A dance reel is your audition before the audition. Agents, choreographers and casting teams often watch it before they ever see you in a room, and they decide very quickly whether to keep watching. Your training, your style and your personality all have to land in a couple of minutes, sometimes in the first few seconds.
Here is how to make a dance reel people actually watch to the end: how long it should be, what to open with, which styles to show, and how to film it so your technique reads properly on a screen. I shoot dance and performer content in Liverpool, and these are the things that make the biggest difference.
The short version
- Keep it short. Aim for one to two minutes, and make every clip earn its place.
- Open with your strongest work, in the first few seconds.
- Show range that matches your goals, not every class you have ever taken.
- Film wide enough to see your whole body, feet included, with good light.
- Make two versions: a landscape reel for agents and vertical cuts for socials.
1. What a dance reel is for
Before you cut anything, decide who the reel is for. A reel for a commercial agent looks different from one for a contemporary company audition, which looks different again from a reel for music video castings. The more focused it is, the easier it is for the person watching to picture you in the job.
Agents
A clear sense of your strongest styles, your look and how you perform on camera.
Auditions and companies
Technique and artistry in the style the company works in.
Commercial work
Music videos, tours, adverts and events want energy, performance and personality.
Socials
Short vertical clips that show who you are and keep your profile active.
2. How long should a dance reel be?
Shorter than you think. One to two minutes is plenty for most reels, and a tight minute of brilliant work beats three minutes with a slow middle. If an agent or company gives you a time limit, stick to it exactly. Every clip should show something new. If two clips show the same thing, keep the better one.
3. What to open with
Your first ten seconds decide whether the rest gets watched. Open with your strongest, most exciting material, not a slow warm up or a long title card. A short, clean opening frame with your name, then straight into the best thing you do.
- Name first, clearly, for a couple of seconds. Contact details at the end.
- Best clip next, the one that makes someone sit up.
- Then show range, moving through your other strong styles.
- End strong, not with the clip you like least.
4. Which styles and clips to include
Include the styles you want to be booked for, and leave out anything you would not want to be hired to do. For most dancers that means two to four styles at most, each shown with its best clip. A mix of performance footage, a clean studio combination and a short freestyle often works well, because it shows technique, performance and personality.
Include
- Your strongest styles, clearly shown
- Clean combinations filmed specifically for the reel
- Professional credits or performances, if you have them
- A moment of personality, not just steps
Leave out
- Phone footage from the back of a hall
- Group shots where nobody can find you
- Old work that no longer represents you
- Long intros, effects and spinning titles
5. How to film a dance reel well
Most weak reels are not weak dancers. They are weak footage. A few basics change everything:
- Film wide enough to see your whole body, with your feet in frame at all times.
- Choose a clean space with a plain background and room to move.
- Light it properly. Dark footage hides lines, and technique disappears with it.
- Keep the camera steady, on a tripod or a stable handheld rig, at roughly hip to chest height.
- Wear clothes that show your lines and stand out from the background.
- Film more takes than you need, and pick the best one of each.
6. Music, versions and updating it
If you are sending the reel privately to agents, the music is usually less of an issue. If you post it publicly, platforms may mute or block commercial tracks, so check before you upload, or use music you have the rights to.
Make a landscape version for agents, websites and casting profiles, and cut vertical clips of your best moments for Reels and TikTok. Then update the reel whenever you have something better. A reel that still shows work from years ago tells people you have not moved on.
My guide to dance portfolio photos covers the shots to pair with your reel, and how long a showreel should be has more on timing from the acting side.
Dance reel checklist
The edit
- One to two minutes, or the length you were asked for
- Name at the start, contact details at the end
- Strongest clip in the first ten seconds
- Two to four styles, each with its best clip
The footage
- Whole body and feet in frame
- Good light and a clean background
- Steady camera, no shaky phone clips
- A landscape reel and vertical cuts for socials
Questions dancers ask
How long should a dance reel be?
One to two minutes is plenty for most reels. If an agent, company or audition gives you a time limit, stick to it exactly. A tight minute of your best work beats a long reel with a slow middle.
What should I put first in my dance reel?
Your name for a couple of seconds, then your strongest, most exciting clip. The first ten seconds decide whether the rest gets watched.
How many dance styles should I include?
Usually two to four, chosen to match the work you want to be booked for. Include each style’s best clip rather than several average ones.
Can I film my dance reel on a phone?
You can, if the footage is steady, well lit and wide enough to see your whole body. Clips filmed from the back of a dark hall rarely do you justice, so a dedicated filming session is often worth it.
Should my dance reel have music?
Usually, yes. For private submissions to agents it is less of an issue, but if you post publicly, platforms may mute or block commercial tracks, so check first or use music you have the rights to.
More guides for dancers and creators: Dance portfolio photos · Content creator photoshoot · Best photoshoot locations in Liverpool.
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