Career Outlook
Competition for jobs in the arts is intense. The good news is that there are many opportunities for theatre and dance majors to find work, be it behind the scenes and/or in related areas, such as arts administration and arts education. Moreover, the very nature of your training and education as a dancer and/or theatre artist has developed in you qualities and skills that employers in various fields value. Therefore you possess multiple skills and knowledge that you can transfer to fields such as law, psychology, business, anthropology, marketing, casting, etc. You can also use your bachelor’s degree to apply to graduate school in the arts or other disciplines.
Below we provide information on careers in dance and theatre, along with a list of professional organizations and career resources to help guide you in your search.
Dance Careers | Theatre Careers
Dance Careers
The dance field is competitive, and many dancers work additional jobs to supplement their income. The rigorous nature of dance programs develops in students the discipline and range of skills that are valued across many fields, such as:
- Active listening
- Artistic expression
- Attention to detail
- Creativity and creative problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Communication (written and verbal)
- Discipline
- Punctuality
- Teamwork
- Time management
Performance
Interpret your character/role and express the emotions and story through physical movement. You will spend significant amounts of time every day honing and rehearsing. Though competition will be intense, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that job opportunities for dancers will grow 5 percent from 2016 to 2026.
Where to find jobs: Performing arts organizations, Broadway, Off-Broadway, freelance/self-employment, cruise lines, theme parks, community agencies, film and television studios (commercials, music videos, TV shows, and movies), sports events, and more.
Occupational Outlook:
Occupational Employment and Wages (May 2018):
Choreography
Your training in dance improvisation and choreography at the ßÙßÇÂþ» School of Theatre & Dance will equip you with the skills and practical experience necessary for composing a sequence of artistic movements. Also, the technical proficiency you develop in ballet and modern dance here will enable you to incorporate various techniques and elements into the routines you create.
Where to find jobs: Performing arts organizations (dance, theatre, opera and touring), Broadway, Off-Broadway, freelance/self-employment, cruise lines, theme parks, community agencies, film and television studios (commercials, music videos, TV shows, and movies), sports events, and more.
Occupational Employment and Wages (May 2018):
Dance Medicine Specialist
Courses in anatomy and kinesiology (the study of body movements) combined with the extensive dance training you receive at USF help you to know your body very well. Being able to understand human movement and injury prevention from a dancer’s perspective gives you a unique advantage. Additionally, the Dance Medicine and Science Certificate at USF provides you with specialized knowledge in this area.
Dance Education
Many dancers and choreographers turn to teaching to supplement their performance careers. As a dance teacher, you may choreograph dances, teach about dance history and theory, anatomy, and more. You can work with a variety of populations (children, young adults, people with disabilities, older adults, etc.) and instruct in different styles of dance. Furthermore, you may provide formal instruction for professional preparation or teach dance as a recreational activity in a more casual setting. Depending on where and with which population you want to work, you may need to attain a certificate or master’s degree.
Where to find jobs: Public and private schools, dance studios, colleges and universities, community centers, gyms, community outreach programs, and more.
Dance Administration
You acquire a thorough grasp of the arts industries through your experience in dance. Dancers may transition into dance administration as they get older, and/or work in administrative support to supplement performance careers. In this position, you may help arts organizations manage their budget and facilities and plan events, such as fundraisers. Other responsibilities might include public relations, marketing and booking performance tours.
Where to find jobs: Cultural organizations; arts councils; dance companies, studios and academies; venues for theatre and the arts; theatre production companies; and more.
Dance/Movement Therapy
More and more people are realizing the value of dance and movement in healing and recovery. As a dance therapist, you will help people express themselves through dance. Dance therapy usually requires a graduate degree.
Where to find jobs: Public and private schools, rehabilitation facilities, counseling centers, hospitals, nursing homes, community mental health organizations, special education programs, and more.
Dance Studies Scholar
Dance scholars conduct, support, and promote the highest standards of research in dance. By investigating vital areas of dance, you contribute to the field through practice, education, and training. Topics of interest include but are not limited to: styles and techniques, forms and genres, periods and styles, and interdisciplinary research (dance and medicine, dance and psychology, dance and tourism, etc.).
