Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | D | Dance Magazine

It's not just about dance.

Article Excerpt
Some dancers seem born to teach. Others transition to the role after a career on the stage. Many begin by teaching alongside their own favorite teachers. In an art form that is handed down from teacher to student, one generation to the next, it is natural and necessary for dancers to pass on what they've mastered in their own bodies. But most will agree that being a gifted performer doesn't mean a dancer can teach.

"Teaching dance is not just about dance," says Elsa Posey, founder of the National Registry of Dance Educators. We asked Posey and nine other educators what a teacher needs besides a solid understanding of dance technique, and we got 10 (at least) thoughtful answers: empathy; humor; compassion; communication skills; the ability to inspire trust; the ability to break down movement; and knowledge of early childhood development, higher learning techniques, classroom management, and historical and cultural contexts.

Even the most experienced educators feel they have more to learn. "I don't know a dance teacher who isn't a lifetime learner," says Posey, who opened the Posey School in 1953. But exactly what there is to learn varies. "First it depends on what you're teaching," says Posey. "It has to be appropriate to the student. The adult approaches dance very differently than the child."

Your work setting may determine whether you opt for a BA in dance with an emphasis in pedagogy, a workshop in creative dance, or coaching from a trusted mentor. To get faculty tenure at a university, you need a master's degree; however, credentials to teach dance in the public schools (K-12) vary from state to state. Though it's not required, private studio teachers can attain certification from organizations like Dance Masters of America, Dance Educators of America, and the National Registry...

View this article FREE - Now for a Limited Time, try Goliath Business News
Free for 3 Days!