53120 – Dancers
TEER 3Occupations usually requiring a college diploma or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training
Lead statement
Dancers perform as soloists, with partners and with other dancers as members of dance groups and companies.
Main duties
- Practise and rehearse dance routines under direction or instruction to achieve desired interpretation and presentation
- Perform dances as soloists or as members of groups before live audiences or for film or television
- Train and exercise to maintain the required levels of ability and fitness
- May choreograph their own performances.
- Teach dance technique and artistic interpretation to amateur and professional individuals and groups
- Teach the techniques, cultural origins and symbolic meanings of Aboriginal, ethnic and folkloric dances
- Teach recreational dancing lessons such as ballroom dancing
- Prepare dance students for specific auditions and performances.
Employment requirements
- A university degree or college diploma in dance orGraduation from a private dance school or academy may be required.
- Talent and ability, as demonstrated during an audition, are important hiring criteria.
- Membership in a guild or union related to the occupation or type of performance may be required.
- Dance teachers usually require experience as dancers.
Example job titles
ballet dancer · classical dancer · dancer · interpretive dancer · interpretative dancer · group dancer · line dancer · ballet teacher · ballroom dancing teacher · classical dance instructor · line dance teacher · group dance teacher · dance instructor · dance teacher · dancing instructor
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $20.10 | $32.94 | $50.00 |
| Quebec | $18.33 | $32.69 | $50.38 |
| Ontario | $20.10 | $31.88 | $47.32 |
| Alberta | $20.00 | $35.00 | $50.00 |
| British Columbia | $24.00 | $37.89 | $60.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.