See yourself shaking legs professionally a few years down the lane? This article discusses the annual pay scale of a ballet dancer, and gives you an all new reason to choose this field of career!
A career in performing arts require more passion, and less education. This statement might sound contradictory at once, but think about it. How many people in this world get to turn their passion into their career? Not very many. Today, when you’re given a chance to think about taking up your passion for ballet dancing as a career, waste no time. There are millions in this world who leave their homes every morning to a job they never planned on, the evil that this thing called money is, that made them compromise with their dreams.
If you know ballet dancing, and you know you’re good at it, it’s time you forget about the world, and chase your passion. In my view, that’s how the process of minting money should be. You love what you’re doing, and doing what you’re loving. With that quoted, for the very aim of this article allow me to shell out some important information on how much do ballet dancers make on a yearly basis, so that if you’re thinking of becoming one, you’re well-versed with the pay scale part. So, here goes.
Pay Scale of Professional Ballet Dancers
Ballet dancing is one of the most strenuous forms of dancing, and demands a great body. For a ballet dancer, there are a number of options this interesting career entails. For instance, if you’re keen to work on administrative position after working as a professional dancer for a few years, you can resort to becoming a coach, an artistic director, or a choreographer too. Salary range for ballet dancers on all positions differs in accordance with the workplace they choose, the geographical region they pick, and most importantly, their individual talent that sets them apart from others.
As astonishing as it may sound, unlike other careers where salary range increases as a person gains experience, for ballet dancers, it’s the opposite. For the reason that ballet dancing requires greater physical abilities, many dancers stop dancing after the age of 40. The reason behind it is the fact that ballet dancers are paid highest when they’re at the peak of their physical abilities, and can take up even the hardest of challenges in dancing.
Aging and degrading physical fitness often makes experienced ballet dancers resort to administrative positions, discussed above. With that in mind, let us finally gain insight about the average pay scale of a ballet dancer in the United States of America, with respect to all major states in the country.
- Arizona – $46,000
- California – $55,000
- District of Columbia – $59,000
- Florida – $50,000
- Georgia – $53,000
- Illinois – $55,000
- Kansas – $48,000
- Louisiana – $39,000
- Maine – $51,000
- Massachusetts – $59,000
- Michigan – $47,000
- Minnesota – $50,000
- New Jersey – $53,000
- New Mexico – $46,000
- New York – $60,000
- North Carolina – $50,000
- Ohio – $49,000
- Pennsylvania – $49,000
- South Carolina – $48,000
- Texas – $50,000
- Utah – $48,000
- Virginia – $53,000
- Washington – $47,000
- Wisconsin – $43,000
Note: The annual salaries given above are approximate and are subject to change.
The above salary figures clearly explain that New York pays ballet dancers the highest, the annual salary being $60,000, while states like Louisiana and Wisconsin pay comparatively lesser, salaries being $39,000 and $43,000, respectively. For those wanting to know how much do choreographers earn, the salaries of ballet choreographers are almost 50 percent less than what professional ballet dancers earn. Even a city like New York pays ballet dance instructors and choreographers approximately $25,000 per annum. One can also say that only those dancers switch to choreography who aren’t interested in earning heaps of money, but are keen to carry their passion for ballet dancing forward.
Ballet dancers begin with their training at the tender age of 5, and start performing at a professional level at the age of 16 – 18 years. While the average salary may not be that mind-boggling, many dancers have to work overtime, or supplement their income from other jobs. All in all, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only those who’re most talented find regular employment. Thus, if you believe you’re unique, and can think of a secured future as a ballet dancer, the road that leads to chasing your passion awaits your embarkation!