Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Choreographer

🎯 Role Definition

The Choreographer is responsible for creating, directing and refining original movement content for theatrical productions, dance companies, commercial projects, film and television. The role leads rehearsal processes, casts and coaches dancers, collaborates across design and production departments (music, lighting, costumes, staging), and adapts choreography to meet creative, logistical and safety constraints. Ideal candidates combine exceptional creative vision with practical production experience, strong pedagogical skills and the ability to document, preserve and modify choreography for multiple contexts.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Assistant Choreographer or Dance Captain at a theatre, touring company, or commercial production
Professional Dancer with experience in multiple genres who begins leading rehearsals
Dance Instructor or Movement Specialist transitioning into production choreography

Advancement To:

Artistic Director or Creative Director of a company or dance ensemble
Head of Movement / Movement Director for film and television
Director-Choreographer for large-scale musicals and touring productions
Choreography Consultant, Teacher of Masterclasses, or Residency Artist

Lateral Moves:

Rehearsal Director
Movement Coach / Movement Consultant for actors
Dance Supervisor for film, TV or commercials

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, develop, and stage original choreography that aligns with the director’s vision, story arc and musical score for stage, screen, or commercial projects, ensuring coherence across scenes and acts.
Create detailed movement concepts and phrasework for principal actors and ensemble dancers, including gender- and body-inclusive adaptations that preserve artistic intent.
Lead casting sessions and auditions, evaluate candidates’ technical and interpretive skills, and select dancers who best serve the project’s stylistic and narrative needs.
Plan, schedule and run rehearsals from initial concept through technical rehearsals and opening night, providing progressive lesson plans, clearing artistic milestones and maintaining rehearsal notes.
Coach and mentor performers to refine technique, character-based movement, musicality and partnering skills; provide tailored corrections and progressions to accelerate learning.
Collaborate closely with directors, musical directors, stage managers, and production designers to integrate choreography with scenic changes, lighting cues, costume constraints and sound design.
Edit and adapt choreography to fit venue dimensions, staging limitations, cast size changes or touring variations while preserving stylistic integrity and narrative purpose.
Produce clear documentation of movement using video records, written notation (e.g., Labanotation or Benesh) or annotated rehearsal notes for revival, licensing or restaging purposes.
Work with music editors and composers to adjust tempos, phrase lengths and cue timing so choreography and music align precisely during performance and technical runs.
Oversee physical safety and injury prevention during rehearsals, implement warm-up/cool-down protocols, coordinate with physiotherapists or movement specialists when necessary, and enforce safe partnering practices.
Coordinate with costume and wig departments to verify that movement is achievable in performance attire and advise on modifications to support safety and clarity of movement.
Supervise and direct dance captains and rehearsal assistants, delegating repetition sets, corrections and maintenance work while ensuring consistency across multiple casts or understudies.
Manage budget-related aspects of choreography including rehearsal space bookings, dancer fees, costume fittings specific to movement needs, and minor prop or set pieces used in choreography.
Prepare and present movement concept proposals, demo reels or movement workshops to producers, creative teams and potential funders to secure greenlights or supplemental creative support.
Integrate diverse dance styles—classical, contemporary, street, folk, ballroom, commercial—into coherent movement vocabulary that supports the production’s tone and audience expectations.
Coordinate remote or video-based rehearsal workflows for long-distance casts or pandemic-impacted schedules, providing clear asynchronous assignments, recorded corrections and safe solo alternatives.
Troubleshoot blocking or sightline conflicts by adjusting formations, entrances and exits to maintain visual clarity for the audience and camera framing for recorded productions.
Ensure legal and ethical compliance around music licensing, choreography rights, performer credits and union regulations (e.g., SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity) when applicable.
Develop and teach company movement workshops, masterclasses or community engagement sessions to enhance company technique, outreach and brand visibility.
Serve as the movement consultant during tech rehearsals and previews, making real-time edits in response to staging, lighting or sound changes and maintaining performance consistency under pressure.
Advocate for inclusive casting and movement accessibility, adapting choreography for performers with different abilities and recommending reasonable accommodations without compromising artistic standards.
Create and maintain an organized archive of choreography files, rehearsal videos, and notation to facilitate future revivals, licensing, teaching and marketing use.
Represent the production at press events, marketing shoots and promotional performances when required, demonstrating sequences and explaining choreographic choices to media and stakeholders.

