer varies as per the type of industry they work for. There is no fixed salary for them, choreographers who work in films and production houses tend to earn way more than those who work in schools/ dance troupes/ freelance.

Benefits of a Career in Choreography

Up until 2022, the employment of choreographers is predicted to grow at a rate of 24 percent, which is significantly higher than that of other occupations. Today's youth are highly interested in careers in choreography due to a growing interest in the dance world.

Salary: A choreographer may earn between INR 1.5 lakhs and INR 7 lakhs annually. The people that work in the field frequently find their careers to be very fulfilling. With the help of choreography, people can turn their love of dancing into a career, which makes it very satisfying.

Work schedule: Because a choreographer's position is contractual, there are no set working hours. Choreographers work every day when working on a project. A choreographer typically works 40 hours per week.

Unique experience: A choreographer has the opportunity to play a variety of roles in their line of work. They control dancers, lighting, music, and all the other components, which makes their work exciting.

Career Path for Choreographer 

Startup Job

After earning a bachelor's degree, individuals begin working as teachers' and choreographers' assistants in the dance industry. Many people also choose to start their own dance studios and begin instructing young dancers. Another profession where a lot of students find employment with MNCs is dance therapy.

Higher Education

A few students choose to pursue a master's degree in dance in order to improve as choreographers. Professional dancers are increasingly choosing to train to teach Zumba and yoga. They choose to do this by enrolling in master's programmes in dance and performing arts.

Books & Study Material to Become Choreographer

To become a choreographer, one requires intense practical training in their respective dance form. If you have ties or links, it will be an added advantage. To ensure that you have a strong and have some professional dance experience, while in school and college. If you get admission to a good dance school, then you will get good exposure and get a  chance to work with renowned people from the industry. If you make a mark in front of them, then you will be at an advantageous position.

Pros of becoming a Choreographer

• Choreographers get a chance to express their creative passion which is hardly offered by many professions. Top choreographers can earn awards and garner industry recognition for their work.
• A choreographer tends to enjoy multiple roles in their profession. They oversee the musical selection, dancers, costuming, lighting and all elements of the product which makes their job very exciting and thrilling.
• Established choreographers get to meet renowned personalities and celebrities and they also get to travel the world while choreographing dance shows.

Cons of becoming a Choreographer

• They routinely spend hours or days putting together dance pieces, teach dancers the arrangements and sometimes get involved in training by playing of the roles in the story. This can get very stressful and at times they also suffer severe injuries.
• The pay for choreographers is comparatively low as compared to other professions in the industry.