Your professional experience section is one of the most important parts of your CV. It’s where you highlight your career accomplishments and demonstrate your journey as a dancer. This section tells directors and audition panels what you’ve done in the industry and helps them assess whether you’re a good fit for their company.
How to Structure Your Professional Experience:
Start with Your Most Recent Position
Begin with your most recent employment or project, as it provides the most current snapshot of your professional journey. Listing your roles in reverse chronological order ensures the reader sees your most relevant and recent work first.Keep It Clear and Concise
Directors value efficiency and clarity. Present the key details of your professional experience in a straightforward manner. Use bullet points or short, focused sentences to convey your responsibilities and achievements. Avoid lengthy paragraphs, as busy readers prefer digestible information.
What to Include:
Job Title: Clearly state the role you held (e.g., Soloist, Corps de Ballet, Apprentice).
Company Name: The name of the company or dance school where you worked.
Location: Where the company is based (city, country).
Dates: Include the time period you worked there (month/year to month/year or the specific year)
Example:
Soloist | Ballet Company ABC | London, UK | 2019 – Present
What to Include (for Projects, Freelance, or Major Productions):
Project/Production Title
Clearly state the name of the project or production (e.g., Swan Lake World Tour, Freelance Contemporary Dance Projects).Role/Contribution
Specify your role within the project (e.g., Lead Dancer, Choreographic Assistant, Featured Performer, Freelance Dancer, etc.).Company or Collaborators
Mention the company, choreographer, or production company you worked with. If it was a freelance or collaborative project, include the artists or collaborators involved (e.g., “Choreographer: John Doe,” “Project by XYZ Collective”).Location
List where the project took place (e.g., London, UK, or an international tour). If the project involved multiple locations, you can mention key cities or regions (e.g., “Tour across Europe,” or “Performed in Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam”).Dates
Clearly mention the timeframe of the project or freelance work (e.g., March 2020 – Present, or June 2019 – July 2019). If ongoing, you can state “Ongoing.”
Example for Freelance/Project Work:
Freelance Dancer
Various Contemporary Dance Projects
Europe | March 2020 – PresentCollaborated with independent choreographers across multiple performances in cities such as Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam.
Lead Dancer
Swan Lake World Tour
International Tour | November 2019 – January 2020Performed the lead role across multiple countries, including the UK, France, and Germany.
Why It’s Important
The Professional Experience section is your opportunity to show that you’ve successfully worked in real-world settings, demonstrating your ability to meet the demands of a professional environment. Directors and audition panels are looking for dancers who have not only received quality training but who have also applied that training in a variety of professional contexts. This includes working with different choreographers, being part of major productions, or contributing to touring or outreach projects.
By listing your professional experience, you’re showcasing your adaptability, professionalism, and capacity to thrive under different circumstances, all of which are key qualities for a dancer looking to join a company. This section proves that you can handle the challenges of being employed in the dance world and have practical experience beyond your training.
Even if you’ve worked in non-soloist or non-principal positions, those experiences still count. Whether you’ve been part of a corps, performed as an apprentice, or worked in a freelance capacity, these are valuable experiences that show you are active in the dance community and have proven your commitment.
Wrapping Up
Your Professional Experience section should give the reader a clear picture of your dance career so far. Remember, your professional experience is a key part of your CV, but it’s not the only one.
If you’re just starting out or don’t have extensive professional experience yet, don’t worry! Your education and training are just as important and should be highlighted prominently. Every step of your journey matters, and they all contribute to the dancer you are today.
