Performing arts school dance instructor

Performing arts school dance instructors educate students in specific theory and, primarily, practice-based dance courses at a specialised dance school or conservatory at a higher education level. They provide theoretical instruction in service of the practical skills and techniques the students must subsequently master for dance. Performing arts school dance instructors monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate their knowledge and performance on the dance through, often practical, assignments, tests and examinations.

The following job titles also refer to performing arts school dance instructor:

dancing instructor in performing arts school
professor of dance
dance instructor in performing arts school
dance school instructor
dance school teacher
dance conservatory instructor
performing arts dancing instructor
conservatory dance lecturer
dance conservatory trainer
performing arts dance instructor
conservatory dance instructor

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as performing arts school dance instructor. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Performing arts school dance instructor is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to performing arts school dance instructor.

dance teacher
performing arts theatre instructor
music instructor
adult literacy teacher
further education teacher

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of performing arts school dance instructor. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of performing arts school dance instructor with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of performing arts school dance instructor.

Assessment processes: Various evaluation techniques, theories, and tools applicable in the assessment of students, participants in a programme, and employees. Different assessment strategies such as initial, formative, summative and self- assessment are used for varying purposes.
History of dance style: The origins, history and development of the dance styles and forms used, including current manifestations, current practices and methods of delivery in a chosen dance style.
Human anatomy: The dynamic relationship of human structure and function and the muscosceletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, integumentary and nervous systems; normal and altered anatomy and physiology throughout the human lifespan.
Evolution in delivery practices in practiced dance tradition: Technical evolution of dance making, stylistic and aesthetic aspects of a dance tradition or style and its relation to technical evolution of dance making taking into account historic, ethnographic, ethnological, musicological and sociological aspects that can influence the selected dance style tradition or genre. Social customs, clothing evolution, any props present in the dance making process.
Curriculum objectives: The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

These skills are necessary for the role of performing arts school dance instructor.

