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Dance Teacher (Private Tuition)

Dancers are performers who entertain audiences by dancing as soloists, with a partner, or as members of a group. There are many styles of dance including ballet, contemporary, Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander, folk, jazz, ballroom and tap. Dancers may perform using a variety of styles or they may Future Growth Strong specialise in one particular dance style.

ANZSCO ID: 211112

Specialisations: Ballet Dancer; Contemporary or Modern Dancer; Exotic Dancer

Choreographer: A choreographer creates original dances and dance programs and offers suggestions as to how the dancer should interpret and perform them.
Community Dance Worker: A community dance worker works with communities to facilitate the expression of that group's ideas in dance.
Dance Teacher
Dance Therapist: A dance therapist is specially trained to use dance as part of a therapy program. These programs may be used with a wide range of people, including the elderly, children and adults with special needs or specific movement disabilities.

Knowledge, skills and attributes HipHop Dancer

discipline, dedication and perseverance
physically flexible and well-proportioned
good sense of rhythm
an appreciation of music
high level technical and interpretive skills
good general health and an ability to reach high levels of fitness
good communication skills.

Duties and Tasks

Dancers may perform the following tasks: Ballet

attend auditions
rehearse dance steps and movements under the direction and instruction of a choreographer
develop their own interpretation of a role
train daily to maintain or improve technical standards, fitness and flexibility and to help reduce the risk of injury when rehearsing or performing
perform styles of dance as the company, project or choreographer requires
sing or act as part of a performance
apply their own make-up for performances
choreograph dance works or routines.

Working conditions

Most professional classical dancers have studied ballet from a young age. However, some modern dancers, particularly men, begin training as late as 16. Working as a dancer is physically demanding. Rehearsal and performance hours can be long and unpredictable.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a dancer you usually have to complete a VOC qualification in dance. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact your chosen institution for further information. In many cases, a natural ability in dance is more important than formal qualifications.
You can also become a dancer by completing a degree in arts, applied dance, creative arts or fine arts, with a major in dance, dance performance or a related field. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12 with English. You may also be required to attend an audition or interview. Some courses offer intensive training for a performance career, while others qualify graduates to teach dance or provide a background that will enable graduates to take up other dance-related careers such as choreography and community arts work. A number of institutions in Australia offer degrees in these areas.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Employers of dancers in Australia include the Australian and state ballet companies, contemporary dance companies, independent choreographers, musicals, television studios and some opera companies. Opportunities to perform, teach choreography and manage dance projects also exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people trained in traditional dance styles. All performance positions require an audition and interview with the director of the company or project.

Although some dancers are employed on a permanent basis with dance companies, many perform in small companies or as independent artists and acquire roles in shows or video clips that require their particular dance skills. Freelance dancers must audition for roles as they come up. Some dancers have agents who inform them of available auditions, but most look for audition advertisements in newspapers and magazines or join the professional association, Ausdance. Competition for work in the performance industry is very strong.

Accomplished dancers may also teach when they have had sufficient experience and training. Skills in acting and singing, or experience in film and video production, may improve employment options. Many dancers progress to areas such as arts administration, theatre management, public relations, technical backstage work, production, wardrobe and costume-making.

Did You Know?

Professional ballerinas use about twelve pairs of toe shoes per week!

Ballet slippers

A dance teacher may teach in their area of specialisation in private dance studios, or own and run their own dance school. Dancers with appropriate qualifications can teach in secondary schools or tertiary institutions. Dance teachers train and develop their pupils in all types of dance. They work with individuals and groups of all ages. Future Growth Strong

Dance Teachers (Private Tuition) teach dance in private training establishments.

ANZSCO ID: 249212 (Private Tuition)

Specialisations: Ballet Teacher (Private Tuition)

Knowledge, skills and attributes

To become a dance teacher, you would need:

good practical ability in dance and music
an understanding of health and safety to prevent injury
patience
good communication and people skills
the ability to motivate people and encourage them to succeed
the ability to control groups of pupils.

Dance Teacher
(Source: Rockettes)

Duties and Tasks

As a dance teacher, your work could involve:

plans programmes of study for individual students and groups.
demonstrating safe warm up and movement practices
showing students how to perform individual moves
instructs and demonstrates practical aspects of the subject area
teaching the theory of dance - prepares and presents material on the theory of the subject area
assigns problems and exercises relative to students' training needs and talents
creating dance displays and routines
keeping records of students’ performance and progress
give students feedback on their progress - assesses students and offers advice, criticism and encouragement
prepares students for examinations, performances and assessments
put forward students for dance exams and assessments
revises curricula, course content, course materials and methods of instruction.
keep abreast of developments in the subject area by attending professional conferences, seminars and courses, reading current literature, and talking with colleagues
may arrange visits and tours to professional exhibitions and performances
may organise exhibitions or performances of students' work
preserving and improving your own dance skills and techniques.

You could be training students to become professional dancers or helping people to learn more about dance and movement so they can improve their health and well-being. You could teach one or more forms of dance, such as ballet, contemporary dance, tap, modern or ballroom.

You would need to be able to design or choreograph dances routines for your pupils, depending on the job. You may also need to know about anatomy and physiology, and subjects such as the history of dance or dance notation - the written system for recording dance movement.

Working conditions

In an education environment, you would work a standard school week. There would also be some evening commitments, including rehearsals, performances or parent/teacher interviews.

Within a dance company or as a private teacher, classes would be during the day, usually also the evenings and at weekends.

Performances are often at weekends, regardless of whether you work within education or as a private teacher.

You could work as a dance teacher in different sectors, including as a teacher in a primary or a secondary school. As a private dance teacher you would usually work for yourself.

Your working environment could include classrooms, leisure centres, halls and dance studios. Facilities can be quite basic in some venues.

Education and training/entrance requirements

Dance teachers generally have many years’ dance experience.

As well as dance ability, most dance teachers need a minimum of a bachelor's degree, with preference given to those with a degree in dance or performing arts. A dance teacher may also be required to continue professional development to maintain an understanding of current dance trends and techniques.

You need a high level of dance skill to work as a Dance Teacher (Private Tuition). While formal qualifications aren't essential, a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in dance or dance teaching may be useful. Most employers seek prospective dance teachers with a valid drivers’ licence.

Dance teachers need appropriate qualifications to teach in secondary schools or tertiary institutions.

Employment Opportunities

There are a limited number of opportunities available for both dancers and dance teachers.

Better opportunities for dancers and dance teachers exist in larger cities.