The professional dance resume functions as a specialized marketing document, setting it apart from the standard curriculum vitae used in other industries. Unlike traditional resumes, the dance version must immediately communicate highly specific physical attributes and technical training methodologies. This document is designed to meet the visual and technical demands of artistic directors, choreographers, and casting agents. A successful dance resume quickly demonstrates a dancer’s suitability for a role based on their physical profile and technical background.
The Unique Structure and Formatting Rules
The physical dimensions of a professional dance resume adhere to an industry standard of 8×10 inches, matching the size of a standard headshot. This specific dimension is required for easy filing and pairing with photographic materials. Maintaining a single page is mandatory, regardless of the dancer’s experience level, forcing concise and impactful presentation. Dancers must edit their history aggressively to ensure only the most relevant and recent credits are included.
Readability relies on clean, legible font choices (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, or Garamond), typically sized between 10 and 12 points. Strategic use of narrower margins helps maximize the limited space without sacrificing visual clarity. Clear, hierarchical section headings must guide the reader, allowing casting personnel to quickly locate specific information like physical data or training focus.
Essential Personal and Physical Data
Unlike corporate resumes, the dance document must prominently feature specific physical data, which is immediately relevant for casting and partnering considerations. This information is typically placed at the top of the page, alongside standard contact details like phone number and professional email address. Mandatory metrics include current height, measured precisely, along with hair and eye color, which are factors in visual alignment for a company or ensemble.
While weight is sometimes considered optional, many dancers include it as it is a common metric requested by choreographers for lift work and costume fitting. Union status, such as whether the dancer is a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) or is AEA eligible, must be clearly stated. Providing these physical details upfront allows artistic directors to quickly assess the dancer’s suitability for roles with predetermined physical requirements.
Documenting Training and Education
The training section is structured to demonstrate the depth and breadth of a dancer’s technical foundation, presented in reverse chronological order. Intensive programs and professional school affiliations should be listed first, as they represent concentrated, high-level study. Specific techniques studied must be clearly itemized, moving beyond general terms like Ballet and Modern to include specialized methods such as Vaganova, Cecchetti, Graham, or Horton.
Listing the names of prominent teachers or well-known choreographers adds credibility to the training history. This allows industry professionals to contextualize the quality and style of the technique the dancer has absorbed. Regular classes and workshops should follow the intensive training, providing a complete picture of ongoing technical maintenance and stylistic versatility.
Any relevant academic degrees, such as a BFA or MFA in Dance, are placed here, noting the institution and year of completion. The focus remains on the specific dance techniques learned, ensuring the resume speaks directly to the physical vocabulary a dancer possesses.
Highlighting Performance and Choreography Experience
The experience section showcases the dancer’s practical application of their training and professional history. All performance credits must follow a standardized format to ensure clarity and easy cross-referencing for casting professionals. The listing should include the Role performed or Piece Title, the name of the Choreographer, the Company or Venue where the performance took place, and the Date or Year of the engagement.
When documenting repertoire, a distinction must be made between soloist or principal roles and corps de ballet or ensemble work. Principal roles should be highlighted or placed first, as they denote a higher level of technical and dramatic responsibility. For dancers new to the industry who lack extensive professional credits, student performances, university productions, and workshop showcases can serve as foundational experience.
These early credits should still utilize the standard format but can be grouped under a heading such as “Apprentice Experience” or “Select Workshop Performances” to clearly define the context. This approach demonstrates initiative and stage familiarity while honestly representing the career level. If the dancer also works as a choreographer, a distinct, secondary section titled “Choreography Experience” or “Original Works” should be created.
This sub-section should list the Title of the Work, the Venue or Festival where it premiered, and the Date. Separating performance and choreographic credits prevents confusion and allows the reader to quickly identify the individual’s primary focus or dual capacities.
Incorporating Special Skills and Unique Abilities
The special skills section enhances a dancer’s marketability by listing abilities that extend beyond core classical and modern techniques. These listings often serve as the deciding factor in casting decisions when technical proficiencies are equal among candidates. Highly sought-after physical skills include advanced partnering proficiency, aerial work such as silks or harness training, and various forms of stage combat.
Other valuable, non-dance skills include musical proficiencies, such as playing an instrument or sight-reading music, which are relevant for musical theatre and commercial work. Fluency in foreign languages or the ability to perform specific dialects can also be listed, opening up opportunities in international productions or character-driven roles. These skills must be listed without elaboration, allowing the casting director to scan the list quickly for required secondary talents.
Presentation and Visual Requirements
The visual presentation of the resume is inextricably linked to the dancer’s professional image, making the accompanying photograph a mandatory component. Industry practice requires a professional headshot, often paired with a full-body dance shot, both sized at 8×10 inches. The photograph is physically affixed to the back of the resume, most commonly using two staples at the top and bottom corners, ensuring the two documents are never separated.
Photo quality is paramount, requiring professional lighting, high resolution, and clear focus that accurately represents the dancer’s current appearance and physique. The dancer’s name must be clearly printed on the back of the photograph, often along with their contact information, in case the photo and resume become detached. Printing the resume on high-quality paper stock, typically 24-32 lb weight, conveys durability and professionalism.