Although most dancers stop performing by their late thirties, some remain in the field as choreographers, dance teachers, or artistic directors. Most dancers begin their formal training between the ages of 5 to 15 and have their professional auditions by age 17 or 18. From ancient times to the present, dancers have expressed ideas, stories, rhythm, and sound with their bodies. They do this by using a variety of dance forms, including classical ballet and modern dance styles that allow free movement and self-expression.
Many dancers combine stage work with teaching or choreography.
Dancers perform in a variety of settings, such as musical productions, and in folk, ethnic, tap, jazz, and other popular kinds of dancing. They also perform in opera, musical comedy, television, movies, music videos, and commercials, in which they may sing and act as well. Dancers most often perform as part of a group, although a few top artists perform solo. Many dancers take their cues from choreographers, who create original dances and develop new interpretations of traditional dances. Because few dance routines are written down, choreographers instruct performers at rehearsals to achieve the desired effect.