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Resumé Writing for a Dancer

The purpose of a resumé is to give the reader enough information to determine if the applicant fits the job description requirements. Therefore the resumé must include some essential information. A dancer must include information in their resumés that is different from resumés for office jobs or corporate positions.

Height, for example, is very important because the Artistic Director may be looking for a partner for a specific dancer already in the Company. Nationality also is important since most companies have a limit of international dancers they are permitted to employ and work visas take time to clear immigration.

1. Personal Information such as gender, height, age, nationality, working phone number and or cell phone, address where we can send correspondence, working email address;

2. Training: the names of the schools, colleges, universities where you have studied and level attained; how long you studied there; what years you studied there; your teachers (you may want to contact the most recent ones if you are a new professional and ask if they would be willing to write you a letter of reference);

3. Professional Experience: Names of companies you have danced with and the years you were there, the Artistic Director and contact information and any other useful information;

4. List of repertoire danced and the roles you danced and the year if possible. If you danced in several versions of the same ballet, name the version, the role danced and the composer and the choreographer;

5. Any other experience, eg: teaching, choreographic;

6.    A List of competitions you participated in and any prizes/awards received;

7. Any interests or hobbies you participate in other than dance, eg: play the piano, paint, martial arts, etc.

8. Other items you should include because you are a dancer are:

• Professional quality 5x7s taken of you, either in black and white or color. They should show your line and you should be dressed in typical ballet class dance leotards or in costume. Make sure you are not being photographed on a black background if you are wearing black.
• Include a recent DVD of a performance or rehearsal. Please clearly identify WHO YOU ARE on the DVD.  If there are other dancers in the footage indicate who you are (If we can't see you we can't hire you). All photos & DVDs should have your name clearly identifying you as the dancer. Write on the DVD not just the sleeve or case. Protect DVDs in bubble wrap when mailing. Almost all unprotected DVDs arrive broken. All DVDs must be in NTSC format for North America. We cannot convert each DVD that is in the wrong format (we receive 600 a season and 60% of those are outside of Canada).

9. Our auditions take place annually, usually in February or March.  For more information about upcoming auditions, phone 403-245-4222 ext 546 and speak to Donna, Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director.

10. We do not hire from a photo or DVD alone. Private auditions are only arranged through the Artistic Director's office. Phone 403-245-4222 ext 546 and speak to Donna, Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director.

11. Materials should be received before the audition and you will be contacted. You must tell us which audition you want to attend. Some auditions are by invitation only. You must be in touch with us first and send your DVD for our committee to see, and then we will be in contact if we are interested in inviting you to the audition. By early April our decisions are made and contracts have been offered for the next season.

12. If we do not contact you it means that you did not meet the criteria we are looking for in our next season.

Note: We request that you mail your package of information since opening emails with attached photos, resume etc. endangers the security of our system. We will not open attachments from unknown senders.

Mail or courier all your information to our Calgary office:

Alberta Ballet
Attn: Auditions
141 18th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta  T2S 0B8
Canada

**Please do not send your info by email**

Remember that your resumé is a marketing tool and you are the product. What you say in your resumé will be your introduction. A list of all of your training and experience creates interest in your future employer so that they will want to meet you and see you dance. If you feel that this is a task you have no experience in, then ask someone who has experience for help. Parents, family members, friends, professional resumé writers and teachers could help you. You need to plan well in advance. You can store your resumé on your computer and update it regularly.

Good luck,

Donna Renna
Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director
Alberta Ballet
Calgary, Alberta