How to Find Dance Performance Opportunities as an Adult Dancer

Taking classes and reaching milestones in your dance technique is fun all on its own, but at some point, most of us want to put all that effort into a performance!

The costumes, lights, music and characters bring our love of dance to life.

Performances are where our personalities and true artistry get to be expressed in a potent and fulfilling way.

However, it can sometimes feel tricky finding these opportunities when we're no longer children at a studio with biannual recitals or part of a competition/performance team.

So, here are 4 potential ways for adult dancers to perform and enrich their dance lives:

1. Social Media!

This may seem obvious to many, but if you don't already realize what an incredible opportunity social media is for performers, allow me to spell it out for you.

Not only do you have access to potentially millions, even billions of people, you can perform WHENEVER you want.

Whether its YouTube, Instagram Reels and posts, on a personal website, Facebook, TikTok and so on....there are so many platforms where you can share your choreography (or someone else's if appropriately credited) and put on a complete show!

As adults especially, we have to validate ourselves in our craft and how we choose to pursue it. We need no one's permission but our own. And now thanks to technology, we don't need anyone else to put on a show. Do your makeup, style yourself, and share your talents with the world.

Another advantage of online performances is you get as many retakes as you want! Falling on stage is a nightmare of the past with uploaded videos....but people like to see that too, so live on the edge and post the first take or live-stream your performances.

Either way, social media has changed the game and you have more control than ever when it comes to performing.

2. Local Community Colleges

Sometimes, there is nothing that beats a stage and present audience, so consider looking into dance classes that are offered at a local community college.

Many community college dance courses are more affordable per hour than a traditional studio and they often have end of semester performances.

This is a great opportunity to dance with adults (many well into their 20s,30s,40s+) and perform on stage for a live audience.

These are often accepting environment with typically less "clicky" atmospheres because students are always coming and going. It's a great opportunity to meet wonderful instructors and peers who may connect you to more performance avenues in the future.

3. Local Facebook Groups

Instagram and TikTok may be the new frontier, but when it comes to group pages Facebook still has some of the most established local pages of the three platforms.

Try searching for location specific groups. Let's use Austin, Texas as our example. Insert your current or desired location in place of Austin and under the "Pages" category on Facebook, search terms such as:

"Dancers in Austin"

"Austin Dancers"

"Austin Dance Community"

"Dance Group Austin"

Dancers in Austin is a Facebook group with 1.2K group members where dance troupes, dancers, choreographers, and studio owners from all over Austin post about upcoming events, performances, auditions and much more. Finding a group like this specific to your area will offer countless opportunities to engage in the dance community and find chances to perform, audition, and meet other dancers!

It's a tried and true method and it can lead to countless chances to network in person and perform more regularly.

4. Talk to Studio Owners

If you are currently taking adult classes at a local studio there may be opportunities for performing you are unaware of or that you can facilitate! Adult classes tend to vary greatly in participation, so many studios don't include their adult classes in end of year performances. However, sometimes all it takes is a conversation!

Instructors/studio owners are often willing to include adults in their performances but it is simply a lack of initiative or expressed interest that prevents this. If the teacher/studio owner agrees and there is even a small group of regulars in the class interested in committing to a performance, often simply asking is all it takes to get the ball rolling.

Adult performances are beneficial to the studio and the dancers. The studio gets to showcase their adult classes which may lead to more students, and current students become more invested and consistent. Just keep in mind that the best time to broach this conversation is often in the summer/early fall or after the holiday season in mid-late January.

Don't be shy about asking for this opportunity to perform if it's not offered outright.

Finding chances to perform as an adult dancer through these 4 avenues are likely to create a domino effect of new connections and new opportunities. You inspire others to create and work toward their goals when you continue to perform, so I hope this helps you find your next stage (virtual or otherwise).

Happy Dancing,

Taylor