Dancers must also work late hours and practice during the day. Because dancing is hard work, most dancers stop working by their late thirties. Sometimes they become dance teachers and coaches. Jobs About 29,000 dancers had a job at any one time in 1998. Of course, many other dancers didn't work during the year and earned a living doing something else.
Dancers work in many kinds of places.
Some work in restaurants, the theater, dance studios, and with bands. In addition, many dance teachers work in all kinds of schools. Almost all the major cities in the United States have full-time dance companies. Training begins at age 5 to 8 in ballet, usually by private teachers and in ballet schools. Boys often start training later than girls.