There’s no question that ballet instruction is a formative experience for young dancers. The sheer time commitment required at the advanced levels of ballet means that dance students will spend the better part of their later school years at their studio. Teachers and classmates become family, and the long rehearsal hours are fodder for memories that will last the rest of their lives. But students who have the opportunity to become a ballet teaching apprentice add an additional dimension that will further enrich their dance education.
Virginia Ballet Company and School (VBC) offers upper intermediate and advanced students the opportunity to be rehearsal assistants, teaching apprentices, and student teachers, but this can be a hard sell for students who are already spending many hours a week in class and rehearsals. However, being a ballet teaching apprentice pays dividends in teaching new skills and offering a rewarding way to give back. Apprentices can make a lasting impact on the lives of young dancers while also developing valuable experience that is applicable to a wide range of careers and educational paths. At VBC, many students who gained teaching skills through the apprenticeship program come back during the summers between college to take on larger teaching roles; or even return to teach professionally in adulthood. If your studio offers this opportunity, read on to learn why you should consider it.
An Advanced student and teaching apprentice corrects a Preballet I student’s placement.
Apprentices Develop Essential Life Skills
VBC has a proud tradition of student teaching. For decades, beginning under the watchful tutelage of studio founders Tatiana Rousseau and Oleg Tupine, diligent students with leadership promise, strong technique, and a positive attitude have been given the opportunity to assist in teaching the younger levels. VBC’s Teaching Apprenticeship Program continues that proud tradition, equipping students with a wide range of transferable skills that will benefit them throughout their lives, including:
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- Leadership: Apprentices develop classroom management skills as they take on responsibilities delegated by the lead teacher, such as leading warm-ups, demonstrating steps, assisting students with adherence to the dress code, and later, offering corrections. This leadership experience builds confidence as well as practical skills like public speaking.
- Communication: Effective communication is essential for building relationships with students, parents, and colleagues. Apprentices learn to express themselves clearly and confidently.
- Problem-solving: Teaching can be challenging, and apprentices learn strategies for classroom management and problem-solving.
- Creativity: Dance is a creative art form, and apprentices learn to think creatively and find innovative ways to engage their students. At VBC, teaching apprentices may be asked to choreograph dances for the younger levels’ end-of-year performances.
- Mentorship: Teaching apprentices benefit from close 1:1 mentoring by the lead teachers whom they assist. And inevitably, apprentices develop mentoring relationships with their young students. These relationships help form the foundations of our community, giving young students role models within the school and building confidence in the apprentices themselves.
A VBC ballet teaching apprentice, one of our Advanced students, demonstrates steps in a Preballet II class.
Ballet Teaching Apprentice Skills: Practical Applications
Teaching apprentices develop leadership, communication, problem-solving and collaboration skills—all of which are necessary to become outstanding dance teachers themselves. They may use this experience to make money off-stage while dancing professionally, to teach on the side while pursuing a degree, or to pursue dance education as their chosen career. Studios like VBC may also pay apprentices, which comes in handy when it’s time to buy a new pair of pointe shoes. At VBC, teaching apprentices are paid once they are eligible according to state labor department guidelines. Teaching apprentices in the Advanced levels who have sufficiently demonstrated the ability to lead a class may be employed to teach their own classes their senior year.
VBC’s Ballet Teaching Apprenticeship Program
VBC’s Teaching Apprenticeship Program is designed to endow talented dancers with the pedagogical tools and practical experience necessary to excel as ballet teachers. Through a combination of classroom instruction, observation, and mentorship, apprentices gain a deep understanding of effective teaching methodologies and the nuances of ballet technique. VBC offers this program to further its mission of creating a legacy of artistry and ensuring the future of superior dance education.