What do they do?

Dance instructors teach different forms of dances, including bharatnatyam, kathak, bhangra, Bollywood/ contemporary, salsa, zumba, belly dance, b-boying/break-dance, waltz, tango, and ballroom dance. They cater to people taking to the floor out of sheer passion for it, for health reasons or to become pros, especially in the big metros. Becoming an Indian classical dance teacher requires long years of teaching and practice. As a Dance Instructor you will be monitoring and instructing your student and making suggestions to their performances. You will also be involved in planning various activities, shows for your students. 

Skills Needed

• You should be highly energetic and able to perform flawlessly
• Possessing strong communication skills will help you in your career
• Should be able to inspire and motivate 
• Ability to realise creative vision
• Managing logistics
• Visualisation skills
• Curious about new developments in dance

How do I get there?

As a dance instructor you should display excellent dance skills to gain credibility. Intensive training from a credible trainer/guru or with a well-known dance troupe with several productions under its belt is necessary. After a decade of perfecting dancing skills (preferably across genres, that is, Indian classical dance forms, jazz, salsa, waltz etc), you can do it alone. You can also assist an established teacher/choreographer for five years to learn the wide variety of skills required to lead a class and/or create a production.

Typical day in the life of a Dance Instructor

Pros & Cons about this career