What qualifications does a teacher need to have for teaching Ballet. Thanks

Need to have...none.

Should have - many yrs of training as a student - this is a minimum requirement.

Pedagogy training either through a conservatory, university or professional association.

Experience assisting or teaching under an experienced instructor is also helpful.

^^the above, and a knowledge of child development (mental and physical). It really helps to understand that not all three year olds will be able to hop, and if they can't hop, they can't skip. You also need to know about psychological and mental development can help you with class structure (how long attention spans last at different ages).

Triskit wrote:

Need to have...none.

Should have - many yrs of training as a student - this is a minimum requirement.

Pedagogy training either through a conservatory, university or professional association.

Experience assisting or teaching under an experienced instructor is also helpful.

LOL, exactly! Sometimes I really wish Dance was regulated kind of like gymnastics. So the achievement for levels is the same everywhere, and what's expected of the coaches/teachers is consistent. I hate when I get a student from another studio who was "the top star, the best" etc, and they are so far behind it's unreal. Parents are so easily conned out of so much money and waste so much time and some studios. If it were regulated, this could possibly be avoided.

It makes me so sad that we have to delineate the response to this simple question as so..that anybody can wake up one morning and decide to open a dance studio and teach classes, no training necessary!

I think the child development piece is a crucial one and I think here in lies one of the places were people who are beautiful dancers and technically perfect can be ineffective teachers.

I also think some anatomy or kinesiology classes are essential for teaching ballet, again not required....but should be.

I totally agree with bringing in regulations like this, I lost a couple of children recently to a teacher who, and I quote, 'trained himself.' absolutely disgusting.

Ballet teachers should have a combination of extensive training with quality teachers, professioanl performance experience or a college degree in dance, and finally training in child development both physically and emotionally.

again not required but some sort of musical training or knowledge. Pretty hard to correctly teach when you are unsure if its 3/4 or 4/4! Music is such an essential part and I remember in college we were required to take several music course including a unit on tempo of court dances! Perfect for character dance!

I think, rather than requiring so many years of this and that, to have a true testing system, not a dance organization type, but one that would take hours to finish and be quite extensive. On top of that physical exams where you must demonstrate and answer verbal questions.

Many teachers have such knowledge from their years of training and know more than some who have been attending college, etc. Many have studied and taken extra courses and seminars on their own without formal education.