5 Dance Resume Examples & Guide Built for 2021

Why this resume works

• To be a dancer doesn't always require a degree. However, if you do have formal education or certifications in dance that help you stand out, be sure to list your accomplishments on your dancer resume.
  • If you have other experiences such as an internship, certifications from a program, or time spent touring, include those in your resume as well.
• When you've had a few years of experience, you should structure your resume in reverse chronological format. 
  • In other words, your most recent experience should go at the top of your resume, and your oldest experience should go at the bottom. 
• Just as dance requires action and demonstration, so your resume must follow suit. Show your strengths and be detailed, so your work contribution is clear and impactful. 
  • Action words such as supervised, managed, led, and interpreted are a few ways to impact a hiring manager.

Why this resume works

• When writing your competitive dancer resume, be sure to list your most relevant skills included in a company's job description.
  • Do this by matching as many descriptive keywords as possible.
• Don't be afraid to inject your personality when writing your resume. Artistic directors could be looking at scads of resumes for their open competitive dancer needs, so you don't want to be just another resume in a pile. 
  
  • Your resume is often the first impression a potential artistic employer has of you. If you've won a score of awards, it won't matter if your resume is underwhelming. 
  • Use our free resume checker where you'll receive expert tips to help your resume stand out. 

Why this resume works

• Writing a dance student resume requires you to shine. Did you know the average time spent reviewing a resume by an artistic director or head of school is only 6 seconds? To stand out in 6 seconds, you must make sure your work objective shows up clearly. 
  • Do this by ensuring your work objective uses matching keywords from the job description. For example, describe what you're looking for, what experience you have, and a little about your skills.
    • In essence, this is a place to briefly sum up the best of your experience. 
• Don't hesitate to include soft skills, e.g., collaborative and reliable, for an entry position, but focus on hard skills that will be necessary for the job, e.g., physical fitness and modern dance.
  • Your skills section should be reflected in your job descriptions, demonstrating how you work with a team, learn from feedback, and grow as an artist.

Why this resume works

• Fill your dance teacher resume with quantifiable metrics. When it comes to your resume, numbers speak louder than words. 
  • As a dance instructor, numbers, such as the age group of students you taught, how many you taught, and how many routines were performed are appropriate metrics to include. 
• Dance instructors, often, are required to have an undergraduate or graduate degree.  
  • Be sure that any additional certifications, in addition to your degree, are listed. Also, be sure to keep any additional certifications current.
• Keep your resume to one page, remembering that artistic directors and heads of schools spend little time looking at any single resume.
  • Make good use of space to avoid diverting attention away from your resume.
    • Including a resume objective is one way to attract the attention of hiring personnel. This succinct paragraph will give employers a quick indicator of whether they should continue reading.

Why this resume works

• Clearly state your scope of responsibilities in past roles on your ballet dancer resume.
  • There are many opportunities in dance to learn, work, and contribute to a production. All responsibilities will make a difference to an artistic director.
    • If you've performed, choreographed, taught, sewed costumes, or organized anything, discuss it in your job descriptions.
    • Your understanding of different aspects can show ambition, talent, and progress.
• When you've gained multiple experiences, structure your resume in reverse chronological format with your most recent experience at the top and your oldest at the bottom. 
  • Your most recent experience will likely be most similar to the job you're applying for, which is where the artistic director's eye will be drawn to first. 
• Use action verbs when writing your job descriptions. Action verbs are specific, clarifying your contributions and bringing confidence to your resume.
  • Words such as choreographed, trained, promoted, and managed are good examples.