Skills
Choreographer Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in choreographers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do choreographers need?
Choreographers need technical skills such as dance technique, composition, and music analysis, plus people skills like creativity and leadership. They also use tools such as Studios and Sound systems.
Technical (hard) skills
- Dance technique
- Composition
- Music analysis
- Teaching
- Notation or video documentation
- Rehearsal direction
People (soft) skills
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Communication
- Patience
Tools, equipment and technology
- Studios
- Sound systems
- Video cameras
- Music software
- Mirrors
- Notation tools
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how choreographers put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Dance technique” and “Composition.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “creativity,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Dance degree near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our choreographer glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Choreographer training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.