How to be a great dance teacher
6 Qualities of a Great Dance Teacher!
December 16, 2020 8:25 am
Written by Jena Minnick-Bull
Finding the right kind of dance teacher is one of the most important decisions a parent can make.
Parents want the absolute best for their child! They want their child to be happy and feel successful.
Oftentimes, parents will seek out teachers and coaches with a track record of winning. However, their methods may not give that child the successful feeling that a parent strives for.
It has been found that the best method for lasting long-term memory is to have an emotional connection to it. Those lasting memories that affect us most, often have a very high level of joy associated.
Teaching through a class plan or constructive feedback alone is not enough to have the life long lasting impact. You want to look for a teacher that embodies these qualities.
6 qualities to look for in a great dance teacher
1) The ability to develop a positive relationship with your child
A great dance teacher is able to build a trusting relationship with your child in order to create a safe, positive, and productive learning environment.
The teacher encourages your child to express themselves and is willing to listen to them when there is a problem.
2) A patient, caring, and kind personality
You want to seek a teacher with personality characteristics related to being a compassionate person and having a sensitivity to student differences, particularly with learners.
The teacher’s disposition strongly relates to the success of your child’s learning and development.
3) Knowledge of learners
A great dance teacher has the knowledge of the cognitive, social and emotional development of their students.
This includes an understanding of how students learn at a given developmental level, how to teach in learning progressions, awareness that dancers have individual needs and abilities, and an understanding that their instruction should be tailored to meet each dancer’s needs.
Look for a teacher with the continued ability to understand the pace and capacity of each of their students.
4) Dedication to teaching
Dedication refers to a love of teaching and a passion for the work and time commitment to achieve success for their students.
An outstanding dance teacher is always willing to help and give time to their students.
5) Encourages and elevates your child’s self esteem
A great teacher elevates your child's belief in themselves.
When a teacher gives lots of encouragement towards a child’s good choices, the child raises their own expectations.
You want a teacher who recognizes a child's uniqueness and strengths, then your child will start to celebrate their individuality and feel proud of their special place in our world.
And look for a teacher who teaches that your child can learn from failure just as much as learning from success.
Your child will learn to not be afraid to try new things and to reach new heights.
6) Engaging students in learning
You want to look for a dance teacher who knows how to engage and motivate students to learn.
That type of teacher knows how to make the content your child is learning interesting and fun.
A strong teacher has the ability to motivate students to learn, especially the challenging stuff.
And a great teacher motivates their students to succeed in and out of the dance studio.
If you think about the best teachers you know, it makes sense.
Those exceptional teachers develop strong bonds with students, and use them to help students learn.
All of our teachers and coaches are continuously trained to teach this way at South Coast Conservatory.
If you're seeking the best teacher or coach that will make a life-long impression and elevate your child, we have over 30 great teachers that we want you to meet!
Read more on our website
Do You Want To Be A GREAT Dance Teacher?
Wanna know what it takes to be a great dance teacher?
You have to pass the bar in order to become a lawyer, you have to go to med school to become a doctor, and you even have to audition for a team in order to dance on it.
But when it comes to teaching urban dance choreography, there is no real process that can tell you "Yes, you're qualified. Yes, you're ready."
Choreographers get noticed through Instagram, opportunities come by word of mouth, and teachers learn how to teach mostly through personal trial and error.
Though personal experience holds the best lessons, there are a lot of things you can learn off the bat to help you become a great dance teacher.
So, if you really want to be a great dance teacher – not just a good one – then keep reading.
Good dance teachers care about their students’ class.
GREAT dance teachers care about their
students.Good teachers teach as best as they can for the hour or two they have.
They prepare, are attentive, drill techniques and grooves, describe their movements thoroughly – whatever to make that time valuable.
Great dance teachers not only teach, but develop relationships with their students.
Not necessarily a BFFL friendship, but one of mentorship.
Great dance teachers take the time to know who their students are, what they’re good at, what they need help in, and how they learn best.
