How To Become A Dance Instructor/Choreographer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a dance instructor/choreographer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Molly Faulkner Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a dance instructor/choreographer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $22.41 an hour? That's $46,612 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 159,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Dance Instructor/Choreographer?

Molly Faulkner Ph.D.

Professor of Dance, Palomar College

Take a marketing class - your job is to sell yourself. Audition for everything even if you know you aren't suited. I've gotten several jobs because I applied, and the director, knowing I wasn't right for their needs, referred me to someone else. And don't be afraid of failure - it leads to better things.

ScoreDance Instructor/ChoreographerUS Average

Salary

3.6

Avg. Salary $46,612

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.9

Growth Rate 12%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.53%

Asian 6.12%

Black or African American 11.39%

Hispanic or Latino 15.58%

Unknown 5.62%

White 60.76%

Gender

female 78.07%

male 21.93%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

5.9

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a dance instructor/choreographer

Explore dance instructor/choreographer education requirements

Most common dance instructor/choreographer degrees

Bachelor's

67.9 %

Associate

11.5 %

High School Diploma

11.4 %

Start to develop specific dance instructor/choreographer skills

Skills	Percentages
Dance Classes	20.18%
Hip-Hop Dance	13.25%
Dance Performances	10.28%
Musical Theater	6.96%
Dance Program	4.15%

Complete relevant dance instructor/choreographer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New dance instructor/choreographers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a dance instructor/choreographer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real dance instructor/choreographer resumes.

Research dance instructor/choreographer duties and responsibilities

Lead children's classes, training kids in kicks, punches, self-defense and how to avoid physical confrontations.
Teach a full tap dance syllabus to all ages and all skill levels.
Prepare a syllabus for each class, stretching/warm-up students, teaching dance technique and routines.
Prepare and run all dance rehearsals.

Prepare your dance instructor/choreographer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your dance instructor/choreographer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a dance instructor/choreographer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Dance Instructor/Choreographer Resume templates

Build a professional Dance Instructor/Choreographer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Dance Instructor/Choreographer resume.

Apply for dance instructor/choreographer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a dance instructor/choreographer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average dance instructor/choreographer salary

The average Dance Instructor/Choreographer salary in the United States is $46,612 per year or $22 per hour. Dance instructor/choreographer salaries range between $30,000 and $71,000 per year.

Average Dance Instructor/Choreographer Salary

$46,612 Yearly

$22.41 hourly