What does a choreographer do? A practical guide for theatres, events and brands
What a choreographer is, what they do in theatre, events, film and teaching, how the role differs from a dance teacher or a movement director, and how to hire one — by Bucharest choreographer Filip Stoica.
A choreographer is the person who creates and arranges movement for performers: the steps, gestures, formations and images that bodies make in space and time. The word comes from the Greek for "dance" and "writing" — a choreographer writes with bodies. This guide explains what the job involves today, drawing on the work of Filip Stoica, a Bucharest choreographer who works across theatre, dance, events and film.
What does a choreographer actually do?
- Invents movement material — phrases, sequences, gestures — that fits the music, the story or the brief
- Arranges performers in space: entrances, formations, transitions and key images
- Teaches the material and rehearses it until it is precise and repeatable
- Adapts it to the stage, the set, the lighting, the cameras and the performers' abilities
- Keeps the movement alive during the run, with notes and warm-ups
Where do choreographers work?
- Dance performances: a full piece, such as Vulnus, which Filip created with Beatrice Tudor and which won Best Choreography at UNDERCLOUD 2025
- Theatre: movement for plays and musicals, often credited as stage movement — for example Nora at the National Theatre Târgu-Mureș, selected for the 2026 National Theatre Festival
- Events and ceremonies: openings, galas and brand shows, often with projection mapping or LED, such as the World Weightlifting Championships opening in Riyadh
- Film, music videos and advertising: movement planned for the camera and the edit
- Teaching: workshops and classes in which the choreographer passes on a method
Choreographer, dance teacher or movement director?
A dance teacher teaches an existing style. A choreographer creates new movement. A movement director shapes how a whole cast moves through a production, even when nobody dances. In practice the roles overlap, and many choreographers — Filip among them — do all three.
How do choreographers train?
Most train as dancers first. In Romania the main university route is the choreography programme at UNATC in Bucharest, where Filip studied choreography and later sound and light design. Many also come from street dance, gymnastics or martial arts, which shape their movement language.
How do you hire a choreographer?
Start with the brief: what the piece is for, where it happens, who performs it, how long it lasts, and the dates. Watch recent work on video, not only photos. Agree early on rehearsal time, because it drives the cost more than the length of the piece. For theatre, bring the choreographer in at the concept stage; for events, before the video content and the running order are fixed.
How much does a choreographer cost?
Fees depend on scale and rehearsal time: a short brand activation, a theatre production and a stadium ceremony are priced very differently. Most choreographers quote per project, with performers, rehearsals and travel on top. Workshops are usually priced per session or per participant.
Questions
Is a choreographer the same as a dancer?
No. A dancer performs movement; a choreographer creates it. Many choreographers also perform, as Filip does.
Does a choreographer attend every rehearsal?
Not always. The choreographer usually leads the first and the final rehearsals and can leave an assistant or a video reference in between.