People always feel that artists like dancers, musicians, instrumentalists, painters earn a good fortune by doing what they like. But, the reality of each of these artists is quite different. Even making ends meet is a tough job for them. A dancer, who is very hard-working and wants to convert the passion of dance to the profession, will always worry about how to make money as a dancer even before stepping onto that path.
To make a dance career is not an easy job. A dancer has to work endlessly to be called a Professional dancer.
Well, with changing times, if you really wish to get out of your comfort zone, there are some ways on how to make money as a dancer. But, first and foremost thing that you will have to fix in mind is that you cannot earn heavily in a single night. You will have to give your brain and body to the groove of dance.
Initially, you might also have to work for free or for very minimum charges. Believe me, that’s the case with each rising artist. But once you’re polished with your art form, the ways to how to make money as a dancer are just going to widen.
Are you thinking of making money as a dancer without investing any? Click here to know what lays ahead on that path.
1) Buy or Rent a Place
If you are very sure about converting your art-form into a full-time career, you can buy a place where you can establish your own dance studio. If you’re not sure about investing, then just rent a place where you can commence your dance classes. Now, if you feel that you would not earn enough money to pay rent, find a place that is on a ratio basis.
This will be an easy solution. There are centers of performing arts or clubs who rent their place on ratio basis as in from the amount you earn, some percent of the money goes to them. Mostly the ratios are 50:50 or 60:40 between you and the center.
Once you have a place for giving dance lessons, you can plan out the schedule as per your comfort and the number of students you get.
2) Freelancing
It is okay not to be sure about adopting dancing as a career. But, if you have a passion for it, then how to make money as a dancer? Freelancing will be your answer. There is an increasing craze of planned choreographies in weddings, anniversary or birthday celebrations. Even varied institutes like high school or coaching centers plan one or two celebrations annually.
Such people are always in need of freelance choreographers. For the family functions, usually, they don’t go for established or very professional choreographers. So, it can be a benefit for you. Just spread the word among your friends and family that you have started freelance choreography, and your work is done.
As it is said, the grapevine is the fastest mode of communication, and there would be someone to refer your name to the upcoming celebration to their known ones. And you can take up the opportunity by offering lesser rates initially. You can go to their place and teach in their comfortable timing.
And don’t worry, the family celebration choreography would be easy. On the other hand, choreographing for institutes will need better experience and confidence in choreographing for the smallest or largest bunch of kids. But, if you’re confident enough, you can send your resume to such schools and institutions, and if they like your resume, they sure will contact you whenever needed.
3) Social Media Presence
If you wish to be known, you need to be seen. Your work, your dance, your choreographies need to be seen. So, before thinking about how to make money as a dancer, make your website, Instagram, and Facebook account and link all of these. Put up your choreography videos on such social media platforms.
Follow accounts and pages related to dance. When you put up your dance videos, add the most used hashtags relating to dance. Keep your profile public and give an artist category to it.
If you think you can be more creative and regular in making dancing videos, create a YouTube channel. Growing it will take years and extra discipline in putting up varied and new content. Over the years, if you succeed in giving good content, your channel can get paid or affiliated with ads so that you can start earning a little.
For that, you must go through the terms and conditions of YouTube very thoroughly.
4) A Dance Teacher
This can be a very beneficial and safe option for your confusion regarding how to make money as a dancer. Being a dance teacher or dance faculty in schools will give you a steady income and also a reputation. In this era, almost every school appoints a dance and activity teacher. You can easily land a job with any of the schools.
Apart from a steady income, you would get your evenings free. You can use up this time for your own dancing gigs. Schools have many dance programs over the year. You can show your creativity and skills in such functions.
5) Collaborating
This step to how to make money as a dancer will require quite a research on your side. You will have to survey the most active and famous dancers or classes in your city and find the ones of your liking. You could visit the local studio active in your town and talk to them about collaboration.
This can be in the form of a dance or music video starring the both of you. This will benefit the social media presence of both of you. Secondly, you can offer to teach some specific choreography which is different from their dance style in a special session to their students and vice versa.
Together you can start a series of Weekend Choreography Class, wherein you teach a specific song for a fixed charge. You can organize affiliate programs and special events starring your students or by gathering such a group of people.
6) Marketing and Selling
To be in the field, you need to make more and more contacts. This will be your cue to how to make money as a dancer. You can indulge in affiliate marketing wherein you promote a product of someone. This can be done in digital marketing.
You use a product of some company in your choreography or a dancing photograph to promote it. That company either sends you products free of charge or shares that specific video or photograph on their social media platforms. This will be of great benefit to both parties.
You just need to find a website or company whose products you genuinely like and who are ready for such affiliation.
There are certain products which a dancer needs like dance clothes, certain props, studio decorations, speakers, water bottles, accessories, and a lot more. You can start selling such things by procuring them from wholesalers on your own. If you find it tough on your own, you can just become an affiliate seller wherein you sell products of other websites and get a commission for whatever sale you make.
Click here to know more about affiliate marketing.
7) Writing
Are you confused? How can writing relate to how to make money as a dancer? Well, everything is connected.
You can start with a dance blog. Write about various topics relating to dance on your website. After a certain time, if you start getting more views on your blog, you can earn from it. You can also research about already established websites posting about art and dance and even certain dance magazine.
You can apply to them and wait for your selection. Meanwhile, you should write your own blog to get experience and gather work samples.
8) Government Job
Don’t get surprised because government jobs can be your answer to how to make money as a dancer. Well, for this, you need a college degree. So, it might not be helpful if you’ve already graduated. But if not, and really thriving to get up with your passion, get a college degree in performing arts.
Many colleges offer the courses of Bachelor of Performing Arts(BPA) and Master of Performing Arts(MPA). These are usually in classical dance forms, though. Some universities also offer an MA degree or Diploma. You can survey them easily.
Once you get a degree, there is a special quota for artists in many government jobs, and those are usually empty and then offered as general seats. You can apply for government exams, where such quota is applicable, if you get a university recognized degree. You can also be placed as a dance teacher in government colleges and schools through the degree.
9) Virtual Classes
To keep up with the industry standard, you need to stay active in all ways, and that can be an effective way for how to make money as a dancer. There are many trending applications like Zoom, Google meet, Instagram Live, Facebook Live, where you can teach dance virtually. You can pre-plan the sessions and keep fixed fees for it. These virtual dance classes are a great craze. You can also shoot a dance tutorial and provide it for a fixed charge so that your audience can learn it in a comfortable time.
You can boost up the participation of virtual dance classes by posting a glimpse of the choreography you wish to teach, sharing the covers of the students who learn the choreography in class on your page, giving a discount in their second virtual class.
To know more about making money as a dancer, watch the video.
There are these small steps to how to make money as a dancer, which in time will be very profitable. For more participation in your physical and virtual class, you can arrange a special class daily for Fitness.
Just align your choreography steps to a thumping and energizing music or give it a form of Zumba. This will attract a lot of people as they are always finding some interesting ways to keep their health in check.
Follow a mix of these ways of how to make money as a dancer, and you sure will see the results. Just be patient and persevere with dedication and hard work.
Last Updated on by Saket Kumar
