What is expected of me as a DanceStep Student Leader?
As part of this Leadership Program, students will gain a greater understanding of the role of a dance educator and how different classes and rehearsals are run, as well as having opportunities to develop their teaching and leadership skills.
Student Leaders will be asked to help out at performances, rehearsals, and concerts, providing confidence, leadership skills, and much more.
A Student Leader role at Maxi-Jazz Dance Studio is to:
- Take students in, out and around the studio
- Demonstrate each exercise with the teacher
- Be a positive and keen role model
- Always be punctual and dressed correctly
- Help students who need extra practice
- Encourage all students to participate in class
- Help with changing shoes in between classes
- Assist students in getting drinks and filling up drink bottles from the kitchen if required
- Help hand out notes or flyers in class if required
- Hand out and pack away any props
- You must know all of your class’s students, routines, and positions.
- Complete all tasks your supervising teacher asks
- Attendance at each class must be a priority
- Good communication skills for interacting with students, teachers, and occasionally parents
- Willingness to take direction and act on constructive feedback from the teacher
As students gain more confidence in their role and move up in their levels, they will be able to take on more responsibilities, such as:
- Leading warm-ups and exercises
- Mark the class roll
- Keep students on task and focused
- Taking students to the toilet
- Correct students who are not following instructions
- Observe the teacher in class and complete the booklet activities
- Teach choreography to students with guidance and support from your Senior Teacher
What will students gain from this experience?
You are gaining experience in all areas of dance, teaching, and the general running of
a class.- The Student Helper role may help you within your own classes by consistently correcting and practising basic dance techniques and terminology, learning steps or combinations from a style you may not be familiar with.
- Learning how to help students with corrections, steps, and combinations at a young age.
- By observing your Senior Teacher, you will learn how to teach steps and combinations to students in varied ways to cater to their learning needs
- Our Student Leaders will love the opportunity to help out at performances, rehearsals, and concerts, providing confidence, leadership skills, and much more to ensure they are gaining a greater knowledge of the studio and what it offers our families.
What support will I receive?
- You will have a designated DanceStep Coordinator who will help guide you through the program, facilitate all training sessions and be the go-to person for all your questions and for support.
- Our passionate teachers will help guide and encourage all student leaders throughout their assisting journey as we uncover the secrets to what it takes to become a successful teacher and positive role model, and the behind-the-scenes of running a dance studio.
- Our teachers will also be providing written and verbal feedback for DanceStep Students.
Commitments required for the Student Leadership Program
Working in Partnership with Dance Studios, DanceStep provides resources and support to students via our studio and DanceStep Coordinator.
Theory
Each Step covers a range of subjects, increasing in complexity as the student progresses through the levels. Students are enrolled in an online Learning Platform that guides them through Theory modules and covers Theory subjects such as:
- Leadership: Leading self and others, the importance of being a role model, Circle of Control
- Teaching Strategies: Learning names, setting the room up safely, and preparing for class
- Safe dance: Design and demonstrate warm-ups, safe stretching, and the importance of cool down
- Anatomy: Unpacking the Systems of the body as it relates to dance and movement
- Class Planning, Child Development, Behaviour Management, Feedback Styles and Delivery, Musicality
Practical
- DanceStep students are also expected to assist in a practical lesson once per week within their home studio. This in-class experience helps consolidate theoretical learning in a very effective way. It is recommended that students assist for 20 hours per level.
- DanceStep students will be required to attend at least ONE event during the dance season, such as Discos, Movie Nights, Camps, etc.
- You will also be required to attend ONE administration shift for the ‘Front of House’ during the dance season.
Levels
- There are currently six levels.
- All new students commence at LEVEL ONE and must work their way through the course sequentially. Each Step is a prerequisite to the other as the
information is progressive.
- Stude
- nts must complete (and have signed off) 20 hours of Practical Assistant Teaching Hours and complete their Online Theory Module before uploading their workbooks and signing off as complete.
Assisting Class Information
- Leadership hours and days may vary from Term to Term, as students need to gain the most beneficial experience. You will have a variety of teachers, classes, and students to work with during the dance season.
- Your weekly leadership hours may vary between 1 and 3 hours per week
- Attendance is required at all rehearsals and performances
- Training days throughout the year will be provided with dates to be set in early Term 1. Attendance at these training days will be compulsory to further your knowledge and skills. These training days will be held during the school holidays.
- The Leadership Program has termly tasks, reflections, and feedback workbooks that must be completed over the dance season.
What is DanceStep?