A dancer's resume offers information about their skills, experience and achievements. It is often requested by dance studio owners, casting directors, choreographers and dance school committees in order to assess a professional's suitability for a course or job. The format and structure of this CV usually differs from the usual standards. Read on to find out some tips on how to write it.
Steps
Method 1 of 1: Write a Resume
Step 1. Brainstorm to make a list of your achievements in the dance industry
- Think about your training. List the names of your dance instructors, prestigious schools and studios where you learned the various styles. Include any titles you own in dance, theater, and other performing arts.
- List your experiences on stage. During the brainstorming phase, make a complete list of all your performances, which can include shows organized by the dance studio, general shows, performances organized by a dance academy, recorded performances, and all professional shows.
- Consider your awards or associations you are a member of. If you have been the principal dancer in your company or are a member of a society dedicated to dance, list those titles.
Step 2. Customize the resume based on the job
For example, if you want to apply as a hip hop dancer, focus on these experiences and avoid dwelling on the years you studied ballet. You can create different versions of the resume depending on the job.
Step 3. Use the right format
Dance resumes usually consist of a single page and have different formatting than standard resumes.
- Include personal information at the top of the resume. In addition to your name and contact details, your resume typically needs to include your weight, height, eye and hair color. Some employers have limits due to costume sizes or require specific physical characteristics for artistic reasons.
- Present the performances in columns. For example, title the first column "Shows" and indicate the name of the show. On the right, create another column titled "Role", which can be "Solo" or "Chorus". You can also add an additional column on the right to specify the "Location" of the performance: if you've been on many tours, it will make a great impression.
- Specify your training in the dance industry. Include year, school name, teacher's name, dance style and any qualifications or certificates attesting to completion of your studies.
- Write a section of "Special Skills". Customize it for the specific job you are applying to. For example, you could apply for a play whose producers are looking for dancers who have experience in stage combat or martial arts. Maybe you are a very good acrobat and the production could benefit from it. If you don't have much information on this, include all of your special skills associated with dancing.
- Attach a small photo to the top right of the resume. This is an effective way to help employers remember you when they are going to get together to make a decision following auditions. Make sure the photograph is relevant to the production. For example, a photo of you tap dancing will not be useful for a ballet job.
