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Professional Ballet Dancer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Bella Ballet Kentlands

Dance Instructor

Gaithersburg, MD · On-site

$35 - $45/hr

Reliable, professional, and committed to excellence * Inspiring role models * Comfortable in a fast ... Ballet (ages 7-18): Let's empower the next generation, one dancer at a time. Compensation: $25 ...

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Professional Ballet Dancer information

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$23

$46

How much do professional ballet dancer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for professional ballet dancer in the United States is $23.06, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.42 and $38.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some typical challenges faced by professional ballet dancers during a performance season?

Professional ballet dancers often encounter challenges such as managing physical fatigue and preventing injuries due to demanding rehearsal and performance schedules. Balancing multiple roles, adapting to different choreographers' styles, and maintaining peak physical condition throughout the season can also be demanding. Additionally, dancers must collaborate closely with other company members and artistic staff to ensure cohesive performances, which requires strong communication and teamwork skills.

What is the difference between Professional Ballet Dancer vs Ballet Instructor?

AspectProfessional Ballet DancerBallet Instructor
CredentialsDance degrees, professional training, auditionsDance experience, teaching certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentStage performances, touring, rehearsalsDance studios, classrooms, workshops
Employer & Industry UsageDance companies, theaters, touring companiesDance schools, academies, community centers

While both roles require a strong dance background, a Professional Ballet Dancer primarily performs on stage, showcasing their skills in productions. In contrast, a Ballet Instructor focuses on teaching and training students, often working in educational settings. Both careers demand dedication to ballet, but their daily activities and career paths differ significantly.

What are professional ballet dancers?

Professional ballet dancers are highly trained performers who specialize in the art of ballet, a classical form of dance characterized by grace, precision, and formalized movements. They often work with ballet companies, performing in productions such as 'Swan Lake' or 'The Nutcracker.' Their daily routine includes rigorous practice, rehearsals, and performances, as well as maintaining their physical fitness. Ballet dancers typically start training at a young age and dedicate many years to perfecting their technique and artistry. Their careers often involve traveling, auditions, and continual learning to maintain peak performance.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Professional Ballet Dancer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Professional Ballet Dancer, you need advanced technical ballet training, physical strength, and a deep understanding of dance theory, typically gained through years of formal education at a recognized dance school. Proficiency with stage production systems, rehearsal software, and familiarity with various choreography styles is often required. Exceptional discipline, resilience, teamwork, and the ability to communicate emotion through movement are crucial soft skills. These abilities enable dancers to deliver compelling performances, handle the physical demands of the profession, and collaborate effectively within a company.
What cities are hiring for Professional Ballet Dancer jobs? Cities with the most Professional Ballet Dancer job openings:
What states have the most Professional Ballet Dancer jobs? States with the most job openings for Professional Ballet Dancer jobs include:
Professional Ballet Dancer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Professional Ballet Dancer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, and 99% Full Time. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $47,962 per year, or $23.1 per hour.

2026-2027 National Visiting Fellowship for Ballet Teachers (5 Openings)

School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center

New York, NY

Other

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

SAB OVERVIEW

The School of American Ballet (SAB) at Lincoln Center, founded by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, is the preeminent ballet school in the country. Our mission is to train professional dancers for careers in classical ballet. We provide the resources for a diverse pool of students to train at the highest level - with 15-25 a year going on to dance for New York City Ballet, our official but independent ballet company, and other major ballet companies worldwide. SAB has a far-reaching impact on the art form and enriches the lives of each student who comes through its doors, over 800 annually, ages 6 to 18. SAB has approximately 90 part- and full-time employees and an operating budget of $17 million.

NATIONAL VISITING FELLOWS PROGRAM

The School of American Ballet (SAB) invites U.S.-based classical ballet instructors with a proven commitment to teaching students from diverse backgrounds to apply for the National Visiting Fellows Program.

Visiting Fellows are invited to attend two all-expenses-paid sessions during SAB's Winter Term, where they observe a range of SAB classes, meet with faculty to discuss SAB's curriculum and strategies for progression, teach SAB students and receive faculty feedback, and discuss relevant topics in dance education with administrative staff and faculty. In addition, the home school of each Visiting Fellow receives a monetary award of $5,000 to strengthen existing educational programs or to establish new opportunities for student support.

