Transcript
Speaker: The most important thing you can demonstrate to a potential employer is that you're committed to bringing your best to their studio, that they can count on you, that you're dependable. Are you going to show up prepared? Are you going to be on time?
Speaker: Are you going to be a good role model? These are the most important things.
Speaker: I'm Caitlin, a former professional ballerina turned dance educator and career mentor. And this is the Brand New Ballerina podcast. I am here for the aspiring professional ballerina who wants to learn what it really takes to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry. I'm peeling back the curtain of professional dance world with open and honest conversations about the realities of becoming a professional dancer.
Speaker: Come along to gain the knowledge and inspiration you need to succeed in a dance career on your terms.
Speaker: Hello and welcome to the Brainy Ballerina podcast. Caitlin here today with a solo episode chatting all about how you can more effectively book dance teaching gigs and how you can connect with studio owners or school directors.
Speaker: Many professional dancers turn to teaching as a side gig and this was certainly the case for me. I found it to be the perfect complement to my schedule and really in line with my goals to work in the dance industry.
Speaker: And what started out for me as more of a side gig quickly turned into another true passion. I know this is true for myself, and this is often true for many dancers, is that we assume that because we have a professional training background, we are professional dancers, that we also know how to teach.
Speaker: And the two skills are very, very different. And that's something that I didn't recognize when I first started teaching. I thought because I had the technical background and because I trained in this way that I'd be able to teach. And I did find that I had a knack for it, but that doesn't mean that I knew how to run a classroom,
Speaker: that I knew how to most effectively give corrections for my students, that I knew when to push them, when to pull back, and also that I knew how to work within the goals of a studio that I was working for. And that's something that's super important. When you're seeking these teaching opportunities, the first step is often connecting with the studio owners.
Speaker: And those first impressions and your approach of how you do this can make a significant difference in leaving a lasting impression and landing the job. My first teaching jobs were all word of mouth. I didn't actually apply to my first three teaching jobs. The first job I got, i was in a college classroom with a girl who had grown up dancing at a nearby studio who was looking for a ballet teacher. And so I just started teaching there.
Speaker: My next teaching job, I had moved to Missouri and my friend Carrie was leaving her current teaching jobs in the community to be the school director at the School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet.
Speaker: And so She asked if I'd be interested in taking over her role at those studios. So I did interview and I did meet with the directors and had to, of course, go through that process. But I didn't cold call. I didn't really apply in that way. i didn't do this until later in my teaching career.
Speaker: So word of mouth can be a really, really helpful tool and it is always worth understanding. reaching out to your community, reaching out to your connections, seeing if anybody knows a school or a studio that needs a teacher, just kind of making it known that you are interested in doing that.
Speaker: And whether or not you are reaching out to a studio to apply or connecting through another person, it's super important to do your research. You need to get familiar with the studio's teaching philosophy, the styles of dance they offer, their target demographic, are they a competitive studio, a recreational studio, of pre-professional ballet school, what are the backgrounds of the studio owner and the current staff members.
Speaker: All this information will help you tailor your pitch and help you demonstrate genuine interest in being part of their community. Because yes, you're bringing your own skills, but how you use those skills in the studio will vary based on the needs of that studio.
Speaker: So when I first started teaching, I was teaching ballet in a competitive dance environment, which is very different from teaching ballet in a pre-professional ballet school. Typically, when I was teaching ballet at the competition studio, i would never have more than an hour long class, no matter how advanced the students. Eventually, I did push for a longer class, but at first, an hour was the max.
Speaker: And often I had students for whom ballet was not their first love. Ballet is my great love, but for many students in a competition studio, it can be the case that ballet is a required class they have to take in order to be on the competition team.
Speaker: not their passion. And so I had to find a way in that environment to make them passionate about it, to share my love for it in hopes that it would inspire them to be passionate about it.
Speaker: And I found that the most effective way to do that in that setting was to relate it back to what they wanted to achieve in competition. So when they started seeing that taking their ballet classes more seriously helped improve their scores in competition, that was very motivating to them.
