dancer
gb/dˈænsɚ/ us/dˈænsɚ/
A2
English
~ 6600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Person who dances as art or hobby
A person who dances, for fun or as a job, especially on a stage or in a show.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a/an [adjective] dancer
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"I am a dancing"* instead of *"I am a dancer"* when they mean their role or job. Use *"dancer"* (a noun) for a person, and *"dancing"* (a verb or noun) for the activity, e.g. *"I am a dancer"* vs. *"I like dancing"* or *"I am dancing now"*.
Synonyms
performer (More general; can be any kind of stage artist, not only someone who dances.)
|
dance artist (More formal and artistic; often used in contemporary or modern dance contexts.)
Antonyms
spectator (Focuses on someone who only watches a performance instead of taking part in it.)
Collocations
professional dancer
|ballet dancer
|street dancer
|backup dancer
|contemporary dancer
|exotic dancer
Themes
art
|entertainment
|work
|arts_entertainment
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She worked for years to become a professional dancer on Broadway.
- The lead dancer held the audience’s attention from the first step to the last.
- He’s not a trained dancer, but he moves with amazing rhythm and confidence.
- The company hired local dancers to appear in the music video.
- As a young dancer, he practices ballet six days a week.
Learner examples
- My sister is a very good dancer.
- He wants to be a dancer in music videos.
- The dancers came on stage and started the show.
- I am not a good dancer, but I like to try.
- There are many dancers in this city’s ballet company.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dancer
IPA
GB/dˈænsɚ/
US/dˈænsɚ/
Syllables & stress
dan - cer (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (dan)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dancer
- Plural: dancers
Word family
Expressions
backup dancer
1/bˈækˌʌp dˈænsɚ/
fixed phrase
Dancer supporting a main performer
A dancer who dances on stage behind or around the main singer or star.
Examples
- She got her first job as a backup dancer on a pop star’s tour.
- The backup dancers added a lot of energy to the concert performance.
professional dancer
2/pɹəfˈɛʃənəl dˈænsɚ/
fixed phrase
Dancer who is paid to perform
A dancer who is paid to dance and usually does it as their main job.
Examples
- After years of training, he finally became a professional dancer with a famous company.
- Many professional dancers also teach classes to younger students.
street dancer
3/stɹˈit dˈænsɚ/
fixed phrase
Dancer who performs on the street
A dancer who often dances on streets or in open public places, usually in hip-hop or similar styles.
Examples
- A group of street dancers drew a big crowd in the city square.
- He started as a street dancer before joining a professional crew.
ballet dancer
1/bælˈeɪ dˈænsɚ/
fixed phrase
Person who dances ballet
Someone who dances ballet, usually very well or as a job.
Examples
- She started training as a ballet dancer when she was only five years old.
- Her dream is to become a professional ballet dancer.
- The ballet dancers practiced the difficult lifts again and again before the show.
- The ballet dancer spent hours every day at the studio.
- Many ballet dancers start training when they are very young.
exotic dancer
1/ɪɡzˈɑtɪk dˈænsɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
striptease performer in a club
A person, usually working in a club, who dances and takes off their clothes to entertain adults.
Examples
- He used to work as a DJ in a club that hired exotic dancers.
- The film follows the life of an exotic dancer trying to support her family.
exotic dancer
2/ɪɡzˈɑtɪk dˈænsɚ/
fixed phrase
Erotic dancer in adult venues
A dancer who does erotic shows, usually in bars or clubs for adults.
Examples
- The club mainly employs exotic dancers who perform late at night.
- She used to work as an exotic dancer before changing careers.