Applicants will be selected based on various qualifications, including, but not limited to, teaching quality, information about the community served, and the individual's commitment to serving diverse student populations. The School of American Ballet encourages submissions from diverse applicants. Fellows will be selected and notified by early August 2026.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications must be submitted by June 30, 2026.

DATES OF 2026-2027 FELLOWSHIP
  • Fall: October 26-October 31, 2026 (travel to NYC October 25)
  • Winter: Virtual class observation to take place February/March 2027
  • Spring: April 26-May 1, 2027 (travel to NYC April 25)
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
  • Observe a complete range of SAB Winter Term classes.
  • Attend curricula and technique demonstrations with students and faculty.
  • Meet with SAB faculty members to discuss training methods and other relevant topics.
  • Serve as a Teaching Assistant for select Children's Division classes in partnership with an SAB faculty member.
  • Provide Zoom access for SAB faculty to virtually observe a live class at your home studio between fall and spring sessions.
  • Teach an Upper Children's or Intermediate Division class utilizing the SAB curriculum and receive feedback from SAB faculty.
  • Meet with School Leadership to discuss administrative operations and building an inclusive environment for today's ballet students.

Requirements

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FELLOWSHIP, YOU MUST
  • Be at least 21 years old and have a minimum of five years of teaching experience in classical ballet.
  • Be currently employed by a U.S.-based dance academy or studio. Non-U.S. citizens are welcome to apply, if the affiliated school or studio is in the United States. Artistic directors are welcome to apply.
  • Have a demonstrated and documented commitment to serving students from diverse backgrounds in ballet.
Application Requirements

RESUME OR CV

Include dance training, professional performing experience (if applicable), and teaching experience

DESCRIPTION OF CURRENT POSITION/TITLE AND ORGANIZATION

The application will ask you to:

  • Provide an overview of organization's training programs and a summary of the student body demographics.
  • Include a written description of classes you teach, including class type (ballet, pointe, etc.), class level (beginner, intermediate, etc.), class size, and ages taught.

STATEMENT OF INTENT

In a few sentences, explain your interest in participating in the Fellowship and your commitment to providing dancers from underrepresented backgrounds in ballet with opportunities to develop their potential towards professional careers.

LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM ORGANIZATION

Provide a letter from your organization's artistic leadership endorsing your application. (Not applicable if the applicant is an Artistic/School Director.)

VIDEO TEACHING SAMPLE

Recorded in-person ballet classes are requested and should highlight applicant's ability to give clear directions and corrections to their students, rather than promote student performance. Video samples are meant to demonstrate how the applicant teaches their students and how they prepare and develop students for the rigors of classical ballet. Applicants will be evaluated on how they teach and communicate information to students.
We request all videos be uploaded to a streaming service such as YouTube or Vimeo prior to submitting the online application. You will be required to provide a link/url to your final video(s) in the application. Links that require the video to be downloaded are not accepted. Additionally, please do not provide links that require an invitation to a specific email address to view (such as in the "private" setting for YouTube uploads).
Note that you do not need to compromise your privacy to submit a video. To keep your videos private on YouTube, choose the "unlisted" setting (instead of the default "public" setting) when you upload your video. An "unlisted" video will not be publicly viewable in your YouTube channel and cannot be found through a YouTube search. Vimeo users can update their privacy settings by selecting "People with the private link" under "Who can watch." This will hide the video from your Vimeo channel and searches. For an added layer of privacy on Vimeo, you can add a password by selecting "people with the password," which you must then provide on the application.
For Video Guidelines, click here: https://sab.org/diversity-and-inclusion/national-v...

Benefits

  • Two all-expense-paid trips to New York City for the fall and spring sessions.
  • $5,000 grant to support existing or new programming for participant's affiliated school.
  • $1,000 weekly stipend for each onsite residency at SAB.
  • $250 stipend for virtual class observation and 1:1 with SAB faculty during Winter Term.
  • One complimentary ticket to a New York City Ballet performance (provided fellowship visit occurs during NYCB season).

Apply