Andy Reid enjoys a well-choreographed work life.
Reid, 28, is a dance instructor. His specialty is the classic Lindy Hop swing dance.
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Reid lives in the District, and most of his work is in the Washington area, teaching at DC Dance Collective and at the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park in Maryland. However, his fancy footwork has also carried him to Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles and Milan.
Professional dancers and choreographers held about 37,000 jobs in 2002 in the United States, according to the Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook. About one-fifth are self-employed, like Reid. Many have extensive training, beginning as young as age 5. Others pick up their skills later in life. Reid says he has always been athletic, but did not begin dancing until about eight years ago. He has been teaching and performing professionally for four.
The field is very competitive, with many people competing for just a few jobs, and it takes more to succeed than just being a great dancer. There's also a business side to it, and people skills are critical if you're going to teach.
However, Reid advises would-be dance instructors not to get bogged down in the bureaucratic details, lest it become too much like a regular job. "Don't let it become a profession -- let it remain a passion."
-- Mary Ellen Slayter
