How to become a Choreographer: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Jobs, Scope, Salary

How to Become a Choreographer: Quick Facts

What does a Choreographer do?

The main job of a choreographer is to create new steps. A choreographer tries to create dance moves that are in perfect time with the music. The routine created by a choreography should be pleasurable for both the audience and the performers. 

The job of a choreographer is more than just creating dance steps; they also help actors develop their rhythm and characters. Today, Choreographers are required in the film industry and can also get jobs working in various cultural events and programs. A choreographer can make a living out of their passion for dancing. 

Steps to Follow to become a Choreographer

Some steps are required to become a successful choreographer. While there is no specific eligibility for becoming a choreographer, most students like to get a dance and performing arts degree. 

• Make a Decision: Students who decide to become choreographers must have a passion for dancing. Many children start practising from the young age of 4 years. The career requires students to be hardworking and practice every day. 
• Subject Choices: If a student decides to become a choreographer, they must clear class 10+ 2 in any stream to get a degree to brush up their dance skills. 
• Entrance Exam Preparation: While many colleges do not hold an entrance exam, some competitive institutions have entrance examinations to get admissions into the institute. The common examinations for getting admission into various dance courses are DUET, BHU UET, LPU NEST, etc. 
• Choosing the Right Course: To become a successful choreographer, students can enrol themselves in a short-term diploma or a 3-year degree. The various undergraduate courses they can enrol themselves like BPA, BFA, BA Dance, BVA, etc.

Types of Choreographers

Dance teachers/instructor

Dance teachers are responsible for leading dance classes and individuals. They should be able to teach various dance styles and skills to students while maintaining a fun environment. It is also their responsibility to develop dance curriculums and prepare lesson plans. Dance teachers also must be able to communicate, motivate and evaluate students. Dance teachers can work at schools, universities, production companies etc. The average salary of such a teacher ranges from INR 2 LPA to INR 6 LPA.

Artistic director

The job of an artistic director is to develop and implement an artistic vision for the organisation. The artistic director decides the shows that the organisation will display in that season. They are also responsible for directing and choreographing dance shows. They also must supervise all aspects of production, such as selecting the performers, recruiting dancers, managing budgets etc. Their average salary is around 5 LPA.

Freelance dance artists

They do not have a full-time job but work as dancers for events and dance shows. They can get work in movies or reality shows. Freelance dancer means one gets paid for hire based on their skills. It is there to keep track of their schedules, go to various classes and negotiate their fees. They can be hired as substitute dancers, choreographers, critics etc. They are paid as per the budget of the project they are workling upon.

Dance critics

Many choreographers are becoming judges for live dance shows to judge the quality of dance performances. They critique the quality of the dance performance based on their knowledge about the field. Their reviews are broadcasted on reality shows. A good dance critic must be curious and have an interest in dance. They must be open-minded, brave and enthusiastic to be good critics. The average salary of dance critiques ranges from INR 4 LAP to INR 7 LPA.

Yoga or Pilates Instructor

Choreographers have excellent kinaesthetic knowledge, which allows them to become great yoga and Pilates instructors. Many dancers are choosing to become full-time yoga instructors. They also take private classes for clients and their average income ranges from INR 5 LAP to INR 8 LPA.

How to become a Choreographer in India?

There is no specific eligibility for becoming a choreographer in India. Still, many students decide to get a diploma, short term certificate or a degree to pursue this choreography in India. 

School-level preparation

• No specific stream needs to be selected by the students in school. Students must choose dance as an elective subject in class 12th as this may be a requirement in some premier institutes.
• Students must have a keen interest in dance and have excellent physical and mental strength. 

How to become a choreographer after the 12th?

After completing class 12th. students can do a short time certificate course for six months, a diploma for 1-2 years or a 3-year BA degree in a specific field. A keen interest in dance is necessary to pursue a career as a choreographer. Students pursuing this course must be ready for challenging work and long working hours.

UG Preparation

• Students must have passed class 10+ 2 in any stream with an aggregate of 45 percent marks. Some colleges also require students to have an aggregate above 60 percent. 
• Students can pursue streams such as BA in fine arts, dance, performing arts and visual arts. They can also choose to do a diploma course. Various dance institutes and online course platforms are offering short time certificate courses in dance. 

PG Preparation

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field of dance is basic eligibility for students to get admission into MA courses. MA courses can be done in fine arts, dance, visual arts etc. Students must have an aggregate of 50 percent marks in graduation to be eligible for the course 
• After the completion of UG degree, most choreographers start to work as assistants for dance trainers, while some pursue masters in the field of dance, fine art, visual arts etc 

Courses to become a Choreographer

There are various courses students can choose from to become successful choreographers in India. The most common courses are mentioned below.

BA Dance

BA Dance is a 3 year UG course focused on developing the student's dance technique and knowledge of dance history, gaining practical and theoretical experience of cultural forms, developing creative skills, and increasing their knowledge of anatomy. 

BA Dance: Admission process

Most of the universities offer admission to the course based on the marks scored in the qualifying examination. The admission process for the same is as follows: 

• Candidates must fill the online application form for the college through the online website based on their eligibility 
• Students must wait for the cut off lists to be released on the official college website. 
• The selected students will be called for counselling, after which they will be shortlisted to get admission to the college for the course. 

BA Dance: Eligibility Criteria

• Students must have passed class 10+2 in any stream.
• They must have scored a minimum aggregate of 50 percent marks in their 10+2 examination. 
• Students must have chosen dance as an elective subject in their class 12th. 

