Side Gigs I’ve Had as a Professional Dancer
It’s no secret that many dancers in the industry are underpaid and overworked. And while we’re pushing for change, the reality is that many of us will take on side gigs to support ourselves financially, especially when we’re first starting out. I found it necessary to have a side gig during my entire professional ballet career in order to support myself. Of course, some of these gigs were better than others and eventually I fell into my dream job!
Have you ever wondered what kind of side gigs might work for a professional dancer? Here’s a list of ways I supplemented my income throughout my professional dance career, including the pros and cons and my ranking on a scale of 1-10.
Waitress
At Monkey Burger, with fellow Ballet Tucson dancer Emily Baker (we danced together at Missouri Contemporary Ballet too!)
This was my first side gig as a professional dancer. I somehow carved out a tiny niche for myself within the burger industry, working at restaurants including Cheeseburger in Paradise and Monkey Burger.
Pros: Discounted/sometimes free food. High pay potential, especially on busy weekends. Get to work with fun people.
Cons: Late hours. Labor intensive. Customers can be rude, especially to the wait staff.
Rating: 6/10
Landscaper
I worked for a company called Bloomin’ Gals, an all-female landscaping crew, for a summer. Each day we would pile into a car and drive to different houses and businesses around the metro Detroit area to weed, mulch, plant flowers, and lay sod.
Pros: Fresh air and sunshine! Great cross-training. Weeding is my hobby - I honestly love it.
Cons: MULCH - enough said. Work is weather dependent - if it rains you don’t work or get paid.
Rating: 8/10
Music Video Extra
When I first started dancing with Missouri Contemporary Ballet, my Director had been hired to choreograph for a music video and they needed extras. Basically, I hung out at a bar for 4 hours and got paid. Unfortunately, I don’t think I ended up in the video at all.
Pros: Easy work and fun to see the behind-the-scenes of how a music video set is run- overall not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
Cons: Lots of hurry up and wait. Seemed like it would be glamorous, but it was actually pretty boring.
Rating: 7/10
Product Representative
Doing a demo at Clovers Natural Market (Columbia, MO) in 2014
There was this amazing company called Barre founded by two professional dancers with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. They made delicious food bars and they would pay reps to go give out samples and spread the word at their local grocery stores.
Pros: Free bar(res). Flexible schedule.
Cons: Having to flag people down and make small talk (introvert 🙋🏼♀️).
Rating: 7/10
Babysitter
Babysitting is an awesome gig if you find the right fit (and if you like kids of course!). I babysat for some amazing families - for a year when I danced at Ballet Tucson I would babysit from 7-9 am every morning before I headed to rehearsal so the mom could have a little peace and quiet in the morning - a concept I totally appreciate as a mom now!
Pros: Kids are super fun and it’s a nice change of pace.
Cons: Exhausting (physically and mentally).
Rating: Depends on the situation - anywhere from 2/10 to 9/10
House/Dog Sitter
This is the absolute best gig. Board members or friends of the company would ask me to stay at their house and watch their dogs while they went out of town. As someone living in a one-bedroom apartment and missing her family dog, getting to stay in these fancy houses and play with cute puppies was a total dream.
Pros: Stay at beautiful houses. Play with cute puppies.
Cons: Nothing.
Rating: 10/10
Dance Teacher
Guest teaching at Forte Academy of Dance in Waterford, Michigan
Ahh…the side gig that became my destiny. I first started teaching dance primarily for the income. It paid similarly to waitressing but with marginally better hours and allowed me to stay within the dance industry. Little did I know that I would reach a point where I found teaching more fulfilling and exciting than actually performing myself!
From teacher to School Director to now Founder & CEO of The Brainy Ballerina, teaching is my forever love. It’s not for everyone, but it grabbed me and never let go.
Pros: The opportunity to pass on all of your knowledge to aspiring dancers. Build rewarding and lasting relationships. Make a difference in a dancer’s life. Explaining concepts helps to refine your personal technique. Lots of Starbucks gift cards 😉☕️.
Cons: Can be late hours. Lots of prep time involved.
Rating: 12/10 ♥️
I’m sure there are way more side gigs I’ve had over the years…but these were the most memorable!
Now I want to hear from you:
What’s the craziest side gig you’ve ever had? SHARE in the comments!
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.