Guarantee students’ safety: Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.
Prepare lesson content: Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.
Compile course material: Write, select or recommend a syllabus of learning material for the students enrolled in the course.
Bring out performers’ artistic potential: Motivate performers to take on challenges. Encourage peer-learning. Establish an environment for experimentation using various methods, such as improvisation.
Observe student’s progress: Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.
Keep up to date on professional dance practice: Keep up to date with practice advancements and apply them to your professional dance practice.
Liaise with educational support staff: Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students’ well-being.
Manage student relationships: Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.
Adapt teaching to student’s capabilities: Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students’ individual learning needs and goals.
Apply teaching strategies: Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners’ level, goals, and priorities.
Express yourself physically: Express emotions and ideas through movements, gestures, and actions.
Inspire dance participants to improve: Inspire your group of participants in your sessions through embodied understanding of dance and dance-making. Demonstrate dance movements regarding a correct body alignment, and applied anatomical knowledge in relationship to the dance styles you lead.
Assess students: Evaluate the students’ (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.
Maintain safe working conditions in performing arts: Verify the technical aspects of your workspace, costumes, props, etc. Eliminate potential hazards in your work space or performance. Intervene actively in cases of accidents or illness.
Demonstrate when teaching: Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.
Give constructive feedback: Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.
Teach dance: Instruct students in the theory and practice of dance, recreationally or with the aim of assisting them in pursuing a future career in this field. Deliver correcting instructions that support difference and pay attention to ethical codes of conduct around touch, personal space, and appropriate pedagogic methods as a tool to foster participants.
Perform classroom management: Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.
Apply intercultural teaching strategies: Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.
Develop course outline: Research and establish an outline of the course to be taught and calculate a time frame for the instructional plan in accordance with school regulations and curriculum objectives.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of performing arts school dance instructor. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Intellectual property law: The regulations that govern the set of rights protecting products of the intellect from unlawful infringement.
Link between dance and music style: The relation of a practiced dance style with music structure and musicians.
Learning difficulties: The learning disorders some students face in an academic context, especially Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and concentration deficit disorders.
Acting techniques: The different acting techniques for developing lifelike performances, such as method acting, classical acting, and Meisner technique.
Teamwork principles: The cooperation between people characterised by a unified commitment to achieving a given goal, participating equally, maintaining open communication, facilitating effective usage of ideas etc.
Musical theory: The body of interrelated concepts that constitutes the theoretical background of music.
Scientific research methodology: The theoretical methodology used in scientific research involving doing background research, constructing an hypothesis, testing it, analysing data and concluding the results.
Movement techniques: The various types of movement and physical postures undertaken for relaxation, body-mind integration, stress reduction, flexibility, core support and rehabilitation purposes, and that are required for or underpin occupational performance.
Theatre techniques: Understand techniques that facilitate a successful presentation of a play.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of performing arts school dance instructor. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Assist in the organisation of school events: Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school’s open house day, a sports game or a talent show.
Devise choreography: Compose choreographies for individuals and groups of dancers.
Facilitate teamwork between students: Encourage students to cooperate with others in their learning by working in teams, for example through group activities.
Dance: Perform in artistic productions of differents disciplines such as classical ballet, modern dance, contemporary dance, early dance, ethnic dance, folk dance, acrobatic dances and street dance.
Demonstrate technical expertise of your dance style: Demonstrate, describe or correct movement with your participants to enable them learn about their body and the dance style one is delivering in the participants. Compose and structure dance with the participants in the chosen dance style. Communicate the creative and compositional skills and experience and their relevance to the target market.
Direct movement experiences: Assist clients or patients in moving in a structured or improvisatory manner for expressive purposes.
Promote the conservatory: Maintain a positive image of the conservatory and use personal network in the best interest of the conservatory, such as establishing valuable artistic and financial connections.
Read dance scores: Read and note dance scores (if the choreography is notated or is reconstructed from a historical approach).
Assist students with equipment: Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.
Maintain dance training: Participate in training sessions and classes to ensure the highest possible level of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness. Identify the requirements of the work that orientates the goal of the training.
Develop curriculum: Develop and plan the learning goals and outcomes for education institutions, as well as the required teaching methods and potential education resources.
Manage resources for educational purposes: Identify the necessary resources needed for learning purposes, such as materials in class or arranged transportation for a field trip. Apply for the corresponding budget and follow up on the orders.
Help performers internalise choreographic material: Teach the choreographic material, using physical demonstration and any relevant documentation (written, visual, audio), conveying the choreographer’s intent, the nuances and details of the choreography.
Assist students with their dissertation: Support university students with the writing of their paper or theses. Advise on research methods or additions to certain parts of their dissertations. Report different types of errors, such as research or methodological errors, to the student.
Perform exercises for artistic performance: Perform exercises and demonstrate them when required. Aim to reach the training session objectives and the appropriate pace, finding a balance between artistic requirements and risk prevention principles. Take into account your physical form: fatigue, recovery periods, resting times, etc.
Keep records of attendance: Keep track of the pupils who are absent by recording their names on a list of absentees.
Facilitate appropriate compositional structures in dance: Recognise and facilitate dance compositional structures appropriate to your chosen dance style and dance making process, your programme design, participant and group needs. Attend to composition opportunities of your chosen dance style and your dance composition structures. Facilitate and involve a group’s ideas through a choreographic process.
Adapt instruction to labour market: Identify developments in the labour market and recognise their relevance to the training of students.
Work with virtual learning environments: Incorporate the use of online learning environments and platforms into the process of instruction.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Notate different dances: Use dance noting techniques to notate different forms of dance.
Provide lesson materials: Ensure that the necessary materials for teaching a class, such as visual aids, are prepared, up-to-date, and present in the instruction space.
Assist students in their learning: Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.
Read musical score: Read the musical score during rehearsal and live performance.
Provide career counselling: Advise beneficiaries on future career options through counselling and, potentially, through career testing and evaluation.

2310 – University and higher education teachers

 

 

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References

1. Performing arts school dance instructor – ESCO