Hello everyone,

I've been seeing, what seem to be, students of studios in my area teaching small classes...mostly modern, street jazz etc.
They must be only a few years older than me..17, 18...(i'm 16.)

I would just like to know are you allowed to do this or will they be trained as "student teachers" at this age? If so, How do you go about it?

Do you need specific "teaching qualifications" (not the right term I'm sure ) to be able to teach classes at your studio dance routines (with principals permission obviously) aslong as it's not exam work?

Plus, when I've completed my dance training and hopefully, after a professional career...I want to teach. How do you qualify to teach full time and own a studio?

Sorry about all the questions, I'm just abit confused
thanks xxx

There aren't any set "qualifications" to teach dance in this country. Basically, anyone can do it, even if they don't know much about dance. Speaking for myself, I would not send my child to a school that had teenagers teaching solo.
There are a couple of things I look for in a good teacher: A good teacher might be one with a degree in dance or a dance-related field (fine arts, bio-kinetics, etc.) A good teacher might also be one without a degree, but with an extensive amount of study on her resume at high quality schools and companies. There is also Cecchetti certification for ballet. I would recommend either studying dance at college, or finding a good dance teacher to apprentice with. Knowing how to dance well and being able to teach dance well are two very different things. You don't want to make it up as you go along.

Thanks Wildrose, your advice is much appreciated.
In September, I will be beginning a national diploma in dance while still taking classes at my studio.
I asked my teacher about everything and she told me she would let me and like me to do some teaching with her and get involved with how the school is run, teaching styles etc, which I'm so pleased about !!
So, thanks for your help xxx

Many schools use students as "helpers" -- those who go around and aid in "fixing" young students' arms, positions, and this kind of thing but are not actually "teaching" the class. I've seen films and photographs of this being done in the Russian schools, even. I should clarify -- in these schools, peers are assigned to help peers. Yet in many American schools, the older and more experienced students help out with some of the younger classes.

I think this is fine, particularly where there are large numbers of students to get to in each class.

This kind of arrangement is fine if the helps are coached as to what they may and may take responsibility for or even if they are allowed to talk to the students much at all. I think each teacher or director must decide what works best for their own situation and, ultimately, whether it's working or not and being effective. Are the students better off by it?

I don't mind on the rare occasion where a teacher doesn't or cannot show up to teach a class and a student is asked to "give" class, so it doesn't have to be canceled. This is an emergency situation, so okay. But I'm generally not in favor of students regular "teaching" class, unless they are being trained as teachers and have supervision from an experience eye.