Being a Dancer

How do I get a job as a dancer? Where and when should I train? How can I protect my body from injury? How do I become a choreographer?

These and many more such questions asked by young or aspiring dancers are answered in this book – the most revealing and instructive book yet on what it means to be a dancer.

Here is advice from some of the best dancers and choreographers in the world, crossing the fields of ballet, contemporary, South Asian dance, musical theatre and hip hop, and covering subjects both motivational and mundane, from tapping into your own reserves of creativity and resilience, to the important matter of when to eat your pre-show banana.

The twenty-five experts in these pages have performed with the likes of the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Rambert, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures and BalletBoyz; they range from stars of the West End stage to TV talent-show successes and Kylie's backing dancers – as well as some of Britain's leading choreographers.

They are Carlos Acosta, Matthew Bourne, Teneisha Bonner, Darcey Bussell, Lauren Cuthbertson, Maxine Doyle, Tommy Franzén, Adam Garcia, Jonathan Goddard, Matthew Golding, Melissa Hamilton, Wayne McGregor, Steven McRae, Stephen Mear, Cassa Pancho, Seeta Patel, Arlene Phillips, Arthur Pita, Kate Prince, Matthew Rees, Tamara Rojo, Kenrick 'H2O' Sandy, Hofesh Shechter, Aaron Sillis and Marlon 'Swoosh' Wallen.

'I'm obsessed and passionate, and it is my whole life, but it is only dancing' Wayne McGregor. Read an extract from Being a Dancer published in The Guardian.

Blog Post: Lyndsey Winship on her own personal love affair with dance, and what working on Being a Dancer has taught her: 'The main thing I learnt from compiling this book is that while some people might be born with talent, turning it into success is not so much about the gift, but the graft. Even if I’m too late for my own dancing career, that’s actually quite an inspirational idea...' Read more >>