The dance instructor for a class is responsible for creating the structure of the class and deciding what the students will learn in each session. For a beginning class, this involves determining which basic steps are necessary building blocks that a student must master before moving on. A dance instructor at each skill level must properly prepare the dancers for success at the following level, as each level builds off previously learned skills. A dance instructor must include the appropriate skills in the structure and lesson plans for the class.
Students come to a dance class eager to learn how to perform the specified dance, such as ballet, jazz and tap. A dance instructor is responsible for making sure that each student learns the appropriate steps to the best of his ability. If a student requires extra help or the whole class is not performing a particular step correctly, the dance instructor must stop moving forward and focus on bringing everyone up to the proper level before moving on to the next lesson. However, a dance instructor must also be able to recognize when a single student needs extra attention after class and decide not to hold the entire class back for the sake of one student.
Many dance classes involve at least one dance recital per year or group of lessons. The dance instructor is the one who is in charge of organizing the recital and making all of the decisions for it. This includes selecting the music, choosing the students' costumes and arranging the choreography for the recital. Some dance instructors focus all of the lessons leading up to a recital on the dance for the recital alone. Others choose to keep teaching new steps while practicing for the recital for a portion of each lesson. The dance instructor must ensure that the students are prepared for the recital and perform to the best of their ability.
Students who take dance do not necessarily progress through the levels at the same rate. Some students possess a natural talent for dancing and can move through the levels more quickly than a student who struggles with posture, stance and movement. The dance instructor has the primary responsibility for evaluating the performance of each student on an ongoing basis and deciding when each one is ready to move on to the next level. Advancement can take a couple of months or it may take a couple of years, depending on the student. Dance instructors should work with the parents to decide if a young student is ready to move up, both from a dance perspective and from an emotional perspective.
In dance schools that hold classes for students at multiple skill levels, it is important for all the dance instructors to work together. The dance instructors may be required to attend meetings to ensure that the proper techniques and skills are being taught at each level to prepare students for the next level. In addition, instructors can share important information on particular students. In some instances, dance instructors may also be required to attend continuing education classes to brush up on techniques, learn new skills and learn how to improve interactions with students.