NYSED receives your test score from NYSTCE automatically. Given the demands of a class, a teacher may not be able to do it at a particular class, but then maybe the next one. Even if you're teaching at a small school that doesn't require formal dance education, you'll still need a high school diploma or GED. Finding different ways of expressing a concept to provide both repetition and variety for different learning styles is also important. This requires prioritizing: which dance skills should be learned first and which aspects of those skills should be addressed in which order. Is your class location clean, well lit, temperature controlled, and free of distracting sights, sounds, and smells? His or her class is not merely a collection of amateur students, but a group of people who are passionate to learn the intricacies of dance. In each aspect of dance training, theteacher needs to identify the basic foundation, andthen build upon that knowledge base. What a child sees is as important as what you tell them." This is both a consolation to those who fear their dancing isn’t good enough and a warning to those who are confident that their dancing is more than enough to teach. 1. For this reason, it’s important to understand that dancing and teaching are two different sets of skills. It’s important for teachers to notice their natural tendencies and to make efforts to balance those out. Postscript: Be sure to also check out my favorite quotes on teaching! When I accidentally ran on eight counts too early in San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker, I had to fix the problem and I had to do it fast. Flexibility and Sensitivity A good dance teacher is sensitive to the needs of his or her students. Patience is always a hallmark virtue of any good teacher. Modern teachers need to be competent in not only basic skills but new skill sets. An organized class will include a warm-up, focused exercises, and “real-life” practice. An effective teacher is a boon to students. This requires dealing with your own social weaknesses. Careers in Dance. Subjects are delivered by highly qualified and experienced professionals in a supportive learning environment. As a private dancing teacher you would usually work for yourself and offer classes in a venue like a leisure centre or a church hall. You don’t only have to arrive at work before your students do, but you also need to allocate time after class to review and grade homework and plan your lessons. A dance lesson does not merely involve going through a random set of choreographed dance moves. Aside from dance training, a good dance instructor needs a few skills to succeed. The ability to be an effective visual and kinesthetic model of the dance for your students is therefore essential to teaching. * All support subject to U.S. business hours. A knack for problem-solving. Trying all ways and means to influence the behavior and learning patterns of students, a real teacher will handhold students to success through holistic development. Here are 15 21st century professional development skills, or as we like to call them, “modern skills,” that today’s teachers should possess. He or she should also have earned a good reputation among the dancing community. You’ll need at least a high school diploma if you want to work as a dance teacher. It is not enough for a first-grade math teacher to know how to perform basic arithmetic, for example. Skill as a dancer is integral to the art of teaching dance. You'll need a relevant degree in dance or performing arts. An energetic, physically fit and confident Dance teacher who has a successful track record of improving a student’s knowledge and understanding of dance. Breaking down skills by the categories of vocabulary, technique, lead/follow connection, and timing/musicality can be helpful. A teacher is also a lifelong student. Academic qualifications may not be essential if you show enough talent at audition. Patience. Here are five skills I gained from my dance training that will serve any dancer long after their final bows. What skills, knowledge, and abilities are required to be a great teacher? Your test scores are available 30 days after taking the exam. When it comes to asking if someone – either ourselves or other people – should teach, this tends to be what we emphasize, often to the exclusion of all else. Being a rock-star dancer doesn’t mean you will be a rock-star teacher, and you can be a rock-star teacher without being a rock-star dancer. Articulating content and setting up exercises in a way that is clear, manageable, and engaging for students. The teacher should put an emphasis on prioritizing the mastery of the building blocks of the art, instead of letting his or her students do complicated dance moves all at once. Good teachers study and strive to create a curriculum or process to guide students with logical standards, goals and objectives. Dance teachers need to be able to go with the flow, and this is something that poses a struggle for some professional dancers. Depending on the curriculum, she may also need some skills … Anyone can be a dancer, but not everyone has the skills and aptitude to be an effective dance instructor. (If you need a refresher yourself, Hidaka recommends dance teachers read The … Although I’m not a Tango teacher, I agree with your topics. Adaptability. Even if you are able to reverse engineer what works for you, it doesn’t mean you know what students need in order to acquire these skills in their own minds and bodies. Some of the most effective dance instructors do not focus on just one style alone- they are able to use and adapt different styles for their lessons. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! These take 2 to 3 years to complete and are offered by dance schools and universities. Beyond the essential experience in and passion for dance required to make it as a dance teacher, here are a few other skills, qualities and abilities you’re likely to need. Ballet has a very demanding technique, but with focus and practice you can work your way to become an even better dancer.. This includes balancing instruction with adequate time for students to move and practice. No matter your teaching methods, there are a few benchmark qualities that they should all possess in order to teach effectively. Each lesson should be tailored to accommodate a progressive form of learning, wherein the student is first taught the basics, which would then form the foundation for later lessons. An effective teacher knows that the body needs time to adapt gradually to new choreography. Understanding and providing the mental, emotional, social, and environmental conditions needed for students to optimally learn. For example, you passed if you score a 250 in Dance Elements and Skills and the minimum passing score is 240. 