My contract for my tutoring job will end at the beginning of June. I do not plan on reapplying for that job. I'm only making about $30 a week.

I currently have two jobs teaching dance. One is on Thursdays only and is 45 min away. I do think the owner will re-hire me if that is what I want. If she does I will continue working there. Making $100 a week. This job will end in June. If she re-hires me I wouldn't start back until August.

With the second job most of my pay comes from commission. I have not made any sales since I have started. I make $100 a week here. It's teaching and I can schedule the students however I want. It's open basically 1pm-9pm Monday to Friday. If I get students and they buy I would be making $400 a week. But it isn't happening yet.

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I won't really start looking for jobs until my contract for the tutoring is over. I do want to casually start looking and applying now (because I can always resign). I do NOT want to work in retail or in a restaurant.

I have a bachelors degree. Most of what I have been looking at are 9-5 Mon-Fri. But I can't work on Thursdays so I haven't been applying.

My mom keeps talking me out of applying at certain places.

I would like to be in a position to move out of my parents house by August.

What is your BA in? What do your tutor? Have you had any internships? And why does your mom not want you to apply for certain jobs? What kind of jobs were they and are you interested in doing them?

Moonlitefairy06 wrote:

What is your BA in? What do your tutor? Have you had any internships? And why does your mom not want you to apply for certain jobs? What kind of jobs were they and are you interested in doing them?

My diploma says Humanities. I actually majored in dance but I took a wide variety of classes.

No, no internships. I did my work study in the schools library and I quite enjoyed that. But I've applied and applied for positions at the public library here but they go quick.

I don't tutor any particular subject - just whatever they need help in. Mostly it's Algebra. Sometimes English or Music Theory. I do enjoy this job but the problem is getting paid. It takes too long to get paid and all the paper work because it is funded by a government grant.

Mostly it's because she didn't think it would be safe. Like a job in hospitality. Mostly I've applied for receptionist type jobs. Yes, I am interested in those sorts of jobs.

You're most likely going to have to quit the Thursday job if you're serious about finding full time employment. Not many 9-5 places are going to be cool with the new girl peacing out on Thursdays to drive 45 minutes to teach a dance class.

What do you want to do long term? What's your 5 year plan? 10 year plan? What sort of industries have you researched and what titles and job descriptions have piqued your interest? A vague question of "what sort of job should I look for" when your only experience is teaching dance and working as a student in the school library can lead to a lot of random answers...

I really want something that works with teaching dance. I mean ideally I would find a job where I live. I am constantly looking.

I have also briefly worked at a Subway and I have no desire to do anything like that again. I enjoyed it but I hated dealing with the customers.

There is a vague possibility that I could start a studio. My great-uncle is renting a dance studio in a prime location to teach guitar lessons. The studio is a wasted space. At our family Christmas party he asked if I would be interesting in using that space.

I just want in the future to be doing something with dance. If I am not married I will need to be doing something in the day time. i just want to do something that is semi-enjoyable and can go somewhere.

I've looked into doing nurse tech job. I've applied before and it really interests me. I would like to do something in the medical field. For a job like this I would wait till my job teaching dance ends in June. So I don't have to worry about that (and if she re-hires me I can ask for a different day is I need too). I like it because you can work like two or three long shifts and have the rest of the week off.

I have always been interested in doing something in the medical field. But I didn't take that course of action in college because there were too many math and science classes plus when I got into a dance program I decided that would be easier.

I have friends who've worked with Mia Michaels, Philip Glass, Pina Bausch, Twyla Tharpe, Martha frickin Graham... Most of them have worked as waiters. Many of them STILL work as waiters after more than 20 successful years in the dance world. For the VAST MAJORITY of us, dance is not a career. It's a part-time job. If you choose dance as a profession, you need to understand that you are probably going to struggle. And that includes doing jobs you don't want to do. Unless you get a job teaching dance in the public school system, no one cares that you have a dance degree. So what job should you look for? Any job that pays the bills.

panic wrote:

I have friends who've worked with Mia Michaels, Philip Glass, Pina Bausch, Twyla Tharpe, Martha frickin Graham... Most of them have worked as waiters. Many of them STILL work as waiters after more than 20 successful years in the dance world. For the VAST MAJORITY of us, dance is not a career. It's a part-time job. If you choose dance as a profession, you need to understand that you are probably going to struggle. And that includes doing jobs you don't want to do. Unless you get a job teaching dance in the public school system, no one cares that you have a dance degree. So what job should you look for? Any job that pays the bills.

