Through the years, dancers have had to travel to New York City or Los Angeles to make a living. This is still the case if you want to be a Broadway dancer or perform in film and commercials.

Many dancers love the energy and excitement of New York but are overwhelmed by the size of the city and the number of dancers auditioning for each part. Many only tolerate Los Angeles because the work is there but can't imagine raising a family in the city.

My point is, even though we all love dance, we are very different people. Fortunately, we can have it all. Today, there are other options for the dancer that wants to work and still enjoy a more laid back lifestyle. Nashville, Orlando, Las Vegas and many other smaller cities are hiring dancers. These cities offer the chance to have a career with longevity, benefits and exciting challenges.

There is also a small town in the middle of the Ozark Mountains that has created another option for hundreds of dancers. That small town is Branson.

Branson, Missouri has over forty theaters showcasing talent six nights a week from March to December. Branson has a population of 3700 people yet over 5 million people visit each year, making it one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States. Those 5 million visitors need to be entertained and that's good news for the dancer.

Here are few examples of shows utilizing dancer talents. The Rockettes perform at The Grand Palace. The Andy Williams Moon River Theatre hires dancers as well as, The Jim Stafford Theater, The Osmond Family Theater, Melinda's Magical Mansion, Dixie Stampede, Jennifer's Americana Theater, The Lawrence Welk Resort, Legends In Concert and Country Tonite.

As you can see, the all-American down home theme is alive and well in Branson. I'm not saying Branson is for everybody but I do want to inform dancers of all the opportunities for a career. To give you an idea of what it's like to work in Branson, I'm going to use Country Tonite as our example.

Country Tonite is in it's sixth season, ranked third in attendance and is performing in a theater owned by Country Tonite Enterprises. Karen Nelson Bell, the Producer of Country Tonite wanted to share this information with aspiring dancers.

"Our season runs from March 7th to December 18th. There's also a two-week rehearsal period before the season starts, so the cast is back together the last week of February. Most dancers love the time off. They save their money and go home to see family and friends.

Country Tonite has a cast of thirty-three with twelve dance positions. The dancers will sign a contract for the entire season and most shows like to re-sign dancers because it saves time and money on rehearsals and wardrobe.

The potential for long term employment is here. Dancers will sign a very standard contract for the ten-month period. There is a two-week out clause if a dancer is unhappy or lands another job, as well as a two-week notice if for some reason their performance is not on par with the other cast members.

I do try to add incentives for showing up every night and putting on a good performance. I've hired an excellent cast and I want that cast to be on stage, so if a dancer makes it through the entire season without a sick day, they will receive five days compensation at the end of the contract. If they miss one day, then they will receive four days compensation at the end of the contract and so on. We've found this to be a good incentive for attendance and helpful to the dancer in December when they know they' re going to have some time off.

The salaries in Branson range from $400 to $800 a week and "Country Tonite" is towards the top end of that range. We've added a bonus pool, where the cast will share in the profits "Country Tonite" takes in. What this does is help us with marketing. If a dancer is in a restaurant and someone asks them what show they should see, they can recommend "Country Tonite" and help promote the show. It pays for them to be proud of the show they're performing.

We have a health plan where Country Tonite Enterprises will pay half the premiums and the dancers will pay the other half. We also have a 401K program where Country Tonite Enterprises will match investments the dancers make into their own retirement program. This is rare in the industry and reinforces our philosophy of keeping a stable and solid cast.

But it's not just about money and work. Branson is like stepping back in time. It's incredibly beautiful, the people are very friendly and you don't have to lock your doors. A lot of dancers have worked here and decided to stay." 

Watch for Branson auditions in national trade papers. All shows stress personality, strong jazz and tap or clogging.

If you would like to be considered for Country Tonite, send a picture and resume to: Karen Nelson Bell, 101 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 28-221, Las Vegas, NV 89121