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Lead dancers are the highest rank in a dance company, achieved through years of training and talent. There are different levels of dancers, with the highest being the principal dancer. Becoming a professional dancer is difficult and requires dedication, with low pay and high injury risk.
A lead dancer, also known as a lead performer, is a dancer in a dance company that performs lead roles in productions. This term is often used in ballet, but it can also apply to other disciplines; it is the highest rank a dancer can achieve, and there are usually several in each company. Becoming a principal dancer requires years of dance training, usually starting at a very young age, and a lot of talent as well. Professional dancers spend many hours every day in dance classes and rehearsals, as well as performing. Dance is extremely competitive and it is difficult to make a living as a professional dancer.
There are several different levels, or rankings, of dancers in a dance company. The highest level is the principal dancer, also known as a prima dancer, a status that is usually only achieved after working in the other ranks. Most dancers start out as a member of the corps de dance, or corps de ballet, and dance in every group scene in a production. The next level is generally known as a soloist; these dancers manage to play important roles, but not usually as the central character. Finally, a select few can rise to the rank of lead dancer and dance the lead roles, spending a lot of time on stage.
To reach the level of lead dancer, an individual needs to have a lot of dedication. Determination and hard work are required as the dancer must start training from an early age. Dancers often begin taking lessons as early as the age of three, and those who show talent may attend several classes a week or even attend classes every day. In order to become a professional dancer, it is generally recommended that young dancers join a dance studio affiliated with a dance company, as many companies tend to recruit heavily from their own schools. Once an individual becomes a professional dancer, he or she continues to spend hours daily in classes and rehearsals to refine technique, in addition to performing at night, while working his or her way up to a higher position in the company.
It is very difficult to become a professional dancer, and only the most talented and dedicated manage to achieve principal dancer status. Competition is fierce. As a profession, dancing has a high level of injury risk and relatively low pay. Low wages often make it difficult to get enough money; many dancers work additional jobs to support themselves. Principal dancers often earn more money than lesser members of the company, especially if they become well known; other benefits are that they have a job participating in the art form they love, dancing in the most coveted roles.
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