how to structure a personal statement for dance

Professional Dancer Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Career Opportunities
• 3 UK Admission Requirements
• 4 UK Earnings Potential for Dancers
• 5 Similar Courses in UK
• 6 UK Curriculum
• 7 Alumni Network

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Captivated by rhythm, movement, and the expression of emotions through dance? Dream of transforming your passion into a thrilling career on stage?

Pursuing a course about Dancing could be your first step towards the spotlight.

Dance is an incredibly relevant and interesting choice for students as it offers an opportunity to explore their creativity, physicality, and cultural identity. Through the study of dance, students can learn about the history, culture, and symbolism of different dance forms.

They can also develop an appreciation for the art form and its potential to express emotion and tell stories. Dance can be used to explore social issues, create community, and develop an understanding of the body and its movements.

Additionally, dance can be used to improve physical fitness and health, as well as to develop coordination, strength, and flexibility. Finally, dance can be a powerful tool for self-expression, helping students to explore their own identity and gain a greater understanding of their own emotions and feelings. By studying dance, students can gain a greater appreciation for the art form and its potential to create meaningful experiences.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Career Opportunities

Someone with a degree in dance can pursue a variety of careers in the performing arts, education, and health and fitness industries.

Performing Arts: – Professional Dancer – Choreographer – Dance Instructor – Dance Company Manager – Dance Critic – Dance Therapist – Dance Researcher

Education: – Dance Teacher – Dance Professor – Dance Program Director

Health and Fitness: – Fitness Instructor – Pilates Instructor – Yoga Instructor – Personal Trainer – Dance Fitness Instructor – Dance Movement Therapist – Dance Therapist – Dance Sport Coach

UK Admission Requirements

In order to be accepted into the university course dance, applicants must have a minimum of five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English, Maths, and a Science subject. Applicants must also have a minimum of two A-Levels at grade C or above, or an equivalent Level 3 qualification .

In addition to the academic qualifications, applicants must have a minimum of two years of dance experience and must be able to demonstrate a good level of technique and performance in a variety of dance styles. Applicants must also provide a portfolio of their work and/or a short video of their performance.

This entry criterion is similar to other courses in the dance field, although some courses may require a higher level of academic qualifications and/or more extensive dance experience.

UK Earnings Potential for Dancers

The average earnings for someone with a degree in dance can vary greatly depending on the type of job they pursue. Generally, professional dancers earn an average of $14.17 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, those who pursue a career in dance instruction can earn an average of $20.68 per hour. Additionally, those who work as choreographers can earn an average of $31.58 per hour.

The job market for dancers is expected to grow at a rate of 8% over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is slightly higher than the average growth rate for all occupations.

This growth is expected to be driven by the increasing popularity of dance as a form of entertainment and exercise. Additionally, the growing demand for dance instruction and choreography services is expected to contribute to the growth in the job market.

Similar Courses in UK

Other courses related to Dance in the UK include Dance Science, Dance Education, and Dance Performance.

Dance Science is a course that focuses on the scientific principles of dance, such as anatomy and physiology, nutrition, biomechanics, and psychology. It is designed to help dancers understand the physical and psychological aspects of their art form and to develop their understanding of the body’s movements.

Dance Education is a course that focuses on the teaching and learning of dance. It is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge to teach dance to others in a variety of settings.

Dance Performance is a course that focuses on the performance of dance. It is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge to perform in a variety of settings.

The key differences between these courses are the topics they focus on. Dance focuses on the art form itself, while Dance Science focuses on the scientific aspects of dance, Dance Education focuses on teaching and learning, and Dance Performance focuses on performing.

UK Curriculum

The key topics and modules covered in a university course in dance will vary depending on the specific course and institution. Generally, courses in dance will cover a range of topics such as dance history, theory, technique, performance, improvisation, composition, and choreography .

In terms of practical work, students will usually be expected to attend and participate in regular technique classes, rehearsals, and performance workshops. These classes will often include a range of dance styles and techniques, such as ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip hop, and world dance.

In addition to practical work, students may also be required to complete written assignments, such as essays, research projects, and critiques. These assignments may focus on topics such as dance history, theory, and analysis.

Finally, some courses may also include hands-on experience, such as choreographing and performing in a dance production. This experience may also include working with a professional dance company or instructor, or participating in a dance festival or competition.

Alumni Network

One notable alumni from the university course dance is Emmy Award-winning choreographer and director, Debbie Allen. She has choreographed and directed numerous Broadway shows, television specials, and films.

She is also the artistic director of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles, which provides dance instruction to students of all ages and backgrounds. She is a strong advocate for the importance of arts education and has used her influence to create programs that bring dance to underserved communities.

Alumni events and networking opportunities for the course dance include the annual Dance Alumni Reunion, which takes place each summer at the university. This event brings together alumni from all over the world to network and celebrate their accomplishments.

Additionally, the university offers an Alumni Networking Night, which is an opportunity for alumni to connect with one another and learn about career opportunities in the field of dance.

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Dance Personal Statement Examples

Our dance personal statement examples will inspire you to write your own unique staetment, and help you understand why previous dance students were successful in securing a place at university.

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How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

What is a personal statement, 6 tips on how to write a personal statement, personal statement examples (for college and university), faqs about writing personal statements, conclusion on how to write a personal statement.

How do you tell someone who you are in just a few hundred words?

It’s certainly no easy task, but it’s one almost every college applicant must do. The personal statement is a crucial part of any college or university application.

So, how do you write a compelling personal statement?

In this article, we’ll give you all the tools, tips, and examples you need to write an effective personal statement.

A personal statement is a short essay that reveals something important about who you are. It can talk about your background, your interests, your values, your goals in life, or all of the above.

Personal statements are required by many college admission offices and scholarship selection committees. They’re a key part of your application, alongside your academic transcript, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities.

The reason application committees ask you to write a personal statement is so they can get to know who you are. 

Some personal statements have specific prompts, such as “Discuss a period of personal growth in your life” or “Tell us about a challenge or failure you’ve faced.” Others are more open-ended with prompts that essentially boil down to “Tell us about yourself.”

No matter what the prompt is, your goal is the same: to make yourself stand out to the selection committee as a strong candidate for their program.

Here are some things a personal statement can be:

It can be funny. If you have a great sense of humor, your personal statement is a great place to let that shine.  

It can be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to open up about hardships in your life or failures you’ve experienced. Showing vulnerability can make you sound more like a real person rather than just a collection of application materials.  

It can be creative. Candidates have got into top schools with personal statements that take the form of “a day in the life” descriptions, third-person short stories, and even cooking recipes.

Now we’ve talked about what a personal statement is, let’s quickly look at what a personal statement isn’t:

It isn’t a formal academic paper. You should write the personal statement in your natural voice, using first-person pronouns like “I” and “me,” not in the formal, objective language you would use to write an academic paper.

It isn’t a five-paragraph essay. You should use as many paragraphs as you need to tell your story instead of sticking to the essay structure you learned in school.

It isn’t a resumé. You should try to describe yourself by telling a clear and cohesive story rather than providing a jumbled list of all of your accomplishments and ambitions.

Here are our top six tips for writing a strong personal statement.

Tip 1: Do Some Serious Self-Reflection

The hardest part of writing a personal statement isn’t the actual process of writing it.

Before you start typing, you have to figure out what to write about. And that means taking some time to reflect on who you are and what’s important in your life.

Here are some useful questions you can use to start your self-reflection. You can either answer these on your own by writing down your answers, or you can ask a trusted friend to listen as you talk about them together.

What were the key moments that shaped your life? (e.g. an important friendship, a travel experience, an illness or injury)

What are you proud of? (e.g. you’re a good listener, you always keep your promises, you’re a talented musician)

How do you choose to spend your time? (e.g. reading, practicing soccer, spending time with your friends)

What inspires you? (e.g. your grandmother, a celebrity, your favorite song)

Doing this self-reflection is crucial for figuring out the perfect topics and anecdotes you can use to describe who you are.

Tip 2: Try to Avoid Cliché Topics

College application committees read thousands of personal statements a year. That means there are some personal statement topics they see over and over again.

Here are a few examples of common personal statement topics that have become cliché:

Winning a tournament or sports game

Volunteering in a foreign country

Moving to a new home

Becoming an older sibling

Being an immigrant or having immigrant parents

If you want to make a strong impression in the application process, you need to make your personal statement stand out from the crowd.

But if your chosen personal statement topic falls into one of these categories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use it. Just make sure to put a unique spin on it so it still delivers something the committee hasn’t seen before.

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Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell

One common mistake you might make in your personal statement is to simply tell the reader what you want them to know about you, such as by stating “I have a fear of public speaking” or “I love to cook.”

Instead of simply stating these facts, you should show the committee what you’re talking about through a story or scene, which will make your essay much more immersive and memorable.

For example, let’s say you want the committee to know you overcame your fear of public speaking. Instead of writing “I overcame my fear of public speaking,” show them what it was like to be onstage in front of a microphone. Did your palms get clammy? Did you feel light-headed? Did you forget your words?

Or let’s say you want the committee to know you love to cook. Instead of writing “I love to cook,” show them why you love to cook. What’s your favorite dish to cook? What does the air smell like when you’re cooking it? What kitchen appliances do you use to make it?

Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You’re Applying

Don’t forget that the purpose of your personal statement isn’t simply to tell the admissions committee who you are. That’s an important part of it, of course, but your ultimate goal is to convince them to choose you as a candidate.

That means it’s important to tie your personal story to your reasons for applying to this specific school or scholarship. Finish your essay with a strong thesis.

For example, if your story is about overcoming your fear of public speaking, you might connect that story to your ambition of becoming a politician. You can then tie that to your application by saying, “I want to apply to this school because of its fantastic politics program, which will give me a perfect opportunity to use my voice.”

Tip 5: Write in Your Own Voice

The personal statement isn’t supposed to be written in a formal tone. That’s why they’re called “personal” statements because you have to shape it to fit your own voice and style.

Don’t use complicated or overwrought language. You don’t need to fill your essay with semicolons and big words, unless that’s how you sound in real life.

One way to write in your own voice is by speaking your personal statement out loud. If it doesn’t feel natural, it may need changing. 

Tip 6: Edit, Edit, Edit!

It’s important to revise your personal statement multiple times in order to make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible.

A single typo won’t kill your application, but if your personal statement contains multiple spelling errors or egregious grammar mistakes, you won’t be putting your best foot forward.

