Possible careers with dance qualification- what can plan B look like?!

[Hawthorn]

Hi. I'm new to the forum and to the world of dance. My 11yo son has been offered a place at a vocational school. I'm very proud of him, I'm sure he'd have an amazing time,  and he's keen to go, but I'm concerned about it as I can see how competitive the dance world is and am worried about him limiting his future career choices. He's talked about being a teacher. What other fields do dancers go into if they don't make it into a ballet company? Thanks in advance!

[balletbean]

1 minute ago, Hawthorn said:

Hi. I'm new to the forum and to the world of dance. My 11yo son has been offered a place at a vocational school. I'm very proud of him, I'm sure he'd have an amazing time,  and he's keen to go, but I'm concerned about it as I can see how competitive the dance world is and am worried about him limiting his future career choices. He's talked about being a teacher. What other fields do dancers go into if they don't make it into a ballet company? Thanks in advance!

Hi. Please remember those that graduate vocational school also attain academic qualifications. So they aren’t shutting any doors by attending a vocational school at 11yrs. Many also go on to achieve A levels which can be used straight away or even stockpiled for later on. There is nothing to stop the vocational pupils then applying to uni to study for any degree incl a PGCE. 
There’s also the possibility of applying for RAD HQ to train as a ballet teacher. 
A UK graduate of RBS (without A Levels) who performed professionally with several companies for about 8 years is now a fully qualified Hospital Dr specialising in emergency care in the States.  
Whilst dancing tends to carry an expiry date for age there are too many other careers that don’t...... 

The world is truly their oyster.  It’s attitude and aptitude that will matter not age. 
☺️

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Hawthorn and welcome to the Forum!

 

We've had discussions before about possible career paths beyond school and perhaps 11 is a bit too young to be thinking too far ahead.

 

From reading the forum for many years I know that, apart from academic qualifications (as mentioned by ballet bean) ballet training gives youngsters all sorts of life skills that are much sought after by employers.

 

I am sure other members will chip in with advice.

[Harwel]

Absolutely anything they want to do!  If they are happy doing what they love, with like minded people (especially important for dancing boys - teenage peers are not often very understanding or kind in the general secondary school population), they will thrive. And the discipline, work ethic and self composure can be applied to absolutely anything. 

[oliviaT]

Hi my daughter is just finishing performing arts 6th form. They are all leaving with 3 a levels or equivalent.

 
There is quite a long list of what people in her year group are going on to do: 

Musical theatre degrees 

Contemporary dance degrees 

Primary education 

Drama degrees 

Drama with teaching 

Dance school teacher training 

A couple are going straight into employment / starting apprenticeships

Working with youth groups / children’s sports 

Costume design 

Choreography 

Stage management 

 

Some have moved away from a dance focus altogether and have successfully applied for other things. Some have continued to have an interest in dance but moved away from the performance element and chosen a different route. 

 

 

[Peony]

Are you in the UK? Children in UK vocational schools all continue with normal academic schooling until sixteen so he wouldn’t be reducing any options (and will probably have a much better idea of future aspirations at that stage). I’m not sure if the same is true of all countries though?

[glowlight]

My dd never achieved her childhood dream of joining a ballet company, but she did have a successful career as a dancer on cruise ships.

 

This gave her wonderful life experiences and helped her to build a range of work place skills which are valuable to any employer.

 

These included

• Team working skills
• Customer Service skills
• Organisational skills
• An appreciation that sometimes you just have to 'get on and do it' even if you don't agree with it!

When she retired for ships she had a period of 3 or 4 months working in cafés and helping in our family business while she worked out her next steps.

 

She ended up landing a job as a trainee in a web design company.  They trained her in the technical skills and now, 5 years later, she is a Team Leader.

 

She didn't do A levels, but that hasn't been a barrier to her building a new career outside of dance.

[Legseleven]

I have just seen the announcement that Beatriz Stix-Brunell, First Soloist of the Royal Ballet, is leaving the company to attend Stanford University. How amazing - and how heartwarming to see tangible proof that pursuing a dance career from an early age need not limit future steps in any other direction at all! 

[Lusodancer]

My DD , a vocational student since aged 10, has completed A levels in her own time, a teaching qualification, Benesh Notation modules , a pilates instructor course, alongside full time dance studies resulting in a level 6 diploma and all before reaching 18 years old, and now has to choose between converting Level 6 diploma to Level 6 BA( with reduced years), or joining a pro-professional program or company or having had a political awakening given the current Brexit/ Covid/ underfunding of education/ underfunding of culture and arts that she is wanting to sign up to a BA in Politics ,or address these issues in a BA Dance dissertation.

Whatever, she chooses, discipline learned in the studio, concentration, dedication and time keeping will carry her through. She has her heart set on being Minister for Culture and Arts in 20+ years, ready to defend our corner.

Believe you me, dance students are fit for anything and everything.

[glowlight]

When my dd was young and wanted to be a dancer, I felt that the only shot she had was while she was young.  Very few people can switch to a  dance career if they haven't trained from a young age (I know ...there are a few exceptions).

 

We instilled in her the importance of school work, and getting good GCSEs, but beyond that were happy for her to pursue the dancing dream, in the knowledge that academic studies can be picked up when you are older.  

 

@Lusodancer - what a wonderful Minister for Culture and Arts your dd will be, because she will know the issues from the inside.

[Lusodancer]

On 04/06/2021 at 10:50, glowlight said:

what a wonderful Minister for Culture and Arts your dd will be, because she will know the issues from the inside.

Yes , when the present government announced that' Fatima is retraining', they had no idea of the poltical monster they were creating.

Wishing strength. resilience and patience to all our artist children, their teachers and company directors ( oh, and us).