The Biggest Mistakes Dancers Make on Their Resume (and How to Fix Them!)
Very few dancers enjoy taking the time to sit down and craft a professional dance resume. Most of us would rather be in the studio doing what we do best - DANCING!
However, writing an eye-catching dance resume is an essential skill for any dancer embarking upon a professional career. Directors will often glance over a stack of resumes before they even see you dance. It is your first opportunity to make a good impression and give them a reason to pick you out of a crowd. While you can never rest on your laurels, I have seen Directors take a second look at a dancer who is having an off day simply because they boasted an impressive resume of past work.
I’ve been on both sides of the table - both as Dancer and Director. I’ve seen some great resumes - and I’ve seen some awful ones. Here are a few of the biggest mistakes I see dancers make on their resume (and how you can fix them!):
1. Including irrelevant information
One of the hardest things for dancers is to know when to let go. It’s natural to have an emotional attachment to every part of your training - from your very first Creative Movement class, to the first time you danced a solo, to your favorite performance as a student, these memories are near and dear to your heart. While those were monumental moments for you as a dancer, they don’t all belong on your resume. Remember that your professional resume is a quick snapshot of your most important and relevant work. It’s important to put yourself in the shoes of the Company Director and make sure you’re giving them only the information they need.
To ensure you are including only the most important information, ask yourself:
Is my resume specifically relevant to the company I am auditioning for?
Will it make sense to someone who doesn’t already know me personally?
Does it give the Director reason to believe I would be a good fit for their company?
These are all important questions to ask yourself when trying to decide which information to include and which to leave out.
The fix:
I like to use the Venn Diagram below when deciding what to include on my dance resume for each job I apply for. If it doesn’t fit in the cross-section, it doesn’t belong on my resume.
2. Confusing formatting
You have about 15 seconds to get your information across before a Director tosses your resume aside and goes on to the next. They’re looking at hundreds of submissions every season, and after a while, they all start to blur together. This is not the time to get flowery and wax poetic - keep it simple and straightforward. Directors want to hire the dancer who can make their job easier - show them this could be you by starting with your dance resume!
The fix:
Format your resume concisely - challenge yourself to get your point across in as few words as possible.
Order experience in reverse chronological order within sections (Performance, Education, Instruction, and so on).
Utilize headings and consistent fonts and spacing throughout the entire resume
3. Misspelled Names
This one always makes me cringe. Dancers, please please double and triple check the spelling and grammar on your entire resume, but pay special attention to proper names. Misspelling the names of instructors and choreographers you’ve worked with can give off a disrespectful vibe (and I know that’s not your intention!). Not only that, it makes the Director question how well you know this person and what your relationship is. The dance world is small and chances are the Director has a relationship with someone you’ve worked with.
The fix:
Take the time to perform a quick Google or social media search to double-check that names are spelled correctly. It’s really as simple as that!
Writing a solid dance resume is a skill you should cultivate early in your career. As a dancer, you are also an entrepreneur. You are constantly curating your personal brand, marketing your dancing, and working to put the best possible version of yourself out into the dance world. How you present yourself matters from the very first interaction. Make it crystal clear to any potential employer why you would be the ideal candidate for the position when you apply these notes to your dance resume.
Looking to get your resume in tip-top shape in time for your next audition? Grab this guide for a step-by-step guide to writing a polished, professional dance resume complete with 4 editable templates!
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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