DanceInstructor

Other �

Dance Instructor

By Bev Walton-Porter and Kendra McLeish

Dance InstructorAT A GLANCE

Teach others to dance

Many also perform as dancers or work as choreographers

BACK

You can work in show business or teach in a school

Studying dance at college is a big bonus

According to the InternationalEncyclopedia of Dance, "Since the dawn of human history, people of all cultures have expressed themselves through dance."

People continue to demonstrate their creativity through graceful movement. Some of those people find such joy in dance that they spend their lives sharing it with others. They're known as dance instructors.

The Work

Dance instructors work in a variety of fields, including studio and school instruction, film, recreation, tourism, advertising, entertainment, community outreach, mental health and physical health fields. They teach students proper dance technique, according to styles ranging from ballet and modern dance to ballroom andfolk dancing.

Dance instructors may teach class from one to 12 hours per day. Some teach in public or private schools, in which case their day corresponds to the length of the school day. Don Chesshir, a dance instructor in Dallas, says his workday often finishesafter 10 p.m. He also makes time to work out three days a week to keep asphysically fit as possible.

Along with teaching dance, many instructors also perform as dancers and work as choreographers. Danceinstructors for studio schools are usually required to have experience asperformers.

Some dance instructors make it big -- really big. Arthur Murray Dance Studios' founder, Arthur Murray, began teaching dance to the wealthy in 1912. In 1946, he had 72 studios. To date, his company has brought in morethan $50 million, and dance instructors are still signing up to buy an Arthur Murray franchise.

Murray's Web site says dance has been rated in the top five of 60 physical activities. It suggests that some doctors recommend 30 minutes of dance three times a week. It also notes that Olympic athletes use dance to improve their agility and balance. Interestingly, dancing has yet to be named an Olympic sport, but the International Olympic Committee has given ballroom dancing provisional status. That means future dance instructors could be coaching gold medalist foxtrotters.

Regardless of the many reasons people choose to dance, there will always be a desire to teach others the art of movement and expression. Dance instructors fill this age-old need.

Facts and Figures

Please note that these statistics may apply to an entire group of careers -- not just one specific profession. The labor market is always changing, so it's a good idea to do more research on this career.

If you want to find out more about the realities of this job in your area, contact a professional association or someone in the field and ask for more information. For some tips on how to approach professionals, check out our article on How to Arrange a Job Shadow or nformational Interview.

Earnings: Dancers

Region

Average Annual Earnings

Average Hourly Earnings

U.S. National

$27,950

$13.44

Employment Stats: Dancers

Region