Dance School Owners and Managers

High School

The knowledge you obtain by taking business, accounting, mathematics, computer science, and marketing classes will come in handy as you run your business. Dance school owners and managers often still work as instructors, so be sure to take physical education, theatre, art, and dance classes to improve your fitness and develop your artistic abilities. Speech and English classes will help you to develop your communication skills, which you’ll need to interact with customers, manage staff, and prepare marketing materials.

Postsecondary Education

Dance school owners and managers do not need a college degree, but some have degrees in dance education or business management. Many colleges and universities offer programs leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree in dance, generally through the departments of physical education, theater, music, or fine arts. For a list accredited dance programs, visit the National Association of Schools of Dance’s Web site, https://nasd.arts-accredit.org/directory-lists/accredited-institutions. Degrees in business management are offered by nearly every college and university.

Certification

Certificate programs in business management, accounting, customer service, and related areas are available at many colleges and universities. They may be useful to aspiring dance school owners and managers.

The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) offers a certificate in dance education to those who complete continuing education credits through its Online Professional Development Institute.

Some colleges, dance schools, and dance studios offer dance certificate programs. A few colleges—such as MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California—offer certificates in dance instruction. In MiraCosta’s program, students learn the basics of dance techniques, alignment and movement principles, elements of choreography, dance pedagogy techniques, and marketing and business operation skills. Contact schools in your area to learn about available programs.

Other Education or Training

Many dance education associations provide continuing education (CE) opportunities. For example, the NDEO offers online classes such as:

• Creative Dance in Early Childhood
• Introduction to Dance Education K-12: Theories and Practices
• Foundations of Dance Pedagogy
• Teaching Dance to Students with Disabilities
• Dance Pedagogy: Learning Styles and Theories
• Elements of Dance
• Developmental Domains in Dance
• Introduction to Creative Dance for Early Childhood
• Ballet Theory and Composition

The National Retail Federation offers classes and other professional development opportunities. Topics include customer service, management issues, and marketing. The International Franchise Association provides continuing education classes, workshops, and webinars such as Marketplace Fundamentals and Cash Flow: How to Prevent Your Cash Flow From Going South. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides online classes in starting, funding, and managing a business at its online Small Business Learning Center (https://www.sba.gov/sba-learning-platform). It also offers in-person workshops and seminars at locations throughout the United States. Dance/USA and the National Dance Teachers of America also provide CE opportunities.