1. So, while I do understand that a teacher will have a variety of criteria by which they determine whom to coach in class, I think that being fair and balanced makes it more enjoyable for all, and creates a good culture that everyone deserves some time and consideration (which is a good attitude for a Milonga but that’s another discussion). How are they engaging (or not) with the material, the exercise, and their partner? For many, dancing is more than an art; it’s a lifestyle. Different teachers may identify and articulate different ones, but here are my top ten, all of which – with dedication – can be learned, developed, improved, and mastered. The best teachers create space in that process for questions, exploration, and problem-solving. A teacher should make an effort to work their way around a class to give some attention to all students. Does this student need a quick verbal correction or to be walked through the entire sequence? So if dance ability is only part of the puzzle, what makes up the rest? Education. Seeing, hearing, feeling, and intuiting students’ current level or acquisition of skills and knowledge as well as signs of engagement, boredom, overwhelm, frustration, etc. It takes a whole lot of gumption to mold awkward beginners into skilled professionals that can proudly showcase their craft to the world. A good dance class builds progressivelyfrom the basic knowledge and skills to a widearray of abilities that support the complexity ofthe art form. Teachers need academic knowledge in the subject matter they're expected to teach. A good dance teacher is sensitive to the needs of his or her students. Communicating and modelling confidence, encouragement, enthusiasm, interest, curiosity, and a positive work ethic. All dance teachers should have a method to their madness – usually one that is born of trial and experience. The more often young dancers hear those words in context, the more likely it is they'll stick. Strong communication skills are vital -- teachers need to be able to convey complex information in an understandable way. If you really want to pursue dance as an art form or even a career, there are several traits that you’ll need that unite all styles of dance. Some of these skills may come more naturally to some aspiring teachers than others, and some skills may be needed at greater levels, depending on the age of the students. Are your partner exercises and instructions safe, comfortable, and considerate? As you teach, use anatomical terms like "lumbar spine" interchangeably with descriptive terms like "lower back." He or she can inspire and move students in their future careers in dancing. This means clearing your mind of distractions before, during, and after class so you can focus on your students, identifying your weaknesses and mistakes and taking concrete steps to practice and improve, letting go of your lesson plan when necessary to follow the needs and energy of your students, and allowing yourself to be a student even when you are the teacher. There is no one style of teaching to rule them all. You'll usually need a degree or diploma in professional dance or musical theatre. You are encouraged to take the exam as often as you like if you do not pass the first time. This includes the volume, speed, intonation, and tone of your voice, the clarity of your ideas and phrasing, and the body language (eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and overall posture) that keeps students’ attention and interest. The phrase “first, do no harm” is a mantra of the healthcare industry, but it can and should be applied to any discipline that involves the body. That said, you’ll also need to schedule in personal time where you can relax and do something for yourself. But being a skilled dancer doesn’t necessarily mean you can conceptualize and articulate how you developed that skill and lead others to do the same. We focus on dance ability, often equating it with teaching ability. It also means helping students to work through the inevitable stresses and challenges of the learning process in both a positive way (through words) and a practical way (through action). Students must feel physically secure and comfortable to focus freely on learning and to develop sustainable habits that will allow them (and their partners) to continue experiencing the joys of the dance over the long term. Learning any dance takes a lot of time and effort. Do they understand what the exercise is? Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. You’d help your students pass dance exams and organise performances where they can showcase their skills. There is more to teaching than just choreographing a few dance moves and expecting students to blindly follow suit. The music, partner rotation, the spatial configuration of the room, and other logistical details will be well thought out and implemented. Patience is key, too. Students need to be able to relate to children of differing ages and backgrounds, have a keen interest to assist students to learn to dance, have good problem solving skills, sound literacy and numeracy skills, be enthusiastic, tactful, patient and have a sense of humour. Building Foundations Every teacher knows that a dance class is morethan a series of exercises and combinations acrossthe floor. For example, do your words and actions demonstrate belief in students’ ability to do what you are asking? I would add, or incorporate into an existing item being ‘fair and balanced’. Teachers must, of course, understand the material they teach. Here are some of the essential attributes that aspiring dancers should expect from their dance teachers: Some of the best dance instructors have trained extensively in their art since early childhood. This is both a consolation to those who fear their dancing isn’t good enough and a warning to those who are confident that their dancing is more than enough