5 Dance Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Dance plays a vital role in expressing emotions and telling stories through movement. When crafting your resume, highlight your performance experience, any formal training or education, and your ability to collaborate with others. Consider incorporating skills like improvisation, choreography, and stage presence to illustrate your versatility. Mentioning notable performances and any awards or recognitions received will effectively demonstrate your impact in the field.

Enthusiastic professional dancer with over 10 years of experience, specializing in storytelling through movement. Skilled in collaborating with choreographers and musical artists. Achieved national recognition for a leading dance role.

Collaborated with choreographers to create innovative dance routines, leading to a nationally televised performance.

Performed in international tours, expanding the company's global presence and securing sponsorship deals.

Contributed to the creation of an educational program for aspiring dancers, resulting in a 30% increase in program enrollment.

Developed and implemented warm-up routines, improving dancer performance and reducing injuries by 20%.

Assisted in costume design and selection, ensuring visual consistency and artistic integrity in performances.

Resume Guide

• Dance resume sample
• Dance resume format
• Dance resume experience
• Resume with no experience
• Skills on your resume
• Certifications and education
• Resume summary
• Additional sections
• In conclusion

By Experience

By Role

• Competitive Dancer
• Dance Teacher

Dance is making a comeback, rebounding from significant losses during the pandemic. The future for dancers holds promising perspectives, as the dancer job market is expected to grow by 6.1% in the next few years. We’ve crafted this resume guide to help you make your application shine on this competitive stage.

Dancers often pursue various roles—performers, teachers, choreographers—to establish a sustainable career, and displaying this versatility on a resume can be complex.

Regardless of your resume audience—whether it’s dance company directors, casting agents, or school officers—each seeks specific qualities and qualifications. It’s tricky to create a one-size-fits-all resume​. This article provides tips on tailoring your resume to the specific job post you’re interested in, with advice on how to show your unique personality, so that your dance resume can move people like no other!

Key takeaways

• The combination resume format will put equal importance on both your skills and experience, for a well-rounded application.
• Creative designs and bold use of color are welcome on a resume for the artistic dance role.
• Your resume can shine regardless of your experience level. Focus on your strengths and achievements, and always tailor your application to the job posting.
• Dedicate a separate section to your hard skills, and intersperse your soft, or people skills, in your resume profile and experience section.
• Choose between a resume summary or objective depending on your experience.
• Optional sections on your resume can show your unique character traits.

Let's explore an example that illustrates these key points.

Dance resume sample

You might wonder what a dance resume looks like. You can use Susan’s resume as template for yours, or create a new one from scratch with our Enhancv resume builder. We guarantee it’ll only take a few minutes!

Susan Jones
Professional Dancer
email@enhancv.com | @LinkedIn | Los Angeles, California

Summary
Dynamic and passionate professional dancer with over 5 years of experience in contemporary and classical ballet. Proven track record of inspiring audiences and collaborating creatively with renowned choreographers and musical artists. Committed to using dance to convey powerful stories and emotions, and skilled in a variety of dance styles. Ready to take on challenging roles in the entertainment industry and contribute to innovative dance projects.

Experience
Lead Dancer
California Ballet Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
June 2019 – Present

• Performed a diverse repertoire including classical ballets like “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker,” as well as interdisciplinary contemporary works combining poetry and dance.
• Starred in over 20 major productions, interpreting complex narratives through dance.
• Collaborated closely with choreographers to develop new dance pieces that were critically acclaimed.
• Led workshops and rehearsals, providing mentorship to junior dancers.

Dance Instructor
Danceworks Studio, Los Angeles, CA
March 2016 - May 2019

• Taught contemporary, ballet, and jazz to students of various age groups, enhancing their technique and performance skills.
• Choreographed routines for studio showcases and competitions, consistently winning top awards.

Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance
University of California, Los Angeles
Graduated: 2015

Certifications

• Certified Dance Educator (CDE)
• CPR and First Aid Certification

Skills

• Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz
• Choreography
• Stage Presence
• Physical Stamina
• Team Collaboration
• Emotional Expression

Languages

• English (Native)
• Spanish (Conversational)

Dance resume format

When you’re a dancer, it’s more than welcome, and even expected, to get creative. So, express yourself with colors and interesting designs. You can look for inspiration in our selection of top creative resumes, and then dive into our creative resume templates.

