The Side Hustle

One of the most important aspects of making money in the entertainment industry is finding ways to create multiple income streams. I like to call this having a "side hustle." With my background being in dance, one of the most seamless ways a choreographer can create new income is by creating a clothing line. Dancers and performers in general love to look good. The image is sometimes more important than your level of talent. Business wise, a choreographer’s main revenue streams are the different “jobs” or “gigs” they book. These can include, but are not limited to, choreographing for a particular stage show, commercial or movie. They can also include anytime they are invited to teach at a dance workshop such as Monsters of Hip Hop or The Pulse.

NappyTabs

 Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo are a husband and wife hip-hop dance choreography duo. They are most widely known for their work on the dance show So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew. To add to their amazing resume of choreography work, they also have their own clothing line, called NappyTabs. NappyTabs can be found on dancewear websites as well as at various dance workshops that they teach at. Nappytabs is a funky dance clothing line that caters to hip hop dancers who are looking for something stylish to wear to dance class or to even perform in.

Brian Friedman

Brian Friedman is another dancer who has made his way up the ranks to choreographer for the stars. He’s worked with Michael and Janet Jackson, Britney Spears and Justin Bieber to name a few. He has most recently added a clothing line called “Brian Says B Free.” He played with this idea a few years ago when he partnered with a shoe company and came out with his own shoes (which I own and love). BSBFree is now branching into clothing and continuing to grow.

These are just two examples of dancers and choreographers who have decided to make a clothing line their side hustle. In the world of entertainment, one must be flexible and multi-talented. The more hats you’re able to wear, the more opportunity to make money.