to teach. Thank you for your comment, Gary. Because dance is a physical art, played out in and between the very bodies of dancers, students must be able to see and feel what you want them to do. Even when motives are good, as in the case of helping students who are having the most trouble, it isn’t fair to students who catch on faster but are equally deserving of time and attention. Breaking down complex skills into learnable segments and preparing well-designed exercises to work on those segments in a logical order. They must be creative as they interpret the music and teach dancers the correct tempo for various movements. “If you want the dancer to do 100 percent, you have to do 150 percent. Most teachers construct a class arounda particular approach to movement or a specificdance technique. To teach in a state school you'll need qualified teacher status (QTS). Pursuing a career as a dance instructor, choreographer or dancer requires many of the same skills and tasks as other industries, but there are specific ways you can be sure to always put your best foot forward, so to speak.Because dance jobs are physically demanding, it almost goes without saying that physical fitness and proper nutrition are job requirements. There will always be students who will learn more slowly than their peers. Having to adjust the learning material to accommodate these students can be taxing for the teacher. People who want to work as Dance Teachers need to have degree programs offered by some Colleges and Performing Arts schools. Thankfully, each attribute is something that can be learned and developed, even if you’re not born with it. Which parts of the skill are they getting and which require further attention? Some employers require applicants having a dance degree, but in other cases an extensive background in this area is enough to be a teacher. He or she must be able to make changes and revisions to the choreography at the drop of a hat, so as to ensure that each and every student is able to keep up with the lessons. Of course, people have differing opinions on what being a good dance teacher entails. All students need feedback during their progression. Designing and executing a lesson plan with a logical flow that makes sense to students. Below are the skills needed to ensure that you do … Because dance is a physical art, played out in and between the very bodies of dancers, students must be able to see and feel what you want them to do. For any ballet dance lesson, you must be aware of the certain skills to help you improve. Teaching dance means you are not just in the “business” of dance but in the business of people. As a dancer, you'll need to: 1. prepare for and attend auditions and casting sessions 2. get ready for performances by rehearsing and exercising 3. perform to live audiences and for television, film and music video productions 4. study and create choreography 5. discuss and interpret choreography 6. learn and use other skills such as singing and acting - many roles, for example in musical theatre, require a combination of performance skills 7. look after costumes and equipment 8. take care of the health and … They generally apply whether you’re looking for ballet teacher training courses or you plan to go into teaching ballroom dancing, and all the other genres in between. A good teacher will pay attention to the pacing of the class, evaluating how much time should be spent on each activity or point (move on too quickly and students don’t have time to absorb and learn, wait too long to move on and they may become bored or burnt out and lose focus) and how to transition between them. Technical Skills . You never know when a lesson is going to fall flat with students or when a class will be particularly rowdy. You need to know more than just a certain style of dancing to become a good teacher, you also need to have teaching skills that have been approved and validated by a recognised authority… 1. If not, what adjustments can you make (for example, avoiding faster and more demanding movements in a hot room)? Your diploma shows that you have the communication, reading, and writing skills necessary to communicate with students, parents, and vendors. Dance teachers might teach in public or private schools, after-school programs, or private dance studios. Respect is given where respect is due; an effective and respectable teacher should always be at the pinnacle of professionalism. I’ve seen them un-favor students in one case by preventing good dancers rotating to individuals because the teacher doesn’t like the target. I completely agree. The qualities that make a good teacher are often skills that need to be learned and developed. Understanding, communicating, and applying the basics of alignment and movement, particularly the most common causes of physical discomfort and injury in the dance form you are teaching. Teaching is its own collection of skills, knowledge, and abilities that demands as much time, attention, practice, and experience as dancing does to become proficient. Island Moving Company leads a residency at Claiborne Pell Elementary School in Newport, Rhode Island.In a typical NDI class, students change their orientation at … Dance teachers must have several major skills to be successful. Being a teacher requires excellent time management skills. Progressing from part to whole, solo to partnered, without music to with music is essential in making a complex skill manageable to students. I’ve seen teachers favor certain students for feedback for reasons that they take private lessons or are attractive. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Beyond Dance Ability: 10 More Skills You Need to Be a Great Dance Teacher, Dance: Aspiring to the World’s Favorite Metaphor, Why Leading Is Not More Difficult Than Following, and How to Make It True. Learn when to prod, when to adjust, and vendors feedback for reasons that they should possess... Where you can relax and do something for yourself re being asked to do you... Knowledge and skills to a widearray of abilities that support the complexity ofthe art form respect due. The basic foundation, andthen build upon that knowledge base, social, vendors. Are largely unaware and/or inarticulate about how they do necessary to communicate with students or when lesson. 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