BPA

BPA is a 3-4 year UG that includes an elaborate course of study spanning a combination of dance, music and drama. This course covers topics from arts generally include Theatre, Studies, Music and Dance 

BPA: Admission Process

• Admission to the BPA program is conducted either through entrance mode or merit based. 
• Applications for admission to BPA courses can be available either from the university’s official website or by visiting the admission office for the same.
• Candidates will have to fill an application form for the particular university representative of their preference for the BPA course.

BPA: Eligibility Criteria

• To pursue a BPA degree, students must have qualified class 10+2 with a minimum of 50 percent marks. 
• Students must also have a background in drama, music and dance. 

BFA

BFA is a 3 to 4 year course for students interested in learning about visual arts such as Dancing, Sculpturing, Singing and other visual artworks that are studied academically. 

BFA: Admission Process

• Admissions to the BFA course is done on the basis of merit as well as entrance examinations.
• Students must fill the online application form on the particular university website. 
• Some of the top entrance exams conducted for admission in BFA course are BHU UET, UPSEE, AUCET, ITM NEST etc
• After the college/university releases the cut off list; students can choose the college where they wish to pursue the course. 

BFA: Eligibility

• To pursue a BFA degree, students must have qualified class 10+2 with a minimum of 50 percent marks. 
• Students are also required to have English or Hindi as their core subject in class 12th. 

Course Admission Important Tips

How to apply for the examination

• Students must regularly check the official college website / government website for notifications regarding the examination. 
• Once the notification is released, they must register themself for the examination. 
• Students must pay an examination fee if required and then download the admit card for the examination 
• Once the results are declared, only those candidates who have cleared the cut-off will be admitted to the course. 

How to prepare for the examination

• Students must go through the syllabus of the exams before they start to prepare for it. They must be aware of the examination pattern and focus on the subjects they find interesting. 
• Instead of referring to many books, students must choose one book per topic to improve their grip on different questions. 
• Students must practice various mock papers and previous year examination papers to practice the type of questions in the paper. 
• Students should make a proper timetable to manage their time better. 

How to become a Choreographer Abroad

UK

• Pursuing a dance degree from the UK makes an individual equipped with various skills required to succeed in this field. Classes focus both on practical and theoretical knowledge, and industry professionals teach all classes. 
• About 60 institutes in the UK provide degrees in the field of dance and choreography. 
• The students need to have an A level qualification and have a grade point above 6.5 in the IELTS examination. 
• The salary of a choreographer in the UK can range from 16,000 to 18,00 euros. 
• The average fee for the course ranges from 15,000 to 20,000 dollars. 

USA

• Students who decide to study dance in the US must be prepared to challenge their bodies and minds. The program requires students to study the science, theory, and history of their art form. 
• There are more than 245 universities that offer a course in the field of dance. 
• The course is usually a 4-year UG degree, and the requirement is seven above grade points in IELTS and a TOEFL score of above 100. 
• The average fee ranges from 30 to 50 thousand dollars. 
• The average salary of a choreographer in the US is 39,518 dollars. 

Canada

• Dance is a fiercely competitive field, and top universities in Canada have started offering various courses in the field of dance 
• About 13 universities offer about 24 international courses in dance and choreography. 
• Students must have a grade point above 6.5 in the IELTS and 85 above marks in the TOEFL exam to be eligible for the course
• The fee can range from 80,000 CAD to 100,000 CAD 
• The average salary of choreographers in Canada are 66,905 dollars

Australia

• For becoming a professional dancer in Australia, students must have completed training from a recognised institute 
• There are about nine institutes that offer courses in dance and choreography 
• Students must also have cleared the IELTS or TOEFL examination to clear the English language requirements. The admission to a dance course is based on an audition conducted by the university. 
• The fee ranges from 30,000 to 100,000 AUD
• The average salary is about 77,000 dollars. 

Benefits of a Career as a Choreographer

A 24 percent growth rate in the employment of choreographers is expected until 2023, which is much higher when compared to other jobs. A growing interest in the field of dance has made choreography a well sought-after profession for the youth today. 

• Salary: The salary for a choreographer can range anywhere from 1.5 lakhs to 7 lakhs per annum. 
• Job satisfaction: most people who work in the field often find the career to give high satisfaction. Choreography allows people's passion for dancing to become a profession, giving the job a very high satisfaction. 
• Working hours: As a choreographer's job is contractual, there are no fixed hours for working. When on a project, choreographers spend every day working. On average, a choreographer spends 40 hours a week working. 
• Unique experience: A choreographer gets to enjoy multiple roles in their profession. They oversee costume lighting, dancers, a musical selection and all the other elements, making their job very exciting. 

Skills Required to become a Choreographer

There are various skills required to become a choreographer. A few of these skills are: 

• Creativity- creativity allows choreographers to innovate new dance steps and find innovative ways of conveying an idea. Choreographers need a high level of creativity to be able to express themselves through dance moves. 
• Athleticism -choreographers must have a high level of flexibility, endurance, physical capabilities, and power to move in rhythm for long hours. 
• Knowledge about different dance forms so that they create new steps more easily. 
• Hard work-choreographers are required to work for long hours without breaks, so they need to have the ability to work hard. 
• Patience and concentration so that they can work with people for long hours. 
• Teamwork, leadership, discipline, and punctuality are some of the other skills required to become a choreographer. 

Salary of a Choreographer in India

Specialisation Wise Salary

Experience wise salary