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Gaining Rapport with your Dance Students

 

  1. Build a trusting relationship with your clientele.  Whether you are working with children or adults, they need to trust you. 

    • Go out of your way to greet your student’s parents. 

    • Give them the opportunity to ask questions and get to know you a little bit.  Ease any concerns they might have. 

    • If there is a problem be open and honest about it.  It’s much easier to alleviate problems while they are small.

  2. Be professional.  It is your job to figure out the balance between being a friend and being professional. 

    • Your students do not want to hear about how hard your life is.  No one likes a whiner. 

    • Most students are at your studio to escape the world and focus on themselves.  Create a happy place for them.

    • Do not gossip about other student’s or teachers around them.  Ever!  It makes them uncomfortable and wonder if you talk about them that way.  If you need to vent talk to a fellow teacher or someone completely unaffiliated with the studio. 

    • Wear appropriate clothing and look presentable.  Do not roll out of bed and come teach a class in pajama pants.  It is tacky. 

    • If there is a billing problem address it professionally.  Do not talk about billing problems in front of other students.  It is embarrassing for your client and will chase them away forever. 

  3. Be their friend. 

    • Ask how they are doing and listen to the answer. 

    • Tell a funny story about your day during the warm up.  Be a real person to them.

    • Learn their names.  In the beginning of a new class go around the room and have everyone introduce and say something unique about themselves.  People love to talk about themselves so give them the opportunity. 

    • Create a safe place for them to be themselves.  By becoming friends with you and each other they are more likely to come back and be successful dancers.

  4. Maintain available certifications and frequent training workshops. 

    • Tell your students your qualifications in the beginning of a new class. 

    • Know what you are talking about.  Keep up on proper stretches and exercise moves.  If you see someone doing a move incorrectly call them on it.  Don’t just say, “You are doing that wrong!”  Show them how to fix it.

    • Always stay up on the latest dance trends.  If you are dancing like its 1999, it is time to stop and update yourself.  You’ll lose clientele and raise eyebrows fast if you are still doing the Running Man and Roger Rabbit.

  5. Become known in the dance community.  Branch out and get to know your neighbors!  Healthy competition is a good thing, but don’t let it isolate you from your peers.  You can work together to learn new techniques and get teaching ideas.  Plus it’s more fun to have a friend than an enemy. 

These tips are sure to help you get on your way to having a great rapport with your students and their associations and being a great dance teacher.



 

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