ProWritingAid can help you make sure your personal statement is as clean as possible. In addition to catching your grammar errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes, it will also help you improve weaknesses in your writing, such as passive voice, unnecessary repetition, and more.

Let’s look at some of the best personal statements that have worked for successful candidates in the real world. 

Harvard Personal Statement Example

Love. For a word describing such a powerful emotion, it is always in the air. The word “love” has become so pervasive in everyday conversation that it hardly retains its roots in blazing passion and deep adoration. In fact, the word is thrown about so much that it becomes difficult to believe society isn’t just one huge, smitten party, with everyone holding hands and singing “Kumbaya.” In films, it’s the teenage boy’s grudging response to a doting mother. At school, it’s a habitual farewell between friends. But in my Chinese home, it’s never uttered. Watching my grandmother lie unconscious on the hospital bed, waiting for her body to shut down, was excruciatingly painful. Her final quavering breaths formed a discordant rhythm with the steady beep of hospital equipment and the unsympathetic tapping hands of the clock. That evening, I whispered—into unhearing ears—the first, and only, “I love you” I ever said to her, my rankling guilt haunting me relentlessly for weeks after her passing. My warm confession seemed anticlimactic, met with only the coldness of my surroundings—the blank room, impassive doctors, and empty silence. I struggled to understand why the “love” that so easily rolled off my tongue when bantering with friends dissipated from my vocabulary when I spoke to my family. Do Chinese people simply love less than Americans do?

This is an excerpt from a personal statement that got the applicant admitted to Harvard University. The applicant discusses her background as a Chinese-American by musing on the word “love” and what that means within her family.

The writer uses vulnerable details about her relationship with her grandmother to give the reader an understanding of where she comes from and how her family has shaped her.  

You can read the full personal statement on the Harvard Crimson website.

Tufts Personal Statement Example

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go,” and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon. Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration. Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear. I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

This is the beginning of a personal statement by Renner Kwittken, who was admitted into Tufts University as a pre-medical student.

Renner uses a humorous anecdote about being a pickle truck driver to describe his love for nanomedicine and how he got involved in his field. You can feel his passion for medicine throughout his personal statement.

You can find Renner’s full essay on the Tufts Admissions page.

Law School Personal Statement Essay Example

For most people, the slap on the face that turns their life around is figurative. Mine was literal. Actually, it was a punch delivered by a drill sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey, while I was in basic training. That day’s activity, just a few weeks into the program, included instruction in “low-crawling,” a sensible method of moving from one place to another on a battlefield. I felt rather clever for having discovered that, by looking right rather than down, I eliminated my helmet’s unfortunate tendency to dig into the ground and slow my progress. I could thus advance more easily, but I also exposed my unprotected face to hostile fire. Drill sergeants are typically very good at detecting this type of laziness, and mine was an excellent drill sergeant. So, after his repeated suggestions that I correct my performance went unheeded, he drove home his point with a fist to my face. We were both stunned. This was, after all, the New Army, and striking a trainee was a career-ending move for a drill sergeant, as we were both aware. I could have reported him; arguably, I should have. I didn’t. It didn’t seem right for this good sergeant, who had not slept for almost four days, to lose his career for losing his temper with my laziness. Choosing not to report him was the first decision I remember making that made me proud.

These are the first three paragraphs of an anonymous personal statement by a Wheaton College graduate, who used this personal statement to get into a top-25 law school.

This statement describes a time the applicant faced a challenging decision while in the army. He ended up making a decision he was proud of, and as a result, the personal statement gives us a sense of his character.

You can find the full essay on the Wheaton Academics website.

Here are some common questions about how to write a personal statement.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

The length of your personal statement depends on the specific program you’re applying to. The application guidelines usually specify a maximum word count or an ideal word count.  

Most personal statements are between 500–800 words. That’s a good general range to aim for if you don’t have more specific guidelines.  

Should Personal Statements Be Different for Scholarships?

Many scholarship applications will ask for personal statements with similar prompts to those of college applications.

However, the purpose of a personal statement you’d write for a scholarship application is different from the purpose of one you’d write for a college application.

For a scholarship application, your goal is to showcase why you deserve the scholarship. To do that, you need to understand the mission of the organization offering that scholarship.

For example, some scholarships are meant to help first-generation college students get their degree, while others are meant to help women break into STEM.

Consider the following questions:

Why is this organization offering scholarships?

What would their ideal scholarship candidate look like?

How do your experiences and goals overlap with those of their ideal scholarship candidate?

You can use the same personal anecdotes you’d use for any other personal statement, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the scholarship if you tailor your essay to match their specific mission.

How to Start a Personal Statement

You should start your personal statement with a “hook” that pulls the reader in. The sooner you catch the reader’s attention, the more likely they’ll want to read the entire essay.

Here are some examples of hooks you can use:

A story (e.g. When the spotlight hit my face, I tried to remind myself to breathe. )

A setting description (e.g. My bedroom floor is covered with dirty laundry, candy wrappers, and crumpled sheet music. )

A funny anecdote (e.g. When I was a little kid, my friends nicknamed me Mowgli because of my haircut. )

A surprising fact (e.g. I've lived in 37 countries .)

There you have it—our complete guide to writing a personal statement that will make you stand out to the application committee.

Here’s a quick recap: 

A personal statement is a short essay that shows an application committee who you are

Start with a strong hook that pulls the reader in

Tell a story to engage the reader 

Write in your own voice, not in a formal tone

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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How to Write a Personal Statement (Tips + Essay Examples)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is a personal statement that just means “essay” … right, what are some great personal statement topics (aka how do i brainstorm mine).

• Three personal statement examples

A few hundred words to capture who you’ve become over the course of almost two decades? 

Yup, makes sense why lots of students find the idea of writing a personal statement intimidating. Framed like the above, it could almost sound, I don’t know, unreasonable.

Whether you’re using the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or a school-specific application portal, it can be scary to try to come up with an essay topic that encompasses the complexity and vastness of who you are as a person … while also staying in the word count. 

But this can also be a fun, meaningful experience (real talk: We wouldn’t be doing this if we didn’t think it was true). In fact, the process of brainstorming and writing about meaningful aspects of your life can be an incredible way to practice self-reflection and think more deeply about who you are, what you value, who you hope to be in the world, and what you actually want to get out of college. 

So to help you move past the intimidating aspects and focus more on the fun and meaning, in this post, we’ll describe what differentiates the personal statement from other college essays and what function it serves in your college application. We’ll also share what qualities can help a personal statement stand out, how to find a stronger topic, how to set yourself up for an easier writing process, and even share some essay examples we loved.

A personal statement is an essay in which you demonstrate aspects of who you are by sharing some of the qualities, skills, and values you’ll bring to college. A written personal statement is typically used by college admission offices, but it’s also often used by scholarship selection committees or specific academic departments to help assess potential candidates.  

To understand what the personal statement is, it’s helpful to imagine your entire college application as a human body. The personal statement is the metaphorical “heart”—it captures the essence of who you are as a person and what motivates you, both academically and personally.

Let’s briefly clarify what it isn’t . It’s not a classic five-paragraph essay you write for English class (thesis, body, restate thesis in almost the same words, but hopefully not repetitively, done). 

Here are some other ways a personal statement is different from an English class essay:

There’s no “right” essay topic to write about, as you’ll see from the range of essay topics in this post . Students have written successfully on topics ranging from: I Shot My Brother, to Home, to Being Pooped on by Animals. Oh, and btw, we’d recommend not reading too many sample essays before you’ve done some brainstorming of your own first. But whatever topic you land on, keep this in mind: 

The goal of your personal statement is to find a topic that demonstrates the skills, qualities, values, and interests you’ll bring with you to a college campus.

In fact, though we’ll keep saying “topic” of your essay because it’s clear and easy, the topic of your essay is ultimately always you. Just as the heart drives the actions of the rest of the body, the personal statement provides context for the rest—and, in some ways, is the heart—of your application. The other supplemental essays , if required by colleges, are opportunities to go into more detail about aspects of your interests, passions, and identity not covered in your personal statement.

The personal statement is a great place to discuss critical events or experiences in your life that catalyzed you to become the person you are now, or various aspects of your identity that strongly influence the way you interact with the world around you. It’s also an opportunity to introduce readers to your most important interests and values . For more on that, and exercises to help clarify those things, check those links (we’ll also offer more on them later).

What makes a great personal statement?

Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to writing your personal statement that will magically make colleges admit you. 

Bummer, we know.

That said, the best personal statements often share a lot of the same qualities , even when they’re about drastically different topics. 

Here, in our opinion, are a few qualities you’ll find in an outstanding personal statement:

You can identify the applicant’s core values. In a great personal statement, we should be able to get a sense of what fulfills, motivates, or excites the author. These can be things like humor, beauty, community, and autonomy, just to name a few. So when you read back through your essay, you should be able to detect at least 4-5 different values throughout.  When you look for these values, also consider whether or not they’re varied or similar. For instance, values like hard work, determination, and perseverance … are basically the same thing. On the other hand, more varied values like resourcefulness, healthy boundaries, and diversity can showcase different qualities and offer a more nuanced sense of who you are.

It’s vulnerable. We love when, after reading an essay, we feel closer to the writer. The best essays we’ve seen are the ones where students have let their guard down some. Don’t be afraid to be honest about things that scare, challenge, or bother you. The personal statement is a great space for you to open up about those aspects of yourself. As you’re writing, ask yourself: Does the essay sound like it’s mostly analytical, or like it’s coming from a deeper, more vulnerable place? Another way of asking this: Does it sound like the author wrote it using mostly their head (intellect), or their heart and gut? Remember, this is the “heart” of your application. It’s a place for emotional vulnerability. After reading it, the admission officer should (we hope) feel like they have a better sense of who you are.

It shows insight and growth. Your personal statement should ideally have at least 3-5 “so what” moments, points at which you draw insights or reflections from your experiences that speak to your values or sense of purpose. Sometimes, “so what” moments are subtle. Other times, they’re more explicit. Either way, the more illuminating, the better. They shouldn’t come out of nowhere, but they also shouldn’t be predictable. You want your reader to see your mind in action and take that journey of self-reflection with you.

It demonstrates craft (aka it’s articulate and reads well). While content is important, craft is what’ll bring the best stories to life. That’s why it’s important to think of writing as a process—it’s very rare that we’ve seen an outstanding personal statement that didn’t go through at least 5 drafts. Everything you write should be carefully considered . You don’t want your ideas to come off as sloppy or half-baked. Your reader should see the care you put into brainstorming and writing in every sentence. Ask yourself these questions as you write:

Do the ideas in the essay connect in a way that’s logical, but not too obvious (aka boring)? 

