Choreographer

Pay

Getting in

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-job training

Long-term on-the-job training

Prior experience

5 years or more

Calculate your switch to choreographer

What the work is like

Core tasks

• Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
• Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
• Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
• Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
• Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
• Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
• Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
• Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.

Also called: Ballet Director · Choreographer · Dance Director · Dance Maker · Musical Choreographer · Opera Choreographer

Outlook and AI

Choreographers held 4,700 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 4,900 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).

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