Speaker: I also had to change the entire class structure that I was used to to fit within an hour and to focus on the things that were going to help them again in their competition. So there are certain steps that we did not do a whole lot. Like we weren't really getting in the weeds and deep into all of the ballet vocabulary.
Speaker: We were focusing on the technical things that were going to help them with what they needed to do. So obviously, plies, tendus, degages, working on the plie and the turnout and the footwork were really important.
Speaker: Working on the power, grand battement, working on lots of turns and allegro in the center. Those things were beneficial to them in that setting. And that's what I had to focus on. And what I found throughout my time teaching is that although I was able to adapt, I really didn't enjoy teaching ballet in that way. I came to a point where I decided I only want to teach in a studio that is focused on ballet.
Speaker: I want to teach at a studio where they have an hour and a half ballet class, an hour long point class, where that is the primary focus because that is where my area of genius is. That's what I'm really, really good at is teaching ballet. And I can teach other styles. And that is one thing to consider, too. When you first start teaching, I taught everything because I had grown up doing competition, too. I had done lyrical class, jazz class, modern class.
Speaker: I was on my college dance team when we did pom, hip hop. So when I first started teaching, i said, sure, I'll teach any class you want me to. I want the hours.
Speaker: I want to learn. how to teach, put me on the schedule for whatever you need and I will teach it. And that worked when I was young and first started teaching and had a lot more energy and was just really hungry to learn the art of teaching. And I got a lot more work because of it. So I If you're open to teaching more styles and you're open to teaching more different age groups, that will really help you get a lot more experience and hours teaching.
Speaker: As I gained experience in my dance career, I got to a point, like I said, where I realized I really only want to teach in a pre-professional ballet school. And I mainly want to teach ballet. Could I teach contemporary class? Could I teach jazz class?
Speaker: Sure. But I want to teach it within that setting where I'm teaching dancers who are focused on ballet and adding this other element to their curriculum as opposed to teaching in a school where that's their primary focus.
Speaker: And I don't know that my skills are as strong for a school like that in other styles. And so at that point, I was able to be more discerning. When I looked at a studio's website and I saw the background, I would make sure that it aligned with what I was really good at and what I wanted to do.
Speaker: So I think as a dance teacher, starting out, it's great to be able to do lots of things, but it's okay a certain point to say, these are things that I do do. These are things that I don't do. Let's pause this episode so I can tell you about one of my all-time favorite dancewear brands, M-Seam Apparel.
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Speaker: All of this to say that when you are looking into studios, know what you're good at, know what your strengths are, but also be flexible and be open to what is important to that studio and tailor your pitch that you can demonstrate a genuine interest in being part of their community.
Speaker: Of course, you also need to prepare your materials. You want to have a professional portfolio ready to go. That includes your resume, highlight your dance training, your performance experience, of course, but mainly your teaching experience and any relevant certifications. This resume is going to be different than your performance resume.
Speaker: It's going to prioritize your teaching qualifications first. Because again, like I said earlier, performing and teaching are two different skills. So just because you've danced these roles, can you teach them?
Speaker: That's a whole different thing. Studio owners, when they're hiring a teacher, they're looking for a teacher. They're not looking for a performer. So make sure that you are prioritizing your teaching experience first on your teaching resume.
Speaker: You're going to need to write a personalized cover letter for each studio. explaining why you're interested in teaching there and how you can contribute to their programs. So again, do your research, make sure you know what's important to them and what you can bring to help them achieve their mission. And then you're going to want to have a demo reel, which is just a short video showcasing mainly, if you have it, your choreography and your teaching style.
Speaker: It could include performance clips, But that's not really going to be what they're looking for. They want to see how you teach and how you choreograph because choreographing is often a large part of the teaching role, whether it's for their annual recital showcase, competitions, a concert dance piece.
Speaker: Being able to choreograph tends to come along with the territory of teaching. It doesn't mean you have to be the most creative choreographer in the world, but can you put a piece together for a recital that showcases what your students are working on?
Speaker: That is a very important skill you need to have if you're going to be teaching. So highlighting the strength can go a long way in making the studio want to bring you onto their staff. When you are sending an email out to a studio, especially a cold email,
Speaker: It needs to be concise, professional, and engaging. So make sure you include a clear attention-grabbing subject line, maybe something like experienced dance instructor seeking teaching opportunities at fill in the studio name.
