Trained dancers don’t just walk into dance studios and become dance teachers, they need experience in both dancing and teaching. It’s not always easy finding that experience, but here are my top tips on how to become a fantastic dance teacher:
Start Early
If you’re in school for dance or even considering a career as a dance teacher, start practicing teaching now.
Call up a local dance studio and ask if you can do an internship by helping out with a junior class. Get involved as a volunteer at a local middle school working with their theater students (or cheerleaders), or see if you can help out with a younger class at your own dance studio. Every hour of teaching experience helps.
Start on the Bottom Rung
If you have little-to-no teaching experience, you’ll likely have to start at the bottom of the ladder. While an apprenticeship or teacher assistant position may not pay well, it could be the entrance you need to break into the dance studios of your dreams.
If you’re an experienced and qualified dancer, but just need teaching experience, try contacting a local dance studio and expressing your goals and interests to the owner. You’ll be surprised at how accommodating they can be.
Go Private
Before you break into dance studios, think about private instruction. Enlist a few students from family members and friends in order to build up your references and testimonials. Use these as your foot in the door.
Try Substituting
Offering your services as a substitute dance teacher is a great way to get your feet wet. It gives you a chance to try out teaching and it gives the dance studios a chance to try out you.
Enroll in Teacher Training
There are a number of private and public dance schools that offer teacher training. Most Bachelor of Fine Arts programs offer some teaching instruction, as do non-profit groups like the Dance Educators of America or private organizations like Rhee Gold. Rhee Gold has a great resource for would-be dance teachers at DanceLifeTV, check it out.
photo:glamour schatz
