Throw out everything you think you know about resumes. The commercial dance industry has it's own way of clearly detailing your list of credits in a concise way that's easy for casting directors, agents and choreographers to glance over. In this post I will outline how to create the perfect commercial dance resume that will make your first impressions lasting ones.
Find out how to make your résumé work for you.
Throughout my career I learned there's a few things you MUST have in your marketing kit to be a successful dancer and the first is to have a clear, concise résumé. Before you go to any audition, draft a resume that best represents you and your skills. Your resume speaks volumes about who you are as a dancer and a business, so always turn in your best work. Below is a foolproof guide on how to create the ideal commercial dance resume. Tackle these steps and you'll be booking in no time!
Format. Commercial dance resumes follow the 3-column format.
Column 1: Project Title (ex. Saturday Night Live),
Column 2: Role (ex. Featured Dancer)
Column 3: Production co., Choreographer, Director, or all (ex. Danielle Flora)
Heading. Make sure to include the following at the top of your resume.
Name (centered, bold, and the should be the largest text on page)
Union Status (SAG-AFTRA, Sag Eligible, Non-Union, etc). Should go under name
Agency Name/Logo
Contact info (Address, phone # and fax #). If you have an agent use their contact info, if not, use yours.
Height, eye color, hair color
Rows. You want to order your credits with the most recent at the top and divide them into the following categories (in this order). Categories should be in bold and underlining them is optional.
Film
TV
Music Videos
Live Performance/Theater
Print
Industrial
Training: Follows a 2 column format where the first column includes name of school/conservatory, and the second column includes the subject and name of teacher(s).
Special Skills: In one column list your special skills ( things you are really good at). You can include anything from jump rope to basketball. You may also list your visa status here if you are not a US citizen.
If you don't have a lot of credits, don't worry. Focus on highlighting your accomplishments, training, and who you've worked with over the years. Put everything on there (even the credits you think are "small." You never know what may pop out to a casting director. Other things to keep in mind while drafting your commercial dance resume:
Separate your dance resume from your acting, choreography and legit resume.
Keep it to 1 page
Use the examples provided below as a guide to help you get started
If you have any questions while creating your resume don't hesitate to ask me. You can also send me a quick DM on IG if you need immediate answers.
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