Can you tell that the author spent a lot of time revising the essay over the course of several drafts? 

Is it interesting and succinct throughout? If not, where do you lose interest? Where could words be cut? Which part isn’t revealing as much as it could be?

If you’ve written a first draft and you’re still not sure whether the essay is what you want it to be, give it to a trusted friend, teacher, or family member and have them evaluate it based on these 4 general criteria. Sometimes, we spend so much time on an essay that it’s useful to get another person’s point of view.

The answer to this question dovetails with the approach you’re taking to structuring your essay, so let’s talk about that a bit first.

And while structure may seem nebulous, offering vast options, you can really boil it down to just two approaches: montage or narrative.

So … what are those? And how can you generate some great content for either structure?

Whether you take a Narrative or Montage Approach to structuring your essay depends on your answer to this question:

Do you feel like you’ve faced significant challenges in your life … or not so much? (And do you want to write about them?)

If yes (to both), you’ll most likely want to use Narrative Structure .

If no (to either), you’ll probably want to try Montage Structure .

The above links dive into greater detail if you’re curious, but essentially, Narrative Structure is the classic story structure, focusing roughly equally on a) Challenges You Faced, b) What You Did About Them, and c) What You Learned. Paragraphs and events are connected causally. (Not casually , btw, but causally—as in, through cause and effect.)

Montage Structure focuses on a series of experiences and insights that are connected thematically (so, for example, 5 pairs of pants that connect to 5 different sides of who you are).

So how does structure play into what makes a great personal statement topic?

We believe a montage essay (i.e., an essay NOT about challenges) is more likely to stand out if the topic or theme of the essay is:

X. Elastic (i.e., something you can connect to a variety of examples, moments, or values)

Y. Less common (i.e., something other students probably aren’t writing about)

We believe that a narrative essay is more likely to stand out if it contains: 

X. Difficult or compelling challenges

These aren’t binary—rather, each can be placed on a spectrum.

“Elastic” will vary from person to person. You might be able to connect mountain climbing to family, history, literature, science, social justice, environmentalism, growth, insight … and someone else might not connect it to much of anything. Maybe trees?

“Less common” —every year, thousands of students write about mission trips, sports, or music. It’s not that you can’t write about these things, but it’s a lot harder to stand out. 

“Difficult or compelling challenges” can be put on a spectrum with things like getting a bad grade or not making a sports team on the weaker end, and things like escaping war or living homeless for three years on the stronger side. While you can possibly write a strong essay about a weaker challenge, it’s really hard to do.

“Insight” is the answer to the question “so what?” A great insight is likely to surprise the reader a bit, while a so-so insight likely won’t. (Insight is something you’ll develop in an essay through the writing process, rather than something you’ll generally know ahead of time for a topic, but it’s useful to understand that some topics are probably easier to pull insights from than others.)

To clarify, you can still write a great montage with a very common topic, or a narrative that offers so-so insights. But the degree of difficulty goes up. Probably way up.

With that in mind, how do you brainstorm possible topics that are on the easier-to-stand-out side of the spectrum?

Would you Rather watch instead?

Brainstorming your (outstanding) personal statement topic

In our experience, virtually every great college essay comes from good brainstorming. So, early on, stay in exploration mode—we recommend that students outline at least 2-3 different ideas before starting a draft. 

Quality brainstorming can reveal great topics that you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise (and that you may not even know you can/are allowed to write about). Also, more on this in a bit, but outlining well is a huge time-saver, as it can help you either build a better first draft or reveal that you may not have as much to say about a topic as you might’ve initially thought. 

Here are 5 great brainstorming exercises to get you started: 

Values Exercise

Essence Objects Exercise

21 Details Exercise

Everything I Want Colleges To Know About Me Exercise

Feelings and Needs Exercise

That Values Exercise is your cornerstone—those values are what you’ll want to thread throughout your application, regardless of what structure you use in your personal statement. 

We’d recommend doing all of those exercises, regardless of which structure you think you may use, as you may find something new in exploring, and many students will have to write a bunch of supplemental essays anyway.

That said, if you’re thinking Narrative Structure may be your thing (as in, you have some strong challenges you want to write about), be sure to spend a nice chunk of time exploring the Feelings and Needs Exercise (linked above), as it can directly lead to a strong outline and first draft.

If you’re thinking montage, think about how things like your essence objects and 21 details may be thematically linked, and how they can connect to your core values and memories. After doing those, you can also check out this list of 21 College Essay Topics and Ideas That Worked to get a sense of some topics that have paid off. We’ll draw your attention to some of the specific examples in the tips below. We’ve seen great montages built around things like:

Identity: This can be anything from sexuality, to culture, to race, to religion. For examples, check out “ My Grandma’s Kimchi ” or “ The Five Families Essay .”

Academic/career interests: This isn’t just a list of your favorite classes or a lengthy explanation of how well you did on that one AP Calculus test junior year. Instead, it’s more of an exploration of your educational interests and a meditation on how that might influence the work you do in the future. For examples, check out “ Why Behavioral Economics ” and “ Flying .”

Meaningful objects: Those “essence objects.” They’re basically just objects that mean more to you because they connect to your values at a deeper level. For instance, maybe you’d choose dumplings because they remind you of family dinners on Chinese New Year and a specific moment when you had to navigate your cultural identity. So, talking about dumplings might give you an entry point into talking about things like family and cultural connection. Doing the Essence Objects Exercise linked above will help you figure out what kind of objects might serve this function in your life. See the “ Happiness Spreadsheet ” essay for an example.

Significant Obstacles or Events: You might choose to write about a struggle you’ve faced or a dilemma that forced you to think more deeply about some aspect of who you are or what you’re interested in. “ The Tally On My Uniform ” and “ Dead Bird ” are two examples.

It’s important to note that some of these topics will likely overlap. You might choose to write about a significant challenge you faced that related to your identity in some way. Or maybe you’ll want to include details about both academic and extracurricular interests. Don’t feel like you have to choose just one. This list is just to give you a sense of what kind of topics you can explore.

How should I write a personal statement?

First, outline.

Seriously? Outline?

To get into just a little more nuance—if you have a ton of time until your deadline, and you don’t mind maybe throwing away entire drafts and starting over, then feel free to just dive in and write.

Otherwise, outline. Doing so will save you time and make your writing better.

So how do you outline?

For a narrative, use the Feelings and Needs Exercise , and build clear bullet points for the Challenges + Effects, What I Did About It, and What I Learned. Those become your outline. 

Yeah, that simple.

For a montage, outline 4-7 ways your thread connects to different values through different experiences, and if you can think of them, different lessons and insights (though these you might have to develop later, during the writing process). For example, how auto repair connects to family, literature, curiosity, adventure, and personal growth (through different details and experiences).

Here are some solid example outlines:

Narrative outline (developed from the Feelings and Needs Exercise)

Challenges:

Domestic abuse (physical and verbal)

Controlling father/lack of freedom

Sexism/bias

Prevented from pursuing opportunities

Cut off from world/family

Lack of sense of freedom/independence

Faced discrimination

What I Did About It:

Pursued my dreams

Traveled to Egypt, London, and Paris alone

Challenged stereotypes

Explored new places and cultures

Developed self-confidence, independence, and courage

Grew as a leader

Planned events

What I learned:

Inspired to help others a lot more

Learned about oppression, and how to challenge oppressive norms

Became closer with mother, somewhat healed relationship with father

Need to feel free

And here’s the essay that became: Easter

Montage outline:

Thread: Home

Values: family, tradition, literature

Ex: “Tailgate Special,” discussions w/family, reading Nancy Drew

Perception, connection to family

Chinese sword dance

Values: culture/heritage, meticulousness, dedication, creativity

Ex: notebook, formations/choreography

Nuances of culture, power of connection

Values: science/chemistry, curiosity 

Synthesizing plat nanoparticles

Joy of discovery, redefining expectations

Governor’s School

Values: exploration, personal growth

Knitting, physics, politics, etc.

Importance of exploring beyond what I know/am used to, taking risks

And here’s the essay that became: Home

Once you’ve got a solid outline, start drafting. A few really useful things for your first draft:

Don’t worry about word count (within reason).

Don’t worry about making your first draft perfect—it won’t be. Just write.

Don’t worry about a fancy opening or ending.

We’ve seen way too many students not write about the things they need to explore in a first draft because they were worried about word count. If your first draft of a 650-word essay is 800 or 900 words, cool. You’ll have to cut eventually. But that’s the easy part (you generally just hit “delete”).

And it’s actually easier to write a good first draft if you’re not worrying about writing a good first draft. We know that sounds contradictory. But what we mean is that a first draft is good if it gives you a clear sense of where to head with your second and third drafts. That’s its job—to help map where you go next.

Linked to that, a strong opening and ending are things you can more easily develop once you’re clearer on your content and structure. So, for a first draft, if something cool comes to you, great. But if not, don’t let it stop you from drafting.

Jump in and spend some time getting your ideas down on paper. Remember your first draft is just a chance to mess around with different topics and thoughts. It doesn’t have to be anywhere close to perfect. If it helps, just think of it as a brain dump. Once you’ve got all your ideas somewhere, you can start to reorganize and make them more coherent. 

Revise (And revise. And revise ...)

Like we said earlier, it’s incredibly rare for an outstanding personal statement to not go through at least 5 drafts. So this is a big part of the process.

To get you started, this guide to Revising Your Essay in 5 Steps will help you create clearer logical flow, as will this breakdown of 9 different ways to effectively transition .

If you want to build a better opening , check out a bunch of options to play with there (we’d recommend experimenting, even if you have something you like—through exploring, you may find something even better).

And if you want to strengthen the ending of your essay , wander over that way.

Additionally, one of the best general tips we can give you as you revise is to read your essay out loud to yourself. And try to read from a total stranger’s perspective. 

Reading out loud will help you notice problems you maybe missed when reading it in your mind. And reading from a stranger’s perspective will help ensure you aren’t relying on things in your brain that need to be on the page (but aren’t). 

You might also try reading it to a trusted family member, teacher, or friend. They might be able to give you some constructive feedback to make your piece more relatable or accessible for other people. Just keep in mind that some people may have a good sense of what makes for strong writing in general, but not necessarily what makes for a strong college essay specifically.

