Beyonce and Background Dancers
If you've gone to concerts and seen the fierce dancers in the background--popping and locking, hitting pirouettes and throwing up high kicks--and wondered how you can take their spot, read on. Becoming a background dancer takes hard work, training, determination and networking. If you're interested in starting a career as a background dancer for some of today's top artists, take a look at this article.
Instructions
1. Train in ballet, hip-hop, modern dance, tap dancing and more--any type of dance training you can get your hands on. Study and train for as long as possible. Many background dancers have been training since they were in elementary school. Find the best dance schools in your area and take dance with the best teachers at those schools. Train at schools that are known for artists coming in to scout for talent. For example, at Millenium Dance Complex in North Hollywood, California, artists come in often to scout for dancers for music videos, tours and local performances.
2. Join dance groups and participate them in competitions. This often helps dancers make a name for themselves in the group as well as solo. If the competition is televised, like "So You Think You Can Dance?," that is even better.
3. Audition, audition, audition! Don't be afraid to start small. If a local artist is holding auditions for background dancers for their mall tour and the pay is low, still go out and audition. If you book that tour, it will give you more experience as a background dancer. Be on the lookout for opportunities to audition, and don't be afraid to ask other dancers if they've heard of auditions in the area.
4. Search for legitimate talent agents in your area and seek representation. Dance films and musicals are on the rise and casting directors are on the hunt for outstanding dancers. Having an agent gives you a better opportunity to get an audition for one of these films as a dancer. This will also give you the opportunity to network and get yourself on tape dancing.
5. Put a reel together. This should feature your dancing skills on video and should be your very best choreography and dance performances. This way, you'll be prepared, if someone requests that you send in your reel to land an audition for a tour or a dancer role in a film.