Secondary Functions

Assist production teams with scheduling and resource coordination related to rehearsal space, props and ancillary crew needed for choreography execution.
Support talent negotiations by providing scope-of-work estimates for choreography deliverables, rehearsal hours and touring commitments.
Contribute to the creative development process by participating in script reads, creative meetings and storyboard sessions to align movement with overall storytelling.
Participate in outreach and educational programming tied to the production, leading community dance sessions, school workshops or professional development classes.
Maintain ongoing professional development by attending industry showcases, festivals and conferences, and by researching new movement trends, technologies and accessibility practices.
Collaborate with videographers and editors to capture performance footage for showreels, social media promotion and archival material.
Advise producers and stage management on stretcher or first-aid readiness when choreography includes high-impact lifts or stunts.
Provide constructive feedback and formal performance evaluations for dancers and rehearsal staff to support career growth and company standards.
Facilitate understudy and swing rehearsals to ensure performance coverage, continuity and consistent execution across cast changes.
Work with legal or licensing teams to prepare choreography excerpts and documentation required for publishing, licensing or transfer of movement rights.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Expertise in creating and staging choreography across multiple genres: contemporary, ballet, jazz, musical theatre, hip-hop, tap, ballroom and commercial dance.
Proficiency with choreography documentation methods (video logging, Labanotation, Benesh, annotated scores) and digital tools for choreography and rehearsal management.
Strong musicality: ability to read scores, edit tempos, place cues and collaborate with musical directors to synchronize movement and sound.
Rehearsal direction and classroom pedagogy: planning progressions, breaking down combinations and delivering clear technical instruction.
Partnering, lifts and acrobatic movement proficiency with strong knowledge of safe spotting and strength conditioning principles.
Staging and blocking for different performance environments, including proscenium, thrust, arena, site-specific locations and camera/studio settings.
Casting and talent evaluation: assessing technical ability, acting potential, physical suitability and ensemble chemistry.
Production coordination skills: understanding of lighting cues, costume limitations, scenic elements and stage mechanics.
Knowledge of performer health, injury prevention, anatomy and appropriate warm-up/cool-down protocols.
Familiarity with union rules, contract terms and music licensing implications relevant to choreography and performance.
Experience with digital rehearsal workflows, self-tape direction, and remote coaching tools (video annotation, Zoom, rehearsal platforms).

Soft Skills

Creative leadership: inspirational direction, maintaining a clear artistic vision and motivating performers through constructive feedback.
Clear communication: articulating movement concepts, corrections and staging choices to diverse stakeholders including directors, designers and performers.
Collaboration and diplomacy: working effectively across departments and responding constructively to notes and constraints.
Adaptability and problem-solving: quickly revising choreography to accommodate cast changes, venue limits or technical issues.
Time management and organization: creating efficient rehearsal schedules, meeting deadlines and prioritizing learning objectives.
Emotional intelligence and mentorship: supporting dancers’ mental and physical well-being while promoting professional growth.
Attention to detail: refining timing, spatial geometry and ensemble synchronization to achieve polished performances.
Resilience under pressure: maintaining focus and decision-making during tech runs, previews and high-stakes performances.
Teaching patience: breaking down complex movement into approachable segments for learners at varied skill levels.
Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity: designing movement that respects cultural sources and promotes equitable casting and representation.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Professional dance training (conservatory, diploma or equivalent) or significant professional performance experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Dance, Choreography, Performing Arts, Theatre, Movement Studies or related fields.
Certifications in dance pedagogy, movement therapy, or relevant athletic/rehab courses are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Dance / Choreography
Performing Arts / Theatre
Kinesiology / Movement Science
Music or Music Theory (for strong musical collaboration)
Physical Therapy or Dance Medicine (beneficial for injury prevention knowledge)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–12+ years of professional experience in choreography, rehearsal direction or as a lead dancer on major productions.

Preferred:

5+ years creating choreography for professional stage or screen productions, with credits in theatre, touring shows, commercial campaigns, TV or film.
Demonstrated portfolio of staged works, demo reels, and written/recorded documentation of choreography.
Experience working with unions (e.g., Actors’ Equity, SAG-AFTRA) and familiarity with production budgets and contractual obligations.