Choreographer onboarding at a glance

Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.

Before day one

Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
Verify required credentials: Dance degree, Teaching certifications (as applicable)
Prepare equipment and access: studios; sound systems; video cameras; music software
Assign a buddy or preceptor
Enroll the new hire in Choreographer training so foundations are covered before or during week one

Week one: orient and protect

Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
Warm up dancers
Check floor surfaces
Plan lifts safely
Watch for fatigue
Shadow an experienced choreographer through a full shift
Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)

Days 1–30: learn

Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.

Supervised practice: teach a new routine efficiently
Supervised practice: clean a group section
Supervised practice: build a choreography reel
Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins

Days 31–60: contribute

Goal: handle a regular workload independently.

Create dances: independently
Teach routines: independently
Run rehearsals: independently
Audition dancers: independently
Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
60-day check-in

Days 61–90: own

Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.

Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
Begin cross-training on a secondary task
Agree on a credential goal (for example, Dance degree)
Discuss the career path: Dancer → Assistant Choreographer → Choreographer
90-day review

Competency checklist

Skill or task	Trained	Observed	Signed off
Teach a New Routine Efficiently
Clean a Group Section
Build a Choreography Reel
Dance technique
Composition
Music analysis
Teaching

How to measure onboarding success

Time to first independent project
Revision rounds per project
On-time delivery rate
90-day retention

How Choreographer training maps to this plan

Introduction to the Choreographer Role
A Day on the Job
Essential Choreographer Vocabulary
Core Duties and Responsibilities
Common Tasks, Step by Step
Tools, Equipment and Technology
Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
Skills Employers Look For
Launching Your Choreographer Career
Final Knowledge Check

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Choreographer Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)