Speaker: Make sure to personalize it. I recently had a studio owner her share with me that she only responds to teaching inquiries that are personalized with her name. So if you don't take the time to even look up what the studio owner's name is, it's likely that they won't take the time to respond back to you.
Speaker: It only takes a few seconds and it makes a huge difference. Make sure to introduce yourself, explain why you're reaching out, highlight your qualifications, express your interest in the studio, and also mention any mutual connections or referrals. If you know someone who teaches there or you saw in the studio director's bio that maybe you have some mutual experience,
Speaker: This is a great time to talk about it. I once emailed a studio and I saw that the studio owner was from Michigan and I'm from Michigan. So I brought that up because it's just a small thing that connects us and makes us feel more human.
Speaker: So don't be afraid to, within the professionalism, also be a human and mention anything like that, any connections that you have. Make sure to attach your resume, your cover letter, and your link to your demo reel.
Speaker: And then, of course, thank them for their time and include information about how they can contact you. Make sure to include your email and your phone number. And then, of course, if you don't hear anything within a week or two, feel free to follow up with a polite email. Studio owners have a lot on their plate, and things can get lost in the shuffle, and a little nudge can be helpful.
Speaker: But at the same time, if they don't respond to you, that's okay too. They aren't under any obligation to respond to every single email they get about looking for teachers. And I've seen a lot of dancers get frustrated when they're not getting the communication back.
Speaker: And I totally get that. But if you can put yourself in the shoes of a school director or a studio owner who's doing 10 million things and is responding to 30 parent emails a day, teaching classes, preparing for showcases, doing all the things. If they see your email and it's not a good fit, they may not respond and that's okay. When I'm applying for jobs, I don't feel like anyone owes me anything just because I took the time to put it together, right? I'm cold emailing them. I'm dropping into their inbox. They don't owe me anything.
Speaker: If it works out for a job, that's great. But if not, that's okay. I can move on to the next opportunity. On the flip side, if you do hear back from a studio owner, make sure you're prompting your reply. Because I've also seen this happen where I see dancers get really frustrated that they haven't received a response. And yet when they do receive a response, they're They haven't checked their email.
Speaker: They haven't taken the time to reply. So it is a two-way street. Once you're in the work environments, then you should definitely expect good communication from both sides.
Speaker: If you're hired by the company, you will receive many emails regarding scheduling. requesting to send information about costumes, music selections, subbing. If you're hard to track down from the beginning, that's a huge red flag. So make sure if they do respond to you and do want to move forward that you are also being responsive. If you do get an interview and you go into the studio, present yourself professionally, dress appropriately, arrive on time, be prepared to discuss your teaching philosophy and your experience.
Speaker: demonstrate genuine enthusiasm and a passion for teaching dance. I do hear a lot from people asking, what should I wear to these kind of interviews? Because normally you're wearing your teaching attire, right?
Speaker: Should you dress more business casual? And I think it depends on what the schedule is for this meeting because there are times that a studio will ask you to teach a sample class to see how you do before hiring you.
Speaker: So obviously in that scenario, you want to dress and what you would wear to teach. If you're just going for a meeting and a conversation, you could dress more business casual. But just remember that either way, they're looking for somebody to join their team. So they want to know if you're going to be able to integrate into this team of teachers that they already have, into the studio culture that they already have. So present yourself in a way that shows that you are open to being part of this team instead of being the individual person.
Speaker: It's great to highlight your unique selling points. Emphasize what makes you unique as a dance instructor. Maybe you are trained in teaching a specific method. Like maybe you can teach RAD, Cicchetti, a specific style. That's great. Maybe you have a lot of experience with a particular age group or you have a really niche dance style background. One thing that sets me apart in my dance teaching experience is I have extensive experience teaching adaptive dance classes. And I was certified at the Boston Ballet Adaptive Dance Teaching Program.
