Becoming A Dancing Instructor

What makes a good dance instructor? How do you know if it could be a job you would enjoy? What’s it like to teach dance professionally?

Becoming a dance teacher might terrify some at just the thought of the idea. Don’t dancing instructors have to have years of training? Aren’t they supposed to be the best competition dancers in the state? Aren’t the trained in every discipline?

The answer is no!

Becoming an instructor can be the most rewarding and fulfilling career choice for a person looking to supplement his or her income, meet new people, and build a network of friends.

Being a dancing instructor first means you have a passion for dancing. You do not have to be fully trained in any specific dance discipline. Just having a desire to help others, possessing good people skills, and willingness to learn is enough to land you a job.

Many studios are constantly hiring for the position of ballroom instructor. Studios typically are quick to accept most any help—for there are often more students than teachers.

Studios will train new dance teachers, training them in the basics of whatever dance has been agreed to be taught. Options could be as simple as becoming a swing dance instructor or learning to teach tango dance lessons.

Special schools now exist for those who want to become a professional dancing instructor. Schools like the Illinois Ballroom Teachers College offer students intensive training and even an accredited certificate, which is nationally recognized.

The business philosophy behind chain studios like Arthur Murray is, “One step ahead.” This means that the teacher is literally only one step ahead of the student. The teachers recruited to facilitate lessons often have no more experience professionally dancing than their students.

Interestingly, occasionally these teachers make the best dancing instructors because they still have a beginner’s mind. A good dance instructor is excited, passionate, and willing to put his/her whole heart into teaching dance.

Consider specializing.

If you have a lot of experience and a deep love for a specific genre of dance, find a studio that would help you create a new group class – like Tango dance lessons in your area. If you want to be a dancing instructor, start by coming up with a 6-week plan, breaking down what you want to teach into to small steps, and approach a studio with your plan.

Becoming a dancing instructor has many benefits and few drawbacks.

There is an infinite amount of financial opportunity as a dance instructor. You determine how often and how long you would like to work. You are free to set your own fees, you are free to teach in more than one location or even teach more than one dance discipline.

Being a dance teacher is also a great way to be in service to others. Newcomer instructors are in a unique position to help their students gain better self-esteem, confidence, and feel better about their lives. This is a reciprocal relationship.

Poll shows student-teacher interaction is good for both student and teacher.

Weigh your options. Consider all that becoming a dancing instructor might have to offer you. Then, make some phone calls and visit some studios. Keep in mind—and remember to ask each studio just to be thorough—that most studios will train their new instructors free of charge. You may have to sign a short-term contract once you get all those free lessons, stating you will stay and teach for six months.

Becoming and being a dance teacher is a worthy consideration. It is a profession that can augment to your current career, or, be made as your full-time occupation. As a dancing instructor, you have the unique opportunity to truly do what you love and love what you do.

By Aja Mutzl