1 Collect dance clips for your dance reel

Please find all of your best work from the past on your old hard drive and organise it in a folder. Trim each clip to only the best, most relevant parts from the footage. Choose solos or those that put you in the centre or make you very visible. Make sure the movies are of good quality — it’s better not to post the 240p video of your high school pep rally filmed on someone’s iPhone 3. Also, keep them brief. Each clip should be less than ten seconds long. Plan out how you want this material to be organized in your visual CV while filtering through your dance clips. Start with your most powerful video; it’s simple to lose people’s attention in a matter of seconds. Include the things they’re looking for if you’re producing a dance reel for a specific audition.

2 Shoot extra footage for your dance reel

You want to show off your greatest work, but the most recent HD footage you have of yourself is from two years ago, and you’ve progressed significantly as a dancer since then. If you want more updated, better video, record a new piece or freestyle using a high-quality camera in a pleasant area. Taking the time to update your portfolio will benefit your dance reel and your overall performance as a dancer.

• How to make a dance reel for an audition- If you’re preparing this dance reel for a specific audition, make sure it meets all of the requirements. Investigate the preferences of the directors and appeal to them. A casting director for a commercial, for example, would prefer shorter films set to cheerful music, while a choreographer for a 2-hour musical might prefer longer clips with more dramatic aspects.
• Include impressive/relevant captions to give context-Say that if you’ve ever danced for Beyonce or choreographed for Broadway! Include the keywords in a location on the footage that won’t distract from the dancing.
• Showcase your personality in your dance reel– Casting directors may be looking for dancers, but they’re seeking someone they can collaborate with. Compared to another excellent dancer who is confident, energetic, friendly, and versatile, a talented dancer with a lousy work ethic and a stuck-up attitude is an easy pass. As a result, throughout your clips, let your individuality come through. Show off your unusual movements. Include that one idea video in which you were completely dedicated to your zombie character’s brain-eating abilities. Include that video of you shredding your shirt to get the crowd going during that bout. Okay, maybe you don’t have anything that intense, but highlight the qualities that distinguish you as a dancer.

3 Hire an editor or learn how to edit

Editing a dance clip differs significantly from editing any other video. You must be proficient in video editing tools and have a sense of dance. If you don’t feel comfortable making a visual CV on your own, hire a video editor who was a dancer or has experience in the business. You can request draughts and give suggestions back to the editor, but it’s more effective to sit down together and make those minor changes. If you’re working on it yourself, have a professional editor look it over. They can alert you to small details that you were previously unaware of.

4 Get the right music for your dance reel

Don’t use copyrighted music. Instead, use music that isn’t licensed. For your complete dance reel, you need one or two good tunes. The spectator will be less distracted if there are fewer tunes used. Instead of being overstimulated by sounds, it allows them to concentrate on dancing and enjoy the event. So pick something adaptable that will work with all of your dance videos. In any case, a song that you enjoy will most likely mirror you and your style. Also, make sure there isn’t an [bleep]ed out curse word every three seconds. Check the entire clip with the music after a rough cut to ensure it looks and feels cohesive.

5 Include your contact info in your dance reel

This may seem self-evident, but many dancers overlook it. At the end of your reel, include a slate with your basic contact information: name, email, social media accounts, and website.

6 Upload your dance reel

Reel sites like YouTube and Vimeo are very popular. Vimeo has a more professional feel, and it’s less distracting – no commercials appear before the movie begins! Write and proofread all of your copy after you’ve uploaded it. The golden rule of copywriting is to keep it brief, to-the-point, and conversational. Your reel is now ready for the world to see after all of your hard work! You may link to it, integrate it into your website, or share clips on Instagram to show off your work in any way you like. We hope this has helped you put your reel-y fantastic skills into a reel, all you aspiring professional dancers!