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A Bit About Teachers
- Author:
- Phillip Stephens (PhilTex44@aol.com / Phillip@theplace2dance.com)
- Date Published:
- June 26, 2006
A Bit About Dance Teachers
By Phillip Stephens, ISTD Fellow and Examiner
Have you ever wondered where dance teachers come from? Are they just exceptionally good students that one day decide to start teaching? Are they Amateur Competitors that turn Pro and then decide to teach? Are they Pro competitors that decide to teach? Do they have any formal training on how to teach dance or what to teach at various levels? Do they have teaching qualifications or academic credentials from a recognized dance teaching organization?
Some people never give much thought to that opening question. And, though it pains me to make this statement, the answer to the three questions following it is often a "yes" and the last two questions in that first paragraph are all too frequently answered in the negative.
Does this automatically mean that teachers without academic credentials / teaching degrees are NOT good teachers? Certainly not! A lot of non-certified instructors are very capable teachers. Some teachers have acquired a lot of knowledge about dance through taking coaching lessons, from training for competitions, from observation, and from studying dance videos and DVDs. They may not have the desire to go through intensive study and the testing involved in gaining academic credentials for teaching. As odd - even incredible - as it may sound, they may never have been made aware that attaining teaching degrees is possible. Some of the amateurs-turned-pro-turned-teacher often feel that they've had so much training during their "careers" that they don't need to go through the credential-gaining sector of the industry to be good teachers.
There are other reasons why teachers don't gain credentials and teaching degrees (which also license them to judge dance competitions), such as being too busy with their own competitive career, never having been shown how to study, not having training readily available, and so on. Some don't take the required exams and tests because they suffer from FoF (Fear of Failure). This is a particularly odd reason in an industry where teachers are always encouraging their students to stretch and grow, often by entering them into competitions. Odder still is the fact that many of the teachers suffering from FoF also compete professionally!
However, the astonishing fact remains that, in a society where manicurists, massage therapists, hair stylists and even many gym trainers are required to have some certification or even a state license for performing their duties, there are thousands of dance instructors across the USA with absolutely no teaching credentials whatsoever. It is estimated that there are more than 20,000 Ballroom, Latin and Social dance teachers in the USA. And that number doesn't even begin to encompass the Country Western teachers or the ones that deal exclusively in one or two "specialty" dances like Argentine Tango, Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Whip, Swing, etc. The National Dance Council of America (NDCA) requires annual registration for teachers who compete with students (pro/am) or in professional competitions that are officially recognized by the NDCA. This amounts to some 2,000+ people who register for those specific areas each year. Of those, fewer than 500 list teaching/judging degrees of any kind. Out of that group, less than half are qualified in more than two styles of dance, fewer still are qualified at the higher teaching/judging levels, and perhaps 100 have certification to judge at all levels in all 5 styles of Ballroom, Latin, Smooth, Rhythm and Theatrical dance competitions.
Well, if there are so many teachers out there without credentials, what does it matter? They all seem to be doing OK, so why make a fuss over it?
Yes, many teachers are "doing OK" and it doesn't seem to affect their income by NOT having teaching degrees. On the other hand, the whole concept of logical and structured education applies to dance in the same way as it applies to any other field. We all agree that children must learn the alphabet in order to begin the journey to literacy. Few children will grow up to write novels, but they do need the basic skills of reading and writing to cope with the modern world. Likewise, few dancers will even dream of becoming competition champions. Nevertheless, that underlying logical structure is important in teaching them the fundamental skills they need on the social dance floor. Far too often, though, that logical structure is set aside to pursue a faster means of becoming (or creating) an "advanced" dancer.
Personally, I've taken 16 dance teaching tests over the years, and hold Fellowship degrees with 4 separate dance teaching organizations. I took a 17th test - called an "assessment" - administered at the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) world headquarters in London, England, that lead to my appointment as an ISTD Examiner. A Dance Teacher organization that was formally created in 1904 and that embraces Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Folk, Sequence, Rock'N'Roll, Country Western and several other forms of dance in addition to Ballroom and Latin, the ISTD is considered the world's leading dance examinations board. My career in dance has been quite diverse: I've taught since 1972, competed with students and professional partners, performed on stage, judged competitions, choreographed formations and solo show routines, run a successful studio, organized shows and competitions, and have conducted quite a few exams for both students and professionals. I've seen the industry from all sides. And my major concern is that the competitive or "DanceSport" sector of the industry, though relatively small compared with the thousands of "everyday" dancers, is overshadowing the need for a structured learning system backed by skilled and highly certified instructors.
There is a reason for starting dance students off with the BASIC steps of each dance, for teaching them the BASIC rhythm of each dance, for teaching them the BASIC timing, leg action, footwork, posture, hold, etc. Logically, teachers and students should gradually add more elements to this basic foundation, including more advanced patterns, more styling, better control of all actions like footwork, legwork & body movements, finesse in leading or following and nuances in the fundamental characteristics of each dance. Eventually, more advanced timings would be introduced, more intricate patterns with advanced turns, actions danced on the same foot, etc. This should be a systematic progression based on practical experience, age, ability, and previously attained skill levels. Unfortunately, this logical, structured and systematic progression is often bypassed or ignored in a quest to become "advanced" or even a "champion."
We would never expect a child to learn the ABCs, skip the bit where they learn to read/write at the Dr. Seuss-level to reading/writing at the Poe or Chaucer level, would we? Sadly, this type of "skipping" is done frequently in dance. Teachers bow to pressure from their students to learn the "advanced" steps - even though the students are not truly ready for that level of dancing - because, if they don't, the students will find an instructor who WILL teach them those moves. Teachers also want to get students into competitions at higher and higher levels and win various scholarships and championships, so they rush them into dancing material that they are not really ready to perform well. While there are many good and talented student dancers out there, it is a fact that competitive events are not always won by the BEST dancers; some couples win by virtue of being the "least offensive" couples on the floor at that given moment.
As someone who has studied dance from many angles, I've come to value the fundamental structure of a logical teaching system and support it wholeheartedly. The logical structure embraced by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) is backed by over 100 years of study and development where basic body mechanics are factored into each movement at each level. Age, ability and skill level are also factored into the technique of each pattern, with more advanced methods and timings available for those dancers who are ready to handle them. Starting with youngsters under the age of 6 and encompassing the training needed for just-getting-started seniors, the ISTD system is the most comprehensive dance training methodology I've encountered in 34 years of professional experience.
I think it very important that students of dance go through periodic exams and tests, and think that the medal test system available through the U.S. ISTD will add tremendously to each student's sense of accomplishment. The academic qualifications examinations available for the professionals will, along with providing judging credentials, add a sense of confidence in knowing that they've succeeded in gaining credentials through the world's most esteemed dance examinations board.
Most importantly, however, is the fact that, through taking these tests and studying within the system upon which they are based, dance educators will be able to produce dancers of far greater caliber at all levels.