For more about the essay writing process, check out our Ultimate Guide for writing your personal statement.

Want some guidance on your college applications?

Schedule a meeting to work with my team., three personal statement examples (with analysis for why they worked).

Example 1: "Cheers" 

While my friends binge The Office , I’m at home with my favorite family tavern, Cheers . Reminiscing on my first visit five-years-ago, going into my tenth visit, I realize the gang at Cheers is my mirror: they reflect how I’ve grown.  Sam Malone. Handsome, charming, ex-pro athlete. When I first met Sam, I had the typical impression: a playboy. However, I now see the real Sam: a compassionate being. Raised in Birmingham, I’ve learned many positive lessons, but there are some lessons I’m ashamed of. Homophobia is still prevalent in Alabama; something platonic as hugging your friend fuels ridicule. There’s an episode where Sam is conflicted after discovering his old best-friend was gay. By the end, he determines that whom his friend loves shouldn’t affect their friendship--a progressive act for 1983. This became personal when my brother came out. I was angered that a society that taught me Southern hospitality tried to teach me to hate one of the people I love most. Sam’s actions taught me who one chooses to love doesn’t change their humanity and encouraged me to promote that view in Alabama. When classmates make homophobic comments, I always bring up my brother and our story. These same classmates are now attending the annual Pride parades, standing up for our friends’ rights. Diane Chambers. Educated, elitist, starving artist. Diane loved the arts and displayed her work proudly, even if her cartoons of people depicted animals. As a kid, my dad attempted to teach me how to draw. These sessions ended in frustration, as I wasn’t able to recreate his work. While I was fascinated by the expression of creativity, I thought, “I’m not talented.” Through Diane’s character arcs, I learned art is not linear; it’s multi-dimensional. Diane would appreciate the discovery of my means of expression: graphic design and programming. I blend the two mediums to create an impactful product. Whether it’s designing and developing an app to battle the Tanzanian Water Crisis, or creating advertisements and social media posts for my internship at a construction-tech start-up, I reveal my vision through my greatest passion: technology. Dr. Frasier Crane. Intelligent, empathetic, scientist. Frasier (we’re on a first-name basis), joined the gang later after falling in love with Diane at a mental health retreat. I first met Frasier when I struggled to fit in with my peers. While I had a passion for STEM and its ability to uncover mysteries of the unknown, my peers had a passion for hating everything academic. While I thought Frasier was super cool, I still called him a nerd. However, watching the way Frasier embraced science gradually allowed me to realize my love for it is something to hone rather than suppress. Eventually, I developed enough confidence to reach out to a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to conduct computational physics research. Over the past three years, I have completed two research projects, currently researching the distinct applications of computer vision, and have become a pioneer within STEM.  Inspired by the love for Computer Science competitions, I founded the district’s first CS team. Upon concluding our presentation at the U.S. Capitol, I knew Frasier would be proud.  The Cheers gang. I have wondered why I clicked with them so well since we are different people. Sam the jock, Frasier the nerd, Diane the artist, I the awkward teenager. I’ve realized each of them is a part of me. When I face societal pressure, I always learn and overcome. While I’m passionate about science, I also love the arts. Whereas I used to be an antisocial 7th grader, I’m now a senior with great friends and mentors. No matter what I’m struggling with in life, I know I can return to Cheers , where everybody knows your name.

Why this essay worked:

This essay does a great job of using the Montage Structure to incorporate a bunch of different aspects of the applicant’s life into one coherent piece. You’ll notice that they use the TV show Cheers and the characters in it as a clothesline off which to “hang” their interest in computer science and graphic design, LGBTQ+ community allyship, and generally endearing nerdiness. This is a really clever way of bringing together seemingly disparate topics. It doesn’t take itself too seriously but tells a lot about the author and how she thinks. It also gives her a very clear structure for her essay. Each paragraph is devoted to one Cheers character and (more importantly) expounds on the ways the author connects to that individual. The essay has a clear purpose despite lacking a linear narrative.

Also notice that the author doesn’t necessarily have a super clear idea of what she wants to do, career-wise. However, she still incorporates specific details about how she’s synthesized computer science and artistic design in various clubs and events. She doesn’t explicitly have to tell us what her future career is for us to get a sense of what interests she might pursue in college. This is a prime example of how you can write an outstanding personal statement even if you don’t totally know what you want to do in college and haven’t faced a significant challenge.

Example 2: 

All that I remember from my childhood are happy memories - of blowing balloons in summer after eating an ice-cone, coming from school to find my favourite snacks lined up on the table, my grandma feeding me with her own hands and never failing to add that extra spoon of ghee (clarified butter) to my rice. My parents shielded us from everything that was bad in this world or could somehow hurt us. They were so protective that I learned to ride a bike on the roof of our three-story house because my parents didn’t think it was safe for me to ride on the road. Even on our roof, a place well within the four walls of our house, I had someone looking out for me. That protective bubble around me finally popped when I was stopped from entering a temple where my family goes annually on an auspicious day. I loved that subtle fragrance of saffron and seeing the beautifully decorated temple with thousands of pilgrims lining up. My grandpa donates a lot there which allows us to enter early in the morning and perform the rituals without the usual crowd. The problem this year was a new rule that prohibited Western clothing. The strange thing was that they didn’t stop male my cousin even though we were wearing the exact same thing, jeans and t-shirt. I wouldn’t be surprised if this happened today but I was then, as I was only in middle school. I hadn’t seen anything like this yet because my family never treated us differently -- we hadn’t previously seen this side of the world. I started trying to learn more about the “real world”, reading more news and participating in intercultural exchanges and debates, anything that would give me more insight. This process of exploring different versions of an event, of noticing how different people might see the same thing, made me more observant. But this also made me think of how others might see me and I became scared of being judged. When I was elected Head Girl this past year, I became even more self-conscious because I was in the limelight -- and everything I would do would reflect on the school. I thankfully realized how irrational my fears were during a hectic Round Square International Conference (RSIC) at school. I was busy heading our student team and managing crises. When a school bought more students than they’d registered, I didn’t have time to think, I had to rely on my instincts and take action. Teachers from across the world praised me; one even said I’d been the soul of our conference. These small but empowering moments have helped me realize that I could trust my decisions, my input counted too. I need to be myself and worry less about what others think. I could have easily changed my clothes that day at the temple but I didn’t because that’s not who I am. There’s always going to be someone who might not approve of what I do and that is all right.  I am choosing to attend college in the United States because there I can continue my quest to learn more about the complexities of this world. My family never allowed me to use the public transportation in my city. I understand their concern, but I think it’s time for me to explore outside the safety of home, to ride a bike or take the subway, make my mistakes, and learn my way. At school, I felt like I was in the spotlight yet so invisible mostly because I worried about what others might think. But now I will choose to be visible, choose to be me.

Off the bat, one of the biggest things that stands out about this essay is the level of detail in it. In the intro, the author evokes very visceral images of blowing balloons in the summer, extra spoonfuls of ghee on rice, and riding bikes on rooftops. The more you can drop the reader into your world and engage their senses, the better. You want people to be able to identify with you so that they have a clear sense of who you are as a person. It also helps you stand out. The more specifically you write, the less likely it is that anyone else could have written it. That’s what this whole personal statement thing is all about—showing what you can uniquely bring to the table. 

The other great thing about this essay is that it ends in a different place from where it begins. This shows insight and growth. The author goes from questioning her instincts and judgements to seeing her inherent value. She begins to gain confidence and see the positive ways in which she can contribute to the conversations she’s a part of. This transformation is important because it’s a hook that keeps people reading. They don’t know where the essay is going to take them, so they keep reading to see where the author will end up. It also demonstrates the applicant’s growth and ability to self-reflect, which are always great qualities to highlight in college essays.

Example 3: 

Apparently, I have a natural “mom vibe.”  On my volleyball team, I am team mom in every way. As a natural worrier, I like to make sure that everyone has all of their necessities: knee pads, water bottle, hair elastic, uniform. Did everyone go to the bathroom before leaving on the bus? Did we count to make sure that all fourteen of us are here? Does anyone want an apple slice? Over my many years of playing volleyball, I have learned how to play every position well enough to fill in for any member of my team, whether that’s front, back, libero, setter, or hitter, so that I can always be there for my team in a pinch.  A few years ago, I transitioned from looking after only my teammates to also helping actual children. I started volunteering at my former elementary school as a teacher’s assistant. I guide third graders through difficult word problems or sentence structures, sometimes translating the lesson to Mandarin for the Chinese students who are struggling with English. I live for that moment when the impossible suddenly becomes possible and I see a student use what they just learned correctly without any assistance. I love helping kids ask big questions, and think about how to solve them, because it reminds me of how my parents guided me. Ever since I can remember, every time my father and I are alone on a long trip, we ask each other questions and the other has to answer with scientific evidence. Do birds have eyelids? Why is gelatin gelatinous? What does schizophrenia look like in a brain? I love thinking about how things work from the molecular level all the way up to the mechanical level. During a recent internship, I had the opportunity to ask big questions through research, a step beyond the guesstimating I was used to doing in my dad’s CRV. The team I was working with was conducting studies focused on treating alcoholism. My job was to “clean up” the data, or make it more readable. I sifted through spreadsheets, digging for the important data and piecing everything together logically. Knowing that my contribution would have a positive impact on people’s lives was incredibly meaningful. I’ve always enjoyed putting things together like a puzzle. As Chief Layout Editor of my school newspaper, I help my designers compile every edition. Like a real-life game of Tetris, every article must fit perfectly with the other articles around it, lined up into evenly lengthed columns. No matter how much experience a graphic designer has, no one gets all of their articles laid out nicely on the first try. We solve every edition by trial and error, which often results in lots of frustration, but no amount of frustration can surpass the pride and satisfaction once we have all the pages compiled and printed. As a pediatrician, I will be able to strengthen and use all these parts of me. I will have the chance to treat a multitude of illnesses and injuries and problem solve my way through each one. Each day, I will be able to think critically and scientifically to give families possible solutions and peace of mind about their child’s health. I hope to continually expand my knowledge as medicine advances and ask big questions by frequently participating in research. Hopefully I’ll be able to work with a great group of peers in a clinic and in public health. I want to find new solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems, and finally, use all of my skills and qualities to help better the lives of others.  Plus, as a pediatrician, I will be able to take care of children who cannot always advocate for themselves, so my mom instinct will be one of my greatest assets.

