Hello everyone. I need some help in getting started as a ballroom dance instructor. I just started taking lessons in Sept of this year, but I have a ballet,jazz,lyrical, and hip-hop background and I also choreograph routines by myself. I would love to use the talent God has given me, but I don't know where to begin. I want to make it my career, plus I would also love to find a professional partner to work with. I am 23 yrs old and would love the opportunity to do this. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

I say go for it! Be fully aware that you will start out teaching beginning levels only.

I have met some fairly good teachers who started out just as you. They came into a studio with a strong background in other dance areas and then were given the chance to learn how to teach from the studio manager. At age 23, it would be diffcult to dance and afford the kind of hours you might want without pouring out large sums of money otherwise - which most of us, at age 23, don't have! At age 23, if I had this opportunity, I'd go for it.

Frankly, I am jealous!

LOL Where's Simon Cowl(?) when you need him.

You started taking lessons in Sept and YOU WANT TO TEACH?????????????

Please, several years solidifying your own skills first.

Now if all you want to do is be a paid partner for students, you can go to some studio and sign a contract to be trained for a few months.

But if you want to TEACH DANCING you will need several years of solid training.

Ballet, Jazz, etc skills provide some help, but neither teaches the fundamental skills of ballroom dancing.

Also, if you want to be taken really seriously as a ballroom teacher and attract the better couples, you need to build some credentials via your competitive results. For this, you'll need a partner. You can start looking for one by clicking the "Classified Ads" link on the left side of this page.

Just to let you know..whoever you are that sent the last email..you know the one that stated I didn't have enough experience to be an instructor...there are several dance studios I know of that train people to be instructors without experience. Also, I believe in pursuing a dream and helping others to accomplish their goals and not to bring them down like you attempted to do with the email you sent me. God has given me the talent and you don't even know how good I am. When someone loves something so much they want to make it their career..I say go for it. You can accomplish anything if you work really hard and have your heart set on it. So just to let you know..you did not break down my wall. Have a nice day!

We aren't trying to cut you down, but do realize that it's different to be a "no experience necessary" candidate coming in to take a studio's training program and then teach than it is to be someone who has years of experience learning and competing that they've gained before starting to teach. Reputations are vitally important in the ballroom world.

If you want to teach ballroom dancing and are more interested in teaching absolute beginners, low-level group classes, and "wedding couples" who come in to just get that one dance for their big day, then going through a "no experience necessary" program will work just fine for you. If you want to make it as a competitive professional who does well in pro competitions and who can also attract higher-level students then you are at an automatic disadvantage by starting at age 23 and starting teaching without ever having an amateur career of your own. This is not cutting you down, this is just the facts. The top pros all started to dance ballroom/latin in their early teens or earlier, and gained thousands of hours of experience dancing and competing before they ever got started teaching.

It is possible with a lot of work to start in your 20's and go far. I can think of two men who started in their mid-20's who have gone on to become US Rising Star Champions in the past couple of years. There are others who also started in their 20's with "no experience necessary" who have developed in to sought-after teachers who are excellent dancers. It's hard work and not everyone will succeed, but so long as you have an idea of what's ahead of you then it's up to you to choose your path. Which brings me to my next question:

Another question I have is that if you've got a clear idea yet of what the life of a ballroom dance teacher is like. If you've just started lessons you might not see beyond the 'glamour' yet. The hours are long, the pay is low unless you are one of the top instructors in your area, and the work is hard on your body. I know several people who loved to ballroom dance who became teachers -- and who never dance socially anymore because by the end of the week they are so tired from teaching and practicing that it's just not fun any more for them.

It's very important to check out the policies of the studio where you'd take those "no experience necessary" lessons. Do you pay for your training, or do they? Are you locked into a contract after taking the lessons, or can you go apply for jobs on your own? What will the pay rate be? Sure, a student might be paying $65/hour for the lesson, but the teacher might only be keeping $20 of that and the rest goes to the studio.

And then there's the realities of finding a partner. It is the most difficult thing about ballroom/latin dancing. It seems no matter what your level it's not easy, and that it's even harder if you're a pro.

Personally, I think it might be a good idea if you had a little more time in the ballroom world before deciding this is the career for you. Go to a couple of dance competitions and look at the level of the competing pros. Make inquiries to try to find a partner. Talk to teachers and find out how they feel about their jobs. Maybe this is the career for you, maybe it's not, but be aware that it's a difficult one and there are many pitfalls.

mf,

I too agree that anon was not trying to bring you down and I think Laura gave you terrific advice.

Unfortunately there are organizations out there who's sole purpose it get as much money out of dance students as possible. Some of these groups prey on rich widows promising professional partners to take you to competitions. I know of one woman who paid over $30,000 in a year and her professional partner had had a five hour instructors course and a red sports coat to prove it.

We had an elderly lady who came to our club from another province who insisted she join at our Gold level classes because she had travelled to competitions all over Saskatchewan winning gold ribbon awards. This was an inhouse scam and this lady, who'd spent a fortune, didn't even know the basic steps.

So ask yourself, "Did God give you the talent to be a teacher or a shill?"

If you want to become a teacher there are governing bodies that will take you through certified instructor levels: student teacher, associate, licentiate and fellow.

In Canada we have the CDTA: Canadian Dance Teachers Association.

There is also the World recognized ISTD: Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and producer of the technique books used everywhere. You can find them on this site I believe.

I'm not sure at the moment which are the governing bodies in the US. Anyone?

We all applaud your enthusiasm. Don't waste your God-given talent. Do It! But Do It Right!

Welcome aboard!

OB

I really appreciate the responses. Thank you for your advice. I don't plan on trying to become a dance instructor overnight. I know that you all are only trying to help and for that I thank you. I do want to learn more and it is not a definite decision because I am afraid that I will not love it as much if I make it my career. I do feel that I need more experience before I start teaching others. Anyway, hope you all have a good night and God bless you. :)
John 6:37

Hello, I just feel that it's important to be well qualified or to know the steps/routine to a Tee in order to teach at a professional level;whether you're teaching a beginners class or an advanced class. You want your class to see that you're well experienced and that you have great confident in youself so they can have great pride in taking your classes but most importantly, you want the class to have great confidence in themselves to know that they can accomplished the world. But I have faith in you that you will make the right decision and it will be just perfect because you thought of it on your own.