Dancing to the songs of life, we sail forward in the journey. From the very beginning of the human civilization, humans have indulged in this art form extensively. Be it any reason, merry making and dancing are almost synonymous. Although the dance forms or any other form of visual art, were very crude and unpolished, with time it was these, which gave birth to the refined forms we see and appreciate today.
Whether or not we believe, dancing or even seeing someone dance is one of the best ways to relax and forget your agonies, atleast for a while. There are, along with this above-mentioned advantage, scores of other reasons that make dancing and choreographing an excellent career option in today's time. Before we discuss the various highs and lows of building your career as a professional choreographer, it is apt to talk first about the various requirements, both educational and personal to become a good professional choreographer.
The meaning and significance of the term
Although the term 'choreography' is a very common one and most, rather all of us have sometimes or the other heard of it, a detailed and correct knowledge about the job profile is rare. What we generally presume is that choreography is nothing but putting together steps in a sequence to suit the music. Trust me, there is a lot more to it. If we go by the dictionary meaning, a choreographer is the person who mixes and matches different moves and positions to create a magical dance or drama piece. It is not only confined to dancing on stages but can be extended to ice-skating, gymnastics, synchronized swimming, cheerleading and many more such avenues. That is not all. The job of a choreographer is not just compiling the dance piece but also deciding on the costumes, props used, lightings and the other tits and bits of a show.
Educational qualifications needed to be a good Choreographer
Is it not silly that even a choreographer has to have some educational qualifications? Well, indeed yes. Although the basic work of a choreographer is nowhere related to any college degrees but to be a certified and well renowned dance composer, some formal training and degrees give an upper hand. In India, the formal training for any child generally begins at a very novice age. The several classical dance forms from all over the nation are great ways to develop a strong base. The preliminary training can be taken from the numerous dance schools strewn across the country and are quite demanding. Long hours of tedious training and a life governed by strict disciplines shape a young talent into a workable platform. After this, if the person feels that taking up a career in dancing as a full time or even a part time choreographer suits him or her, he or she can get professional training in several other dance forms, both western and folk. The most popular ones are Ballet, jazz, Indian and western contemporary, the Latin American Ballroom dance forms, hip-hop etc. The best way to learn the diverse dance forms is by enrolling into some dance company. There are a number of good dance companies operating in all the major cities of India and charge reasonably. Apart from getting an exposure to a wide variety of dance forms, the other benefits include increased job opportunities and experience. Although no formal college degree is needed to be an active choreographer in India, it is preferable if you plan to start a career in the US or any other western nation. Three years bachelors' degrees are given to the successful candidates by the dance and fine arts departments in several colleges and universities. Some people take up a separate line of studies too secure their future after their shot in choreography. Studying languages, history and some technicalities of filmmaking adds an edge over an average choreographer.
Personal traits that help you become a Choreographer
Unlike many other genres of work, which do not require many personal traits, dancing and choreographing in particular is quite different. There are several qualities that must be present in an individual to have a stable and prosperous career. To start with, interest in a big factor. Just like all other careers woven around fine arts subjects, success in dance or any other type of choreography is highly determined by personal interest. You simply cannot make anyone dance; forget alone compiling a routine, if he or she is not interested in the thing. Although, talent is an innate trait, the level and finesse of your choreography is increased manifold with regular practice and observation. This implies to the fact that it is indispensible to be a very hard working and dedicated learner in order to shine as a professional dance composer. A well-toned body with a high endurance level is another physical attribute that is beneficial for an aspiring choreographer. Since, choreography deals with several other things apart from the basic dance routine, one must also have a quick learning capacity and sharp senses to take the basics of the allied avenues. Having a good imagination often helps the person to set up the entire routine well before the actual choreography starts. It is by now clear that a choreographer is not a solo player but has an ensemble to work with, so being a team worker and building a rapport with the dancers and other members of the team is necessary. Closely related to this attribute is another trait, which is very important is having a good communication skill and expressivity. As already mentioned earlier, the life of a choreographer is full of rules, having self-discipline and abstinence from ill habits like smoking, alcohol or drugs. These not only have the potential to destroy your dancing career but also have fatal effects on your health.
