Becoming a professional dancer requires a combination of skills, patience and passion. One cannot wake up one day, do two hours of practice and expect to be as good as a professional dancer who has been in the game for a long time. No, one must understand that to become a professional at anything, you have to be willing to follow some laid down rules and instructions and hope for the best.

Dancing requires combining sound and rhythm to make a pleasurable experience. This means that without sound– music, dance will just be another form of entertainment without depth and that would make the world of dance monotonous and boring. In this article, we’ll take a look at 5 tips to put in mind if you want to become a professional dancer in no time.

Practice, practice, practice

It is a well-worn saying that practice makes perfect. To become a professional dancer, you must understand that you can’t be perfect overnight. You have to show up, work, and watch for the results. And although you do not require a degree or formal education to be a professional dancer, you cannot overemphasize the importance of training.

Training helps you build the muscles that are needed for flexibility in dancing. Of course, not all forms of dance require you to be flexible, but if you want to be a professional dancer, flexibility is key.

For instance, breakdancing and other forms of hip-hop dance require you to be able to twist, turn, pop and lock, and all these take a great deal of flexibility. This flexibility doesn’t come by refusing to practice as much as possible. So, put on your training gear today and practice some dancing styles you’ve seen around.

Take classes from a variety of teachers

Why get information from one source when you can get it from several sources? This applies to learning how to become a professional dancer. Take classes from various teachers, whether virtually or physically. The key is to remember that different teachers have different methods and styles that they teach, and in order to become a professional, you have to be able to dance in different styles.

Go out of your way to learn styles you are not comfortable with. Remember, real growth comes from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and doing things you will ordinarily not do. This might mean signing up for a hip-hop dance class and a ballerina dance class. Mix up the styles, information and teachers– versatility helps to cement your stance as a professional dancer.

Network with other dancers

One of the fastest ways to become a professional dancer in no time is to network with other dancers because no man is an island of knowledge. Building relationships with people that have the same end goal as you open doors to more learning opportunities as you can decide to hold practice sessions with these people, increasing your chances of becoming a versatile professional dancer.

Also, networking with other dancers can help you get access to job opportunities should you decide to pursue dancing as a career. These fellow dancers will always remember to hit you up when there’s a need and this helps you grow your personal brand as a professional dancer.

Take care of your body

As a dancer, your body is your greatest asset. It can make or break your career as a professional dancer, depending on how well you pay attention to it. So, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, drink plenty of water, ensure you follow your skincare routine religiously and remember to take your supplements. Your body, as a dancer, determines how far you go in your quest to become a professional dancer.

Remember that every dancer you admire takes care of their body. Imagine if you were to be a breakdancer and one day your ankles refuses to respond to your prompt and you were performing in front of a stage. Wouldn’t that spell disaster for your career? Of course, it would! Take care of your body so you do not take that kind of chance.

Enjoy the journey

Away from the technicalities of being a professional dancer, remember to have fun and enjoy every step of the journey. When it feels as though you’re not making any progress and you are tempted to give up, remember that no one became a professional dancer overnight. Not even your favourite dancers.

Also, remember that you started your journey to becoming a professional dancer because you had a genuine passion for dancing. Don’t let the plenty of rules and technicalities make you forget that dancing is supposed to be fun and free of worries!