CGC Ebook 5.0

Dance and Musical Theatre

Sector Outlook The dance economy employs around 4 0,000 people in a variety of roles that include dancers, choreographers, technicians and managers. In addition roles exist for community dance practitioners, promoters, producers, designers, publicists, technicians, physiotherapists, writers and academics. Since the pandemic growth of the sector has been slow in terms of audience attendance. However TV shows such as "Strictly come dancing" and " Lord of the Dance" attract large audiences. To find out about the wide range of careers go One Dance UK for more information. There are at least 450 dancers in West End musicals, 209 on board cruise ships, 539 in contemporary dance and 262 in English and Scottish ballet. There are more opportunities than ever before for classical ballet dancers as long as you meet the standard required by companies such as the Birmingham Royal Ballet or the English National Ballet. Equally, contemporary dancers may find employment prospects with companies such as Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company or the Scottish Dance Theatre. Dance also offers career opportunities in education, health and recreation. According to the Central Council for Physical Recreation, dance is a popular activity for 10% of the UK population. When searching for work its therefore worthwhile looking out for any initiatives in your local area. There are over 500 theatres in the UK generating £ 1.9 billion turnover supporting 134,000 people (74,000 are self employed) London’s West end contributes around £1. 1 billion with 65% of people going to see musical theatre shows such as Cats, Miss Saigon or Les Miserables. Arts Council subsidy funding is contracting but still weights towards London. The total contibution to the economy from the sector including eating, accomdation is around £3.9 billion. So the sector supports a wide range of other businesses and workers. Around 18 million tickets are sold each year, despite the numbers being lower than pre-pandemic levels, the sector is bouncing back. Websites to look for work include www.artsprofessional.co.uk/jobs, www.thestage.co.uk and www.scottishtheatre.org advertise a variety of job titles . To successfully find employment in the sector you will need to achieve technical qualifications, gain relevant experience and demonstrate initiative for an industry that operates on a tight budget. Above all, you will need the determination to succeed and to love what you do.