This is another creative example of how you can go about writing a montage essay. The author uses her “mom vibe” to her advantage and discusses how her interest in attending to the people (and world) around her has influenced different spheres of her life. Notice how well the first line hooks us into the story. It’s short, sweet, funny, and visibly distinct from the denser paragraphs below. When you’re writing, think very carefully about your first sentence and the work it’s doing to rope your reader in. That first sentence is your first impression on readers, so you want it to be a good one. 

One last standout aspect of this essay is the way it uses questions. In it, the author poses a lot of big and (oftentimes) unanswered questions. This is great because it highlights her natural curiosity and shows her mind in action. She doesn’t have to answer the questions for them to speak volumes about her personality and interests. Don’t feel like you have to resolve everything neatly by the end of your essay. That would be unrealistic, and ultimately, pretty uninteresting. It’s okay to pose questions for the sake of sheer wonder. In fact, it’s better than okay—it’s great. Nerd out a little. Have fun with it.

With all these writing/brainstorming strategies and example essays, the personal statement shouldn’t feel too intimidating anymore. Now you have all the tools you need to start writing an amazing essay.

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How to Write an Artistic Statement

An artistic statement is one of the documents used in University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ admission to its five art conservatories. Along with an audition and an interview, an artistic statement is one of the best ways for growing artists to express their voice to others.

Read examples of artistic statements for Dance ,  Design & Production,   Drama , Filmmaking , Music and the Visual Arts program .

There is no set formula to writing an artistic statement beyond that the statement has to have structure and organization. One can get very creative in his or her approach. Consider the following advice as you being writing your artist statement:

Brainstorm.

The first hurdle is to figure out what to write about. The key to an artistic statement is that it has to be about you and your passion. Ask yourself these questions: Why do you do your art? What does your art signify or represent to you? What is special about how you make or do your art? What does art mean to you?

The process of just writing without judgment or editing can help artists get at their basic philosophy. Don't think about the final product, grammar or spelling mistakes or show your freewriting to anyone. Just write. Don’t freewrite on a computer — there is a time for a computer, but not at this stage of writing an artistic statement. Writing by hand at this stage is part of the creative process.

Rewrite what stands out.

After you freewrite, see if there are any words, phrases or themes that stand out or that you've repeated. Then on another sheet of paper, write just about the things that stood out in your freewrite. Write for about 10 or 15 minutes.

In general, be specific.

The biggest mistake that students make is that they write broad, general statements. Be specific. If it is going to be your artistic statement, your view, then the statement has to be written to include specifics about you.

Be clear and concise .

One trick to locate where you are not being clear or when you get off topic is to read your statement aloud.

Don't rely on spellcheck.

Use your own voice.

A misconception in writing for admittance into an art conservatory is that you need to write in an academic voice. This is especially discouraged at UNCSA, where an artist’s uniqueness and individuality is cultivated rather than suppressed. To write in your voice, try verbalizing your thoughts.

One way to do this is to talk through your artistic statement with another person as they take notes. Read through those notes and use that as the basis for your writing.

Another way to write in your true voice is to record yourself. Imagine you are telling someone your responses to these questions: Why am I an artist? Why do I do my art? Why do I feel this way about art? Talk about your first memory doing your art or about who inspires you and why.

Examples are a great way to get a sense of how people communicate their story. Read some artistic statements from UNCSA students in:

• Design & Production
• Visual Arts
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How to Tackle a Dance Personal Statement

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Dance Personal Statement

Getting a degree in dance is worth considering if your interests are in line with this program. If you wish to explore dance in its entirety, the program is worth looking into. Most dance courses not only focus on contemporary and classic dance but teach its students improvisation, choreography, technical production, teacher training, dance history, not to mention kinesiology. Students are given the opportunity to explore the world of dancing and train them on how to use their knowledge and skills to the fullest. Those who wish to apply for this program should submit the following:

• Duly accomplished application form
• Personal statement
• Audition schedule
• Official transcripts of records

The contents of your dance personal statement may vary depending on what school you wish to enroll in. if you need help developing this part of your application, it is always a good idea to look for best writers for personal statement to take care of this for you.

How to Write a Dance Personal Statement

There are plenty of dance personal statement examples out there that you can use as guides to writing your own paper. What’s more, here are a few tips to consider when writing your dance personal statement UCAS.

• Study dance personal statement samples . It pays to review all samples that you can get your hands on so you will get insight on what works and what doesn’t for your personal statement.
• Talk about your strengths . What strengths do you have that you feel are applicable for the program? Enumerate them if you can and add details as well.
• Show your passion. Dancing is a passion for many. You don’t need to write that you are passionate about dancing. You readers can feel it better if you talk about it in detail.
• Write about your experiences. Focus on experiences that helped you develop as a dancer. This will give your readers insight on how you developed yourself over the years.
• Ask for feedback. Don’t forget to ask for feedback from friends or colleagues about your statement. They may help you determine which areas of your personal statement that you need to fix.

Effective Personal Statement Dance

If you’re still struggling writing your personal statement even though you have read dance personal statement samples, your best bet would be to hire an expert writer to handle this part of your application. The good news is that you don’t have to look far for one because this is where our expertise lies. Our writing service was built with one goal in mind and that is to give our clients a place where they can get various writing services at affordable prices. It doesn’t matter whether you want someone to review your work or write it from scratch or whether it is dance or food and nutrition personal statement . You know you’re getting the best deal with us because of our professional writers and editors. You only need to place your order with us, pay the fee, and wait for your writer to send you a draft of your personal statement for dance school.

Dance Schools That Require Personal Statement

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UCAS / UCAS Conservatoires

If you are applying through UCAS for a university course or UCAS Conservatoires (e.g. Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Dance and Music) then you will need to write a personal statement.

Personal Statement Mind Map https://www.ucas.com/file/4251/download?token=KIC9lMgH

Personal Statement Worksheet https://www.ucas.com/file/4261/download?token=u7I6M9Q5

How to write a UCAS Undergraduate personal statement (University courses) https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/how-write-ucas-undergraduate-personal-statement

How to write a UCAS Conservatoires personal statement https://www.ucas.com/conservatoires/filling-your-conservatoires-application/how-write-ucas-conservatoires-personal-statement

Ten places to get personal statement pointers https://www.ucas.com/connect/blogs/ten-places-get-personal-statement-pointers

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How to Create a Dance Resume

What to include in a dance resume

When you apply for a dance role or position, it’s important to show that you have the right qualifications. Here’s what to include in your dance resume:

• Personal information:  Providing your name, phone number, and email address helps hiring managers to contact you. When auditioning for roles, you may also need to include a headshot and other personal information, such as your height, weight, and age.
• Professional Summary:  A professional summary discusses your strongest skills and achievements in the dance industry.
• Experience:  An experience section lists your career highlights or most relevant roles.
• Training and education:  While this section typically includes your dance-related education and training, you can also share any traditional degrees you’ve received.
• Skills:  A skills section discusses your core competencies as they relate to the role or part you’re pursuing.
• Additional sections:  You can also share additional sections at the end of your resume, such as ones that highlight your certifications or your most impressive dance accomplishments or awards.

How to Write a dance resume

Here’s how to write an effective dance resume:

• Create a list of your dance background

Before you write your resume, make a list of all your experience in the dance industry. Include your training, performances, dance-related work history, and any awards or honors you’ve received.

Make sure it’s comprehensive so you have a good idea of the specific qualifications you want to include when you write your resume. Creating a list can ensure you include the most important information as it relates to the part you want in your resume.

• Review the description of the part or role

Compare your list to the job description of the part or role you’re pursuing. Consider which of your qualifications align with what the company’s looking for in a candidate. Doing this can help you choose the experiences, training, and qualifications from your list that best relate to the job. For example, if you’re applying for a hip-hop dance role, showcase any hip-hop training you have or your role in a hip-hop music video.

• Add your personal information

Start your resume with your full name and up-to-date contact information, such as your phone number, email address, and location. Consider emphasizing your name by typing it in a bold and slightly larger font.

A dance resume may also include personal information like your height, weight, and age. Typically, you’re only required to provide this information when you audition for a dance role. For example, you don’t need to share this information when applying for a teaching job.

• Create a professional summary

Write two or three sentences detailing your professional experience and achievements. Consider the role you’re pursuing and mention any relevant roles or parts, your dance skills, and any industry awards you’ve received. Sharing a summary of your candidacy gives hiring managers a quick synopsis of who you are and what you can do.

• Detail your dance experience

In this section of your resume, list any dance companies or groups you were part of and any of your work like performances, commercials, and music videos. You can also include your previous teaching or choreography jobs. When sharing your performance experience, include the name of the show, the company, your role, and the dates.

You can also include the name of the show’s choreographer, especially if they’re well-known in the industry. If you have a large amount of performing experience, focus on your featured roles. If you’re at the start of your career, you can include all your performance experience thus far.

• Showcase your relevant skills

Tailor this section to the role or production where you’re applying. You can include both dance or other movement skills, as well as non-dance-specific skills, such as fluency in a language, or general soft skills like communication and teamwork.

If the production has fight scenes, for example, you can share your martial arts training. When including specific movement or dance skills, keep in mind that the casting director or potential employer may want you to demonstrate your abilities.

• List your dance education and training

Next, share the schools or institutions you attended, your dates of attendance, the styles of dance you learned, and any degrees or certifications you obtained. If you studied under a well-known teacher or choreographer, include their name, too.

Start with your most recent dance training or education. If you’ve attended smaller workshops or brief training sessions, only share them if they relate to the position or role you’re pursuing. For example, you can include an improvisation workshop if you’re pursuing a role that requires acting skills, though, you can omit it on a resume for a ballet production role.

• Highlight your industry awards or honors

In the final section of your resume, showcase your accolades to distinguish yourself from other candidates. You can include awards, medals, and impressive dance exam scores if you’re just starting your career. Keep this section brief, listing only the most relevant or notable honors.

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Crafting a Winning Dance Resume: 30 Examples & Writing Tips

As a dancer, your resume is your ticket to landing a dream job and showcasing your talent. It is the first thing that recruiters and hiring managers will see before they even meet you. Therefore, a well-crafted dance resume is crucial to getting that coveted audition or performance opportunity.

The purpose of this article is to guide you through the process of writing a professional and impressive dance resume. We will provide essential tips, tricks, and real-life examples from successful dancers in the industry to help you craft a winning dance resume that stands out.

This article is divided into several sections that will cover all the essential elements of a dance resume. The sections include:

Contact Information: This section covers the basics of your personal information, such as your name, contact information, and social media links.

