If you want to perfect your dancer resume for your next audition or even just to have one ready, then this blog post is going to help you create your best dance resume with all of the best dancer resume tips!
Every dancer needs a resume sooner or later. Even if you aren’t auditioning for jobs, colleges, or programs quite yet, you probably will be soon. That is why you are definitely going to want to have your dance resume polished and ready to go. However, it can be tough to know where to start. And even if you already have a resume, you can always benefit from cleaning it up every now and then.
As a dancer in college that has gone from navigating a variety of dance resume needs, I am sharing with you all of the best dancer resume tips you need to know. These tips will make creating your dance resume so much easier and less stressful.
You are going to learn all about the best dancer resume tips including where to start creating your resume, what software to use, what to include on your resume, and more!
After reading this post you are going to have the best dance resume ever!
* Quick note! This post will usually discuss your resume as if you are auditioning for something but all the tips are also applicable to if you are just submitting your resume or using it for some form of application!
This post is all about dancer resume tips
Dancer Resume Tips
Dancer Resume Tips Part 1: The Do’s and Don’ts of Dance Resumes
When it comes to creating your dance resume, there are a lot of things to do and a lot more things to avoid. Luckily, this part of the post will take you through all of the do’s and don’ts of creating your dance resume.
Don’t Put Everything on There
Your resume should be a summary of your work. You don’t have to include something you did five years ago.
Do Have Some Variety
Show your versatility and what you can do on your resume. Don’t be afraid to put your tap training on there even if the audition didn’t necessarily call for it.
Don’t Put EVERY teacher you may have taken one class with
Some people will put that they trained with this big name when they only took one class with that person at a convention or intensive. My rule of thumb is if they probably couldn’t remember you by name they shouldn’t be on your resume.
Do Include your education and training
Include major and longer term places you have studied dance. This should be any significant summer program, regular dance classes, or affiliations you may have.
Don’t Include your weight or address
Its the 2020s, we don’t do that any more
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Do Include other potentially relevant skills
This will change based on what you are auditioning for. For example, if you are doing a ballet or contemporary audition it is probably helpful to add your partnering experience on there. Or, if you are doing an entertainment or commercial audition it might be helpful to put some of your specialty skills and abilities on there.
Don’t Have more than one page
There isn’t time to read all of that, keep it down to one page.
Do Make changes based on what you’re submitting for
Make your resume relevant to what you are auditioning/applying for. This doesn’t mean you need to take everything that is ballet off for a hip hop program or audition. However, you might want to replace a few things with something more relevant.
Don’t Spend more than a 2-3 hours creating your resume
There is no perfect resume. Take some time using a template and make a good quality resume. But remember, there is no perfect resume.
Do Have someone proof read your resume
It is always helpful to make sure you don’t have any typos or something you shouldn’t include.
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Dancer Resume Tips Part 2: How to Get Started
When it comes to dance resumes, getting started is the hardest part. That’s why in this section of dancer resume tips you’ll learn all about how to start creating your dance resume including how to get ideas, apps and resources to create your resume, and how to think of things to put on your resume.
How Should My Dance Resume Look?
There is no way your resume should look. However, on the internet there are LOTS of examples to look at when in comes to resumes for dancers.
Try searching ‘dancer resume’, ‘dance resume’, or ‘dancer resume template’ to find a few ideas of how your resume can look.
The best tip here is to keep it straight forward and simple, it shouldn’t be an entire book.
How/Where Can I Create a Dance Resume?
There are lots of different apps and platforms for you to create and design a resume on.
My personal favorite is Canva but I have also used Google Docs and Microsoft Word to create a dance resume for auditions.
Try playing around with some templates on any of the three platforms to see what works best for you.
How do I Find Things to Put on My Resume?
Start by thinking back to some of your most recent and relevant dance performances. Make sure you understand what it means to put each item on your resume.
Each thing you put on your dancer resume should in some way represent a skill, quality, ability, or experience you have that is relevant to what you may be submitting your resume for.
After you find a few performances, think of the training and education you have. This is also a good opportunity to think of the instructors or teachers you have had. They can be helpful references for whoever is viewing your resume.
Finally, think of any other relevant experience you have had. This can range from experience backstage, choreography, and professional. Take discretion with this category and only use what might be relevant or helpful for what you are auditioning for.
Before You Go:
This post has been all about the best dancer resume tips.
I hope these tips help you out as you start to build your dance resume and audition this year!
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