Dance Teacher resume examples & templates

Your resume is the lesson plan you can use to educate a hiring manager about your dance background and your teaching style. With an expertly crafted dance teacher resume, you can make an employer exclaim, “Bravo!”

But what’s the key to a winning resume? It needs to showcase your choreography skills, knowledge of different styles, and commitment to teaching others about dance. Above all else, it should convince an employer that you’re the right teacher for their dance academy or studio.

By focusing on your core skills and qualifications, you can choreograph a resume that impresses a hiring manager. Get ready to write a dance teacher resume that brings your skills to center stage!

Resume guide for a dance teacher resume

With resume.io, you can build a strong dance teacher resume to find your next job. We offer writing guides and resume examples for over 500 professions, and you can use our resume builder to create your resume in minutes.

This resume guide and corresponding dance teacher resume example will go over the following topics:

• How to write a resume for a dance teacher
• Choosing the right resume format
• How to list your contact information
• Tips for writing a resume summary
• How to add your dance teacher experience and skills
• Listing your education
• Selecting the right dance teacher resume template and design
• What the job market looks like for dance teachers and how much you can earn

How to write a dance teacher resume

You wouldn’t perform a ballet routine without first learning the steps. Similarly, don’t write a resume without knowing what information to include. Your dance teacher resume should have the following sections:

• A resume header
• A resume summary, also known as a profile or personal statement
• An employment history section
• A resume skills section
• An education section

The best dance teachers not only educate others about dance but also inspire their students to continue learning new skills. Aim to do the same with your resume. You want to educate hiring managers about your skills and background, but you also want to encourage them to follow up by contacting you for an interview.

To accomplish this goal, you need to highlight the qualities and experiences that make you an exceptional dance teacher. Follow these tips to show off your skills on a resume:

• Emphasize accomplishments over responsibilities. Most dance teachers have experience creating lesson plans, choreographing routines, and assessing students’ development. Rather than focusing on those duties, emphasize the outcomes you’ve achieved, such as higher student engagement or increased retention.
• Customize your resume for each job. If you’re applying for multiple jobs at one time, don’t send the same resume to every employer. Review the job description and align your resume to the role. For example, if you’re applying to teach at a contemporary dance academy, you should highlight your knowledge of modern techniques and your creative choreography skills.
• Include keywords. Read the job description carefully and identify resume keywords you can use. With relevant keywords, your resume has a better chance of passing an applicant tracking system (ATS).

Choosing the right resume format for a dance teacher resume

Like a well-choreographed dance routine, your resume should tell a story. It needs to be professional, organized, and informative to describe your teaching experience and dance knowledge.

If you have several years or more of teaching experience, use a chronological resume format. This type of resume prioritizes your work history, listing your jobs in reverse chronological order. Begin with your most recent teaching job at the top of your employment history.

Some dance teachers, including those with employment gaps and limited experience, may benefit from other types of resume formats. A functional resume may be a good choice if you’re beginning your career as a dance teacher. This format emphasizes your skills while downplaying your lack of experience.

In some cases, a hybrid resume may work best. This type of resume includes elements of both functional and chronological formats. Consider using a hybrid resume if you’re returning to teaching after an absence or if you’re making the transition to teaching after dancing professionally.

Explore the resume templates we offer in our resume builder to find one that fits your situation. You can also view our resume examples to view different templates and choose the right one for you.

Include your contact information

At the beginning of a new dance session, you introduce yourself to the class. In the same way, your resume header introduces yourself to the hiring manager.

Your contact information should be easily accessible in your resume header. Include these details:

• Full name and title. Provide your first and last name and the title of the job you’re pursuing.
• Professional email address. Make sure you have a professional email to give potential employers. If you don’t, create one using a combination of your name or initials, such as [email protected].
• Phone number. List the phone number you use most often. Record a professional voicemail greeting in case you miss a recruiter’s call.
• Location. Provide your city and state. For personal safety, don’t give out your full address on your resume.
• LinkedIn. If you have an active, updated LinkedIn profile, consider including it in your resume header.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth. Including this information can lead to potential age discrimination.
• Other personal details. You don’t need to provide other personal details, such as your marital status or driver’s license number.
• Photo or headshot. It’s not necessary to include a photo of yourself on your resume.

Make use of a summary

When you start a dance class, you want to get your students engaged and excited to be there. Your resume summary should take the same approach. In a few sentences, it needs to captivate a hiring manager and convince them to keep reading about your qualifications.

Don’t list the generic skills or responsibilities that hiring managers will see on most resumes. Make your summary stand out by describing your notable traits and unique selling points. As you write your summary, aim to answer the question, “Why should an employer hire me to teach dance for their studio, company, or school?”

Your summary should be two to four sentences long. Highlight your dance background and your commitment to education. Use action verbs to show your impact as a dance teacher, such as “instructed,” “mentored,” “coordinated,” “nurtured,” and “inspired.” Show a prospective employer the value you can bring to students.

You can also do this by writing statements that show the outcomes of your work. If possible, include numbers or metrics to back up your achievements. For example: “Choreographed creative routines for beginner classes, resulting in a 30% increase in student retention.”

While your summary should briefly describe your dance experience and skills, it shouldn’t repeat information an employer can find elsewhere on your resume. Use this section to get a hiring manager’s attention and make them excited to learn more about you.

Check out these adaptable summaries from our dance teacher resume examples below:

Outline your dance teacher work experience: pirouettes of progress

Your work experience section shows an employer your career progression. Start by listing your current or most recent job and work backward. Include your experience in education, dance, and other related areas for the past 10 to 15 years.