Professional Summary: This section is where you highlight your skills, experience, and achievements as a dancer. We will provide guidance on crafting a compelling summary that will capture the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

Education: In this section, we will show you how to showcase your academic achievements related to dance, such as degrees, certifications, and awards.

Performance Experience: This section is where you showcase your experience as a dancer, including your roles in shows, performances, and competitions.

Teaching Experience: If you have experience teaching dance, this section is where you can highlight your skills and achievements as a dance instructor.

Skills: In this section, we will show you how to highlight your technical and soft skills related to dance, such as choreography, improvisation, teamwork, and communication.

References: Finally, we will provide guidance on choosing the right references and how to list them on your resume.

By the end of this article, you will have a comprehensive guide to crafting a winning dance resume. Our examples and tips will help you stand out and increase your chances of landing your dream dance job.

Basic Information to Include in a Dance Resume

When crafting a winning dance resume, it’s important to include the following basic information:

Personal Information

Include your full name, current location, contact information (phone number, email address), and any relevant links to your social media profiles, website, or portfolio.

Dance Training and Education

List your past and present dance training and education, including any dance schools, conservatories, workshops, or master classes you have attended. Be sure to include the styles of dance you have studied and the levels you have achieved.

Performance Experience

Provide a comprehensive list of your performance experience, including any notable dance companies, productions, or shows you have performed in. Don’t forget to list any dance-related work you have done outside of performance, such as choreography, teaching, or production.

Awards and Achievements

List any dance-related awards or achievements, such as scholarships, grants, or competition wins. Be sure to include the name of the award, the organization that awarded it, and the date it was received.

By including these basic elements in your dance resume, you’ll showcase your skills and experience to potential employers and increase your chances of success in the dance industry.

Formatting Your Dance Resume

When it comes to crafting a winning dance resume, formatting is just as important as your dance experience and accolades. A well-organized and visually appealing resume can make all the difference in getting noticed by potential employers. Here are a few key elements to consider when formatting your dance resume:

Choosing the right font and layout

When selecting a font for your dance resume, it’s important to choose one that is easy to read and professional-looking. Avoid using unconventional fonts or script-style fonts, as they can be difficult for employers to read. Stick to standard fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Times New Roman in size 10-12.

As for the layout of your dance resume, consider using a clean, minimalist design that highlights your experience and skills. Avoid using elaborate borders, clipart, or other distracting elements that can take away from the content of your resume.

Length and structure of your resume

The length of your dance resume will depend on your level of experience and the number of performances or projects you’ve been involved in. Generally, a one or two-page resume is sufficient for most dancers.

Make sure to structure your dance resume chronologically, starting with your most recent experience at the top. This helps potential employers see your most recent achievements and experience first. Break down your experience into sections such as training, performances, and teaching experience.

Including a headshot

One important element to include in your dance resume is a professional headshot. Choose a photo that shows off your personality and dance skills, and make sure to dress appropriately in professional dance attire.

Your headshot should be prominently placed at the top of your resume, along with your name and contact information.

The format of your dance resume can make a big impact on your success as a dancer. Choose a professional font and layout, structure your experience chronologically, and include a high-quality headshot to help you stand out from the competition.

Writing an Objective Statement or Summary

What is an objective statement/summary.

An objective statement or summary is a brief introduction of oneself and the purpose of a resume. It is usually included at the top of a resume and serves as the first impression to potential employers. An objective statement/summary should highlight the candidate’s skills, expertise, accomplishments, and what they hope to achieve in their desired position.

How to write an effective objective statement/summary

To write an effective objective statement/summary, consider the following tips:

Keep it concise: A summary should be no longer than 3-4 sentences, and an objective statement should be 1-2 sentences.

Tailor it to the position: Customize the statement/summary to fit the job opening you’re applying for. Highlight specific skills, experiences, or achievements that would make you a good fit for the position.

Focus on a specific goal: Be clear about your career goals, but avoid being too general or vague. Use specific language and objectives that align with the job posting.

Use strong language: Start your statement/summary with a strong action verb and use powerful, descriptive language to showcase your expertise and accomplishments.

Highlight relevant experiences: Highlight experiences that align with the job requirements or that demonstrate relevant skills or abilities.

Examples of objective statements/summaries

Experienced and versatile dancer with a background in contemporary, modern, and ballet seeking a position that will allow me to continue growing and make a positive impact in a collaborative dance company.

Seeking a challenging role in a professional dance company where I can utilize my expertise in hip-hop dance, specialized choreography, and artistic direction to advance the organization’s mission.

Dedicated and driven dance instructor with over 5 years of experience teaching various dance styles, including jazz, tap, and lyrical. Seeking a position where I can use my passion for teaching and commitment to excellence to develop dancers of all skill levels.

Accomplished dance performer with a proven track record of success in regional and national competitions. Seeking a role that will provide opportunities for continued professional growth, additional performance experience, and the chance to collaborate with other talented dancers.

Passionate and detail-oriented choreographer with expertise in contemporary and ballet dance styles. Seeking a position that will allow me to use my artistic talents to create innovative pieces and inspire others to push the creative boundaries through dance.

An effective objective statement or summary should provide a brief overview of the candidate’s skills, expertise, experiences, and career goals. Customize the statement to fit the position, use powerful language, and showcase relevant experiences that demonstrate your qualifications for the job.

Highlighting Your Dance Skills

If you want to craft a winning dance resume, highlighting your dance skills is crucial. Your skills section should showcase your proficiency in various types of dance styles and techniques without being too lengthy. Here are some tips on what to include in your dance skills section and how to showcase your dance abilities.

Different types of dance skills to include

First, start by creating a list of all the dance styles and techniques you have experience in. This can include:

• Contemporary
• Improvisation
• Choreography

Make sure to also include any specialized skills or abilities you have, such as acrobatics, aerial dance, or specific partnering techniques. This will help differentiate you from other dancers and make your skills section more unique.

How to showcase your dance abilities

When showcasing your dance abilities, be specific and quantifiable. For example, instead of saying you have experience in ballet, mention the number of years you have trained in ballet and any notable achievements such as completing a specific level of training or earning a scholarship. Use action verbs such as “performed,” “choreographed,” or “taught” to describe your experience.

It’s also essential to highlight your performance experience in your skills section. If you’ve performed in professional productions, competitions, or festivals, make sure to include them along with any awards or recognition you received.

Examples of skill sections

Here are some examples of how to structure your skills section on your dance resume:

• Ballet: 10 years of training, completed RAD Intermediate level, performed in “Swan Lake” with XYZ Ballet Company
• Contemporary: 5 years of training, performed in “New Works” festival with ABC Dance Company
• Jazz: 7 years of training, competed in DanceSport Challenge and received 2nd place in solo division
• Tap: 3 years of training, trained in rhythm tap and performed in “42nd Street” with DEF Theater
• Ballroom: 2 years of training, trained in cha-cha, salsa, and waltz
• Latin: 1 year of training, trained in samba and rumba, competed in Latin competition and received honorable mention
• Aerial dance: proficient in silks and lyra, performed in “Cirque du Soleil” style show with GHI Productions
• Improvisation: developed improvisation skills through workshops with JKL Improv Company

Highlighting your dance skills on your resume is crucial to showcase your abilities and stand out from other dancers. Be specific, quantifiable, and include both your technical and performance experience. Remember to tailor your skills section to the specific dance job or company you’re applying to.

Listing Performance Experience

A winning dance resume showcases your experience and achievements in the most effective way possible. When listing performance experience, it’s important to highlight specific details and accomplishments that showcase your unique talents and contributions. Here are some tips to help you create an impressive performance experience section:

How to List Your Performance Experience

When listing your performance experience, start with your most recent performance and work your way back. Be sure to include the following information:

• Title of Performance:  Include the name of the performance or show you participated in.
• Role or Dance Style:  Indicate what role you played or what dance style you performed.
• Production Company or Venue:  List the name of the company or venue where the performance took place.
• Dates:  Include the dates of the performance.

Organizing your information in this way makes it easy for potential employers to quickly scan your resume and get an idea of your experience.

Including Specific Details and Accomplishments

To make your performance experience section stand out, include specific details and accomplishments that demonstrate your skills and abilities. For example:

• Number of Performances:  How many times did you perform in the show? This demonstrates your dedication and commitment to the performance.
• Size of Cast:  How many dancers were in the production? This demonstrates your ability to work collaboratively with others.
• Reviews or Awards:  Did the performance receive any positive reviews or awards? This demonstrates your exceptional talent and skill.

Including details like these can set you apart from other candidates and show potential employers what you bring to the table.

Examples of Performance Experience Sections

Here are some examples of performance experience sections that incorporate the tips above:

Title of Performance: The Nutcracker

Role or dance style: clara, ballet, production company or venue: houston ballet, dates: december 2018.

• Performed in six shows, demonstrating dedication to the production.
• Worked with a cast of 50 dancers to bring the performance to life, showcasing collaboration skills.
• Received positive reviews from local critics for exceptional performance as Clara.

Title of Performance: The Lion King

Role or dance style: featured dancer, afro-jazz, production company or venue: broadway in chicago, dates: march 2019-june 2019.

• Performed in 100+ shows, showcasing commitment and stamina.
• Collaborated with a cast of 50 dancers and a live orchestra to bring the show to life, demonstrating excellent teamwork skills.
• Received a Broadway World Chicago award for exceptional performance as a featured dancer.

By including specific details and accomplishments, you can make your performance experience section stand out and showcase your talent and abilities. Use these tips to create an impressive performance experience section that will grab the attention of potential employers.

Detailing Dance Education and Training

Whether you’re an experienced dancer or still relatively new to the scene, detailing your education and training in dance is crucial when crafting a winning dance resume. Here are some key things to keep in mind as you highlight your dance education and training:

Categories of Dance Education to Include

When detailing your dance education, it’s important to break things down into specific categories. Here are some categories to consider:

Formal Dance Education: This could include any formal dance training you’ve received, whether it was at a dance school, conservatory, or university.

Workshops and Masterclasses: Have you taken any specialized workshops or masterclasses with industry experts in your dance style? Be sure to include these in your resume.

Summer Dance Programs: If you’ve attended any summer dance programs or intensives, be sure to highlight these as well.

Private Lessons: If you’ve taken private lessons with a notable dance instructor, you may want to mention this in your resume.

How to Highlight Your Training

When presenting your dance education and training, there are a few key things you can do to make it stand out:

Start with your most recent or notable training experiences, and work your way back.

