So You Wanna Be a Professional Dancer?

So you want to be a dancer? Grown up dancing, taking classes and doing dance recitals wishing you were always the star of the show? Want to get paid to perform? Dancing might be for you. While it can be quite rewarding it is also very challenging. Here are some pros and cons for you to consider...

Pro: It's paid exercise
You basically get paid to exercise so you'll be in great shape. You have to be, it's your job. To be the best you can possibly be you might still want to go to the gym and take other classes but you are being paid to exercise during all your rehearsals and performances.

Con: It's very hard on your body
Because you're exercising so much daily your body does take a toll. While you can help it out by eating properly and maintaining a pampering routine to aid sore muscles and rough skin, it does continue to worsen. Your body can only take so much.

Pro: There's a lot of variety
As a dancer you don't do the same thing everyday until you get to the actual show schedule and even then you may or may not has a consistent routine or schedule. You also have the opportunity to travel quite a bit and experience various cultures. You can also dance in various arenas of the dance world; stage, film, television, music videos, sports teams, amusement parks. There are tons of options and with each one comes an entirely different array of duties.

Con: Your career is fairly short
Dancers can only dance for so long. There are some exceptions to the rule; tap dancers can dance longer than any other while ballerinas rarely dance longer than ten to fifteen years full-time.

Pro: You get to live out a dream many dream but few complete
Most little girls and many boys dream about being a dancer. But few ever get that chance. You'll be an idol to numerous young people. They'll look up to you and want to be like you.

Con: One injury can end it all
One injury really can end it all. Break a major bone or fracture something so severely you have to sit out for a couple months and that could be the end of you. Have some problems with tendons and they won't let you go on. You're an athlete as a dancer and are treated just like other athletes. There are always others looking to fill your spot.

Being a professional dancer has a lot of personal rewards but it is very taxing on your body and is typically a short career. Good luck to those who wish to pursue it.