teacher training qualification

[Mollie668]

I am look for a career change and would like to do dance teaching training. My dream will be having my own studio one day offering dance with emphasis on ballet and fitness. Which teacher qualification is best suited for online and distance learning with the most flexibility? Most importantly affordable. 1-2 years full time study would not be possible for me. This is because I will need to manage to do the teacher training while keeping a day job to pay the bills. My background in RAD, but has Vaganova and Cecchetti training too. The common big one are RAD, ISTD and IDTA.  I like ISTD and IDTA has potentially I can expand into other genres. Don't know if there are all the same or vastly difference from each other? Is a particular teacher qualification better than another? or one that is more academic or more focus on practical side? or more sought after by parents?

 

 

[LinMM]

I’m not sure what your final aim is? 
Are you just wanting to teach some form of Dance online only? And train online only? 
Im pretty sure you can do a teacher training with say BBO whilst working at the same time but this will not be online training only. 
Most parents want their children to attend dance lessons in person at some local or not too far away school. 

And most children want to do that as well. 
I think online only teaching is okay if you have already established yourself with a reputation as a good teacher first. 

[Ruby Foo]

It’s important to state that you cannot train to be a dance teacher online.

There are some modules of the written work which can be done online for sure and most of the training has become more flexible and accessible,

but you will need to be in a studio with a teacher for most of the time. You will also need to be fully present with students as you practice and progress through your training. For fully qualified teachers, then progression through online courses is possible.

As you rightly point out, ISTD will give you easy access to other styles of dance should you wish. I would consider all three societies and see which offers you the flexibility you need.

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @Mollie668 and welcome to the Forum!

[NeverTooOld]

As you are interested in having your own studio one day, it is also worth considering it from a business point of view as well as what organisation you really enjoy dancing yourself. Have a look at what is already on offer in your local area, for example, if there are already 4 or 5 RAD schools locally then it is already quite a saturated market but if there are none in your town, it will be easier to attract students. If you do a little bit of market research in your area, you may find there is a gap in the market that you'd like to fill.

[drdance]

Hi!

 

Most of the intitial dance teacher qualifications are now blended, so they have some online/distance learning elements and some in person.

The RAD certificate of ballet teaching studies (RAD CBTS) is an example of this. The distance learning elements require you to have a mentor who supports you through the course. Upon qualification you are able to enter pupils for RAD examinations and awards. The ISTD minimum qual is the DDE and this needs to be done via a teacher training college but some offer blended courses. Contact the various colleges (also known as Approved Dance Centres) for the course info as they all structure their courses slightly differently. The IDTA is a bit different but in my opinion, not as rigorous, because you can be 'qualified' to enter pupils for IDTA exams in any style with a basic teaching qualification in one style (please correct me if I'm wrong). The IDTA allowed me to be a teaching member due to my qualifications with RAD and ISTD though. The BBO offers various teaching qualifications too, and they are pretty actively advertising on social media so a quick look at their Facebook page would give you a headstart.

 

Important note that if you want to teach/enter pupils for RAD ballet, you need an RAD qualification. Same for ISTD.

[LinMM]

These courses do require you to actually work with children in an actual classroom at some point I hope though ….as part of the qualification. 
I still think online teaching is also a particular skill so shouldn’t this be examined separately to gain a teaching qualification? Especially from an organisation like RAD. 
If online teaching only is going to start being more common then this needs to be examined more thoroughly. 
Some teachers are very good online but others not so especially if not just teaching one to one. 

[drdance]

1 hour ago, LinMM said:

These courses do require you to actually work with children in an actual classroom at some point I hope though ….as part of the qualification. 
I still think online teaching is also a particular skill so shouldn’t this be examined separately to gain a teaching qualification? Especially from an organisation like RAD. 
If online teaching only is going to start being more common then this needs to be examined more thoroughly. 
Some teachers are very good online but others not so especially if not just teaching one to one. 

Yes they do. I don't think the OP wants to teach online only. The request was for teaching courses with an online / distance learning element. Interestingly, I don't know of any courses which specifically train teachers for online teaching/delivery!

[LinMM]

Some really first class teachers I know found the online class teaching quite difficult during the pandemic and really didn’t enjoy it much. 
However others have flourished on it. 
One of our local teachers has never gone back into the studio!! And she was really good online I have to say…a real natural in front of the camera…but I miss her studio classes and anyway can only do online via phone at the moment so it’s a no-no for me and I do like being in a studio. I guess she can make a bit more money that way. 
 

[Doing Dance 1]

One Dance UK published these guides a while back.
 

https://www.onedanceuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Dance-Teaching-Pathways.pdf

 

https://www.onedanceuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Dance-Teaching-Pathways-Flowchart.pdf

Edited February 8, 2023 by Doing Dance 1

[invisiblecircus]

On 07/02/2023 at 14:45, drdance said:

The IDTA is a bit different but in my opinion, not as rigorous, because you can be 'qualified' to enter pupils for IDTA exams in any style with a basic teaching qualification in one style (please correct me if I'm wrong). The IDTA allowed me to be a teaching member due to my qualifications with RAD and ISTD though.