If you have more than 15 years of experience, create a separate section called “Other Experience.” In this section, list your other roles without providing your employment dates to prevent age discrimination.

For each job on your resume, describe your role and the contributions you made using bullet points. Start each bullet point with a strong verb, such as “designed,” “choreographed,” and “educated.”

As you write your work experience section, stay away from simply listing your job duties. Employers will likely see similar responsibilities on every applicant’s resume. For example, these task-focused bullet points are common on a dance teacher resume:

• Planned and taught dance classes for various skill levels
• Developed dance routines for recitals and competitions
• Provided guidance and feedback to students

These bullet points probably won’t impress a prospective employer, and they may even get your resume tossed. Instead, use your resume bullet points to demonstrate your value as an instructor. Consider these reworked versions of the above bullet points:

• Increased advanced student enrollment by 20% through creative skill-building lessons for various levels
• Led dance teams to win four awards by developing fun, unique choreography for regional competitions
• Provided guidance and feedback to students, increasing their enthusiasm for dance and boosting student ratings by 14%

Take a look at the adaptable dance teacher work experience resume example below:

How to write a dance teacher resume with no experience

If you’ve never taught dance before, emphasize your other relevant qualifications on your resume. For example, you can describe your personal dance history or your experience teaching children in other areas.

When applying for a dance teacher position without experience, you should also put your transferable skills in the spotlight. If you previously performed as a dancer, for example, you can highlight your knowledge of different dance styles and genres. You can also discuss your relevant interpersonal traits, such as communication, patience, and adaptability.

Instead of focusing on your lack of work experience, include other sections on your resume to show your passion for dance education. For instance, you can highlight your volunteer work in an elementary school or describe your passion for dance in a hobbies section.

Use these tips to convince an employer you’re a good fit for the job, even if you have no work experience as a dance instructor.

Include your key skills relevant to being a dance teacher

Dance teachers need a combination of hard and soft skills to educate students and create positive learning experiences. Prioritize your hard skills by listing them first. These may include skills like ballet, jazz, choreography, and student assessments.

Your skills section should also mention a few of your interpersonal strengths. Some soft skills for a dance teacher resume include empathy, creativity, leadership, and conflict resolution.

Our resume builder allows you to choose pre-written skills for your resume. You can also add in other skills, depending on your experience and proficiencies.

Here’s what the skills section looks like in our dance teacher resume example:

Your skills section is an essential part of your resume, but it’s not the only place you should be discussing your strengths. Incorporate your skills throughout your resume. For example, you may highlight these skills in your summary and work experience section:

• Instructional skills. Describe how you’ve taught students about various dance genres. Include information about class sizes and student success rates.
• Choreography skills. Explain how you’ve choreographed dances or routines for other classes. Highlight notable awards or recognitions your students have received.
• Communication skills. Discuss how you communicate steps and routines to students using clear language and helpful examples.

If you’re stuck on what skills to include, read the job description. Employers often describe the skills they want dance teachers to have, such as a knowledge of specific dance styles. Make sure you list those same skills on your resume.

Detail your education & relevant dance teacher certifications

Dance studios have varying educational requirements, so check the job description to learn whether you need a degree or certification. Provide your academic background in an education section.

Similar to your work history, list your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your highest degree or diploma. If you have a postsecondary degree or certificate, you don’t need to include your high school diploma.

In addition to your education, you can also add other relevant credentials. For example, you may include:

• Training and certifications. If you’ve trained in a specific discipline or earned an instructional certification, list it with your education.
• Dance programs. Completing a program in ballet, hip hop, jazz, or another genre can show an employer your knowledge and experience.
• Professional development. List your memberships in professional organizations, such as the National Dance Education Organization.

Pick the right resume layout & design for a dance teacher resume

When choreographed well, a dance routine can mesmerize an audience, leaving them wanting more. Think of your resume design in the same way. You want to create a well-structured resume that appeals to the hiring manager who will be reviewing it.

Like the elegance of a classic waltz, your resume layout should have a proper framework and clean lines. Choose a modern resume template with organized sections for your header, work experience, skills, and education. Your resume should also have professional fonts and standard page margins.

You can include some creative elements to show off your artistic flair but don’t go overboard. Simple shapes and splashes of color can add visual appeal without taking away from the focus of your resume, which should be your skills and qualifications.

Unless you have many years of experience, keep your dance teacher resume to one page. Include your most relevant qualifications and describe your experience concisely. You can include additional information and examples in your cover letter.

Designing a resume can feel trickier than mastering a Grand Jeté, but luckily, you don’t have to start from scratch. Browse our optimized resume templates to find one you can use to build your resume without the stress.

Dance teacher text-only resume example

Dance teacher job market & outlook

If you’re looking for your first job as a dance teacher, you may be in luck. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the employment of dancers and choreographers to increase by 6% by 2033. That’s faster than the average growth rate of other occupations.

What type of salary you can expect as a dance teacher

On average, dance teachers in the United States earn $52,390 per year. However, the highest-paid dance teachers can make nearly $75,000 annually. Depending on the studio or school, you can either earn an hourly wage or a yearly salary. Some employers may also offer bonuses or incentives for dance teachers, such as a holiday bonus each year.

Key takeaways for building a dance teacher resume

When writing your dance teacher resume, think about the ways you can set yourself apart from other instructors. Highlight your unique skills and focus on the results of your work, such as higher enrollment or improved retention rates. Tailor your resume to the job by discussing your dance training and educational background. With these tips in mind, you can create a dance teacher resume that gets a standing ovation from hiring managers.

Start your dance teacher job search with our online resume builder, and then take it to the next level with resume.io. 

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