I used to take one choreographer’s class almost every single week.
He’d tell me “You’re doing much better with your performance!” or “I want you to work on dancing with more strength in your arms.” or “Where were you last week? I think you would’ve killed the piece.”
Being a great teacher is about approaching a student’s growth big-picture, not just per-class.
Good dance teachers can teach a lot of choreography.
GREAT dance teachers can teach a lot about
dancing.If you paid to just learn choreography, then by all means, find the teachers that know how to jam a lot of moves in that 60-90 minutes.
But, if you want to understand your body better, practice different ways of executing movement, and fully absorb whatever amount of choreography taught.
.. then find the teachers that teach you how to dance.
It’s pretty obvious when a teacher is just trying to get through the sections until they reach some checkpoint.
Great dance teachers, no matter how much choreography they get through, will leave you feeling like you learned something about dance.
Good dance teachers gives you props.
GREAT dance teachers gives you props
and constructive feedback.You can’t learn if you don’t know what you gotta learn.
Great teachers know how to balance both praise and constructive criticism.
They understand that their job isn’t to baby their students and make them happy so they don't unfollow them.
Ultimately, their job is to push them to become better. (Which will make everyone happy!)
These will help give you an idea: Best Dance Advice From Your Favorite Choreographers
Good dance teachers come prepared.
GREAT dance teachers come prepared to be
flexible.I love it when dance teachers know the exact lyrics to the song they’re teaching to – not because I mind if they make something up, but because it shows that they went that extra step to Google search the lyrics.
Preparation is great.
Great dance teachers come truly prepared, meaning they’re ready to adapt at moment’s notice.
This means they can be great teachers, not just for one specific situation, but for all situations.
For example, if a dance teacher starts teaching and soon realizes that their students cannot keep up with the pace of their teaching, they should either be ready to simplify the choreography, spend more time drilling combos, or teach less but teach carefully.
They should NOT just go on teaching the class on their own pace.
Or if there is language barrier, a great dance teacher will be able to find alternate ways of explaining their movements.
Good dance teachers love to dance.
A GREAT dance teacher loves to dance and
love to teach.For any dancer to get to a point where they’re teaching, they probably love dance a lot.
But for them to become great at teaching dance, they have to love teaching.
Not all good scientists make great science teachers, not all artists make good art teachers.
That distinction is everything –Are you a dancer? Check.
Now, do you want to be an educator of dance? If so, then pursue it.
That's the only way you'll be a great dance teacher. In conclusion, the concept is simple: You can learn to teach, too.
While there’s no Grad School Program from STEEZY University that gives you the credentials to qualify as an “Urban Dance Choreography Teacher,” you can still find ways to be a great dance teacher on your own.
What do you think makes a great dance teacher? Comment below and share with us!
All of our teachers on STEEZY Studio are pretty great.
Study how they teach by trying out a class! Sign up here.
How to be a top dance student
Teachers will be the first to tell you that it takes more than just talent to be a great dancer. It's clear that you have to work hard in the dance class.
However, did you know that the best students not only work hard, but also demonstrate other qualities? If you want to be the best, pay attention to these 18 tips.
1. Arrive early
Not on time, but early.
2. Come prepared
Everyone can forget something, but the best students prepare for their lesson in advance.
3. Stay alert and collected throughout class
Eat right and get plenty of rest to make it easier for you.
4. Fix mistakes quickly
Nobody likes to make the same remark over and over again. If you don't understand something…
5. Ask questions and listen to what others ask
Just remember that before you ask, you need to think 😉
6.
Practice not only in the classroom
Practice builds success.
7. Memorize movements and instructions as quickly as possible
Of course, this skill takes practice, but the best students always try to memorize as quickly as possible.
8. While dancing, think about the next movement
You won't believe it, but this also requires practice. Develop your dance intuition by practicing steps 3, 4, 5 and 6.
9. Take notes
Dancers don't always take notes in class, but they make mental notes to write them down later.