 

I looked into IDTA qualifications quite a long while ago now so might have changed since then, but for ballet, tap and modern you needed separate teaching qualifications to teach each style but for others like theatre craft you didn't need a separate qualification (but must be qualified to teach a different style.) You could apply to be a teaching member (and thus enter students for their exams) if you're a qualified teacher of another board though as you did.

 

I'd be interested to know if the qualification rules have changed because it seems strange if I could qualify to teach ballet (in which I am vocationally trained) then enter students for tap at which I'm maybe grade 2 level at best!

 

Mollie 668, have you looked at the websites of the organisations you're most interested in? If you figure out what you'd have to do to qualify with each board, that might lead you to the most suitable option for your circumstances. They're not all the same but also not vastly different. I don't think one is more sought by parents either. As others have said, some organisations offer just ballet while others offer a variety of styles so that might influence your decision, although many schools do RAD or BBO ballet and offer other styles through different organisations. 

[balletbean]

Hi. Just jumping in here. My eldest DD has a teaching post with a local dance school after graduating MT college with the Diploma level 6.
 

She sourced a course off the ISTD approved list. The lady is based in Herne Bay nr Canterbury. DD attended a one week very intensive ISTD ballet course last Oct. Very challenging & exhausting but productive week. Stayed in an AirBnB. Exam on the last day. Just has to continue teaching within the studio and complete the final unit to obtain her full ISTD teacher status. 
 

https://www.danceteachertraining.org/

 

 

My Niece who has full RAD teacher status as she attended RAD as a full time student sourced a ISTD course held in Swindon to obtain her ISTD teaching quals. To add to her other qualifications incl RAD Silver Swans. 
 

There are so many routes available. Like so many others have said, it all depends on your end goal, incl time line. Your access to current teaching, take into account your availability to attend courses which might not be near your home and funds available. None of these short courses are residential so you do have to factor in these additional costs over and above the actual cost of the course. 
Obviously it’s all worth it if it gets you to where you want to be.  😊

 

Good Luck. 
 

[Swanwings]

Hi, I've recently completed my qualifications with RAD on the CBTS course; its very much independant study and worked for me as opposed to ISTD as I couldnt get to any of the centres which offer it. The only in person requirements are a teaching post for the 2nd year, somewhere local to you, and a 10 day in person course which can be at RAD HQ or sometinmes other venues. This can also be online as they run it for international students, but not always. 

[Doing Dance 1]

I can highly recommend the Royal Ballet School’s Inspire Seminars.

They are a great way to dip your toe into teacher training or to refresh your skills. 
 

https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RBS-InspireProspectus_22.10.18.pdf

 

https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/train/dancer-training/dance-teacher-training/inspire/series-1/
 

 

[WendyC74]

On 19/02/2023 at 12:48, Doing Dance 1 said:

I can highly recommend the Royal Ballet School’s Inspire Seminars.

They are a great way to dip your toe into teacher training or to refresh your skills. 
 

https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RBS-InspireProspectus_22.10.18.pdf

 

https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/train/dancer-training/dance-teacher-training/inspire/series-1/
 

 

 

Hi @Doing Dance 1 - Do you know if there's any kind of accreditation or certification from these seminars?

 

 

[Doing Dance 1]

Attendees are awarded a certificate of attendance/ completion. 
 

 

[Dancing unicorn]

My understanding of the Inspire courses is that it is CPD for qualified teachers. You get an attendance certificate after each course you take. 

[academicdancer]

If you wanted to do the ISTD DDE, the Anna Morgan Teacher Training College does a part time distance learning course. I believe for the practical modules there is a week you will (probably) need to travel and stay somewhere (Kent?) to attend. It is on the approved dance centre list given by the ISTD. Although if you know Cecchetti, you may want to make sure you find a dance centre than teaches ISTD Cecchetti syllabus rather than imperial ballet (mesh of French and English style). Imperial ballet seems more widespread as far as I can tell. You can find information about what the DDE entails from the ISTD website.

 

Regarding popularity, I'd say RAD is the most popular exam board for ballet since it started working with IDTA, closely followed by ISTD. I did ISTD imperial ballet and then added RAD vocational grades as extras (before I changed dance school to a BTDA school which is another story). I much preferred ISTD because of the emphasis on free work. You have to be really good at picking up choreography and performing it as well as knowing terminology and its definition. Lots of people say that RAD is better for precision as all the work is set (aside from the free enchaiment), but I think precision comes from a good teacher (and good proprioception), not knowing all the exercises inside out. RAD does include character, ISTD does not (but does have a separate National Dance syllabus). The good schools that I know of teach both syllabi at the vocational grade level to make up for what they each may lack.

 

There is also an association (and exam board) for the Russian method, but I don't know about that. I do Vaganova method now as a PhD student/adult and my teacher isn't part of it, probably because she primarily teaches adults. Might be worth looking into it.

 

Hope this is helpful!