Commercial Dance: 5 Career Paths for Commercial Dancers

Commercial dance is choreography for music videos, concerts, films, musical theater, advertisements, television shows, or other entertainment or promotional experiences. Inspired by diverse genres of dance—such as hip-hop, breakdancing, krumping, and jazz dance—commercial dance encompasses different forms and dance techniques.

Commercial dance is performance in the entertainment industry, whereas contemporary dance concerns performances with a repertory dance company. Both commercial and contemporary dancers have a foundation in many dance styles, but their base dance training differs. While commercial dance programs train dancers in hip-hop, jazz, theater dance, tap, and street dance, contemporary dance intensives focus on modern dance, classical ballet, and lyrical dance.

Since contemporary dance is a style of interpretive dance that embraces innovation, it relies on improvisation and versatility. Dancers explore the mind-body connection and ideally evoke emotion in the audience. Contemporary dance is also sometimes considered a form of storytelling, as its routines may communicate abstract ideas, such as ethical values, acceptance of self, and timely social issues. While storytelling and skill are also crucial for commercial dance, this type of dance focuses primarily on entertainment.

Commercial dancers train to work in the entertainment industry, but job opportunities exist in several fields. Most commercial dancers work freelance, auditioning and picking up different jobs according to the season. Commercial dancers can get dance gigs in:

1. 1. Advertisements: Some advertisements use background dancers to capture the target audience’s attention and persuade them to buy a product or subscription. Commercial dancers working in marketing perform a routine that promotes brand awareness and generates sales.
2. 2. Amusement parks and cruise lines: Spaces dedicated to entertainment, such as theme parks and cruise ships, utilize a variety of shows to engage guests. As a commercial dancer working for an amusement park, you may perform dance routines with costumes and choreography that reflect the park's theme. Cruise lines often feature dance performances related to the ship’s destination and shows choreographed to entertain children.
3. 3. Broadway productions: There are also opportunities for commercial dancers to work and perform in musical theater settings. New York City is a hub for performance opportunities across mainstage productions on Broadway. As a Broadway dancer, you perform in many different shows throughout your career.
4. 4. Music: The music industry has different job opportunities for commercial dancers. You can audition to be in a singer’s backup dance crew or music video. It’s common for commercial dancers to perform alongside several artists each year, as this work can be less steady. Commercial dance students can network with different industry professionals—including producers, agents, and choreographers—to land jobs in the music dance industry.
5. 5. Television and film: TV series and Hollywood films often incorporate lively dance routines. TV and movie musicals hire commercial dancers to perform large group routines.

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