Dance Instructor Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a dance instructor. Feel free to use our dance instructor job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a dance instructor.
Who is a Dance Instructor?
Dance lessons for groups or individuals are led by a dance instructor and are intended to teach participants various dancing techniques. Many professional dancers retire in their late 20s or early 30s due to the physically taxing nature of the business, but they can put their skills to good use by becoming dance teachers. Full-time dance teachers are frequently employed by schools, universities, and production organizations, but many dance teachers work independently.
Because dance lessons are frequently physically demanding, a typical dance instructor should have a basic understanding of fitness training in order to guide class members through warm-up activities. Some dance instructors work primarily with children, in which case a background in education or childcare is frequently advantageous. Adult classes can draw people of different ages, therefore a dance teacher must be able to alter the program to suit both experienced dancers and those with restricted mobility. Instructors who work for schools and colleges are generally contracted or salaried staff who are paid regardless of class attendance levels, whereas self-employed instructors typically charge a per-participant fee.
Many instructors specialize in a specific dance style, such as ballet, tap, or ballroom. Teachers frequently have to show dances before the class in order to properly teach pupils new dances and techniques. Younger, more nimble persons are more likely to teach classes that involve more physically demanding types of dance, whereas older instructors are more likely to focus on slower, less physical dance genres. Self-employed instructors who work one-on-one with clients are expected to have a broad understanding of dance techniques in order to adequately prepare pupils for auditions for dance roles that need a diversity of talents.
Dance Instructor Job Description
Below are the dance instructor job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a dance instructor job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a dance instructor include the following:
- Teach from beginning to advanced levels using a variety of dance genres and approaches.
- Prepare dance lesson plans and develop dance curriculums.
- Communicate with a wide range of teachers and students.
- Encourage and motivate pupils to achieve their goals through engaging, encouraging, and motivating them.
- Examine student progress and provide suggestions for improvement.
- Teach choreograph routines and choose music for recitals and concerts,
- Provide group and private lessons, whenever the need arises.
- Create a joyful and creative atmosphere.
- Maintain your knowledge of your discipline and make any necessary revisions to the dance routines and curriculum.
- Provide students with information on the various dance forms and how they are performed.
- Develop, supervise, and administer various sorts of dance instruction on an individual and group basis as a recreation leader.
- Teach diverse dance methods to both young kids and adults at varying levels.
- Teach all aspects of the dance curriculum, including techniques, theory, and performance, requires both leadership and vision.
- Create unique teaching plans for each student based on their individual needs and interests.
- Ensure that formative and summative assessments are linked with the dance course’s long-term objectives.
- Provide one-on-one assistance to struggling students by instructing them, correcting their approaches, and providing feedback.
- Provide historical and cultural references to help students understand the background of each dance genre they are learning.
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in dance and a certificate from an approved college are both required.
- Experience as a teacher is necessary.
- Communication abilities that be exceptional.
- Energized, focused, innovative, and trustworthy.
- Demonstrate your patience and ability to lead.
Essential Skills
- Observation and listening abilities.
Observing, hearing, feeling, and intuiting students’ present skill and knowledge levels, as well as signals of engagement, boredom, overwhelm, irritation, and so on. Is it clear to them what the exercise entails? Which aspects of the skill are they grasping, and which ones need more work? What is their level of engagement (or lack thereof) with the subject, the exercise, and their partner? These questions must be addressed for both individual students and the entire class.
- Organizational skills
Creating and implementing a coherent, student-friendly lesson plan. Warm-ups, concentrated exercises, and “real-life” practice are all included in a well-organized session. Music, partner rotation, room layout, and other logistical issues will all be carefully considered and implemented. A good instructor will consider the class’s pacing, determining how much time should be spent on each activity or point (move on too quickly, and students won’t have enough time to absorb and learn; wait too long, and they’ll become bored or burned out, and lose focus) and how to transition between them. This includes balancing education with enough time for pupils to walk around and practice their skills.
- Ability to breakdown complex skills.
Breaking down complex skills into manageable chunks and designing well-thought-out exercises to practice those chunks in a logical order. This necessitates prioritization: which dancing skills should be mastered first, and in what sequence should those talents be addressed. It might be beneficial to break down talents into categories such as vocabulary, technique, lead/follow relationship, and timing/musicality. Students must progress from part to whole, solo to partnered, and without music to with music in order to master a complex talent.
- Presentation skills
Content must be articulated and exercises must be set up in a way that is clear, doable, and engaging for students. This includes your voice level, speed, intonation, tone, the clarity of your ideas and phrasing, and the body language (eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and general posture) that maintains students’ attention and interest. It’s also critical to find numerous ways to explain an idea in order to give both repetition and diversity for different learning types.
- Patience
Patience is a virtue, and it is possibly the most important trait that outstanding dance teachers are must-have. Teaching can be exhausting at times. Students, regardless of age, often have various levels of ability. Because everyone learns at a different pace, there will always be a mix of dancers who advance swiftly and those who fall behind.