Fair points. I have considered getting certified to teach in public schools. In my state you have to have 2 years work experience in the field to apply for alternative certification. I would have to wait until August to apply.

On the studio idea - do you want to teach EVERYTHING? Your first year out of the gate, you're not going to be able to hire other people to teach the stuff you don't want to. In fact, you might be two or three years in before you're making that much money. I've heard you mention modern and hip-hop on the teacher board. But that leaves jazz, tap, ballet, and not to mention the bread and butter of many a dance studio - the creative movement type classes. How are you with all of that stuff too? Because if you're not comfortable with alot of that stuff, you're going to have a hard time making a go of it.

Theresa wrote:

On the studio idea - do you want to teach EVERYTHING? Your first year out of the gate, you're not going to be able to hire other people to teach the stuff you don't want to. In fact, you might be two or three years in before you're making that much money. I've heard you mention modern and hip-hop on the teacher board. But that leaves jazz, tap, ballet, and not to mention the bread and butter of many a dance studio - the creative movement type classes. How are you with all of that stuff too? Because if you're not comfortable with alot of that stuff, you're going to have a hard time making a go of it.

Me owning a studio is really my parents idea. It's what they want. They think it's what I want...but it's not really. I can teach tap, ballet, jazz, modern and hip-hop as well as creative movement. My parents don't understand that I do not want to have my own business. They think I can do it. I'm sure I could but I don't want to.

If it comes to anything I'd be will to attempt it. I don't really want to; but I didn't really want to teach either. I ended up liking it. I don't think it will come to anything with my great-uncle. I do not like him. Though, I was honestly surprised that he asked me about possibly doing something with the space.

I work as a server in a restaurant and it's a great job. It's good money and a really flexible schedule. I know a ton of people that have their Bachelor's at work and they don't want to leave the restaurant because the money is so good.

So you want to make a career as an actual dancer, not a teacher? Then you better get to some auditioning, sister!

So to answer your original question, I guess - you should look for the sort of job you want. Although, I had a teacher years ago that moved from North Carolina to Vegas, so she could be a show girl. Lifes dream, and all that. She pretty quickly realized she'd make more money teaching, so she packed up, came home, and opened a studio. Making bank as a dancer doesn't happen. You do what you gotta do to get to do what you love.

Theresa wrote:

So you want to make a career as an actual dancer, not a teacher? Then you better get to some auditioning, sister!

So to answer your original question, I guess - you should look for the sort of job you want. Although, I had a teacher years ago that moved from North Carolina to Vegas, so she could be a show girl. Lifes dream, and all that. She pretty quickly realized she'd make more money teaching, so she packed up, came home, and opened a studio. Making bank as a dancer doesn't happen. You do what you gotta do to get to do what you love.

If I stick with the ballroom studio (the one that is mostly commission based) I'll have plenty of performance opportunities (showcases, competitions and cruise ships). Which is good enough for me. I have auditioned many times never got a job. I am not going to move unless I have too.

It's too late to edit my other post.

I just wanted to say: the main reason for this thread is I need to talk this out with someone other than my parents. For one, they think I will live with them until I am married. Secondly, they have different ideas of what I should do than what I want to do.

I don't want to leave the ballroom job. That one will work with a regular job too. Teaching 45 min away I'd rather not do. I do enjoy it but if I had to pay for the gas and the toll myself (I use my parents pass for the toll road and they pay for my gas) it would not be worth it. I would hope to find something closer. But the experience was valuable. Tutoring will look good on my resume. I enjoy it but the pay situation is killing me.

