Dance Teacher: Job Profile and Role

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift (as two totally random examples) have two things in common: they can sing and they can dance. Even though we assume that both stars have always had a natural talent for both singing and dancing, we also assume that the latter improved to no end with the help of a professional dance instructor or dance teacher.

In the following blog, we will explore in detail what the job of a dance teacher is. We will look at a dance teacher’s skills, qualifications, and employers. We will also look at the annual salaries and weekly working hours. To give you a better idea of the daily routines of a dance teacher, we will look into a day in the life of a dance teacher. To conclude this blog, we will give you valuable tips for thriving as a dance teacher. 

Short Summary

• As a dance teacher, you are responsible for teaching your students different dance styles and techniques.
• As a dance teacher, you are tasked with imparting your theoretical knowledge about dancing and its history.
• As a dance teacher, you are in charge of your students’ safety and well-being, meaning that you have to be both proficient in first aid and the mandatory health and safety regulations.

Job description

It is the job of a dance teacher to impart his or her knowledge about dancing. This does not only include the practical performance of choreographies but can also involve theoretical knowledge. It is the job of a dance teacher to ensure the students’ safety and well-being at all times. It is also the job of a dance teacher to plan and teach dance lessons according to the students’ needs and levels of experience. Lastly, a dance teacher should support his or her students and help them improve. Depending on the dance teacher’s job, teaching dance may also include assessments, marking papers, and grading.

Responsibilities

• Assessment and Evaluation
• Performance and Recitals
• Safety/Injury Prevention
• Discipline Management
• Dance Instruction
• Dance Technique
• Physical Fitness
• Dance Education
• Music Selection
• Choreography

Different types of Dance Teachers

• Choreographer
• Ballet Instructor
• Modern Dance Teacher
• Online Dance Instructor
• Fitness Dance Instructor

Salary

Typically, dance teachers in the UK earn between ￡25,000 and ￡38,000 per year. Note that the annual salary depends on the level of work experience and the exact job role. A dance instructor, for example, can expect an annual salary of ￡15,100. Besides, the annual dance teacher’s salary is affected by the employer and the location.

Also, note that your annual salary can be higher should you decide to be self-employed. In this case, you will likely be able to set your own rates, thus, having the biggest influence on what you will earn.

Working hours

Typically, dance teachers in the UK work between 30 and 37 hours per week. Note that the working hours can be flexible and depend on various factors. If you work as a school dance teacher, your working hours will likely amount to 35 hours per week. It is equally possible that your weekly working hours will amount to more hours, for instance, if you work as a dance or fitness instructor.

The same can be true for working as a self-employed or online dance teacher. Here, your weekly working hours will be defined by the number of dance classes you teach per day and, consequently, per week. Note that this kind of teaching may involve working with different time zones. This can result in working both in the evenings and at the weekends.

Further Things that can increase the Working Hours of a Dance Teacher

Forget your regular working hours as a dance teacher! It is a fact that the daily and weekly workload can increase dramatically just by choosing the right music. After all, a song needs to fit the choreography and not the other way round. This is why some dance teachers have been known to spend hours editing music. And do not even get us started on the time spent on designing and sewing costumes!

Employers

Dance teachers can typically find employment in various sectors and institutions. Besides schools, dance teachers can also find employment in fitness studios, dance schools, theatres, and healthcare institutions, for example, as dance therapists. Another option is self-employment where you offer your dance teacher’s services on a freelance basis.

Qualifications

To become a dance teacher, you will need the following qualifications: an academic degree in dance or performing arts or an appropriate college course. Both approaches require between four and five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent A-Levels. Mandatory subjects are English and Maths. As a dance teacher, you can complete further qualifications which you can find with the Royal Academy of Dance, for example. Note that teaching at a state school further requires the qualified teacher status (QTS).

Skills

Communication skills and interpersonal skills are two competencies you should have when you want to become a dance teacher. These two skills are by far not the only skills you should have or develop. What else does it take to be a successful dance teacher? Continue reading and you will find out three more skills a dance teacher needs to perform a brilliant job.

Flexibility

By flexibility, we do not mean being flexible when it comes to working hours and juggling your various lessons. Although this kind of flexibility is important, of course. With flexibility, we mean that, as a dance teacher, you need to be very bendy. Supple movements and the ability to twist and turn your body in the blink of an eye are vitally important if you want to be a dance teacher. And do not worry – even if this skill has room for improvement, there are always ways to become more flexible, by doing yoga, for example.

Inner Zen

As a dance teacher, you should have inner zen. That sounds a bit cryptic? All it means is that your body and mind should have a state of inner peace and harmony. This still sounds too cryptic if not outright ridiculous? It is anything but. Being centred is vitally important for a dance teacher. It helps him or her to be and stay focused which is especially important when it comes to performing a choreography.

