Dance teacher salary in a studio
- Thread starter Twilight_Elena
- Start date
Twilight_Elena
Well-Known Member
lynn said:
Don't worry, she's not the franchise teacher stereotype. Actually she told me once that we shoudl get together and she would tell me all about teaching and dirty players in the franchise and other stuff.
Twilight Elena
fascination
Site Moderator
not going to get specific but generally speaking, most instructors I know are struggling....re:$$$...just like most everyone else I know
fascination
Site Moderator
not just the new oneslynn said:
Twilight_Elena said:
Good luck with that, sweetie. From what little I know, dance teachers, other than independents with an established clientele, are generally not making much cash.
That said, at least in the early years, a franchise that has structured training can be a very good place for a new teacher, IMO. (If you can get enough teaching hours to live through the first year or two, until you have some skills, some students and a certification or two.
)
wooh
Well-Known Member
Well, look at it this way. Those of us in most other professions, had minimum wage jobs while we PAID to go to school to get our better paying jobs. You'll be working for minimum wage and get your training for free (well, in exchange for indentured servitude for a while, haha). At one point, I was paying my university for the privilege of working 32 hours per week at a preceptorship so that I could eventually get paid for doing it. It's paying your dues, we all have to do it somehow.
It's important to know the financial ramifications of all this, but believe me when I say, never let finances be the deciding factor in what you do for a living if you've got the choice. More money will not make up for being miserable for the majority of your waking hours. Happiness with what you do will make being poor for a while tolerable.
It's important to know the financial ramifications of all this, but believe me when I say, never let finances be the deciding factor in what you do for a living if you've got the choice. More money will not make up for being miserable for the majority of your waking hours. Happiness with what you do will make being poor for a while tolerable.
Hmm. Just re-read my post from last night. Wow. Was I ever cryptic. lol. What I'm saying, T_E. is that, low pay or not, a studio that will train you is a good place to start.
Yeah, even as a beginner teacher, you may be able to find students. Heck. Even I have people asking me to teach them. Egad! :lol:
But, in a good studio environment, you can get the training you need to build a decent resume and eventually become a much better teacher. Yeah. You'll be broke for a while, but, if ever do go independent, you'll have the credentials to attract a better quality (better paying?) caliber of student.
Hmm. I hope that's clearer.
Yeah, even as a beginner teacher, you may be able to find students. Heck. Even I have people asking me to teach them. Egad! :lol:
But, in a good studio environment, you can get the training you need to build a decent resume and eventually become a much better teacher. Yeah. You'll be broke for a while, but, if ever do go independent, you'll have the credentials to attract a better quality (better paying?) caliber of student.
Hmm. I hope that's clearer.
Speaking of credentials, maybe Canada is a little different, but our chain studios have their own credentials which is somewhat different than what the province offers. So in a sense, eventhough you'll build up a reputation within the chain environment, unless you compete outside (which is probably prohibited by the studio anyways), it may be difficult once you decide to go independent....
lcdancesport
Active Member
I want to bump this thread since it is a few years old.
So what is it like today as far as franchised studios versus independent pay?
At a franchise do you receive ongoing training and health benefits/vacation time?
What is the justification to belonging to a franchised staff if the pay is minimum wage?
I would think most studios still pay hourly, but I know studios also require you to stay there all day to practice, clean, train.. etc etc.
So what is it like today as far as franchised studios versus independent pay?
At a franchise do you receive ongoing training and health benefits/vacation time?
What is the justification to belonging to a franchised staff if the pay is minimum wage?
I would think most studios still pay hourly, but I know studios also require you to stay there all day to practice, clean, train.. etc etc.
suburbaknght
Well-Known Member
I started at $6/hr during training at a franchise, and finished at $10/hr, plus a few slightly significant bonuses.
I did, though none in sufficient quantities. Specifically, the training was adequate to get me to the point I could help six-lesson wedding couples, but not much beyond that, and was offered far less frequently than I'd been promised. The health insurance re-reimbursement was less than the most reasonable health insurance I could purchase, though only by $20. Paid vacation was a joke, though I never had a problem taking unpaid vacation.
The training. If they prove the training they say they will, and it's of high quality, it's an excellent deal. Furthermore, most studios have commissions for teaching, sales, etc. that can actually make it a rather good living.
