Making It as A New Dance Instructor
Starting any new job in any profession, mistakes are bound to happen. That is how we learn. Becoming a new dance instructor is no different. Even if you have years of experience doing recitals, routines, and practices, when you become an instructor, things become different. It will be difficult at the start but gradually you will learn with experience. While there are certain mistakes that can be unavoidable, there are others that you can easily avoid. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Don’t Overdo It
It can be extremely exciting when you are stating out as a dance instructors, you would be tempted to take on more classes to gain more exposure, attract more students and just to quench your passion. This is one of the most common mistakes made by new instructors. You will soon be burned out, mistake prone and weary. It is essential that you don’t take on more than you can handle. The best thing to do is to start off with a class or two and once you get a hang of things, gradually increase the classes.
Moreover, if you are also the studio owner, than you need to tackle the responsibilities that come with owning the studio. In this case, the best thing to do is take one or two classes and hire another dance instructor. This way you would not only be able to get experience as an instructor but will be able to effectively manage your business as well.
Keep it Interesting
Passion for dance is indeed necessary to become a dance instructor but there is plenty more involved. Some instructors take dance classes as similar to those lectures in colleges and have the tendency of rambling on about dance techniques in class. If you are doing this, then stop instantly. Your students will get bored and might start leaving. Instead of telling your students about different dance techniques, show them!
Figure Out Their Skill Level
You might be teaching students of different skill levels and since you are new to this, it might get a bit difficult to differentiate the skill levels of students. Even if the class isn’t mixed, teaching a beginners class or an advanced level class, you would still have to figure out the dance levels of those students. Things and techniques they already know and those they don’t know. Trying to teach and advanced level student a common move or teaching an advanced level move to a beginner is bound to end up badly. This will discourage students or make them feel underwhelmed. Determine their level of skills and teach them accordingly.
Take It Slow
With years of dancing, it might be easy for you to learn and pick up dance techniques and routines rather easily. However, as a teacher you need to understand that this might not be true for your students. Even some experienced dancers require time to learn and master certain skills. Avoid rushing your students through the routine as this will only make them confuse and stressed out. Match their pace instead of trying to teach them at your pace.
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