Time-Management

As a dance teacher, you will likely teach more than one dance class. Strong time-management skills ensure that you stay on top of your daily and weekly schedule. This way, you know at what times your lessons are and who you will be teaching.

Career Path

The career path of a dance teacher is as diverse as the field of dancing. Depending on your own choice, you can work as a dance teacher in a primary or secondary school. Here, you can progress to the head of the department or even the head of the school. If your career as a dance teacher starts at a theatre, for example, you may well be the dance supervisor one day. Alternatively, you can start your own dance school, which means that you are your own boss right from the start of your career as a dance teacher.

Educational Background

You can become a dance teacher by earning an academic degree in dance or performing arts, or completing a college course. Each of these approaches is preceded by sitting your GCSEs. Here, the relevant grades can be four or five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) for both a university or a college course. English and Maths are mandatory subjects. Alternatively, you can apply for a university course with 3 A-Levels.

Training

If you decide on an academic approach, you may already get some practical teaching experience during your studies. If you want to teach at a British state school, you will need to earn your QTS, your qualified teacher status. This status is generally awarded by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), and they will also grant this status to qualified dance teachers outside the United Kingdom.

If your approach to teaching dance is through a college course, you can do further qualifications. These you can find with bbodance (formerly the British Ballet Organisation), the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, and the Royal Academy of Dance, to name but a few.

Continuous Learning

Further dance qualifications are one way to continuously learn as a dance teacher. After all, they imply a certain level of specialising in dance areas and learning all there is to know about them. Besides, you should always invest some personal time to improve your techniques, get to know new dancing and teaching methods, and stay on top of digital tools that can help you with both teaching and administration.

A Day in the Life of a Dance Teacher

Let’s dance – because this, naturally, is one of the most important parts of your daily working routine as a dance teacher. Of course, dancing is not all you do all day – and neither is teaching. So, without much further ado, let’s take a look at a few things that are part of a day in the life of a dance teacher.

Preparing Dance Lessons

Before your first dance lesson of the day, you need to prepare your dance classes. This can involve selecting the right music, checking your daily schedule, and ensuring that the needed dance equipment is ready to be used. Another aspect of preparing your dance lessons is to check that the necessary health and safety measures are in place.

Rehearsals and Choreography

As a dance teacher, you need to come up with individual choreographies for your respective lessons. These should always suit your students’ needs and levels of dance experience. Therefore, your choreographies can range from choreographies suitable for beginners to choreographies suited for advanced dancers and professionals. Naturally, you also need to rehearse your choreographies. This way, you find out if they fit the respective needs and if they are actually doable.

Classroom/Studio Maintenance

After the last dance class has finished, it is time for classroom/studio maintenance. This involves cleaning the classroom/studio, clearing away teaching materials, and ensuring that the teaching premises are left in a safe state. This way, you ensure that the next day’s lessons go smoothly and are less accident-prone.

Tips for Thriving as a Dance Teacher

Continuous learning is one way to ensure that you will thrive as a dance teacher. This learning curve can cover everything from learning about new teaching methods to applying helpful software. And we are sure you already apply those tips to thrive as a dance teacher. Which is why we have found three more tips for thriving in this profession:

• Define your dance area
• Work on your fitness levels
• Keep up with dancing trends

Define your Dance Area

Dancing comes in different forms, ballet dancing being only one of them. As a dance teacher, you should define which kind of dancing suits you best. Figure out if you are more of a traditional dancer or if you prefer Latin American dance styles, Hip Hop or even Breakdance. This way, you ensure that your lessons are always on point – and that you know exactly what you are “talking” about when conducting a dance lesson. ts.

Work on your Fitness Levels

Dancing is a sport – no doubt about it. Therefore, as a dance teacher, you need to be almost ridiculously fit. If you want to survive and thrive as a dance teacher, you need to work on your fitness levels daily. This can consist of ballet training, yoga, Pilates, running, or any other exercise that keeps you both fit and nimble. Working on your fitness levels also means that you should take ample time to relax, this way, giving your body and mind a well-deserved chance to rest and settle.

Keep up with Dancing Trends

Dancing may well be one of the oldest pastimes in the world. And as such, dancing has evolved over the millennia. Nowadays, there is way more to dancing than knowing how to do a waltz or to be a ballet dancer. Granted, some of the dances you see on YouTube and other media may not be dance moves at first sight. They may, however, be the latest trends in dancing. And if you want to thrive as a dance teacher, you should be well aware of these trends – whether you apply them to your teaching lessons is up to you and an entirely different matter.

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