How to Become a Male Dancer

Whether as a full-time career or a way to pick up extra money on weekends, working as a male dancer can be profitable as well as a lot of fun. Of course, not all guys are suited for working as a male dancer. Here are some things you can do to determine if this career option is right for you, as well as how to prepare for the work.

Things You'll Need

• Gym membership
• Dance lessons
• Portfolio
• Agent

Instructions

1. Get in shape. This means spending some time at the gym. It doesn’t matter whether you plan on dancing part time or full time, you will need to be in top physical condition. Focus on workouts that will develop strong legs, a flat stomach and muscular shoulders.

2. Take dance lessons. Start with simple routines. As your confidence builds, move on to more complicated moves. You want to become familiar with as many different steps as possible. This will prove helpful when you begin to audition.

3. Hire an agent. As with just about any type of performing work, an agent can find the right jobs for your skill level and body type. Make sure that the agent understands what type of dancing gigs you are comfortable with. This will save everyone a great deal of time and embarrassment.

4. Create a portfolio. Engage the services of a professional photographer to take shots of you in various dancing stances. The pictures in the portfolio will help to generate interest that will aid in securing auditions.

5. Go on auditions. There will be opportunities to audition for both short-term and long-term work, depending on your availability. You may land a gig with a dancing troupe, or find work at a particular club. When possible, find out everything you can in advance about the client holding the audition. Understanding in advance the needs of the client will help you present yourself in the most positive light.

6. Be a professional. Once you land a job, make sure you are always on time, know the routines, and bring a positive attitude to the work. This will help you build a reputation as being reliable as well as talented, and help pave the way for more jobs.

Tips & Warnings

• Dancing is a profession that requires a great deal of personal discipline. Be prepared to forgo social events and other pastimes from time to time in order to rehearse and in general keep in shape for your work.

• Like all entertainers, dancers go through periods where work is hard to find. Always have some type of sideline that will help generate money to pay the bills when you are in between assignments.