Good Dance Teachers are Hard to Find

There is a huge difference between being a dancer and being a dance teacher. Often, people think that because they are a good dancer, they will automatically be a good dance teacher. That is not always the case and is why, sadly, I often see average dance teachers leading kids dance classes.

It is important for a dance studio to choose their teachers based on a wide set of criteria, and every studio will have different ideas about what that is. The teachers are what differentiate or ‘make’ a studio, so it is important that you trust the studio to choose great ones. I believe that Rise Studios has the best dance and drama teachers around, but since they are all different and have different teaching methods, it is also important to find the right teacher for your dancer.

If the fit isn’t right maybe try a different dance class. Some teachers are higher energy and louder. Some have a much calmer quality to them. Neither of these types are bad, just different and can have affect a child in different ways.

The criteria for any dance or drama teacher will depend on the studio’s ethos and age group that they are teaching, but in general, here are some key qualities that I think are imperative to any dance teacher. This is what I look for when hiring and mentoring the Rise Studios teaching faculty.

Professional

• Reliability and consistency are so important for children’s learning. Teachers need to be able to answer parents’ questions and communicate important information. Nurture is one of our ‘key’ words at Rise, and our teachers are employed with this very much in mind.

Passionate

• Our teachers don’t teach because they HAVE to, they teach because they WANT to. There is a big difference, and children can sense true passion in a class. In order to inspire our dancers, we have to LOVE what we do.

Good Mentors

• Teachers are mentors to their students and need to set a great example with how they dress, the music and language that they use, and the positive encouragement they incorporate into their dance classes. We are big on ensuring the music and lyrics are appropriate for the age group listening to them in our classes. We also place huge value on appropriate costuming for our shows. You will never see our little ones dressed in mature or skimpy costumes!

Knowledgeable About Dance Development

• Teachers need to know when students are ready to advance. It is crucial that they do not teach above the student’s age or level if their bodies are not ready.

Good Class Management

• One of the biggest qualities that I see missing in a lot of teachers is the ability to manage a class. Dancers need to stay engaged and focused in a way that makes the class fun, while also keeping them safe, and teaching them something! Class management is imperative to a successful, efficient and productive class. This is an acquired skill and should definitely be continually checked so the teacher can improve.

Preparation

• Rise teachers are expected to pre-plan and choreograph their classes and not just ‘wing it’. This is even more important during our online sessions, as adaptations, due to personal space, have to be made. A good teacher knows exactly what they will be teaching at every class. They record what they have been working on. You may see our teachers ticking off syllabus exercise charts each week, keeping tabs on exactly when and what routines were learnt that class. This is crucial to student development.

To summarise, a dancer has a passion for dance…a dance teacher, guides others in a highly skilled way to develop that same passion…

I hope that you found this helpful. You can find out more about our teachers here

Why Choose an Online Dance Class?

Have you been considering an online dance class during lockdown? Well, at Rise Studios dance and drama schools, we believe that there has never been a better time to start dancing! During this lockdown, your child can learn a new skill, live and ONLINE! Dancing online helps them to develop so many important skills! Putting your child in an online dance class will benefit them in many ways. Dance allows them to establish better social skills- yes EVEN through the computer screen. It aids physical development and cognitive thinking, and helps use up some of that boundless energy! This lockdown is a great time to expose a child to dancing! We have a variety of structured online dance and drama classes to choose from that will match your child’s specific age and experience. Who knew something as fun as dancing online could have such a significant role in children’s development!

Social Skills

Social skills can sometimes be difficult for children to learn. Dance class allows kids to break out of their shell and let loose with other kids their age. In order to teach a child how to appropriately play and interact with other kids, they must be exposed to instructions and teamwork settings early on. Dance classes can teach your child patience and listening skills, as they must follow instructions from their teacher. Dance classes for children, as young as 3 year olds, provide them the opportunity to be able to talk and interact with other kids and teachers. These essential life skills can be developed now from dance classes, and be applied throughout their life! This is still very apparent during our live zoom sessions. These online dance classes still allow for interaction between the teacher and the dancers.

Physical Development

Trying to get a young child to settle down is nearly impossible! Whether it’s street dance, ballet, tap, or jazz, dancing has always been a great way for children to get moving and stay active. It allows them to channel their energy on something specific whilst having lots of fun! Online dance classes, help with the development of coordination, strength, movement, and balance.

Our online dance classes for use different movements that combine multiple muscle groups at the same time. Rise Studios offers ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, street dance/ hip hop, Musical Theatre and drama, so there really is a class to suit everyone! The best thing is, you can join in from the comfort of your own home, live and interactive via zoom!

Cognitive Development

Cognitive development allows your child to respond to instructions or rules and then act on them. Many children within the pre-school age group have a hard time understanding this notion. Let’s face it, sometimes us adults do too! Therefore, dance classes for 3 to 5 year olds require a different style of learning compared to older children.

Our dance teachers specialise in early development, and are able to connect dancing to common knowledge and life skills, using lots of imagery. For example, we will use our legs as a ‘crocodile mouth’ during a dance stretch, and close them together to see what we can catch! This allows the children to understand basic skills while having fun! This concept may be common to us, but this age group is just beginning to develop these everyday life skills! There is no better way for kids to mature and grow than by dancing and having a blast!

Dance Online

At Rise Studios dance and drama schools, we offer a fun and creative learning environment in which your children can start developing essential life skills. As a teacher, and principal of Rise Studios dance and drama schools, I can say without a doubt that my dancers never cease to amaze me. At the rate their minds are growing and expanding, this is a prime time for them to start learning dance and developing the motor and coordination skills that dance teaches! For our teenagers, our online classes have been a lifeline while they are physically separated from their friends. Dance releases endorphins, which in turn benefits their mental health.

During this lockdown, all of this can still be achieved online. It is a fantastic alternative to an in person class. Children are very versatile and you’d be surprised at the vast amounts of knowledge that they can absorb! Seeing their teacher online, might seem alien the first time, but you’ll be amazed at how quickly they adapt to this temporary reality!

For Toddler Dance Online please click here!