Speaker: So that's a unique skill that I have. And also that I have my business, The Brainy Ballerina, where I'm able to speak about career skills. So that's something else I can bring to the studio, especially when I'm guest teaching, because a lot of people can teach a ballet class, and I know that.
Speaker: So if I can highlight that I can also come into your studio and I can share about the professional dance career and talk about all these different topics that I offer workshops on, That sets me of apart and makes me potentially more valuable to certain studios, depending on their studio goals.
Speaker: So take what you know sets you apart and demonstrate how you can use those unique skills to help achieve this school's mission and help them grow their studio. You have to find the balance between highlighting your unique selling points and being open. So maybe you are really strong with teaching this age group.
Speaker: but you're still open to teaching other groups. Because as a school instructor, I wanted to put people where they're most confident and comfortable. So if I had a teacher who was really not comfortable teaching the littles, I don't want to put them on those classes because that's not going to be a good fit.
Speaker: But I may have some teachers who are really passionate and experienced in one specific area, but can do other things. Those teachers are going to get more teaching hours because they are capable and willing to teach other classes. I think it's great to share where you really shine while also making it clear that you are open.
Speaker: The more flexible you are with scheduling or open to teaching various styles of dance and age groups, the more work you're going to receive. When I went from being an instructor to being a school director, I quickly learned how much studio directors have on their plates. And what they really, really need is someone they can rely on and who understands that teaching is a huge responsibility.
Speaker: Some dancers fall into the teaching profession reluctantly as a way to pay the bills, but teaching is an art form and a profession all in itself. The majority of your classes that you teach will probably be for children and they truly look up to you.
Speaker: What you say and how you say it and how you act is leaves a lasting impression on their future. The most important thing you can demonstrate to a potential employer is that you're committed to bringing your best to their studio, that they can count on you, that you're dependable.
Speaker: Are you going to show up prepared? Are you going to be on time? Are you going to be a good role model? These are the most important things. Do you have classroom management skills? Can you communicate what you're trying to say?
Speaker: i think we've all experienced as dancers being in a classroom with a teacher who very clearly didn't want to teach. and was just there out of necessity, or who had been an incredibly beautiful dancer and teaching wasn't their greatest skill.
Speaker: And that's okay. Teaching can feel like a natural progression from being a dancer, but it's honestly not. Teaching is a whole other skill. It's a whole other profession.
Speaker: And the students in your class deserve for you to give it your all. So if you don't feel that that's something that is right for you, that's okay. There are many, many other side gigs that you can find.
Speaker: But if you do feel drawn to teaching, I hope that this episode helps you understand what a studio director is really looking for. and how to approach finding work in a way that will be most beneficial for everybody involved.
Speaker: Teaching is really a beautiful career if it's something you're passionate about. Just like dance, it's a lot of hard work, but if you love it, it's really worth it. Just remember that you never stop learning. You never stop being a student, even when you become the teacher. Your students will teach you so much. Your fellow teachers will teach you so much. Your school director will teach you so much.
Speaker: Even if you're coming into an environment where their strength is not teaching ballet and that's your strength, they have so much to teach you in other areas.
Speaker: Coming back around to one of the first studios I taught at, being in a competition studio, ballet was not their main focus. but the school director and the assistant school director both had childhood development backgrounds.
Speaker: And I learned so much from them by seeing how they managed a classroom and how they communicated with their students. And that is what I needed to learn at that point. Because again, i did know ballet technique. I did know the proper way to point your foot and how to activate your turnout.
Speaker: But I did not know how to run a classroom. So be open to learning, be open to growing, recognize what a big responsibility it is to be a teacher, to be a role model in a child's life.
Speaker: And you may find that teaching becomes one of your great passions too.
Speaker: Thank you for tuning into the Brainy Ballerina podcast. If you found this episode insightful, entertaining, or maybe a bit of both, I would so appreciate you taking a moment to leave a rating and hit subscribe.
Speaker: By subscribing, you'll never miss an episode. And you'll join our community of dancers passionate about building a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry. Plus your reigns help others discover the show too.
Speaker: I'll be back with a new episode next week. In the meantime, be sure to follow along on Instagram at The Brainy Ballerina for your daily dose of dance career guidance.
