Becoming a professional dancer is no small feat, and even once you've broken into the industry, there's no room for slacking off. The pros have to stay at the top of their game for years on end, and along the way, they have to take on many different dance styles and work with all kinds of choreographers, dance captains, and fellow dancers. 

Still interested in going pro? Then you're in the right place. 

If you're looking to get into the industry, then you might be asking, "What skills do you need to be a dancer?" The bad news is that there are plenty of skills you'll need, but the good news is that every one of them is achievable if you're truly committed to the craft and willing to learn new things. 

This article will walk you through some key skills that you'll need to develop if you want to become a professional dancer and remain a professional dancer for an extended period of time. 

Dedication to physical fitness

For the average person, staying fit is about looking good and staying healthy. But in dance, physical fitness is a core component of your dance abilities. 

If you're not staying in shape, then dance becomes more difficult, period. You might suddenly find that you were previously able to handle a certain style, but that this style has become far more challenging on a physical level. 

And sure, even if you stay on top of your exercises and stretching, injuries do still happen, but the chances of injury can be greatly reduced if you're consistent in your training. 

Of course, fitness also extends to your diet and certain aspects of your lifestyle. Everybody's different, so we won't make specific recommendations here. Instead, we recommend talking with a nutritionist, your dance coach, or your personal physician to get a better idea of what would work best for you.  

No matter what your fitness routine ends up looking like, you need to stick to it 24-7 if you want to keep dancing at the highest possible level. 

Communication & collaboration 

We won't say that embarking on a solo dance career is impossible, it's definitely not the most likely path for most dancers. 

So that means working toward a career in dance and keeping that career going will involve tons of collaboration with other dancers and artists, and forming connections with these people can be hugely beneficial to your career. 

If you're dancing as part of a company or a competitive team, it goes without saying that you need to be a team player, when you're performing and also when you're training or just hanging out with your fellow dancers. 

But you should also try to see your entire dance career as an opportunity to be a part of a community. 

If there's a specific choreographer in your area who you'd like to work with, reach out and ask how you can get involved. 

If you're currently studying at a dance academy or taking classes elsewhere, don't be afraid to talk with instructors, asking for advice and tips on how you can get your start.  

If you already have a substantial CV of past performances, then you can be a bit bolder in your approach. Maybe try your hand at choreography, enlisting the help of dancers you've worked with before. 

Outside of specific projects, it's also just nice to have some friends and colleagues along for the ride as you chase your dream. 

Adaptability + versatility, feat. Joanne Liebenberg

If there's one thing expert-level dancer Joanne Liebenberg made clear to us when we consulted her for this article, it's that talent alone isn't enough to be successful in this industry.  

"There is so much more to becoming a professional dancer than just talent. There are hours of dedication and hard work that go into technique training, a variety of dance styles, picking up choreography, and building confidence." 

Liebenberg recently performed in 'Unleashed,' the Halloween show of Shade Productions, at the Showcase Theatre. Earlier this year, she was cast in the lead role of the production 'The Thorn,' which toured all over Colorado, and a filmed version of the show will be released in movie theaters nationwide next year. 

Joanne Liebenberg

Liebenberg has also been asked to judge Breakout Dance Competitions and Beyond the Stars Dance Competitions scheduled for 2023. 

As for what it takes to become a pro, she believes strongly that one of the single most important skills for dancers to develop is adaptability, since this skill applies to so many different aspects of this highly specialized line of work. 

Liebenberg emphasized how adaptability allows a dancer to cope with hectic scheduling and handle many different dance styles. If you embrace variety, then you can develop all your other skills as well.  

"In this industry, you cannot escape pressure and exhaustion but rather incorporate them into your lifestyle. You need to be able to diversify quickly and expect the unexpected on contract. The incredible thing about this industry is that you are always learning, growing, and adding to your basket of skills."

To put this another way, you can't simply be a one-trick pony and expect every single job and every single show to go exactly the same way. That's just not how things work. 

But if you're able to feel comfortable with the changes and even start to enjoy the challenge they represent, then you'll find it much easier to move forward. 

Motivation

If you want to become a professional dancer, then you need to stay motivated. For a young, aspiring dancer, that probably sounds pretty easy. At the start of any career, it's not that difficult to stay energized. 

But over time, you'll be challenged in many different ways. You might not get the part you were hoping for. You might miss out on an important audition. Or you might need to take on some less-than-desirable side jobs to make ends meet. Oh yeah, and don't forget that every step of the way you'll be competing directly with other skilled dancers.

And this is when your motivation is going to be tested. You'll be forced to question your commitment to the craft, and every single time, you'll need to say yes to dance. 

Otherwise, everything will feel more like a struggle, and any bumps in the road will be discouraging, rather than motivating you to try even harder, to prove what you're really capable of. 

We chose to close out on this particular skill because we feel that it's essential to developing all of the other skills we've talked about throughout the article. 

Staying motivated leads to improvements on all fronts, and the very best part is that any success you find will fuel your motivation even further. 

If you know what your goals are and how to go after them, then every session, every performance, and every collaboration can bring you closer.