5 Professionals Share What They Wish They Knew Before Starting Their Dance Career
Hindsight is 20/20, and we don’t have the luxury of knowing what the future will bring when making decisions about our dance career. Fortunately, we have the next best thing - professional dancers who have gone before us and are generous in sharing their wisdom and experience! I am so grateful to these five women for taking the time to give us a little insight into what they wish they knew before starting their dance career in the hopes that it will make your path a little smoother.
Marianne Basing
The Joffrey Ballet, Dresden Semperoper Ballet, Estonian National Ballet, Oakland Ballet
“So many things! Mostly I wish someone had told me there was no correct way to go about this career. There is no way to do it perfectly, or be “perfect.” It’s important to work hard and smart. It’s important to keep a sense of humor always. Never settle for what you’ve accomplished, be proud of all of it, but always be working on you; your technique, your strength, your freedom in expression. This career can be really hard, but this career can also be amazing. Have fun!”
Photo credit: Ron Rothenberg
Olivia Cianciulli
Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Charlottesville Ballet, Louisville Ballet
“I wish I had prepared mentally for the ever changing need to conform to varying artistic visions of different directors. We prepare physically for dancing at the company level but often neglect the mental and emotional challenges of company life. While we begin our journey as artists dancing for our own enjoyment it can be challenging to have our growth in a company depend upon our willingness to adapt and conform to the unique perspective of a director and choreographers.”
Photo credit: Donna Cole
Gina McFadden
The Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, State Street Ballet, The National Choreographers Initiative
“I wish I would’ve known how to care for my body and mind specific to my own needs. Too often I would look around at other dancers and try to mimic their self care. I found out later that self-care, nutrition, warming up, etc. is so individual to each dancer’s needs.”
Carrie Millikin Euker
Missouri Contemporary Ballet, David Taylor Dance Theater, Milwaukee Ballet II
“No one wants you to fail. Most directors and higher-ups want to see you succeed! Ballet can have toxic work environments (just like any other job) but generally speaking people are in support of you whether you know it or not. Seek out advice from them and do not be shy!”
Photo credit: Nichole Manner
Alice Wells
Louisville Ballet, Missouri Contemporary Ballet, Bowen McCauley Dance, Garret-Moulton Productions
“I wish I had known to be myself in auditions instead of trying to be what I thought the directors were looking for. I ended up having the most success booking jobs when I stayed focused on the combination at hand and let my body do what I had trained it for. I also wish I had known that it’s okay to allow my career path to shift and change along the way. As long as the work I’m doing is fulfilling, then it’s the right job for me at the time!”
Photo credit: Jeff Bassinson, courtesy Missouri Contemporary Ballet
Based on my own experience, I couldn’t agree more. I honestly got chills reading these answers.
Of course, I had to add my two cents. 😉 So what do I wish I knew?
Success is subjective! To find fulfillment in your dance career, you have to define success based on what matters to you. So many of us spend our careers chasing a goal based on what our teachers, parents, and peers deem to be important. A dance career requires extreme focus, dedication, and perseverance - three things that can create magic when put toward a goal you are passionate about, but will quickly lead to burnout if your values are mismatched with the end target.
I wish that I had done the work to think about what my values were as a young dancer. To find the confidence to pursue a career based on what would make me happy, not what I perceived would make other people think I had “made it”. If you’re currently struggling with this, I highly recommend you take a look at The Brainy Ballerina® Intentional Career Handbook. I wrote it for you - an aspiring dancer who is ready to not only learn about the intricacies of the dance industry but also about yourself, your motivations, your dreams, and your goals. I can’t even express how much it would have helped 15-year-old Caitlin to own her choices with confidence - I know it will help you too!
Meet the Author
Caitlin Sloan is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI.
Caitlin received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri.
She danced professionally for nine years with companies including Ballet Tucson and Missouri Contemporary Ballet (now Mareck Dance). Caitlin has taught at schools all over the Midwest, most notably serving as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Youth Company Director for Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. She is currently on faculty at the School of Madison Ballet.
Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina® in 2019, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Follow @thebrainyballerina on Instagram for your daily dose of dance career guidance and inspiration.