Be sure to include the name of the institution or instructor, as well as the date(s) and location(s) of your training.

Mention any notable performances or showcases you were a part of during your training.

If you received any awards or scholarships during your training, be sure to highlight these as well.

Relevant Certifications and Qualifications to Include

In addition to detailing your dance education and training, it’s also important to include any relevant certifications or qualifications. Here are a few things to consider:

Certifications: If you have any certifications in specific dance styles or techniques, be sure to mention these in your resume.

Degrees: If you have a degree in dance, be sure to include this as well.

Specialized Skills: Do you have any specialized skills that set you apart as a dancer? For example, are you proficient in acrobatics, partnering, or choreography? Make sure to highlight these as well.

When it comes to crafting your dance resume, your education and training are an essential part of your story. By breaking down your education into specific categories, highlighting your most notable training experiences, and including any relevant certifications and qualifications, you’ll be able to create a resume that showcases your skills and sets you apart from the competition.

Showcasing Awards and Achievements

Listing your dance awards and achievements is an important aspect of crafting a winning dance resume. It not only adds credibility and prestige to your resume but also demonstrates to potential employers or directors that you are dedicated and skilled in your craft.

Here are some different types of dance awards and achievements that you should consider including in your resume:

• Dance competition awards: List specific awards you have won such as first place, second place, or honorable mention. Include the name of the competition, the year, and the style of dance that you performed.
• Scholarships and grants: If you have received any scholarships or grants for dance, be sure to include them. Mention the name of the organization that awarded the funding and the amount received.
• Performance accolades: Highlight any notable performances you have been a part of, such as being selected for a lead role or performing at a prestigious venue.
• Certifications and licenses: If you hold any relevant certifications or licenses, such as a dance teaching certificate or a choreography certification, include them as achievements.

It is important to showcase your dance awards and achievements in your resume. By doing so, you provide concrete evidence of your dedication and skill level. This can help set you apart from other candidates and increase your chances of being selected for a job or audition.

When listing your awards and achievements, be sure to include the following information:

• Award or achievement title
• Name and date of the competition, performance, or program
• Relevant category or genre
• Level of recognition (such as first place or honorable mention)
• Any specific requirements or criteria for the award or achievement

Additionally, consider organizing your awards and achievements in chronological order or by the relevance of the recognition to the position you are applying for. Be concise and specific, and use bullet points for easy readability.

Showcasing your dance awards and achievements is an important part of creating a winning dance resume. Including specific and relevant details about your awards, scholarships, achievements, and certifications can set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate your dedication and skill level.

Adding Relevant Dance Workshops, Conferences, and Masterclasses

One of the most vital aspects of any dance resume is the section that highlights the workshops, conferences, and masterclasses you have attended. By including this section, you show your dedication to the art form, your hunger for knowledge and development, and your willingness to put in the hard work required to succeed as a dancer.

How to List Workshops, Conferences, and Masterclasses

When listing your workshops, conferences, and masterclasses, you should include the name of the event, the date it took place, the organizer, and the location. You can also include a brief description of what you learned, particularly if it is relevant to the job you are applying for.

Importance of Attending These Events

Attending dance workshops, conferences, and masterclasses can provide you with numerous benefits. One of the most significant is the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in the industry, including choreographers, dance directors, and instructors. These individuals can offer you valuable insights into the dance world, teach you new techniques and styles, and help you develop a deeper understanding of the art form.

Another benefit of attending these events is the opportunity to network with other dancers, dance enthusiasts, and professionals in the industry. By networking with others, you can gain access to new opportunities, learn about job openings, and make valuable connections that can help you advance in your career.

Examples of Sections for Dance Events

To give you an idea of what a dance events section on your resume may look like, here are a few examples:

Ballet Masterclass with Misty Copeland

• New York City Ballet, September 2019
• Learned new ballet techniques and how to achieve grace and strength in pirouettes.

Contemporary Dance Conference

• The Ailey School, July 2018
• Worked with various renowned choreographers to explore a range of contemporary dance styles and techniques.

Hip-Hop Workshop

• Broadway Dance Center, June 2017
• Learned how to add more fluidity and expression to my hip-hop movements, while building stamina and energy.

When it comes to listing dance events on your resume, the key is to be selective and focus only on those that are relevant to the job or project you are applying for. Including this section on your resume not only shows your dedication to your craft but also your commitment to continuously improving and staying up-to-date with industry trends and techniques.

Emphasizing Non-Dance Related Experience

When writing a dance resume, it’s important to showcase more than just your dance experience. Many dancers have unique backgrounds and skills that can help them stand out from the competition. This section will cover how to include non-dance related experience, explain transferable skills, and provide examples of sections for non-dance experience that can be added to your dance resume.

How to include non-dance related experience

Including non-dance related experience in your dance resume can showcase your versatility and highlight skills that may make you an asset to a dance company. When listing your non-dance experience, make sure to include the following:

• Name and location of the company/organization
• Your job title/role
• Dates of employment

It’s also important to mention any specific skills or accomplishments you achieved during your time in this position. This can help highlight valuable transferable skills that could be beneficial to a dance company.

Explaining transferable skills

Transferable skills are skills that can be used in various roles and industries. As a dancer, you may have developed a set of transferable skills through your training and performance experience. Some examples of transferable skills that dancers may possess include:

• Discipline and work ethic
• Time management
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Public speaking
• Attention to detail
• Adaptability

When listing non-dance related experience on your resume, make sure to highlight how your transferable skills could benefit a dance company. For example, if you have experience working in sales, you could mention how your communication and persuasion skills could help you market a dance company’s performances to potential audiences.

Examples of sections for non-dance experience

Here are some examples of sections you could add to your dance resume to showcase your non-dance related experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, XYZ University, 2015-2019
• Relevant coursework: Public Speaking, Market Research, Advertising

Work Experience

• Sales Associate, ABC Retail, 2019-present
• Developed communication and persuasion skills to assist customers in making purchasing decisions
• Achieved top sales numbers in store multiple months in a row

Volunteer Experience

• Crisis Hotline Volunteer, XYZ Organization, 2017-2018
• Developed active listening and problem-solving skills to assist individuals in distress
• Completed 40 hours of intensive training in crisis intervention techniques

By including non-dance related experience in your dance resume, you can demonstrate your versatility and showcase valuable transferable skills. Make sure to tailor your resume for each specific job or company you apply to, highlighting the skills that are most relevant to the position. With these tips and examples, you’ll be on your way to crafting a winning dance resume.

Using Keywords in Your Dance Resume

As a dancer, your resume is your ticket to landing auditions, gigs, and other performance opportunities. It’s important to make sure that your resume stands out from the rest of the competition. One of the most effective ways to do this is by using the right keywords.

Importance of Using the Right Keywords

By incorporating relevant keywords into your resume, you can improve your chances of being discovered by recruiters and hiring managers. Many recruiters will use automated tools to filter through resumes and identify candidates based on specific keywords. By using the right keywords in your resume, you can ensure that your application will make it through these initial filters.

In addition to improving your chances of being discovered, using the right keywords can also help you stand out from the competition. If you’re applying for a specific type of dance role or niche, using keywords relevant to that area can help you demonstrate your expertise in that particular area.

How to Research and Identify Keywords

So, how do you go about identifying the right keywords to use in your dance resume? It’s important to start with a clear understanding of the job you’re applying for and the skills and qualities that the employer is looking for in a candidate. Look closely at the job description and identify key phrases that appear repeatedly throughout. These are likely to be the keywords that recruiters will be using to filter through resumes.

You can also conduct research on industry-specific vocabulary and phrases that are relevant to your particular niche within the dance world. Use online resources such as industry blogs, forums, and social media groups to gather insights on commonly used terminology.

Examples of Effective Keyword Usage

Here are a few tips on how to effectively incorporate keywords into your dance resume:

• Start with a clear objective statement at the beginning of your resume that uses keywords relevant to your target role.
• Integrate your keywords throughout your resume in a natural way, focusing on showcasing your skills and achievements rather than simply throwing in keywords for the sake of it.
• Use specific, quantifiable examples of your achievements that demonstrate your expertise in a particular area. For example, if you specialize in choreography, include metrics such as the number of successful performances or awards received.
• Don’t overdo it with keywords. Using too many keywords can make your resume seem spammy and can turn off recruiters.

By effectively incorporating keywords into your dance resume, you can increase your chances of being noticed by recruiters and landing your dream dance role. Remember to stay focused on showcasing your skills and experience in a natural and compelling way, and let the keywords serve as a helpful tool in getting your application to the top of the pile.

Tips to Make Your Dance Resume Stand Out

Crafting a winning dance resume can be a challenge, but with the right tools and guidance, it is possible to create a standout document that showcases your skills and experience. Here are some additional tips to help you make your dance resume stand out from the crowd.

Additional tips for crafting a winning dance resume

Keep it concise: Your dance resume should be no more than one page in length. This means that you need to be strategic in your language and formatting to convey your most important information in a clear and concise manner.

Highlight your accomplishments: Rather than simply listing your skills and experiences, focus on highlighting your accomplishments. This could include awards you’ve won, performances you’ve been a part of, or notable choreography you’ve created.

Use keywords: Be sure to use keywords that relate to the specific type of dance job you are applying for. This will help your resume to stand out to potential employers and increase your chances of getting hired.

Include relevant training: Whether you’ve completed a formal dance training program or have taken classes from a renowned instructor, including this information on your resume can show potential employers that you are serious about your craft.

Customize for each job application: Tailoring your resume to the specific job you are applying for can help to make it stand out. Look at the job description and requirements carefully and ensure that your resume speaks to those needs.

Common resume mistakes to avoid

Typos and errors: Even a single typo can make your resume look unprofessional. Be sure to proofread your document carefully before submitting it.

Irrelevant information: While it’s important to showcase your strengths and accomplishments, don’t include irrelevant information. Keep your focus on your dance experience and training.

Overcomplicating the format: A simple, easy-to-read format is key when it comes to resumes. Avoid using complicated fonts, colors, or graphics that may be distracting.

Tips for tailoring your resume to different types of dance jobs

Ballet: When applying for a ballet dance job, be sure to highlight your extensive training and experience in classical ballet techniques. Including any awards or performances you’ve been a part of can also be a plus.

Contemporary: For contemporary dance jobs, emphasize your skills in improvisation, choreography, and collaboration. Including any experience with site-specific or unconventional performance spaces can also be beneficial.

