Baltimore Salsa Blog

Excerpt from KayaDance October 2010 Newsletter (copied with permission)

Would you like to become a Dance Instructor? 

Most dance instructors teach dancing after years of training. Although to be most successful, a dance studio owner, or in some cities certification and dance education will most certainly help, generally teaching dance does not officially require these. Dance instructors should have a dance background and formal training to be in a good position within the dance community.  Every instructor began as a student usually with a focus on one or two forms of dance. Gradually, the student advances and eventually with a combination of increased training, workshops, events, dance teams, lots of practice and mentoring an instructor is born. I also believe potential instructors would benefit from taking some university classes in areas such as management, psychology and even some business. This is particularly helpful if they desire to open their own dance studio.

These are some requirements every dance instructor should have:
 
Good health and physical condition Be motivated and have knowledge on their abilities as a dancer and as a teacher It is important that dance instructors have good time and management skills Be creative and good communicators Be honest, fair and sensitive Make sure they want to share all knowledge with their students.
It makes a difference when someone that knows how to dance is willing to teach their friends for fun or as a hobby. I believe in this case, it is not as significant to take extra training or courses. However, if the desire is to teach as part of a business, professionally and in a serious environment, I recommend qualified training and certification wherever possible.
 
Let’s clarify what we mean by training. Trained doesn’t mean “I have been social dancing for years”, or “I took workshops with recognized instructors.” Training is the culmination of education, instruction and discipline. Additionally, it’s important to be realistic that not everyone that knows how to dance will know how to teach. Students might be dancing for a long time and participating in workshops, but it takes perseverance, personality and preparation to learn to deliver the steps and techniques as a teacher. There is a big difference between receiving the information for oneself and expressing the information clearly and understandably to others. If there isn’t an obvious option such as certification or formal dance instructor training available then I recommend a potential instructor obtain a professional evaluation of their skills to help make the determination of whether they are ready and able to teach.

There are additional variables to consider when becoming and instructor. An instructor may be responsible to teach at different locations, teach different ages, specialize in one or two forms of dance, continue to stay educated to learn new techniques and methods, choreograph, organize competitions, explain and demonstrate steps and techniques, teach rhythm and musicality, and people management.

Here are some ways you can become a good dance instructor:

Be trained by a professional dancerAttend a school or dance academy (this is only if you want to make dance as your main career) Most of dance instructors do it as a second careerParticipate in shows and competitions. Dance instructors are often evaluated by their accomplishments in the dance field. Take as many classes as you can to keep updated If you have no resume to showcase achievements, work on building one by volunteering your time at studios, dance teams or dance related fields
 
Having received several inquiries over the past few months from interested potential instructors, I decided it would be helpful to respond in this month’s newsletter. In recent years, thanks to shows like “So You Think You Can Dance?” and “Dancing With The Stars” Dance has become more and more popular. As a result, there is demand for qualified instructors, and a greater desire for some to learn to become one. It is my hope that this provides food for thought and a helpful starting point for the journey. And for those of you who just enjoy dancing for the fun of it, perhaps this give a better perspective on the hard work that is involved to become an instructor or some points to consider when choosing one.
 
Sincerely,
Kaya