Occupations · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Dancers

Perform dances. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for video recording.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 27-2031.00

▲ 4.5%projected change, 2024→2034

1,800openings a year, incl. replacements

Typical education to enter: No formal educational credential · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Prepare pointe shoes, by sewing or other means, for use in rehearsals and performance.
Study and practice dance moves required in roles.
Harmonize body movements to rhythm of musical accompaniment.
Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
Perform in productions, singing or acting in addition to dancing, if required.
Coordinate dancing with that of partners or dance ensembles.
Perform classical, modern, or acrobatic dances in productions, expressing stories, rhythm, and sound with their bodies.
Develop self-understanding of physical capabilities and limitations, and choose dance styles accordingly.
Collaborate with choreographers to refine or modify dance steps.
Audition for dance roles or for membership in dance companies.
Attend costume fittings, photography sessions, and makeup calls associated with dance performances.
Monitor the field of dance to remain aware of current trends and innovations.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Active Listening3.2

Critical Thinking3.0

Speaking2.9

Monitoring2.9

Reading Comprehension2.8

Active Learning2.8

Writing2.5

Learning Strategies2.5

Mathematics1.4

Science1.0

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Adobe Photoshop●Facebook●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Apple Final Cut ProChoreography softwareLinkedInPinterestSambaSocial media sitesWeb browser softwareYouTube

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

3 / 5Medium preparation — vocational training or an associate degree, plus 1–2 years of work.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance+2.6 above average

Telephone Conversations−2.3 below average

Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body+2.3 above average

Written Letters and Memos−1.7 below average

Physical Proximity+1.5 above average

Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions+1.3 above average

E-Mail−1.3 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2019-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)45%

Less than a High School Diploma34%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)14%

Some College Courses7%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2019-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Artistic6.4

Realistic4.8

Social3.6

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

Tasks O*NET flags as emerging

Prepare pointe shoes (e.g., by sewing) for use in rehearsals and performance.

O*NET 23.3 emerging tasks

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Coordination3.0

Time Management2.9

Social Perceptiveness2.9

Service Orientation2.8

Judgment and Decision Making2.6

Complex Problem Solving2.5

Instructing2.5

Persuasion2.5

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

Fine ArtsEnglish LanguageCustomer and Personal ServiceMathematicsTransportationPsychology

Abilities it leans on

Gross Body CoordinationExtent FlexibilityStaminaDynamic StrengthTrunk StrengthGross Body Equilibrium

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

DancerPerformerBallerinaTap DancerLine DancerDance ArtistLatin DancerGo-Go DancerBelly DancerExotic DancerBallet DancerSoloist DancerHip Hop DancerHip Hop Artist

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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III$62,858

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Adobe PhotoshopFacebookMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft Outlook

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$29Occupation reportPay where you are, conditions, preparation, education, what you carry into another job.$49Professional reportAdds two decades of pay, industries, geography, what changed, adjacent occupations and what to study.$99International offerAdds named employers and their actual rates from visa filings, the seniority pay ladder and the cities that hire.

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What it pays in your city and industry	✓	✓	✓
Working conditions, preparation, education	✓	✓	✓
What you carry into another occupation	✓	✓	✓
What this job is called in postings	✓	✓	✓
How pay changed over the years	brief	✓	✓
Where the industry changes the number	—	✓	✓
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What appeared and disappeared in the job	—	✓	✓
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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.

Now listed 9

+YouTube+LinkedIn+Microsoft Office software+Apple Final Cut Pro+Adobe Photoshop+Pinterest+Samba+Social media sites+Microsoft Outlook

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

DancerBallerinaPerformerTap DancerLine DancerGo-Go DancerGo Go DancerLatin DancerDance ArtistBelly DancerModern DancerDance Teacher

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
dancer	2653.2	exact
dance teacher	2355.2	close
circus artist	2659.2.1	close
performing arts school dance instructor	2310.1.29	close
variety artist	2659.2.6	close
street performer	2659.2.5	close

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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