Commercial dance: When applying for commercial dance jobs, focus on your ability to pick up choreography quickly and your versatility as a dancer. Highlight your experience in musical theatre, commercial, or hip-hop dance styles.

By following these tips, you can craft a winning dance resume that showcases your skills and experience in the best possible light. Remember to stay focused on the job you are applying for, keep your language concise and relevant, and proofread carefully to avoid any errors.

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Personal Statement Structure: How to Organize Your Essay

Padya Paramita

July 1, 2020

If you’re about to be a high school senior, you’ve probably heard this many times by now — the personal statement can make or break your application. Using just  650 words, you have to demonstrate who you are, what makes you unique, and what you’re passionate about in a way that impresses admissions officers. Once you’ve found the perfect topic, the question then becomes, what is the right personal statement structure?

High school students are used to writing a traditional five-paragraph essay. The Common App essay doesn’t follow that pattern. Your personal statement structure needs to highlight the core of your personality and character with more of a “bang.” So, you can’t necessarily go on philosophical tangents or drag out introductions. In this blog, I’ve elaborated on ways to organize your essay so that you can captivate admissions officers at your top choice colleges and sets yourself apart from the other applicants. 

How to Organize Your Essay

No matter what you’re writing about, your essay needs to be well organized and flow smoothly. Admissions officers will not appreciate a haphazard piece of writing that seemingly tells no story or where the narrative is all over the place. As you figure out personal statement structure, you need to keep 3 key aspects in mind: the introduction, the evidence, and the ending. Let’s take a closer look at each of these elements.

The Introduction

An exceptionally important step in your personal statement structure is your introduction. Obviously, this is the first thing that admissions officers will read, so you have to make a memorable impression with your opening statement and paragraph. Remember that these officers read hundreds of applications - and essays - each day, so it’s crucial that you start your story off in a unique way so that you grab and keep their attention. 

• Hook: The hook of your essay is a catchy phrase or sentence that should capture the reader’s attention immediately as they start your essay. Your hook can include a quote (for a personal statement, quotes are better suited if they’re a dialogue from real life rather than from a famous person), a fact that might startle your audience, or a vivid description of something unique and makes the admissions reader say, “That’s interesting!” and want to keep going.

Example of a hook: It hit me when I was twelve years old: I had a problem. I hated taking showers. 

• Problems: Once you’ve got your hook, you can build on it by outlining the problem, or issue that you faced. Because many essays often tell stories of growth in an individual or how the writer worked on something they’re passionate about, there’s often a conflict that stands in the way. As you work on your personal statement structure , consider whether you faced any obstacle that could go hand in hand with your hook.

Example problem: No, it had nothing to do with the warm water, fragrant hair products, or the time spent alone, but rather with how I spent my time afterward. For a little over a year, I blow-dried and straightened my hair after every shower, turning what should have been a fifteen minute affair into an hour-long ordeal. Why did I do this? It was a symptom of what I call ‘The Curly Hair Teenage Angst Syndrome.’ 

• Solution or Thesis: You’ve probably heard the word “thesis” when it comes to your English class essay. This is the main point, the purpose of your essay. What do you want to convey to the reader in the next few paragraphs? As you introduce your essay, you want the reader to know that this is a story of personal development or hard work and determination. So, take advantage of the introduction to provide a picture of exactly what you’ll be covering in your response — how did you get to the solution? This gives the admissions officer an idea of what to expect as they continue reading.

Example thesis: My hair was perfectly straight, but I hated it. I hated succumbing to my vanity, continuing to do something that the reasonable part of my brain knew was silly. Deep down I could acknowledge that I was blow-drying my hair only for external approval and that ultimately, my curly hair was just fine by me. 

The Evidence

Once you’ve introduced the topic or theme of your essay, it’s time to get into the more nitty gritty details. Next up in the personal statement structure : the evidence. If your story is about your amateur wrestling career or how you founded your own company, it’s time to let the admissions officer know about the specifics. Because this essay is one of the most effective ways to let the colleges of your choice get a picture of who you are, making careful choices here is very important. You want your personality to shine through by using captivating dialogue, vivid descriptions, and subtle tone techniques. The reader should come out of this experience knowing what makes you unique and different from other candidates. 

You don’t have to use overly flowery language. The point is clarity and vividness. The more concrete your depiction of events, the better the admissions officers can picture it, and understand why this topic is important to you. And of course, as cliche as it sounds - remember to show, not tell.

Example evidence: As a lifelong artist and self-proclaimed craft aficionado, I decided to bring my cache of crafting supplies to the hospital the next day: colored-paper, yarn, fabric, beads, and more. My grandma and I spent hours weaving bracelets and debating color combinations. By the time it got dark, my grandma, satisfied from an unexpectedly eventful day, fell asleep quickly, unbothered by her back pain. I went home, eager to brainstorm new crafting ideas. I scrolled through blogs, scoured YouTube compilation videos, and scribbled down crafting plans in my sketchbook.

Once you’ve fleshed out your plot and descriptions, you’ve arrived at the final part of understanding the personal statement structure. Just as it’s crucial to start your essay in a catchy manner, it’s essential that your ending is memorable as well. There are a few ways you can end your response. Your conclusion can refer back to your opening paragraph — especially if you’d started with an anecdote — and talk about it in light of the things you mention as part of the evidence. You could choose the expansion route and reflect on a personal or universal truth, and how you’ll focus on events or similar situations moving forward. You could also take it back to your thesis — talk about your growth, and how you’ve changed or how your life may have shifted. Or, you could be more creative and take less of a traditional path and end in a quote or ellipses. 

Example ending: In addition to establishing a meaningful friendship, this experience seeded a mentality that will continue guiding my actions, attitudes, and interactions. It showed me the value of being empathetic and considering others' perspectives. I learned to view my setbacks and predispositions as mere short-term obstacles that can be overcome with a growth mindset - truly believing that anybody can do anything.

Now that you have a clearer understanding of personal statement structure , it’s time to start brainstorming. Once you have a topic, think carefully about the best ways to approach it through your essay. Write multiple drafts to figure out the best way to convey your story so that you can stand out among the competition. Good luck!

Tags : how to organize your personal statement , common app essay , common app personal statement tips , personal statement tips , personal statement structure

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Peeling the Onion: Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre Celebrates Twenty-Five Years of Personal Storytelling

by Sharon Hoyer | May 1, 2024

• Recommended Dance Shows

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre in “American Catracho”/Photo: William Frederking

“We’re here to satisfy a particular artistic appetite for both audiences and artists,” says Wilfredo Rivera, founder and artistic director of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre. “This model serves a very particular purpose. It feels good.” Rivera’s company has been quietly carving out a particular, uncrowded niche in Chicago’s live-arts universe for a quarter-century. The company has a unique structure, pairing choreographers with jazz composers to develop pieces over a long period—often years—and inspired by the personal stories of the artists and their communities. The result, performed by Cerqua Rivera’s eight-member dance ensemble and nine-piece jazz orchestra, unfailingly speaks straight to the heart, feeding a hunger the viewer may not even realize they suffer. Rivera credits this phenomenon to a yearslong research and development process. “The choreographers are given space to explore deeper layers of how to interpret a narrative,” he says. “Like a painter or composer, the first pass won’t be the end product. That’s a process a lot of dance companies our size or bigger don’t have the capacity to provide to choreographers. With an expansive period to develop the work you can create such an intimate vocabulary; the gestures, the structure of the spine, the dynamic energy between the dancers can convey a lot.”

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre jazz ensemble, Joe Cerqua, center/Photo: William Frederking

Audiences can experience the company’s immersive brand of storytelling, at once energetically expansive and emotionally intimate at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, May 17-19. The concert is the culmination of the company’s twenty-fifth anniversary season and features mostly recent works. Act one is the first half of Rivera’s “American Catracho,” inspired by the stories of dozens of immigrants and, in part, his own life—he moved from Honduras to the United States with his family when he was young and, since the 2019 premiere of “Catracho,” has become a U.S. citizen. “My journey from being an undocumented artist making a living as a dancer and choreographer to being a resident with a green card to recently becoming a U.S. citizen. And the immigration crisis that’s happening right now. It felt appropriate to revisit the ‘American Catracho’ suite,” he says. The second half is from a new suite, still in development, which delves into the life and times of the Humboldt Park neighborhood. “Stories from the West Side” is a collaboration between Cerqua Rivera violinist James Sanders, the Chicago Jazz Institute and the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center. “We went into the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, we went into a few schools and talked with people about the cultural shifts in the neighborhood, even going back to stories from the 1950s and sixties, and celebrating those narratives.” Three choreographers contribute pieces to the “Stories” suite, all set to Sanders’ compositions: company alum Katlin Bourgeois, whose “Tether” is a dedication to teacher-student relationships; Hubbard Street alum Shannon Alvis who takes inspiration from her grandfather’s love letters in “The Sea”; and Ballet Hispánico dance school director Michelle Manzanales who, in “The Island,” tells the story of two women who find refuge from a troubled home on the island in the Humboldt Park lagoon. Throughout our conversation, Rivera repeatedly refers to Cerqua Rivera as a home. A home for emerging choreographers who want to immerse themselves in research, collaborate within and beyond the bounds of an ensemble, and really let a project percolate. This nurturing environment has been a stepping stone to new projects and higher profile positions. In 2022, Katlin Bourgeois, a longtime company member and choreographer, was appointed head of the Joffrey Ballet’s contemporary ballet trainee program. “[Katlin and I] have had great conversations about how the resources we’ve provided have helped them jump-start the next phase of their career,” Rivera says. “Those realized examples of professional growth are really rewarding.”

Cerqua Rivera is also a home for early- and mid-career dancers who hunger to train in technique and develop their craft in a setting that respects and celebrates their individuality. Because the company is committed to personal storytelling, care and attentiveness to the individual experience is in their DNA. “We’re really pulling from the Black experience, from the Asian experience, from the Latino experience, from the Polish immigrant experience,” Rivera says. “It’s a very specific, individualized, culturally based experience we’re elevating. It asks you to be vulnerable in the way an actor needs to unpack the character. That can be intimidating for a dancer, but it can be rewarding and fulfilling. If you’re excited about peeling the onion that is yourself with others in community this is a good environment for you.”

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre’s twenty-fifth-anniversary concert series is at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 North Dearborn, Friday-Saturday, May 17-18 at 7:30pm and Sunday, May 19 at 3pm. $40-$60. Tickets at cerquarivera.org .

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