Dancer to choreologist
A dancer already meets 59% of what the choreologist role asks for. The move turns on 10 required skills not yet in the profile.
51.5/ 100
1 How much of what a choreologist is expected to do is already part of a dancer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the choreologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A choreologist role treats 15 of its required skills as things a dancer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- be a role model in community arts
- create choreographic material
- demonstrate specialisation in a dance tradition
- describe artistic experience
- develop codified movements
- develop the physical language
What stands in the way is 10 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 24 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A choreologist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a dancer background worth leading with.
- already held demonstrate specialisation in a dance tradition communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held understand the conceptual dimension of a live performance communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held work with broad variety of personalities communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held match needs of target community with your skills management skills
- already held inspire enthusiasm for dance management skills
- already held teach dance communication, collaboration and creativity
All 24 carried skills, including the 15 the choreologist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 17 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn act as a resource person in dance required
- still to learn draw up choreography required
- still to learn log changes in choreography required
- still to learn identify performers' needs required
- still to learn interpret artistic intentions required
- still to learn notate different dances required
- optional, not held contribute to an artistic approach optional
- optional, not held contribute to the choreographer's process of reflection optional
- optional, not held create new fight sequences optional
- still to learn evaluate art quality required
- still to learn monitor art scene developments required
- optional, not held study community as a target community optional
- still to learn art-historical values required
- optional, not held body language optional
- still to learn create a work environment where performers can develop their potential required
- optional, not held stimulate performers' imagination optional
- optional, not held clarify how various components work together optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a choreologist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 act as a resource person in dance practise this
- 02 draw up choreography practise this
- 03 log changes in choreography practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 24 skills that carry over
- already held be a role model in community arts skill
- already held create choreographic material skill
- already held demonstrate specialisation in a dance tradition skill
- already held describe artistic experience skill
- already held develop codified movements skill
- already held develop the physical language skill
- already held intellectual property law knowledge
- already held labour legislation knowledge
- already held maintain safe working conditions in performing arts skill
- already held manage artistic career skill
- already held understand the architecture of a live performance skill
- already held understand the conceptual dimension of a live performance skill
- already held understand the emotional dimension of a performance skill
- already held work with broad variety of personalities skill
- already held work with respect for own safety skill
- already held analyse music score skill
- already held develop methods for choreographic integration skill
- already held develop proposed choreographic language skill
- already held inspire enthusiasm for dance skill
- already held manage artistic project skill
- already held match needs of target community with your skills skill
- already held show intercultural awareness skill
- already held teach dance skill
- already held work in an international environment skill
7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held clarify how various components work together optional
- optional, not held contribute to an artistic approach optional
- optional, not held contribute to the choreographer's process of reflection optional
- optional, not held stimulate performers' imagination optional
- optional, not held study community as a target community optional
- optional, not held body language optional
- optional, not held create new fight sequences optional
29 held skills the choreologist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role acting techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse own performance skill
- not needed by the target role analyse your fight discipline expertise skill
- not needed by the target role attend rehearsals skill
- not needed by the target role check the production schedule skill
- not needed by the target role develop an artistic approach to your interpretation skill
- not needed by the target role direct community arts activities skill
- not needed by the target role evaluate own dance abilities skill
- not needed by the target role follow directions of the artistic director skill
- not needed by the target role follow time cues skill
- not needed by the target role identify requirements of the work in the artistic performance skill
- not needed by the target role interact with an audience skill
- not needed by the target role interact with fellow actors skill
- not needed by the target role maintain dance training skill
- not needed by the target role manage feedback skill
- not needed by the target role manage personal professional development skill
- not needed by the target role musical genres knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform dances skill
- not needed by the target role perform fast changeover skill
- not needed by the target role perform live skill
- not needed by the target role perform with motion capture equipment skill
- not needed by the target role read dance scores skill
- not needed by the target role self-promote skill
- not needed by the target role sing skill
- not needed by the target role study roles from scripts skill
- not needed by the target role understand the physical language of a live performance skill
- not needed by the target role use declaiming techniques skill
- not needed by the target role work with a dance team skill
- not needed by the target role work with an artistic team skill
2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn art-historical values required
- optional, not held body language optional
Common questions about this move
Can a dancer become a choreologist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A dancer already covers 59% of what a choreologist is expected to do: 24 skills carry over, 15 of which the choreologist role treats as required.
What skills does a dancer need to become a choreologist?
10 required skills are missing, plus 7 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is act as a resource person in dance.
How hard is the move from dancer to choreologist?
Its learning distance is 51.5 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.