Resume format

As a dancer, your experience and your skills go hand-in-hand. They are both equally important to your success, and it’s sometimes difficult to say which one has more weight. That’s why we recommend choosing the hybrid resume format, which gives equal importance to your experience and your abilities.

Resume designs

Even though you can experiment with different designs and be a visionary on your dance resume, you still need to conform to some classic resume conventions. We’ve created a list of things to follow—and don’t worry, these still leave space for originality.

• Being a dancer means you’re able to express yourself even without words. Well, we won’t ask you to do that on your resume, but try to be as concise as possible. Recruiters appreciate a 1-page resume.
• Let the recruiters’ eyes move through your resume as if watching a beautiful dance flow. A two-column format is comprehensible and easy to scan.
• Speaking of flow, you never want your resume to get cramped. Keep your margins 1” on each side.
• The good thing about the creative resume layout is you can be bolder with colors. Don’t overdo it, though. Choose a primary, secondary, and an accent color to highlight elements of different importance. Then, choose a easy-to-read font, such as Lato, Bitter, or Rubik, to draw attention to important information.

Contact information

• Choose a resume header that clearly states your contact info: name, job title, email, and phone number. Match your job title to the position you’re applying for—if possible. Remember to never lie on your resume: it’s just not worth it and definitely won’t help you get your dream job.
• If you’ve got a strong LinkedIn profile or a personal website, add those to your header.
• Photos can be a cause for bias, so generally skip them, unless the job ad says otherwise.

Even if they don’t need a picture, hiring managers will probably be interested to see you in motion. So, why not create a dance portfolio, which can include photos and videos from performances you’ve participated in? You can even add a QR code that recruiters can scan!

PRO TIP

You might wonder if ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) will be able to read your creative resume design. We've done some research and established that fonts, colors, column structure, and the length of your resume do not influence ATS performance. ATS could have a harder time recognizing important information hidden in images, but companies always rely on a human to weigh in on whether your resume is a match, or not anyway.

That’s why, align your resume with the wording of the job description and pay attention to formatting aspects like date formats and bullet points, as these can impact ATS readability.

File formatting

Avoid causing confusion with your file name. Keep it simple and to the point, using this popular naming convention: FirstName_LastName_JobTitle.

As for format, we recommend using PDF so you keep all the elements of your resume in place. But check with the job description as some places will require a different format.

Top sections on a resume

Your resume sections can vary, but here are the ones you shouldn’t miss:

• Personal information
• Performance experience
• Special dance skills
• Training and education
• Projects/Additional information

We’ve provided info on each of these sections below. Meanwhile, why don’t you test your existing resume against our AI-powered resume checker!

Is your resume good enough?

Drop your resume here or choose a file. PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

After nailing the resume format, let's delve into showcasing your professional experience effectively.

How to write your dance resume experience

Your experience section should provide an engaging overview of your work path. Definitely let your potential employers know if you’ve been on a TV dance format, such as Dancing with the Stars, or featured in a music video for a top-charting artist.

But even if these aren’t a part of your resume, we’re sure you’ve still got plenty to be proud of. Perhaps you choreographed a contemporary dance piece for a national dance competition, winning first place. Or completed an intensive dance program at a world-renowned dance academy. Make sure your experience section includes all your greatest accomplishments.

Tailor your resume to the job description

Whatever achievements you decide to include on your resume, make sure they match the position you’re after. Use specific keywords from the job description to show recruiters you’re a great fit. Let’s find a real job ad, and then—look at an experience section tailored to that posting.

Dance Teacher

Position overview

We are looking for a results-driven Dance Teacher to join our community.

Responsibilities

• Build a classroom culture in which scholars develop a love of dance.
• Collaborate with dance teachers across the network to build a world-class dance program, while investing the community in the vital role of the arts in education.
• Engage students with a repertoire that centers scholar learning on creating connecting, performing and responding to artistic works within dance.
• Execute movement to demonstrate dance technique and choreography.
• Design and execute professional-quality dance performance opportunities for all scholars.
• Engage in training with school leaders and benefit from targeted, in-the-moment feedback regarding instruction, which accelerates learning and growth.