I would suggest not closing your mind to owning your own studio someday but for now you need to get a lot more experience before embarking on running your own business. And if you do decide to start your own school, you need to choose a location based on exceptionally good demographics: not already saturated with good dance schools and a large, affluent population which is growing with a lot of children within a short driving distance.

Is the school which is 45 minutes away growing? If you moved closer to them could they give you more classes and therefore more pay? Are there additional dance schools in that area or farther in that direction which could also use you part time, giving you enough work to make a living? And in that area how is the job market in general? In this economy you simply have to go to wherever you can find a job. Plus if you can put together a satisfactory combination of jobs farther afield, it gives you a good excuse for moving out.

You don't get travel expenses, ditch the job!

Working as an independent contractor should mean you get some expenses paid for, at least travel.

I've done all sorts of crappy jobs to be able to keep dancing and in my early years teaching as well.

Dance is a passion, not a job, it can become a paying hobby later in life if your careful about what else you train for.

toroandbruin wrote:


Is the school which is 45 minutes away growing? If you moved closer to them could they give you more classes and therefore more pay? Are there additional dance schools in that area or farther in that direction which could also use you part time, giving you enough work to make a living? And in that area how is the job market in general? In this economy you simply have to go to wherever you can find a job. Plus if you can put together a satisfactory combination of jobs farther afield, it gives you a good excuse for moving out.

I think the school is growing some. I am getting paid $25 a class there. I live in a big city and the studio is in a small much more rural town. Most people commute the other way around!I tried finding a teaching job here (aside from ballroom) but no one was hiring. It's a nice little town but I cannot imagine living in a place that small. It's the only studio. Some students some from other even smaller places. The owner doesn't live there either she lives in a suburb of the city I live in.

Dance is a passion, not a job, it can become a paying hobby later in life if your careful about what else you train for.

I agree. Hence me trying to find something to do full time. I chose to major in dance because if I didn't I would of majored in English and would have earned the same degree (BA in Humanities). So why not pick the one which is slightly more fun?

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Another thing my parents don't want me doing - working nights. I would totally not mind at all to work nights.

I have a job interview tomorrow at another dance studio. 40 min away. Looks like more days/ hours may be available. Also I might have an interview at a studio 30 min away.

I really don't know why studios in the suburbs and rural towns are hiring but the ones in the "big" city aren't.

They hired me. I am going to have to quit the ballroom job. They want me Mon, Tues, Wen, and Fri. In May after the recital I will probably quit the other teaching job and work at this new studio 5 or 6 days a week.

Congrats!!

Congratulations on getting the new job, that's so exciting!

The only reason that I could afford to just be in dance, and not do other jobs (though I did, sometimes), is because I married young (just shy of 21... what was I thinking?!) so it did not matter if I could support myself.

If you are relying on your own money, for support, you may have to do what many of my colleagues do, and work at multiple studios, wait tables, or whatever, especially if you are looking to be a performer.

Even then, many have teaching jobs that they do in off times. It can be tough. That is why so many parents don't want kids to get into showbiz and dance. There is no real security.

I'm happy you got the job and I hope it works out. I too have a humanities degree (whatever that its...and in fact I have two of them.) Some of the realities that I faced some 48 years ago when I graduated was that the place where I lived growing up was not a sustainable place for a college grad save for a very few professions...teaching being one of them. In fact that was actually my career goal. Had I listened to my parents' wishes and followed their desires, I might have ended up as a bank tellin in my home town. Upon graduation, because I had a double major I would have had to go to school a bit longer to get a teaching certificate in my state.

I actually ended up 1000 miles from there, in a profession I didn't even know existed. Surprisingly, my future employer came to me rather than the other way around (this doesn't happen often), but I could have played it safe and gone back to my podunk home town. My parents were less than thrilled that I was going so far away. My fiancee's parents were even less thrilled, but we did it and we both had long and rewarding careers. My wife didn't end up in her major field either (it was journalism.)

Maybe your idea (or is it your parents' idea...which is a bad idea) of remaining in your home area may work out. If it doesn't, you will have to do what a lot of us had to do and look whereever for employment or entrepeneurship.

Jon