Dancing Through Summer: A Professional Dancer’s Guide to the Off-Season
I was chatting with one of my clients recently about how hard it is to find opportunities to continue growing in the summer for professional dancers.
It's not uncommon for dancers in professional companies to have a 3-4 month layoff period during the summer. What are you supposed to do with all that time?
As a student, the opportunities seem endless! You could spend three months attending summer intensives honing your craft, making connections, and fully immersing yourself in the dance world.
Then you become a professional and BAM - the options seem to dry up.
Obviously, financial considerations are huge. When I was dancing professionally, I used my summers to pick up hours at my side gigs to sustain me through the layoff. (I talk about it more in this article featured in Dance Informa.)
If you have the means, summer can also be a wonderful time to deepen your craft and pick up new skills! Just because you go pro, doesn't mean you stop growing and learning as a dancer!
The options may not be as plentiful, but they are out there! If you’re struggling with what to do this summer, consider these suggestions:
Attend a summer intensive
The vast majority of summer intensives are geared toward pre-professional dancers under 18. However, there are options out there for professional dancers! Renowned companies such as the Martha Graham Dance Company and Nedersland Dance Theatre (among others!) host intensives specifically for more mature dancers. If you’re looking to deepen your technique and continue expanding your movement repertoire, an intensive is a great option.
Book a summer performance gig
For classical company dancers looking to book performance work during the summer, you might have to look outside of your comfort zone and try something new. There are a handful of festivals that go on during the summer, but your best bet to booking work is looking into performing at amusement parks & cruise ships. You’ll get to spend your summer traveling, dancing and making a paycheck!
Pick up a new certification
Summer is a wonderful time to pursue professional development. Whether you want to deepen your understanding of anatomy, mental wellness, pedagogy, or any other area that will support your dance technique - I guarantee there’s a course out there! (I compiled 13 of my favorites in this free guide!)
Continuing education not only tickles your brain, it also makes you more hirable. Consider what are passionate about beyond the stage to help inform what direction you want to go in.
Hone your choreography skills
If you are interested in choreographing, there are a handful of programs (notably Deos Contemporary Ballet, Nashville Ballet and University of North Carolina School of the Arts) that give dancers the opportunity to work closely with mentors to develop their artistry and choreographic skill.
Guest teach
Many studios host summer intensives and are looking to bring in outside faculty! If you are an experienced teacher, summer is a great time to offer your services as a guest instructor. Reach out to your contacts or check in Facebook groups such as The New Dance Teacher Network for opportunities!
Work as a summer intensive RA
You can get paid to work as an RA at many major company/college summer intensives! As an RA, you’ll live in the dorms and ensure the safety of all the students. When I worked as an RA for the American Ballet Theatre summer intensive, I was able to take classes while off the clock - an amazing job perk that allowed me to continue dancing at a high level all summer!
As you peruse your options, ask yourself “What will be the most beneficial to move my career forward this summer?”
(Psst...it’s ok if the answer is taking some time off.)
Give yourself permission to use the summer to rest and recharge if that feels best. Explore your identity outside of dance - you don’t have to always be on! (In fact, your dancing and career will just be that much richer when you take time away.
It’s also not all or nothing - you can give yourself both rest and growth this summer!
If any of these ideas intrigued you, grab this FREE download for 35+ ways to continue to propel your dance career forward this summer!
Meet the Author
Caitlin Sloan is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI.
Caitlin received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri.
She danced professionally for nine years with companies including Ballet Tucson and Missouri Contemporary Ballet (now Mareck Dance). Caitlin has taught at schools all over the Midwest, most notably serving as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Youth Company Director for Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She is currently on faculty at the School of Madison Ballet.
Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina® in 2019, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Follow @thebrainyballerina on Instagram for your daily dose of dance career guidance and inspiration.
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