What the photo is for
Casting director Jason Styres told Dance Informa that a headshot is a physical reminder of you after the audition, because a team may see hundreds of people in a day and needs something to hold on to while they discuss. Broadway Dance Center's Bonnie Erickson calls excellent headshots the most important investment for a working artist.
Movement photos are something else. One dance photographer treats the headshot and the movement images as separate parts of the kit. A leap in a studio does not show a casting team your face. A calm face does not show what your body does.
Which photo, which job
The table draws on the Dance Informa feature, a dance photography studio, a company that sells roster headshots and a forum critique thread. The last two rows are our own reading, not a casting source.
| Photo | Job it does | What it needs to show | Who should take it |
|---|
| Audition headshot | Printed 8x10, handed in with your resume | Your face, your current hair and a natural expression, in color | A photographer who works with performers |
| Theatrical and commercial pair | Casting for stage, screen or advertising | Theatrical looks natural and individual; commercial reads as a type you could play in an ad | A photographer, ideally with a hair and makeup artist |
| Company roster headshot | Season program and company site | A clean, consistent look across the whole company | The company, which often sells you the file |
| Movement photo | Showing line and technique | Your body, shot in a studio or on location | A dance photographer, usually a longer session |
| Teaching or studio profile portrait | Studio website and class page | A friendly, readable face at small size | You, a friend or an AI portrait |
| LinkedIn and choreographer bio | Grants and residencies | A calm professional portrait, no costume | You, a friend or an AI portrait |
If you need the first four, book a person. The last two are where the rest of this page applies.
What casting people ask for
- Look like you. Styres says his pet peeve is dancers who do not look like their headshots, and hair color and length, and facial hair, should stay close to your current look.
- Shoot in color. The same article calls black and white a thing of the past, a 2016 view, so check each company's own instructions.
- Print at 8x10 on good paper, with your name legible. Semi-gloss is Styres's suggestion. Do not print headshot and resume double-sided, because teams often separate them to lay them side by side.
- Keep clothing simple, well fitting and quiet enough that the face stays the focus.
Ballet and contemporary want different faces
In a photo critique thread for a dancer portrait, a dance photographer wrote that for an audition shot you almost always want a long neck, a clean white background and a crisp finish. The advice was to shoot some frames with a bun and no flyaways, some with a leotard strap and some without, and to ask a company's art director before shooting if the photo is meant for that company.
A European contemporary dancer replied in the same thread that a bun and a leotard strap are no longer done in that scene, and pointed to the headshots of several contemporary companies as the reference. The right headshot depends on the style of dance and the country, so look at the roster photos of the company you want before you book anyone.
Mistakes that show up in dancer portraits
The same critique thread lists problems that apply whether a person or software made the image.
- Light so warm that the whites of the eyes turn yellow.
- Bare shoulders and warm tones that make the dancer look nude, which sends a message the dancer did not intend.
- A body twisted so far that neck lines appear; a headshot should read as a headshot, not a shoulder shot.
- Shallow focus with only one eye sharp.
- Blown highlights.
What it costs
The figures here are US dollars from US sources, and the Dance Informa article dates from 2016, so treat them as orders of magnitude. The magazine puts a hair and makeup artist at 75 to 300 dollars, depending on hair type, number of looks and touch-ups on location. One New York company sells a single high-resolution dancer headshot from its own season session for 35 dollars, with the file emailed within 48 hours of purchase, not counting weekends and holidays.
We found no reliable current price list for UK dancer headshots, so none is quoted. Ask photographers what the price covers: finished images, license, retouching.
Where an AI portrait fits, and where it does not
Profilfoto KI creates photorealistic portraits from your own selfies in a chosen style. It has no leotard or ballet style, no dance poses and no editor for retouching an audition look. For an audition headshot, a company roster photo or a movement image, use a photographer.
It fits the profile portrait for a studio website, a LinkedIn profile or a grant application. Business Studio, LinkedIn Modern and Casual Friday are styles that suit those uses. You pick between 1 and 10 of your own selfies for each generation. The first photo is free and carries a watermark, so you can check the likeness first.
Packages are one-time payments with no subscription: 2 photos for 4.99 EUR, 12 photos for 29 EUR and 40 photos for 79 EUR. Uploaded selfies are stored in Frankfurt and deleted automatically after 90 days at the latest.
Try the free first photoBefore you book a photographer
- Collect five roster photos from companies you want, and note the background and the crop.
- Bring more outfits than you think you need.
- Ask if the session includes hair and makeup, how many finished files you receive and what you may do with them.
- Hold the proofs next to a phone photo from that morning. If a casting person would struggle to match them, choose another frame.
Dancer headshot questions
What is a dancer headshot?
A portrait of your face, usually printed at 8x10 inches, that goes with your resume at auditions. It is separate from dance photos that show movement.
Do I wear a leotard in my headshot?
It depends on the style and the country. A dance photographer in an online critique thread suggested shooting some frames with a leotard strap and some without for classical auditions, while a European contemporary dancer said the strap and bun are no longer used in that scene. Check the company first.
Can I use an AI portrait for a dance audition?
We would not. Casting teams want a photo that looks like you on the day, with a style that fits the company, and Profilfoto KI has no dance or audition style. It is meant for profile portraits such as a studio website, a bio or LinkedIn, and the free watermarked first photo lets you check the likeness before buying.
How much does a dancer headshot cost?
US sources give hair and makeup at 75 to 300 dollars, and one company session sells a single file for 35 dollars. These are dated or company-specific figures. Ask photographers for the number of finished images, the license and retouching before you pay.
