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Choreographers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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

Kinds of work

  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $55,310 Median per year · $26.59/hr Most earn $34,090–$138,630

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Develop ideas for creating dances, keeping notes and sketches to record influences.
  • Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
  • Design sets, lighting, costumes, and other artistic elements of productions, in collaboration with cast members.
  • 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.
  • Restage traditional dances and works in dance companies' repertoires, developing new interpretations.
  • Coordinate production music with music directors.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 600 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)39.6%
  • Other schools and instruction26.3%
  • Promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events2.8%
  • Theater companies and dinner theaters2.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Choreography usually isn't an entry-level job. Most people spend several years dancing, training, or assisting in dance before they create routines themselves, often around 4 to 6 years of related work first.

  1. High school diploma with dance training

    4 years

    Building dance technique and performance experience in school or a studio gives you the foundation you need to keep training.

  2. Dance certificate or apprenticeship

    1-2 years

    A focused dance program or company apprenticeship deepens your technique, teaches you choreography basics, and connects you with working artists.

  3. Dancer

    4-6 years

    Performing in companies, shows, or productions teaches you how routines are built, rehearsed, and staged, which is exactly what you'll do as a choreographer.

  4. Choreographer

    Ongoing career

    You create new routines, lead rehearsals, and often direct how performances are staged.

Where it can lead

  1. Artistic Director

    4-6 years of experience first

    You move from creating routines for specific shows to leading a company or school's overall artistic direction, planning seasons and guiding other artists.

  2. Director

    2-4 years of experience first

    You take on responsibility for the full look and production of a show, working with producers, designers, and performers, which usually requires a bachelor's degree and experience directing productions.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take dance classes and join a dance team or companyRegular training builds the technique you need to dance well enough to later create and teach routines.
  • Take music and theater classesUnderstanding rhythm, music, and staging helps you shape dances and work with performers.
  • Choreograph for school eventsCreating routines for a school show, pep rally, or talent show gives you real experience making and teaching dance.
  • Get a part-time job at a dance studioHelping teach younger students shows you how to explain movement clearly, a key skill for choreographers.
  • Volunteer at community performancesHelping with local shows, such as backstage or as a dancer, shows you how productions come together.

In college

  • Major in dance or take a dance programA dance major or certificate program teaches technique, composition, and performance history, which are the core skills of choreography.
  • Join a student dance company or clubPerforming and choreographing in a student group builds experience and gives you a chance to show your work.
  • Assist a choreographer or directorHelping with rehearsals or productions on campus or in your town gives you hands-on experience with how routines are built and staged.
  • Seek internships with dance companies or theatersInternships expose you to how professional companies work and help you build relationships in the field.
  • Build a video portfolio of your choreographyA portfolio of your own work is often what people look at when hiring or casting choreographers.

Tips for getting started

  • Take as many dance classes as you can in different styles, and watch live performances, so you can learn how great choreographers build their work.
  • Start making your own short dances early, even for friends or school events, and keep a video portfolio of your work.
  • Ask a dance teacher or working choreographer if you can assist with rehearsals or help with a small production; hands-on experience counts a lot in this field.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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