Dancer CV Example
A dancer CV showcases your performance experience, training background, and versatility across dance styles for auditions and company positions.
Recommended template: FreshPro
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Lead with your performance credits, listing companies, productions, and choreographers you have worked with.
- Include your training history with notable schools, teachers, and masterclasses.
- Mention any additional skills such as singing, acting, or aerial work that broaden your castability.
- Keep the layout clean and include a professional headshot if the application requires one.
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Upgrade to ProHow to Write Your Dancer CV
A dancer CV needs to present your training, performance credits, and physical skills in a format that casting directors and company artistic directors can scan quickly. Unlike corporate CVs, a dancer CV often includes physical attributes and should be concise, visually clean, and focused on credits. Your training pedigree, versatility across styles, and notable performance history are the key elements that will secure audition opportunities.
CV Structure
Lead with your name, contact details, and physical stats if relevant to the role type. Follow with a brief profile, then list your performance credits in reverse chronological order including role, production, company, choreographer, and venue. Create separate sections for training, skills, and any additional talents. Keep the document to one page unless you have an extensive professional career spanning more than a decade.
CV Format
Use a clean, modern template with plenty of white space. Avoid heavy graphics that distract from your credits. A professional headshot may be included or submitted separately depending on the application. Ensure your name is prominent at the top and your contact details are easy to find. Save as a PDF to preserve formatting across devices.
CV Profile Examples
Experienced Contemporary Dancer
Versatile contemporary dancer with seven years of professional performance experience across touring productions, site-specific work, and repertory companies. Trained at London Contemporary Dance School with additional study in release technique and contact improvisation. Performed with Rambert, Akram Khan Company, and at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, bringing strong musicality and expressive physicality to every role.
Ballet and Commercial Dancer
Classically trained ballet dancer with additional commercial and jazz experience, having performed in West End productions, corporate events, and music videos. Graduate of the Royal Academy of Dance with Grade 8 RAD and strong pointe work technique. Known for quick choreographic pickup, professional discipline, and a warm stage presence that connects with audiences.
Emerging Dance Artist
Passionate emerging dancer recently graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance, seeking company or project-based performance opportunities. Proficient in contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop with growing experience in choreography and devised performance. Performed at Yorkshire Dance and Northern Stage, demonstrating commitment to collaborative creative processes and physical storytelling.
Write two to three sentences covering your training background, years of professional experience, and primary dance styles. Mention one or two notable companies or productions to establish credibility immediately.
Key Skills for Your Dancer CV
Ballet
Strong classical ballet technique with RAD training and pointe work capability for both performance and audition contexts.
Contemporary Dance
Proficiency in release technique, Cunningham, and contact improvisation developed through professional training and performance.
Jazz
Skilled in jazz styles including commercial, theatrical, and lyrical jazz for stage and screen performances.
Choreography
Creating original movement material for performance, workshops, and collaborative devised projects.
Stage Performance
Confident and expressive performer experienced in proscenium, traverse, and outdoor performance settings.
Physical Fitness
Maintaining peak physical condition through daily training, cross-training, and injury prevention practices.
Musicality
Interpreting and responding to music with sensitivity to rhythm, dynamics, and phrasing in live and recorded performance.
Improvisation
Generating spontaneous movement material in response to stimuli, music, or collaborative improvisation scores.
Workshop Facilitation
Leading dance workshops for community groups, schools, and professional development settings.
Work Experience Examples
List performance credits clearly with role, production title, company or choreographer, and venue. For company positions, describe your involvement in new commissions, touring, and outreach. Quantify where possible with number of performances, tour dates, or audience sizes.
Company Dancer
Phoenix Dance Theatre
Performed as a full-time company dancer in a nationally touring contemporary dance company delivering over 80 performances annually across UK and international venues.
Responsibilities
- Rehearsed and performed new commissions and repertory works under the direction of resident and guest choreographers.
- Participated in daily company class and additional rehearsals, maintaining peak physical condition throughout the touring season.
- Contributed to community engagement workshops and post-show talks as part of the company's outreach programme.
- Collaborated with lighting designers, costume teams, and composers during the creation of new works.
- Represented the company at schools, festivals, and industry showcases to promote upcoming productions.
Achievements
- Featured as a lead performer in a new commission that received a four-star review in The Guardian and was nominated for a National Dance Award.
- Maintained a 100% performance attendance record across two consecutive touring seasons spanning 160 shows.
- Led a series of youth workshops in partnership with local councils, engaging over 300 young people in contemporary dance.
Freelance Dancer
Various Productions
Worked on a freelance basis across commercial, theatrical, and contemporary dance projects in London and the South East.
Responsibilities
- Auditioned for and secured roles in music videos, corporate events, and theatre productions.
- Learned and performed complex choreography within tight rehearsal schedules, often with fewer than five days of preparation.
- Collaborated with choreographers and creative directors to develop movement material for branded events.
- Managed own schedule, invoicing, and self-promotion through social media and agency representation.
Achievements
- Booked as a featured dancer in a primetime ITV entertainment show broadcast to an audience of 4.2 million viewers.
- Built a freelance client base generating consistent bookings averaging three to four engagements per month.
Education & Qualifications
List your dance training institutions first, including the course title and graduation year. Follow with any relevant qualifications such as RAD grades, ISTD examinations, or teaching certifications. Mention notable teachers or masterclass leaders if they are well known in the industry.
BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance
Undergraduate degree from a conservatoire or university dance programme providing professional-level training.
RAD Graded Examinations
Royal Academy of Dance graded and vocational examinations demonstrating classical ballet proficiency.
ISTD Qualifications
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing examinations in various dance disciplines.
First Aid Certificate
Basic first aid training, often required for touring and workshop facilitation roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a dancer CV be?
Should I include physical measurements on my dancer CV?
How do I list dance credits on my CV?
What should I do if I have limited professional dance experience?
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