Requirements

• Have or will receive a Bachelor’s degree prior to your start date.
• Achieved outstanding academic results.
• Have professional training in a rigorous dance program or extensive professional performance credits.
• Are passionate about dance and learning.
• Enjoy working with children and implementing effective dance instruction.
• Set ambitious goals for yourself and others, and are not afraid of putting in the hard work it takes to achieve them.
• Have confidence and presence—you enjoy taking the lead and inspiring others with your passion and commitment.
• Enjoy collaborating with others (i.e., playing on an athletics team, or in a band or orchestra);
• Have leadership experience (i.e. leadership position on a club or team; experience overseeing/managing people or organizing activities).
• Pay strong attention to detail, and have experience juggling multiple responsibilities and planning around competing priorities.
• Have experience working with a group of children.
• Embody the character traits we value in our ETHOS - Excellence, Teamwork, Humor, Ownership, and making sure our Scholars are top of mind.

Developed and implemented a comprehensive dance curriculum, resulting in a 30% increase in student enrollment over three years.

Collaborated with a team of 10 dance teachers to create a cohesive and dynamic dance program, enhancing student performance scores by 20%.

Directed and choreographed annual school dance performances, attended by over 500 community members, receiving outstanding feedback from parents and local media.

Executed daily dance classes for students of various age groups, focusing on technique, choreography, and performance skills.

Engaged students with a diverse repertoire, fostering a love of dance and improving their artistic abilities.

Participated in professional development workshops, receiving in-the-moment feedback to enhance teaching methods.

It works because it mentions:

• The experience section includes specific metrics, such as a 30% increase in student enrollment and a 20% improvement in student performance scores, demonstrating the candidate's effectiveness in their role.
• Highlighting collaboration with a team of dance teachers and leadership in directing annual performances aligns with the job ad's emphasis on teamwork and leadership experience.
• Mentioning participation in professional development workshops shows a commitment to continuous improvement and aligns with the job ad's requirement for engagement in training with school leaders.

Now that we’ve covered professional experience, let's focus on quantifying your achievements to stand out.

How to quantify your experience on resume

Quantifiable achievements on a dance resume spotlight a dancer's ability to deliver tangible results, which can be particularly compelling to directors and choreographers seeking proven talent. Including specific metrics, such as the number of performances, roles, or awards won, not only validates a dancer's skills but also sets them apart in a competitive field. Below, you can find a few ideas how to list numbers on your resume:

• Indicate your proficiency in multiple dance styles to demonstrate your adaptability and skill breadth across genres.
• Mention the significant roles you have performed to highlight your experience and responsibility level in past productions.
• Specify your attendance at professional dance workshops or programs to signal your ongoing commitment to improving your skills.
• Include your total hours of weekly practice to reflect your dedication and discipline, which are crucial for a professional dancer.
• Mention the number of successful auditions to reveal your perseverance and competitive edge, desirable traits for challenging dance roles.
• You can win recruiters over with your skill set regardless of your experience level. See how in the next section.

How do I write a dance resume with no experience

Even if you’ve got limited experience as a professional dancer, you can still shine. We bet you’ve been dancing from a young age, which has given you enough time to develop your skills. But how do you structure your experience section?

• Choose the skill-based resume format to bring attention to your strengths. This one’s perfect for entry-level candidates as it doesn’t put that much focus on experience.
• Mention any dance trainings and classes you’ve attended. Include the specific styles or techniques learned.
• Highlight transferable skills like flexibility, choreography, and musicality. Or soft skills such as teamwork and communication.
• List your performances, even if they were informal or school-related.
• Include any volunteer work that involved dance, such as teaching dance at community centers or participating in dance-related charity events.
• Mention any hobbies or interests that demonstrate your passion for dance and your commitment to personal growth. Perhaps you create unique dance routine in your spare time?

Resume objective

Finally, write a brief statement about your goals and what you aim to achieve in your dance career. Your resume objective should include:

• Up to 3 sentences emphasizing your goals and aspirations.
• A quick overview of your skills and achievements.
• A clear statement on what you bring to the company.