10. Train your body outside of dancing
A dance school is where you develop your dancing skills. To develop greater strength, endurance, and the ability to properly apply your dancing skills, you need to practice other sports outside of dancing.
11. Don't distract others
Yes, you don't have to do that. Know proper dance class etiquette and follow it.
12. Listen to your body
A good student knows his physical limitations and modifies movement so as not to get hurt or disturb others (see point 11).
13. Communicate with your teacher about what is relevant to class
Establish a good professional relationship with your teacher. Stick to the topic and remember points 5 and 11.
14. Trust and respect your teacher
Trust his/her judgment, decisions, methods and knowledge. If you have a reason not to, then find yourself a teacher you can trust and respect.
15. Be ready to go back to basics at any time
Advanced dancers learn by dancing with beginners and going back to the basics of their technique. And they love it!
16. Mentally note your mistakes and do not hide them
Isn't it better to spend time improving what you don't do well than repeating what you already do well. Think about it 😉
17.
Cheer on your classmates
Clap them. Praise their achievements. Offer help and help when asked.
18. Always be kind and polite
Leave all negativity outside the studio door. And do not forget to thank for the comments and compliments.
Translation of the original article from The Rockettes website.
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where to study, salary, pros and cons
Author: Professional guide
Updated
Other name dance teachers - dance school teacher or dance studio teacher. It is clear that this is the name of specialists working in a specialized company. But a teacher or dance teacher can be called not only a dance studio teacher, but also a specialist of an educational institution where dances are studied along with other subjects. By the way, the ProfGid career guidance center has recently developed an accurate career guidance test that will tell you which professions suit you, give an opinion about your personality type and intelligence.
The profession is suitable for those who are interested in physical education and singing, music (see. choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects). 9Ol000 :
Peculiarities of the profession
Some teachers prefer to work with children, others prefer to work with adults, others can work with both. In any case, the task of a dance teacher is to teach their students to move, expressing themselves in dance. However, the higher the level of teaching, the wider the scope of the teacher's activity. It is also commonly believed that the higher the titles he won, the higher his value as a teacher. Also, he often acts as a choreographer: he puts dance numbers for his students when he prepares them to perform on stage.
The dance instructor may have a preference for a particular dance direction: Latin American, jazz, Irish, etc. For example, on his resume, he might write "Latin teacher" or "Jazz-modern dance teacher."
But that doesn't mean he can't do anything else.
On the contrary, the profession of a dance teacher means constant learning and learning. As a spectator, he regularly goes to musicals, dance shows, competitions to watch the performances of his colleagues; attends dance workshops to learn something new for his teaching. Different dance and musical styles, teaching methods, eminent dancers and bright debutants - everything is interesting for a dance teacher.
The teacher-dancer tries himself in different genres, sometimes changes his preferences, expands his role. In a word, it is in creative search. Beauty, joy of movement and creativity are the formula that can describe this profession.
Of course, no person can perform on stage until old age. But while studying with students, the teacher maintains excellent physical shape for many years.
This is enough to be able not only to explain, but also to show the dance to his students. Even if performances and competitions are in the past, the dancer remains a dancer who knows and feels the dance from the inside.
Workplace
Dance teacher salary for December 2022
Salary information provided by hh.ru portal.
Russia 10000-75000₽
Moscow 40000-80000₽
A dance teacher can work in a dance school, studio, dance club, fitness center, comprehensive school, university, etc. Many teachers work simultaneously in different places, having time to perform and participate in dance championships. Also, a dance teacher can open his own dance school.
Read also:
Important Qualities
The profession of a dance teacher involves a love of dance, artistry, ear for music, good physical health, goodwill, patience, leadership qualities, self-confidence and optimism. He should be a sociable person, able to pick up the key to a variety of students.
Knowledge and skills
A dance teacher must be able to dance - this is understandable. But he should also know well the dance directions in which he works, including their history.
