Choreographers
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
New routines are created first, then rehearsals are directed so dancers learn the steps and the effects the piece needs. Teaching covers standing and moving correctly, rhythm, and interpretive movement, with an eye toward technique that helps prevent injuries. Music, sound effects, or spoken narrative get chosen to go with the dance; movements and formations are recorded in technical detail. Ideas are tested informally with different dancers, steps, and placements, and influences often come from theatre, visual art, or architecture. It suits people who like teaching movement, shaping group performances, and turning visual and musical ideas into set patterns.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$55'310
Median Wage Market Position
$55'310
What you might do
- Direct rehearsals and teach dancers the steps
- Stage finished pieces for shows and events
- Pick music, sound, or spoken words for each dance
- Coach dancers on safe, correct technique
- Write down steps, patterns, and formations
- Try new steps and placements with dancers
Skills that matter
- Teaching safe technique in rehearsal
- Directing dancers toward a desired effect
- Recording steps and spatial formations
- Pairing dances with music or text
- Testing ideas and hearing dancer feedback
- Staging finished pieces for an audience
AI & the future of this role
Software may suggest phrases or visualize routines, yet rehearsing with dancers and shaping a piece for a venue still need human taste and leadership. That hands-on creative direction tends to keep the work fairly resilient.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details