We all know that there's no set path to becoming a professional dancer.  Aside from the years of training, dedication, and hard work, no two dancer's career paths will be exactly the same.  So your starting point is here...ready to be a #workingdancer.  Next, you'll need to know where you're going.  Here's some insight to help you find your destination. 

When people think of dance careers, they commonly think of a ballet company member, studio owner/teacher, or performer/choreographer.  While those are all great career options, they're only a small piece of the dance pie.  

Networking is vital in developing your professional dance career, and I've laid it all out in my upcoming book, The Freelance in Dance Road Map. The book outlines four key steps to getting work as well as a plethora of additional tips to help you along the way. Here's a sneak preview of the section on networking.

"What has been your biggest obstacle as a working dancer?" My response may throw you for a loop. See  for yourself. 

When it comes to building your dance career, the impressions you make are even more important. Developing relationships and leaving positive lasting impressions are essential to getting and sustaining work as a freelance dancer.

When I started making money solely from my work as a professional dancer, tax time got so much more complicated. Get all your ducks in a row well before next year's tax season. Here are a few tips to help you do that.

My dance career pursuit was in the pits.  Part of my trip to "Bitter-Town" and "Resentful-Ville" was funded by my winnings from the Dare-to-Compare game I'm always playing. And it goes a little something like this...

I'd like to introduce you to Sole Talk, the "chat room" where our working dancer tribe can ask questions that haven't been covered yet on TheWorkingDancer.com. Tweet your question to me at @ChoreoByShate, and I'll feature it on my next session of Sole Talk.  First up, what to do after your gotten your college dance degree.

I wasn't moving forward as quickly as I wanted to, and my ego wanted me to quit. So I did. Or at least I tried to.  Learn from my mistakes.  Don't let anything come between you and your dance career dreams.

So there I was....emotions running high, tears streaming down my face, fighting to be heard and for the chance to follow my heart.  My dreams of becoming a professional dancer were within reach, and I went for it.

Creating a dance career is definitely not your cookie cutter career where you enroll in a training program and are guaranteed a job with a salary and benefits upon completion. Instead, choosing a dance career affords you the opportunity to create the life and jobs you want.

Making a living in dance can suck! Let me be clear. Dance is the most spiritually fulfilling and rewarding endeavor. However, making a sustainable, well-paid living from dance can suck!  Fortunately, there is a way to make it happen, cap'n.