How can I be a dance choreographer?

Question:

How can I be a dance choreographer?

I want to be a choreographer for a big dance company such as Philadanco. How can I make this happen?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The best way to start is by earning your BFA in dance. Some programs even offer a focus in choreography, but if the artistic caliber of the program is high enough, that isn't necessary. There is a ton of choreographic talent amongst college dance faculty all across the country, so there are plenty of places to choose from. The biggest problem is trying to see enough college performances in order to get a taste of the artistic styles available and whether the caliber of the student body is strong enough to dance those styles.

Of course, The University of the Arts is practically a feeder school for Philadanco because so many current and former company members teach in the program and several UArts graduates have become members of the company. However, as you can tell by Philadanco's repertoire, they draw their works from many outside influences. Therefore, you should also seriously look at programs such as Ailey/Fordham and LINES/Dominican. (Both the Ailey School and LINES offer summer intensive programs that you should consider as well.)

Of course, The Juilliard School is renown for producing great choreographers as well as great dancers. Some of those graduates can now be found teaching in other college dance programs, such as the University of Michigan, which I also recommend for excellent choreography teaching. Marymount Manhattan is one of the schools that offers a focus in choreography. But that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I think aspiring choreographers like you actually have a tougher time finding the right college programs compared to aspiring performers because the artistic fit is so important. You're going to have to do a lot of reading and exposing yourself to a wider range of choreographers and their works. Subscribe to Dance Magazine, read the bios of choreographers in programs, and look up your favorite choreographers on the internet. The more you can inform yourself, the better you'll be at finding the right college program for you. That is where your path starts.