Most studios pay on commissions. I have confidence in my ability to teach my students, keep them happy, and retain them. I'd rather get a commission for the work I do than an hourly rate for not teaching in order to retain my availability.
jump'n'jive
Well-Known Member
when i started it waslike 7 dollars and hour plus 3 percent commision. i got a dollar raise for everything test out i did..this was ten years ago
now i am a studio owner. i pay my staff very well. i pay brand new teachers 15 per lesson a mid bronze to early silver teacher 25 and a well experienced teacher 35 a lesson. they have no time requirements to be in the studio. just show up to teach and to parties.
i never understood something about the dance industry. we all know there is a high turn over rate for teachers. however i think most studios try to take advantage of the situation. train a teacher and pay him nothing. how many people are actually going to stick around for dirt pay? why not keep your teachers happy( i mean this is the back bone of a studio. ever notice how when there is consistent teachers a studio is good and lessons are at a high, but whenever new teachers are in the mix and a teacher left then student base is down?) pay and treat them well and have a successful school?
now i am a studio owner. i pay my staff very well. i pay brand new teachers 15 per lesson a mid bronze to early silver teacher 25 and a well experienced teacher 35 a lesson. they have no time requirements to be in the studio. just show up to teach and to parties.
i never understood something about the dance industry. we all know there is a high turn over rate for teachers. however i think most studios try to take advantage of the situation. train a teacher and pay him nothing. how many people are actually going to stick around for dirt pay? why not keep your teachers happy( i mean this is the back bone of a studio. ever notice how when there is consistent teachers a studio is good and lessons are at a high, but whenever new teachers are in the mix and a teacher left then student base is down?) pay and treat them well and have a successful school?
dancedanceevolution
New Member
I read this thread with great interest- I recently made the decision to (in the future, after competing pro-am to the highest level I can) switch to teaching dance from my current career in budget. I make VERY GOOD money right now, which I am socking away. I am hoping I can teach part time in the beginning, get my training and work on acquiring students while still working in the current job full time to support myself. Then, once I have the certifications and a good grasp of the syllabus to teach, I'd like to leave the day job to teach full time as an independent. I have no idea how realistic this is, but I am asking every teacher and studio owner I know. I know there is great benefit to starting out at a franchise studio, but couldn't there also be a drawback, e.g., the syllabus you learn to teach may not be what is taught at the studio you eventually work at as an independent? How could I learn to teach International or American without a studio's filter? I have a pretty wide independent streak, and I'm actually hoping to avoid the path that has me living in indentured servitude to a studio. I'm too old for that stuff. 
Chris Stratton
New Member
I wouldn't be worried about private syllabi (dancing is really how not what) as much as if you would be getting to teach enough of the aspects of dancing critical to the emotional rather than monetary part of your compensation package.
I think the things you could do right now would be to get the international syllabus books and go through them with the aid of some classes or privates focused on learning both parts of at least the more useful figures from bronze and early silver. Then and go use them at the socials, in both roles if that's socially acceptable. Some am/am comp experience would be a big plus too - in the northeast you can even lead in syllabus events at collegiate events if you want (many have calendar experience limits that would make silver your minimum permissable level, but feel free to enter that with bronze material).
ISTD certification isn't an answer by itself, but any steps in that direction could be a great complement to and enrichment of practical experience on the dance floor. There was a preview program for that process held in conjunction with the independance day ball camp in DC a few weeks ago (unfortunately had to pick between that and the main dance program) and hopefully something will be offered there or elsewhere again.
Up maybe until taking a professional exam or actually teaching someone, this wouldn't impact your pro/am elgibility. But if you want to teach while continuing to compete (ie, continue to determinedly develop your own dancing in a context where you can fully apply it) you would need to look into finding a pro/pro or am/am partner.
I think the things you could do right now would be to get the international syllabus books and go through them with the aid of some classes or privates focused on learning both parts of at least the more useful figures from bronze and early silver. Then and go use them at the socials, in both roles if that's socially acceptable. Some am/am comp experience would be a big plus too - in the northeast you can even lead in syllabus events at collegiate events if you want (many have calendar experience limits that would make silver your minimum permissable level, but feel free to enter that with bronze material).
ISTD certification isn't an answer by itself, but any steps in that direction could be a great complement to and enrichment of practical experience on the dance floor. There was a preview program for that process held in conjunction with the independance day ball camp in DC a few weeks ago (unfortunately had to pick between that and the main dance program) and hopefully something will be offered there or elsewhere again.
Up maybe until taking a professional exam or actually teaching someone, this wouldn't impact your pro/am elgibility. But if you want to teach while continuing to compete (ie, continue to determinedly develop your own dancing in a context where you can fully apply it) you would need to look into finding a pro/pro or am/am partner.
Meagan
Active Member
Chris already had some good suggestions. Additionally, it could be helpful to find a group class teacher that you respect/like their teaching style and enroll in some of their classes. Even if the classes are below your current dance level they can be useful for 1) learning the other role if you don't know the steps yet 2) observing students first hand, what they want to learn and what material works best 3) learning how successful teachers approach teaching/different levels. This can be helpful in figuring out what steps in the syllabus are generally easy/difficult to get for beginners, what 'teaching personality' appeals to what kind of crowds and so on; giving you a better sense of what you think is important as a teacher which can later be applied to a studio's 'filter' or not.
Plus its just always interesting watching others teach
You almost always learn something!