Assistant Choreographer
Assistant Choreographers work with Choreographers to help them to realise their dance or movement design concepts. Choreographers may involve Assistants in the creative process before starting work with performers.
Assistant Choreographers work with trained Dancers, and with Actors, to teach them the required steps and routines, and to ensure that continuity is maintained throughout productions. They are usually employed on all film productions involving dance routines; however, due to budgetary restrictions, they are only employed on larger-scale musical and/or dance television productions.
What is the job?
Assistant Choreographers are briefed by Choreographers about the production, and about the types of steps or routines required. Assistants may work with Choreographers to design the routines, and to experiment in studios, before starting rehearsals with the performers. T
hey may help the Choreographer with any research required into period or contemporary dance styles. Alternatively, Assistants may start work once Choreographers have designed the routines, and must learn the steps quickly, and retain that knowledge throughout the process, so that they can assist in training performers.
Dancers should be able to learn and adapt quickly to any steps and routines they are taught, but different techniques are required for teaching routines to Actors, as it may be necessary to adjust the movements in order to find a style that suits the characters they portray.
The movement is almost always narrative driven. If an Actor has to learn different dance styles, and a partner is required for rehearsals, an Assistant Choreographer may work with them as their dance partner in order to ensure that the routines match the Actor's abilities and capabilities, and also so that the Choreographer can see how the routines look as they develop, and before scenes are shot.
Assistant Choreographers may book Dancers, and arrange for their transport to and from studios. They also rehearse Actors and Dancers, in some cases with the Choreographer, in other cases alone. If the Choreographer is involved in working with the Director, the Assistant Choreographer is available to work with the Director of Photography, and the First and Third Assistant Directors to prepare performers for routines, and also to help the DoP to set up shots using monitors to see how the movements will work on screen.
During filming, they provide another pair of eyes to check movements on monitors, and to ensure the continuity of performances. Assistant Choreographers must have very close working relationships with Choreographers, and provide a supporting role. As Choreographers are not always present throughout productions, they should be able to trust their Assistants to carry out their instructions, and to remain faithful to the original dance concept.
Typical career routes
Assistant Choreographers usually start their working lives as Dancers. They may become Dance Captains (who are responsible for ensuring the continuity of the dance, but who have no creative input into its design) in theatrical productions, progress to become Assistant Choreographers, and ultimately Choreographers.
Essential knowledge and skills
Assistant Choreographers must be able to retain the steps and routines for each character. They may be required to be imaginative and to contribute ideas to the routines. Assistant Choreographers need a wide knowledge and experience of different dance techniques, including both historical and contemporary styles.
The Choreographer may also have to adapt sequences, or create new routines at very short notice, which the Assistant must be able to teach quickly to Dancers or Actors. Assistant Choreographers should be quick thinking, as they often work under great time pressures, but they must remain calm throughout. They must adopt a disciplined approach to their work, and this is acquired during their training as Dancers.
Key Skills include:
Training and qualifications
Assistant Choreographers must be qualified Dancers. Courses are available at specialist schools which cater for young people from 10 years of age. Full time training may be undertaken from age 16. Choreography courses are offered by some specialist dance schools, e.g., The Laban Centre. As the work is physically demanding, Assistant Choreographers must maintain their stamina and fitness levels by attending regular dance or fitness classes throughout their careers. They should also continually research and learn new dance styles, in order to expand their repertoires.
Individual course accreditation in certain subject areas is currently being piloted. As part of Skillset's and the UK Film Council's Film Skills Strategy, A Bigger Future, a network of Screen Academies and a Film Business Academy have been approved as centres of excellence in education and training for film. For more information, please log onto the Skillset website.
Where to go for more information
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the audio visual industries. The first sources of information for all jobs in the industry are the National Occupational Standards. Browse Skillset's website for links to our network of training partners, information about training and access to the comprehensive Skillset/BFI course database. Finally, Skillset Careers is the UK's only specialist media careers advice service; for detailed media careers information and advice, visit www.skillset.org/careers.
Websites
– Equity is the trade union representing artists across the whole spectrum of arts and entertainment, and offers representation, specialist knowledge and advice for its members and student members on work in Film, Television, Radio, and other Live Performance.
– Council for Dance Education and Training
– Dance UK
– BBC offers a wealth of information about careers and training in the media. – BBC Talent runs talent spotting schemes
Publications
– The Stage newspaper is the entertainment trade weekly, includes recruitment advertisements, useful links, and 'how to guides', such as finding an agent or drama school.
– Contacts is published annually by The Spotlight, and provides details of all aspects of the entertainment industry.
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Assistant Choreographers - Film &TV
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