The difference between a 'dancer' and a 'performer'

I'll be using San from ATEEZ as an example because I see this with him most often. It's come to my attention that kpop stans don't know the difference between a dancer and a performer. Let's look at San. You'd expect him to be a main dancer, he is in fact, a performer. The dancers of ATEEZ are: Yeosang, Wooyoung, Yunho, and Mingi. I feel like when kpop stans see an idol with stage presence they thing they're a dancer but in reality they're a performer. That doesn't mean they're bad at dancing at all but a performer's job is to put on a show, give the crowd a performance. That's why you see San in the front of most performances of course not always the center but not in the back like Yeosang (r.i.p Yeosang justice <3). So if you've ever wondered why San isn't the main dancer or why he's not in dance line, that's why. When you go to look at ATEEZ's profiles dance line has 'performer' as their positions, I don't know why KQ entertainment would announce them as so, cause it causes more confusion. This is generally not how you classify dancers but ATEEZ's jobs as idols are to put on a performance, but then, why not put them all as performers and the dancers as dancers?? I don't know what they put in the water at KQ.

To add on: When you see main dancers in kpop, you see stage presence and amazing dancing so that's probably why kpop stans get confused. Yunho is the main dancer of ATEEZ (they don't have super official positions in ATEEZ like main dancer or anything they're just 'vocalist' 'performer' and 'rapper' but it's fairly obvious he's the main dancer. He said it himself so have the other members, the fans too so yea).

Quote from jinaland

but San dances amazing, he does all the acrobatics

i didn't say he was an awful dancer he's an amazing dancer but KQ uses him more as a performer (stage presence) He's good at acrobatics cause his dad owned a taekwondo studio. It's a known fact San knows taekwondo and has a third degree black belt in it.

Quote from keaji

Ok i'm not a dancer myself, but i've seen people that know something about dance saying San is an outstanding dancer.
I don't know why is he not the main dancer, probably, because he wasn't that astonishing dancer at the beginning, and he learned a lot since he started training.

I believe he is an amazing performer aswell as amazing dancer.

Your post is a bit confusing though, doesn't really make a point. :)

You said: I feel like when kpop stans see an idol with stage presence they thing they're a dancer but in reality they're a performer.

What do you even mean with that? Well all of them are performers first of all :) Yup, some has better stage presence, but this is not the only thing that makes San great dancer (i would dare to say most if not all of the Ateez has good stage presence).

I think you wanted to talk about stage presence and how it can make someone stand out as a dancer?

Display More

I explained what a performer is and how to tell the difference. Performers: put on a show, give the crowd something to watch and to be entertained by. Dancer: someone who dances or profession is in dancing. All of ATEEZ have amazing stage presence and all of them are dancers and performers, as I said in the post. As a dancer, it's important to know the difference. I, myself, am a dancer. performers are based more in theatrical performances and dancers are more about just dancing. Your performance skills can absolutely make you stand out as a dancer, but my point is how to tell the difference between someone being a good dancer and a good performer. Yunho is the main dancer cause he is experienced and helps choreograph ATEEZ dances, San didn't have any dancing experience and learned to be an amazing dancer and signer through his hard working and training. That's what makes Yunho the main dancer, his natural talent for dancing. San is a performer, though amazing at dancing and exceptional singer. I think you think I'm trying to degrade ATEEZ or San and I'm not I'm an atiny myself. San is both a dancer and performer as they all are. I was just using him as an example because of his outstanding performances and ability to portray the emotions that the song is expressing, this is what makes him a performer.

Quote from keaji

Noo, you misunderstood me, i didn't think you are trying to degrade anyone, don't worry, i just wanted to point out to be thoughtful a bit how you phrase some things
What you wrote now makes much more sense :) And i didn't try to say Yunho doesn't deserve to be main dancer, he definitely does. But like someone else said, i don't think San was good example of what you were trying to say, Hongjoong would be better, because his stage charisma and performance really takes his skills on a next level. So do San's, but he is very skilled dance-wise too, that's why i don't think it was a good example :)

But i still believe San is on pair dance-wise with a lot of main dancers.

I considered using Hongjoong or Seonghwa as examples but I've never seen anyone portray emotions like San does. And i wanted to answer the questions of non-atiny's cause they always wonder why he isn't the main dancer. He is main dancer material absolutely and if he was placed in any other group he'd be the main dancer easily.