|
Statistics on Employment for Dancers and Choreographers
Professional dancers and choreographers held about 40,000 jobs in 2006. Many others were between engagements, so that the total number of people available for work as dancers over the course of the year was greater. Dancers and choreographers worked in a variety of industries, such as private educational services (which includes dance studios and schools as well as colleges and universities), food services and drinking establishments, performing arts companies (which includes dance, theater, and opera companies), and amusement and recreation venues (which includes casinos and theme parks). About 17 percent of dancers and choreographers were self-employed.
Most major cities serve as home to major dance companies; however, many smaller communities across the nation also support home-grown, full-time professional dance companies.1
Job Outlook
Dancers and choreographers face intense competition for jobs. Only the most talented find regular employment. Employment of dancers and choreographers is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations during the 2006-16 decade. The public’s continued interest in dance will sustain large and mid-size dance companies, but funding from public and private organizations is not expected to keep pace with rising production costs. For many small organizations, the result will be fewer performances and more limited employment opportunities.2
To view the Bureau of Labor Statistics complete Occupational Outlook Handbook for Dancers and Choreographers, click here.
Recommendations
Based on current conditions and future projections, it is more important than ever for colleges and universities to incorporate dance education theory and practicum into their undergraduate and graduate programs of study for BA, BFA, MFA degree students. It is equally necessary that studios, private schools of dance, and performing arts organizations with outreach programs incorporate an educational component into their professional study programs. Dancers and choreographers will increasingly be supplementing their performance careers with teaching.
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008.www.bls.gov/
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008.www.bls.gov/
|