How to hire choreographers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries. • Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance. • Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment. • Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects. • Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers. • Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography. • Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture. • Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, speaking, monitoring, learning strategies, reading comprehension and critical thinking skills • Working knowledge of fine arts • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $26.59 an hour ($55,310 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for choreographers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What choreographers do
- Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
- Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
- Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
- Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
- Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
- Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
- Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
- Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for choreographers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 4 to 6 years (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: 5 years or more (BLS)
- Training on the job: Long-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.1% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 600 openings a year (BLS)
Related hiring guides
- Dancers
- Music Directors and Composers
- Musicians and Singers
- Actors
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
- Producers and Directors
- Art Directors
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Therapists, All Other
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.