Im 18 years old, I graduated this year from high school and Im planning to go to college in January the thing is that I'm having a problem with choosing a career, I want to know if the dance career is good? I don't have much experience I just took one year of dance in my senior year and that helped me find out that I really enjoy dancing and it made me feel more confident of myself and I'm thinking about making it my future career. I want to know how many years it takes to become a professional dancer? What is the salary? What do I need to become a dancer? Is it a hard career? How many? And what classes do I need? Do I have to get a degree in dance and a master degree to become a Dance teacher? Or do I just need a degree in Dance?

Hope someone can answer all my questions.
Thanks.

Answers to a few of the questions: "I want to know how many years it takes to become a professional dancer?" Depends on what type of dance you study. Ballet takes two to five years, depending on natural ability, for a man. For a woman it requires five years, but you have to start before age ten if you want a reasonable chance at a career. Ballroom dance styles, and the hip-hop quadrant, are different, and the time can be anywhere from one year to four years, depending on your level of natural ability, to dance professionally. "what is the salary?" Usually low. "What do i need to become a dancer?" A lot of training and obsession. "Is it a hard career?" Yes... but I would like you to hear someone with more professional dance work to answer your question though.

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Originally Posted by learntruth

Answers to a few of the questions: "I want to know how many years it takes to become a professional dancer?" Depends on what type of dance you study. Ballet takes two to five years, depending on natural ability, for a man. For a woman it requires five years, but you have to start before age ten if you want a reasonable chance at a career. Ballroom dance styles, and the hip-hop quadrant, are different, and the time can be anywhere from one year to four years, depending on your level of natural ability, to dance professionally. "what is the salary?" Usually low. "What do i need to become a dancer?" A lot of training and obsession. "Is it a hard career?" Yes... but I would like you to hear someone with more professional dance work to answer your question though.

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Where are you getting your numbers? 2 to 5 years? What's your source?

To the OP, what's your definition of a good career? If it's truly something you are passionate about then yeah, it might be good for you. I wouldn't say it's easy. I'm taking this dance history class right now and the instructor has been a dancer just about her whole life. She always tells us how the worst part of a dancer's career is that they are always one injury away from having to change careers.
I wouldn't stress just yet over choosing a major or career at this point. You're just about to start college. No one expects you to have it all figure out yet. Did you register for classes yet? Take a bunch of different classes if you can. Take dance, take a science class, take a sociology class, take all sorts of classes so you can get a better idea of what all of your options are. And talk to your professors. Talk to school counselors. Look for internships.

Dancing for many years, in multiple forms, and working with professional dancers, former professional dancers and teachers. Only attempting, even if sadly, to answer the specific questions. Men have it much easier in ballet, that's why it takes less time than female dancers. I have actually danced with professional dancers with said numbers... but the dance industry is very flexible, like other arts professions... Exactly JustCurious55, the dance industry is hard because of injury always being a reality...

The other thing to keep in mind, is that many professional dancers are in fact living in a state of some injury. It's not an issue of if you get injured but how badly... dancing with minor (bearable) injuries for years is common.

Thanks =)
What do u think is better to do a career that u really like? Or to do a career that would give you a great future? I mean good money? Im asking this question cause the careers that I'm interested in are very competitive.

Thanks! No I haven't registered yet. I'm confused, what do you think is better to do a career that you really like? Or to do a career that would give you a great future? I mean good money? The careers that I'm interested in are very competitive.

It's better to use the answer boxes instead of the comment feature.

It's really important for you to decide which is more important to you. Money can't buy happiness. Being wealthy in and of itself won't make you happy if you hate what you have to do to make the money. But at the same time, not having money can bring about a lot of stress and that can leave you unhappy as well.

I think you should cool your jets. Continue to dance, take lessons, whatever. Meanwhile, do well in school and take a variety of classes/courses, as allowed by the school. I'm retired now and still don't quite know what I want to do with my life. Things will come clear for you as you try out different things and study all sorts of subjects. You don't have to decide right this minute, or even in college, especially not with the economy the way it is.

Go to your local community college or your high school career office and take an interest test and the Myers-Briggs. Those two will help you figure out who you are and what you'd be good at.

I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but dance isn't going to get you fame or fortune. Those dancers that are well known and wealthy have been dancing since they could walk.

Unless you possess some serious talent, you are just going to be disappointed.

Look at something more attainable, something realistic. Nursing is an honorable profession.

I will try to answer your question exactly. Do a career that you really like or do a career that would give you a great future/good money? I believe you can do both if you continue searching, or reframe how you consider some of the careers you have looked at. (I will always recommend to young people that while they pursue a career, they prepare a business, service or skill that will enable them to be self sufficient without being hired by a company or organization.) To become a doctor would provide you credentials in a credentials focused world, money, and a job that is in demand worldwide. If you couple this with self sufficiency, then you may be able to do what you like or what you love and continue your career at the same time. That is, keep in mind that not all dancers are professional dancers. Most of the talented dancers I knew ended up doing other things, but still danced somehow, any way they could. A love for dance can be expressed at any time, even if it is not on a stage. What you do now, is not what you have to always do. I have ventured into four very different careers, two businesses and two professions.