Dance teacher

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• working towards this role

University

You'll need a relevant degree in dance or performing arts. There are some degrees in dance that include teacher training. To teach in a state school you'll usually need qualified teacher status (QTS) .

As a primary teacher, you'll train to teach all subjects and could develop a subject specialism in physical education, which may include dance or creative movement.

At secondary level you could teach dance as a single subject or combine it with other subjects like physical education, drama or performing arts.

To be a lecturer in a university or conservatoire, you'll need a postgraduate qualification or a recognised profile as a professional performer, along with teaching experience.

Entry requirements:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
• 3 A levels or equivalent

College

To teach in a further education college, or as a sessional tutor in schools or private education, you’ll need a minimum of a level 3 qualification in dance.

You'll improve your chances of employment by doing a professional qualification with a recognised dance awarding organisation, such as:

• bbodance (previously British Ballet Organisation)
• Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
• International Dance Teachers' Association (IDTA)
• Royal Academy of Dance

Entry requirements:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Entry requirements:

Work

You could work your way into this role if you've got several years' experience in dance.

You could start as an assistant in a private dance school and do teaching qualifications with a dance organisation approved by the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT).

If you're a qualified teacher but without dance subject knowledge, for example a PE teacher, you could also take a CDMT-approved course.

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Skills:

• knowledge of the fine arts
• knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
• the ability to use your initiative
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to work well with others
• leadership skills
• the ability to teach pupils how to do something
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• ambition and a desire to succeed
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• knowledge of English language
• the ability to read English
• knowledge of philosophy and religion
• active listening skills
• the ability to learn through your work
• the ability to create the best conditions for learning or teaching new things
• an interest and knowledge of history
• thinking and reasoning skills
• concentration skills
• a good memory

What you'll do:

Dance teachers train and develop their students in all types of dance.

As a dance teacher, you would:

• plan and teach dance sessions
• design dance pieces for individuals and group productions
• keep records of students' performance and progress
• assess students for dance exams
• maintain your own dance skills and techniques

Location : You could work at a school, at a college, at a university, an independent training centre or in the community.

Salary:

Starter : variable
Experienced : variable

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

30 - 37 hours variable

Working Pattern is evenings / weekends attending events or appointments

Career Path:

In a school you could become a head of department or headteacher.

You might also move into:

• choreography
• dance production
• dance movement psychotherapy
• dance fitness training

As a private dance teacher you could develop your own business and run your own dance school.