Advice for Making Your Dance Resume Stand Out
As a dancer, you work hard on your craft. From routines to classes, making your mark should happen on your resume too. While a dancer’s resume will be different than that of an actor, there are still some important things to note. Make your dance resume stand out with the helpful advice below. Your success is your move!
Think about your training and experience.
A commercial dance résumé is primarily a list of gigs, so start by writing down everything you’ve done as a dancer. Examples can be showcases with your home studio, summer workshops, classes in different cities, choreography workshops, assistantships, etc. You are going to mold this list into your résumé and starting with this list will help identify gaps you need to fill. Look at the negative spaces on this list to decide what kind of project to pursue next.
Begin building your body of work.
A new dancer’s résumé will look very different than a veteran’s. This is OK and expected. Ask yourself what kind of dancer you are and what types of jobs you might excel in. Some dancers have a great commercial look while others are edgy. Research the types of jobs and artists you might fit and put in effort in that direction. As you are starting out, it will serve you to audition for as many choreographers as possible while also keeping in mind your best fit. As you get more gigs under your belt, curate the work you go out for so that you can shape your body of work.
Notate your professionalism on paper.
Dancers can demonstrate trustworthiness and professionalism in their résumé by showing a diverse body of work. Employers want to know you’ve gained experience in one way or another and that you understand protocols on set, in rehearsals, and with clients. Take on small projects to get your foot in the door. Even just one day of work on a project will translate to a line on your résumé. As you move further in your career, replace those small jobs with bigger ones.
Understand your audience.
To craft an effective résumé, you need to know who your audience is. Who are you auditioning for? What are their needs as employers and what do they care about? The dancers who get hired have demonstrated they can deliver results, just like with any other job. Employers don’t need to read about your emotional work in your last dance role, they just want to know you can get the job done. Your story is valuable and has shaped your career, but your résumé is not the place for it. Instead, use that content for your bio where you get to tell your story in a narrative format. Curate your résumé with your audience in mind to help you get the jobs you really want.
