Re: Dependent Taxes...Help!
The basics answer is that you would file your taxes as a self employed person if you were working as a dancer at a club that treats you as an independent contractor.
Now if your parents pay more than half your support ( living expenses basically) then you would continue to be there dependent (your age and status as a student would also impact their ability to claim you as a dependent). You would not be able to claim you personal exemption ($4,000) as a reduction to your income if your parents claim you as a dependent. You would however be able to claim a standard deduction limited by the amount of your earned income. As a self employed person you would be subject to self employment taxes in addition to income tax. Your parents would not learn that you were a dancer through their taxes. However, they would probably want to know how you were earning money. If you want more detailed info PM me.
Re: Dependent Taxes...Help!
There is also a potential problem if you and your parents apply for FAFSA student grants and loans. The FAFSA application is based on 'total household income' - which includes both your parents' earnings as well as your own earnings. Because of this, you will need to share your personal earnings info with your parents prior to them filling out next year's FAFSA application. However, you do not need to share specifics in regard to where and how you earned the money - only the total amount. But when parents see a daughter earning tens of thousands of dollars over a summer vacation, inconvenient questions generally follow ! And, of course, under particular circumstances, the addition of your dancing income to your parents' income may also reduce / eliminate next year's eligibility for student grant money.