To all those people (myself included) who are wondering if it's too late for them to become a dancer, last week i saw the Brazilian dance company Grupo Corpo perform in Birmingham, and in the discussion afterwards it was revealed that one of the dancers didn't start his training until he was 20 years old!

That's not so uncommon for men, especially in modern dance. This logic does not (in general) apply to 15-year-old girls seeking to start a career in classical dance.

In starting "late", it is advisable to:
1. Make sure you have a way to support yourself financially.
2. Make sure you puruse quality training.
3. Make sure you enjoy the process.
4. Make sure you keep making progress.
5. Prepare yourself for the possibility that you might get a lot out of the experience, even if your career is very short (or non-existant).

I would add:

"Consider the possibility that there are other career paths you can choose that will still allow you to be involved in dance."

These might include:

Administration
Lighting, Set, or Costume Design
Physical Therapy


Any others?

Stage Management
Artist Management
Presenting

Sorry, dancer, teacher and (maybe) choreographer are the only dance-related careers I would ever take. If not that, I'd rather be in another industry altogether. That's why I don't give a long list of other dance-related careers; for many dancers, they just are not the same. I suspect I'm not the only dancer who feels this way.

I personally know former principal dancers with SFB who went into costume design, wardrobe department, stage and production manangement, and administration...and very happily so...

should add choreographer to list of alternative careers

that's good advice citibob!

My pilates instructor had a client (female) who got her first contract in a small, professional, NYC ballet company at age 30! She started ballet in her late 20s for the first time (with a significant background in martial arts...the extension was already over her head when she began).

If you have an incredible body, great training, and are a quick learner, it's possible.