The practice might be difficult at times. Extraordinary instructors will maintain their enthusiasm and take the time to respond to the needs of individual dancers. They also consider pupils’ mental and physical well-being and ensure that classes are age-appropriate. Practicing patience at times of multitasking and unexpected hurdles helps everyone in the class stay focused and achieve achievement.
- Professionalism
Great instructors don’t just look at the part; they also act the part. A professional teacher wears appropriately, arrives on time, and has a good attitude. A competent dancing instructor is also well-organized and always prepared for courses. This does not only imply that the music and instruction are ready. There is usually one student who is late or who does not pay attention in class. Being professional means being prepared for these and other obstacles that may emerge.
- Body mechanics knowledge
Understanding, explaining, and putting into practice the fundamentals of alignment and movement, especially the most common causes of physical discomfort and injury in the dance style you’re teaching. The credo of the healthcare sector is “first, do no harm,” but it can and should be applied to any field that includes the body. Students must feel physically safe and comfortable in order to concentrate on their studies and create long-term habits that will allow them (and their partners) to continue to enjoy the dance.
- Flexibility
Flexibility is also an important feature. Dance instructors must be able to adapt to changing circumstances, which some professional dancers find difficult. You never know whether a class may be unusually raucous or if a lesson will fall flat with pupils. Even when things don’t go according to plan, a skilled teacher will adapt on the fly and make the best of each session.
- Passion
It’s one thing to like dancing; it’s quite another to actually participate in it. Teaching is a good example of this. When someone is passionate about what they do, it shows in how they approach their work. Instructors who are always learning themselves might encourage students. They observe, listen, and experiment with new things. These instructors are well-versed in the art of dance and work hard to impart it in their students. When the instructor is enthusiastic about the craft, he or she knows how to combine vital learning with pleasure and enthusiasm. This desire motivates dancers to do their best and progress in a balanced manner.
- Dedication
Great dance instructors are frequently distinguished from substandard instructors by their commitment to the task at hand. Teachers who aren’t totally devoted to teaching and molding young dancers frequently let little details slide in the studio. Perhaps they won’t volunteer at dress rehearsal or commit to working extra hours with a problematic student. Once-in-a-lifetime teachers are those who are willing to go above and beyond in the interest of education.
How to Become a Dance Instructor
- Begin by learning to dance.
You can’t teach what you don’t know, so select a genre you enjoy and dedicate yourself to learning it. To keep your talents sharp, take dance classes and private lessons, and consider entering competitions, performances, and dance intensives. Dancing is also physically taxing, so nourish your body by eating correctly, practicing appropriate form with an instructor, and understanding when to take a break.
Before you’re ready to teach others, you may need to go through years of training. Many professional dancers begin their training as young children, however, some may not begin until much later.
To find out what you enjoy, try a few different dancing styles. Ballet, tap, ballroom, jazz, hip-hop, liturgical, and modern dance are just a few of the most popular dance styles. If you wish to dance in production, such as as a backup dancer for a musician or in a stage show, you should attend tryouts. This will also assist you in networking, which may prove beneficial later in your career.
- Obtain a high school certification or a GED.
If you wish to work as a dance instructor, you’ll need at least a high school graduation. Your credential demonstrates that you have the requisite communication, reading, and writing skills to interact with students, parents, and suppliers. If you’ve previously graduated from high school, you may be able to obtain a GED, or General Educational Development, certificate, which is equal to a diploma. Some teaching roles will necessitate additional education.
- For increased chances, get a bachelor’s degree in dance.
You’ll need to complete a dance program at a college or university if you want to teach in a public school or one of the more competitive dance studios. There are several institutions that offer dance degrees, but you can also major in performing arts or your favourite genre of dance if you can locate one. It will probably be easier to find a school that specializes in classical dance genres, such as ballet, than in more modern styles, such as hip hop. If there isn’t a curriculum for your dancing type, a general dance or performing arts degree will usually suffice.
- If you wish to teach in a public school, you must first obtain a teaching license in your state.
If you wish to teach dance to public school students after earning your bachelor’s degree, you’ll need to receive a teaching license. The procedures for obtaining a license differ depending on where you live, so check with your local Department of Education or comparable agency. These credentials are usually focused on the grade level you intend to teach, such as elementary or primary school pupils, middle or junior high school students, or high school students. Working at a private dance school may not require a teaching license. You may be able to obtain certification through your college program, depending on where you go to school.
Where to work
Public and private schools, dancing academies, conservatories, universities, private dance studios, fitness clubs, gyms, and cruise ships are all places where dance teachers work. Many dance studios need teachers to have dance insurance or dance fitness liability insurance, but most health clubs and gyms require fitness trainer certification. Non-traditional venues, such as hospitals, prisons, community centers, homeless shelters, and rehabilitation centers, are common places for nonprofit teachers to work.
Dance Instructor Salary Scale
As of February 25, 2022, the average Dance Instructor income in the United States is $38,062, however, the salary range frequently ranges between $28,009 and $53,225. Salary ranges rely on a variety of things, including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field.