Types of Ballet Jobs | Ballet Education

Ballerina – A female ballet dancer.

Danseur – A male ballet dancer.

Principal Dancer – A dancer which is of highest rank in a ballet company. This title varies throughout the world, for example, prima ballerina assoluta, primo ballerino, and danseuse/danseur étoile are all similar ranks. Some companies have numerous ranks, while others have just three (principal dancer, soloist, corps de ballet).

Soloist – A dancer which is typically one rank below principal dancers in a ballet company hierarchy. Soloists often perform key solos in ballets, but not the lead roles. An example role that a soloist would perform is Cupid in Don Quixote, while Cupid is not a main character, the Cupid variation is widely known and a great chance for a soloist to be featured on stage.

Corps de ballet – Company-level dancers who dance in the background to enhance the backdrop of the production. Often seen as the many swans in ‘Swan Lake’ or the numerous snowflakes in ‘The Nutcracker’.

Ballet Mistress/Master – A person primarily responsible for training company dancers and preparing repertoire for performances.

Costume Director – A person who coordinates all costumes and wardrobe staff for productions.

Music Director – A person in charge of all music related tasks, such as coordinating with in house musicians for classes and full orchestras for performances.

Production Director – A person responsible for all theater operations and staff (important for lighting, adjusting the curtain, moving objects on and off stage, etc.)

Ballet Company Administration – From marketing to human resources and IT departments, large ballet companies often have a team of administrative staff and even a board of directors responsible for the business decisions of the ballet company.