As graduation season approaches, our dance instructors are spending time on college campuses – Eastern Michigan University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University, and others – educating students about the lucrative possibilities for them if they choose careers in ballroom dance instruction.
Students repeatedly share that they had no idea they could earn anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000 as a ballroom dance instructor. Many who participate on the dance team, in a dedicated dance program or in a dance club, are excited by the possibilities.
Most youth today are not aware of the non-traditional careers that are available to them and through which, they can build a good living. Most schools and parents encourage careers in finance, law, or business, thinking that’s the only way their student will be able to support themselves and build a future.
Not so. Dance instruction is one of many careers that are perfect for energetic young people who don’t want to sit at a desk all day, every day. It’s a career for people who like to interact with others and stay in shape. It’s a career with unlimited possibilities.
Our instructors teach lessons, partner with students at dance competitions, and some decide to open their own studios once they’ve built enough experience. The Fred Astaire Dance Studio approach to business coaches new owners on the steps toward building a successful studio.
We find ourselves at a time when students and families are nervous about taking on immense amounts of debt to afford a college education, when there are other options. They can attend a community college or trade school and carve out a much-needed but often-forgotten career in skilled trades or practical arts that our society needs.
They can consider a career in ballroom dance after attending an affordable state or local school, and frankly, if they have dance experience, they might even start as a dance instructor right out of high school.
There are so many possibilities for talented young people, and ballroom dance instruction is just one of them!