Nature of the work when you become a professional Choreographer
Be it choreographing for your school fest or an international event to be held in Cannes, the nature of the work and the responsibilities are very much the same (although the magnitude varies greatly). Contrary to the popular belief, the work of a choreographer is much more than just composing a routine on a song. No doubt that is the main job that you do as a choreographer but there are other things like costume designing, light arrangements, script (if any) and many others. All these areas are important to complete a dance or drama sequence. Often, while working for a movie or a drama, the choreographer has to work in unison with the director, dialogue writer and scriptwriter. Therefore, the nature of the job also includes basic knowledge of these work fields. Another very important and preliminary step in this whole process in the selection of dancers. The choreographer mainly does the auditioning as he or she has the exact description of the routine and likewise the requirements in the dancers. As they say, the process of learning never ceases, it is so true for this profession. No matter how stable and renowned choreographers you become, you always have to keep learning and experimenting with your styles to produce innovative and creative pieces.
The condition of work and work area in this career option
Primarily, choreographers are the people who rarely come before the stage but without them, no performance can even be thought of. When we sit in the auditorium and enjoy the scintillating performance, hardly do we think that how much hustle and bustle goes on in the background. The amount of hard work and the number of hours of rehearsal that goes behind each successful program is simply awe spinning. This is a general trend in India as well all other countries, without an exception that dancing and composing an entire sequence definitely takes a heavy toll on a person's health. This is the basic reason that most dancers quit their active careers by the time they reach mid-40s. However, if we talk solely about choreography, the working years is extended into the 50s also. Unlike majority of the western nations, the condition of dance and its allied agencies is not particularly good in India and except the metropolitan cities; there is not much development in terms of infrastructure and facilities. Rendering to the high level of competition in this area, it sometimes becomes a little nasty due to dirty plays by a few. To sum up, it is indeed an extremely tasking job but the results are equally delightful.
Sub-categories within the career
Just like any other job prospect where you get to select the area of your specialization, in the field of choreography too, there are several sub-disciples for you to choose from. The choice you make should be very wise as it is very easy to make a name in any particular genre of dance but it is indeed tough to show and prove your versatility. largely depending on the dance you love, you can either be a professional specializing in Indian classical dance forms like kathak, bharatanatyam, Manipuri, oddissi etc. other very interesting forms are the colorful and diverse folk dances. India is a land of a rich folk culture and the dances and songs that the villages and tribal settlements treasure are simply astounding. Although new but a lot of interest has been seen in these dances and forms like Chau, the Naga bamboo dance etc. Other western forms like ballet, contemporary, funk, hip-hop, jazz, Latin American forms and many more are also hot favorites. Besides specialization, you can opt for a general career, include parts of all major dances, and create a pot-pourii of interesting steps and styles.
Job opportunities for a Choreographer
No doubt, self-satisfaction and pleasure are important things in any job but finally all the hard work and strenuous efforts boil down money. Becoming a full time choreographer is indeed a risky choice, especially in a country like where even today, there is not much respect and consideration for the non-conventional career options like the one in discussion. However, in the recent years, this conception is changing and with it are newer and broader job prospects coming up. Some of the most prominent areas that you can work in are listed below.
Conventional choreography: It includes all the dances and routines performed in shows and stage events. Competitions are also a part of conventional choreography.
At production houses: It mainly deals with films and T.V serials and is a more complex form of choreography as it includes the basics of direction too.
Acrobatic choreography: It is a relatively new area, the people work with gymnastic, and circus troops, design, and compose their routines.
In schools as instructors: It is another good area as more and more schools and colleges lay a lot of emphasis on dancing nowadays.
Apart from these regular options, there are several innovative areas, which are gaining a lot of attention and appreciation in the recent years. Some of these are cheerleading routine composers, choreographers for the disabled (special) people, designing the stunt sequences etc. Market analytical studies show that the amount of employment in these avenues will increase substantially in the years to come and thus, a career in choreography is certainly a promising one.
Remunerations
In India, the starting salary of a choreographer is subject to many factors. Depending on where you work, the type of choreography that you are into, it can be anything from Rs.15000 to Rs.18000 per month. With experience, it can go upto a whooping Rs.30000 per month. In addition, the amount is not fixed for choreographers who work in stage shows and events.
The benefits and lows of having a career in Choreography
The major pluses of this career are the fact that it gives a very good platform to highlight your versatility and do what you love - Dance! In the list of cons, the most disturbing one is the negligence in India and the tedious nature of the work.
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