Graduate Study
You might consider pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Dance to advance your performance or choreography career. Alternatively, you might elect to earn a Master of Arts to enrich your opportunities in dance history, theory, critique, or arts management. The experience and skills you gain in the rigorous USF Dance program will also prepare you for graduate study in many other disciplines, such as business, psychology, health, and law.
USF Office of Graduate Studies
Dance Notation
This career path involves using symbols to record movement, making a dance score to which choreographers and dancers can refer and analyze. Responsible for preserving the choreography for performing arts companies. Labanotation is one way to record movement.
More dance employment opportunities:
- Dance critique
- Technical production in dance performances
- Dance writing/journalism
- Artistic director
- Yoga or Pilates instructor
- Dance photographer or videographer
- Physical therapist
Professional Organizations and Career Resources
- (formerly VSA Florida)
Theatre Careers
At the ßÙßÇÂþ», gain a comprehensive education in theatre, from its history and theory to the many details and collaborative efforts that all go into producing a stage play. Here you develop the practical experience, skills and confidence to grow as an individual and professional.
Skills developed in the theatre program at USF:
- Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Active listening
- Adaptable to new or unexpected changes
- Attention to detail
- Communication (written and verbal)
- Creative problem-solving
- Critical thinking and analysis
- Discipline
- Flexible and open to new ideas
- Leadership
- Project management
- Public speaking and presentation skills
- Working individually and collaboratively
Where to find jobs: Most jobs will be found at various regional theater companies, touring companies, television and film studios, theme parks, arts councils, radio stations, video production companies, community organizations, etc.
Acting
Occupational Outlook:
Directing
Occupational Outlook:
Stage Management
Work closely with the director and maintain many responsibilities, such as scheduling meetings and rehearsals, coordinating set changes, recording, blocking, running technical rehearsals, and calling cues for a production.
Design
Costume Design
Create costumes for the cast that fit the director’s concept for a play, while accurately conveying the characters’ roles and personalities.
Occupational Employment and Wages (May 2018): | |
Lighting Design
Work with the director and technical design team to create the lighting and customize the atmosphere for the production. Must consider issues of visibility and safety on the stage.
Outside of theatre, lighting designers can also work at concerts, art installations, other special events and celebrations, and conventions.
Set Design
Research the history, period, and story of a production to create appropriate sets.
Scenic carpenter / Scenic artist - create sets and structural elements of the production, while scenic artists paint set pieces.
Set designers can also design exhibits for museums, colleges and universities.
Occupational Employment and Wages (May 2018):
Sound Design
Responsible for everything the audience hears in a production. Duties may include but are not limited to: creating sound effects and/or using music to deepen the audience’s connection with the story; adjusting the acoustics of a set to improve the sound; etc.
Outside of theatre, sound designers can also work at concerts, art installations, other special events and celebrations, and conventions.
Occupational Employment and Wages (May 2018):
Writing
- Playwriting
- Scriptwriting
- Screenwriting
- Public relations
- Research
- Journalism
- Dramaturg - Research the text and story to advise the director and cast; write the audience guide to provide context for the production.
Where to find jobs: Theaters, freelance, television and film studios, radio and television stations, magazines, newspapers, video production companies.
Education
- Educational outreach programmer
- Private instructor
- Researcher
- Self-enrichment teacher
- Theater professor or teacher
- Vocal or acting coach
Where to find jobs: Public and private schools, performing arts centers, freelance, colleges and universities, community programs.
Business
- Advertising and promotions
- Arts administration
- Booking agent or manager
- Fundraising and development
- Marketing and sales
- Producer
- Public relations
- Special events planner
- Theater/Box office manager
- Volunteer coordinator
- Web design and social media management
Where to find jobs: Theaters, television and film studios, arts organizations, talent agencies, advertising companies, museums.
Drama Therapy
Use the creative process to help people reach therapeutic goals. Usually requires a master’s degree and certification. Interested theatre majors should consider taking coursework or double-majoring in psychology to increase their chances of being admitted to graduate programs.
More theatre employment opportunities:
- Equipment technician/operator
- Hairdresser/Makeup artist
- Prop manager
- Rigging
- Special effects technician
- Wardrobe supervisor