Trainee Programs - What They Are and What They Could Be

Abstract

The road to becoming a professional ballet dancer has never been easy. Due to improved sports medicine, higher standards for ballet technique, and prolonged dance careers, ballet companies have added another layer of training for dancers to complete before receiving a paid professional contract – trainee programs. These pre-professional trainee divisions are the ballet world’s version of an internship, allowing for on-the-job skills to be learned and work ethic to be evaluated. However, trainee programs are still a new concept in the dance community, and they still have many areas of improvement. Could applied psychology concepts and increased budgets ease the strenuous life of a trainee ballet dancer? Dance publications, interviews with ballet program directors, and trainee survey results shed light on what trainee programs are and what they could be.