Ballet dancer Carrie Imler's cool job

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July 3, 2012

Ballet dancer Carrie Imler's cool job

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Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Carrie Imler performs in “Serenade,” choreographed by George Balanchine. (Angela Sterling / Special to NWjobs)

What do you do? I am a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet.

How does someone get a job like yours? Many years of practice! I started training when I was 5 and a half years old and have been dancing ever since. After training, you go through auditions. Most dancers audition for several ballet companies hoping to find a good fit. Not every dancer has the same experience, but this is typical.

What’s a typical day like? A typical day starts around 10 a.m., when I get to the ballet studios to prepare for company class, which warms up my body for the rest of the day. Class is usually 90 minutes. Then, after a 15-minute break, rehearsals start. Rehearsals generally run until 7 p.m.

What’s the best part of the job? The performance aspect. I love the feeling you get when you step on the stage and get to “show off” all you have accomplished in rehearsals. It is amazing to be able to do something you absolutely love and to have an audience that appreciates your hard work and dedication.

What surprises people about your job? When I tell people that I am a ballet dancer, someone inevitably asks me, “Well, what do you do for a living?” Some people don’t realize you can actually make a living being a ballet dancer.

--NWjobs staff

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