Dancers are fun to watch, but we often don’t see all of the hard work, training, and preparation that goes into a dance performance. Continue reading to learn all that goes into an event dance performance, from rehearsing to choreography; we will cover it all.

How do dancers train?

If you ask a professional dancer how long they’ve been dancing, they’ll probably smile and say something along the lines of, “I’ve been dancing since I was 3 years old.” Even for dancers who start later in life, by the time they’ve become professional they probably have at least 6 or 7 years of training under their belt.

How do dancers train? Aspiring pre-professional dancers often go to class 5 times a week for hours a day. In dance class, dancers hone in on their technique, practice choreography, and strengthen their muscles. Most dancers nowadays have to be versatile, meaning that can’t just train in one genre, like ballet. They also have to train in hip hop, jazz, tap, and other contemporary dance styles. Even after training for years and reaching a level of technical proficiency, dance jobs are guaranteed for dancers. A part of a professional dancer’s job is to constantly go to hundreds of auditions just to get one “yes” from a casting director.

Needless to say, training to be a professional dancer is hard. If you see a professional dancer, that means they really love the art form!

Coming up with Choreography

Dancers don’t just automatically start dancing the same moves when they are together. Dance numbers have to be choreographed. While some choreographers allow their dancers a few moments to freestyle, 98% of what you see on stage is choreographed.

Before setting moves on their dancers, a choreographer spends time picking a song and coming up with movement. Coming up with interesting choreography takes time. Choreography can also be affected by props, the amount of space, what type of floor the dancers are dancing on, and any requests for a client’s customized dance performance. Wedding dancers, for instance, sometimes have to adapt to either carpet or slippery floors.

Rehearsing the Dance Number

A lot of rehearsal goes into a choreographed dance number for an event. Once the number is workshopped and choreographed, the choreographer will then set the piece on their dancers. After the dancers have picked up the choreography, the choreographer or rehearsal director will “clean” the dance number. This means they watch the piece for any errors from the dancers and fix any parts that look messy.

Rehearsing for an event dance performance, such as a staged dance show or a wedding dance performance can take anywhere from a few days to a few months. For shorter numbers, such as wedding dance numbers and some event dance performances, dancers often have to learn the choreography quickly a few days prior and are expected to “do their homework” and rehearse on their own time.

Getting Ready and Warming up

On the day of the performance, dancers have a checklist of things to do before the show. First, for most dance shows, the dancers have to do their own make-up and hair. For make-up, dancers usually have to wear heavy foundation, fake eyelashes, and lipstick. Their hair has to be hairspray-ed or gelled down so there are no flyaways.

Once stage-ready, the dancers have to warm up their muscles so they don’t get injured while performing. For some dancers, their warm-up is basically a mini workout, targeting the muscles they’ll use in the show.

Where to Find Event Dancers for Hire Near Me

Now that you know how much hard work goes into creating a choreographed dance show, you are probably eager to find event dancers for hire near you! At Deya Events, our event entertainers are highly-skilled professional dancers who thrive on creating memorable experiences. Contact us today to book a dance show for your wedding, corporate event, or party!