Full name/age/job title:

John Ross, 24, Contemporary Dancer/Choreographer.

Please give us an overview of your average day.

I wake up and go straight onto the computer to send and check emails. I do the usual morning business and then will try to take a class. From there, I will get out my precious choreographic notebook (although if someone stole it all they would get is stickmen and dots with random words) and start working on what needs to be done for next rehearsal. This usually takes up a few hours. Then I’ll be back on the computer usually finishing applications and then on to rehearsal for four or so hours. I’ll get home about 10pm, eat, send some more emails and then sleep!

What is the most common misconception about your job?

That I must be gay because I am a dancer! That I must be flexible (everyone always asks me to do the splits) which I still cannot do! People also think that all I do is prance about in a studio all day and never use my academic brain. I could rant about this for hours. 

What is the hardest thing about your role? 

Trying to please everyone. I’m doing a lot of choreography at the moment and the hardest thing is not only making the movement exciting for myself but for the people I will be delivering it to. I think one of the hardest things is making a piece of work that could take you weeks and in one evening of it being shown everyone can turn around and say they hate it. That’s quite tough. 

When did you decide what you wanted to do with your life and how did you start out achieving it?

I started very late in dance, when I was 19. Initially I went to drama school as I always wanted to be an actor. In my second year we had an actors’ movement class (it was not us pretending to be trees) where we started to learn about choreography and something clicked. The teacher was really impressed and said that if I didn’t want to continue as an actor I should really think about a dance career. So I did. I had never danced one step before that – well, not counting dancing drunk in a club of course.

What can you do to get a head start? 

If you have a strong head on your shoulders, know what you want and keep your ideas strong, then you already have a head start. If you believe in something, don’t let others try change it, but develop it. Also talk to people: networking is crucial. Take workshops and email companies you’re interested in asking to join their classes. But don’t push it – there’s a balance between showing interest and just being annoying. No one loves an arse kisser!

Could you describe the creative element to your job?

As cheesy as this is, there’s inspiration around us everyday. I will usually find a piece of music that backs up the idea and then just started moving in a studio. Coming from an acting background, I usually have a story I want to tell, so there’s a beginning and end, and the middle happens while creating. I try to imagine the piece in a theatre and if an audience would enjoy or, more importantly understand, what they’re seeing. 

What one thing do you wish you had known at the start of your career that you know now? 

To massage my body!

Which organisations/websites/resources do you think would be useful for people entering your industry? 

Article 19 is the dancer’s bible – everyone checks that site.

Dance Europe for people wanting to venture out a little bit.

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