Be warned! Dancing isn’t a nine-to-five occupation. It never makes ordinary demands on your talents and energies and the demands are never backed up with a guarantee of employment.  But if you really have a passion for dance, it will be one of the most satisfying parts of your life. You’ll be able to spend most of your time doing something you love, while your training will help you attain heights of heights of exhilaration and a sense of purpose that few other occupations can match.

There is no set formula for success: a dancer needs different attributes for different styles of dancing. Ballet, modern dance, and musical theatre all require different talents, a different approach and a different philosophy. However all of these forms of dance need one thing in common – total commitment. To succeed in any of these fields of dance, it helps to remember the advice of great Russian ballerina Galina Ulanova – “Talent is work.”

Like all physical activities, the earlier you start learning dance the better. Most dancers in The Australian Ballet began their studies when they were four or five years old, although its possible to start later. Those who dream of becoming a professional dancer should commence serious study between the age of ten and twelve.  At this time students are required to attend dance classes three to five times a week, as it takes continuous hard work to master and reinforce the basic skills of dance.

Academic schooling is important at this time as well. A dancer who dances with intelligence not only finds more personal satisfaction in their dancing but communicates that intelligence to their audience. It’s also important to have a comprehensive education in case you decide not to continue your dance studies and pursue a career in a different area.

Most dance companies only employ dancers from the age of eighteen upward, so another requirement for a career in dance is patience!