PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM

Applications now being accepted for May 2008 RHYTHM II SERIES

Click here for Home Social Dance Program Medals Program

Want to become an excellent dancer? Earn extra or Retirement income by teaching dance? Even have a new career? Welcome

16-month part-time DVIDA American Syllabus
Ballroom Dance and Teacher Training Program. START WITH ANY SESSION YOU WISH!

A Structured Program of Learning and Teacher Training

To enroll please contact us!

DanceWell and Linda Springstead are dedicated to ensuring excellence in partner dance instruction. Our training program is ideal for anyone who would like to improve their own dancing and have a professional knowledge of all partner dances and/or for adults who are considering a career as dance teacher! The full Partner Dance nation-wide Training Program in Portland Oregon can be completed in 16 months and may be found in other areas of the country! (Take lesson 12 in one state and lesson 13 in another!).

This extensive training program will allow you to become a bonefide Ballroom Dance Teacher should you choose. Learn in a very structured and collegiate program everything the good Pros know. How to dance, how to lead and follow, intensive technique and how to effectively teach private lessons and group classes. Teaching dance is a career option for anyone who loves to dance. The training program is designed for both experienced dancers and beginner dancers. Learn the highly recognized DVIDA American Style Bronze syllabus inside and out. No partner is necessary.

DVIDA (Dance Vision International Dance Association) is a member of the National Dance Council of America (NDCA), which is the governing organization for Ballroom Dancing in the United States. DVIDA certification is highly recognized and sought after in the United States by dance studios, boosting your potential for employment and giving you the opportunity to receive a higher salary.

Teaching dance is a career option for anyone

This rigorous curriculum involves a great deal of practice to discover your own personal style and professional manner, and to gain confidence.

In this course you will learn:

To become an excellent dancer
The 17 dances of the DVIDA Bronze American Syllabus for Smooth, Rhythm, and Night Club dances, and how to teach them
To dance as both Leader and Follower
Technical elements of all the dances
Musical elements and history of all the dances
How to teach private & group lessons
How to prepare for DVIDA certification

Group Training Schedule

Our first American Style Bronze teacher training program began September 2007, with NEW SESSIONS starting every FOUR MONTHS. The entire program is divided into four sections. You can complete the entire program in 16 months. AND YOU CAN START WITH ANY SECTION.

Bronze Smooth Session September 5 - December 21, 2007
Learn how to dance and teach Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango and Viennese Waltz. Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:45-6:45pm, exams one Friday per month. Professional program includes admission to all DanceWell Social Program classes and parties.
Required Materials: DVIDA Bronze Level American Style Smooth Manual; Teachers BDTC Binder

Bronze Rhythm I Session January 7 - April 25, 2008
Learn how to dance and teach Rumba, Cha Cha, Bolero, and East Coast Swing Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:45-6:45pm, exams one Friday per month. Professional program includes admission to all DanceWell Social Program classes and parties.
Required Class Materials: DVIDA Bronze Level American Style Rhythm Manual ; Teachers BDTC Binder

Bronze Rhythm II Session May 8 - August 25, 2008
Learn how to dance and teach Merengue, Mambo, Samba, and West Coast Swing Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:45-6:45pm, exams one Friday per month. Professional program includes admission to all DanceWell Social Program classes and parties.
Required Class Materials: DVIDA Bronze Level American Style Rhythm Manual ; Teachers BDTC Binder

Bronze Night Club Dances Session Sept 6 - Dec 20, 2008
Learn how to dance and teach Salsa, Hustle, Nightclub Two-Step, Lindy Hop & Argentine Tango. Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:45-6:45pm, exams one Friday per month. Professional program includes admission to all DanceWell Social Program classes and parties.
Required Class Materials: DVIDA Bronze Level Argentine Tango Manual; DVIDA Bronze Level Salsa "on 1" Manual; DVIDA Bronze Level Nightclub Two-STep Manual; BDTC Manuals for Hustle; and video for Lindy Hop; Teachers BDTC Binder

Please Note: Class size is limited to 20 people, so we recommend that you register and make your deposit early to avoid missing out!

Tuition for Group Training

Tuition is currently $425/month which includes all DanceWell Social classes and parties each week. This is $1700 per quarter. Please note that tuition may be increased every January to reflect the current market.

Though the cost is high, this is one of the least expensive vocational training courses available. The only one less we know of is Yoga Training.

Tuition is due the first class of each new month. Students who make a late tuition payment will be accessed a $15 late fee. Tuition can be paid in class by check, or with VISA or MASTERCARD.

Tuition for One-to-One Training

Tuition is currently $480 per quarter plus $70 per hour for private instruction. Each group class of the training is 2 hours long and can usually be completed in one and one-half hours privately. That would be $105 per class and there are 32 classes per quarter. After tuition the cost depends on how quickly the materials and tests are completed. Generally between $3700 and $3800.

The benefit of One-to-One Training is that of having less time commitment. Students can schedule at their convenience and finish whenever the lesson plans are complete.

Requirements

Attendance

This is a professional level course, and we cover a lot of material at a fast pace. Missing class is not advised, as you can easily fall behind. If you do have to miss a class, you can generally arrange to work with one of the other students to help you catch up or even better to schedule private lessons with Linda (for an additional private lesson fee) to make up any work you miss.

Class Times & Exam Schedule

Classes held at Tigard Dance Center meet Mondays and Wednesdays, from 4:45-6:45pm. Beginning in May they will be on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6-8pm. Exams are scheduled once per month. If you miss an exam, you may schedule a make-up exam with Linda (for an additional private lesson fee).

Practice

There are two classes each week, each one two hours long, plus an additional one to four more hours of practice and study each week. Though the amount of outside time varies greatly from student to student, please expect to commit one hour of study time for every hour you spend in class (about four or so hours of study time per week). Doing well takes dedication and practice.

Materials

The DVIDA Manuals (please see Schedule above for which manual for each session) and the NBDTA Binder are required textbooks for the course. The accompanying DVIDA videos or dvds are recommended, but optional. The DVIDA Bronze Manuals and videos are available from Dance Vision, and may be ordered online at www.dancevision.com, or by calling 1-800-851-2813. The NBDTA Binder is provided in class and costs a one-time fee of $75.00. It includes all class handouts that are distributed over the entire program.

Shoes

All students will be expected to have proper dance shoes by the second class meeting. This is not an arbitrary aesthetic or fashion consideration. To teach dance, you need the "right tool for the job," and proper dance shoes are literally the foundation for your dancing!

There are different styles of dance shoes for different styles of dancing, but most BDTC students wear a basic "practice shoe," a practical and durable suede-soled dancing shoe that is made to be comfortable and wearable for long periods. Some students wear flashier shoes or high heeled dance shoes, but this is a matter of personal comfort.

You can purchase dance shoes from any dance shoe retailer.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Presentations (Homework)

Because this is also a teaching class, there is a strong emphasis on presentation. You will be expected to present material to the class on a regular basis. You may be asked to demonstrate a figure or to present a brief history of a specific dance. Don't worry, we hand out assignments in advance, so you will have plenty of time to prepare! Or you may monitor the class rather than be graded.

Dancing both roles

In order to share or teach a specific dance or figure, you need to be able to articulate and demonstrate both the leader’s and follower’s part. We spend equal time in class working on both parts, and every student is expected to dance with every other student as both leader and follower, regardless of gender. This is standard practice for professional dance instruction.

Basic Schedule

In order to complete the course in a specific time, each section has 32-classes. MONTH #1 -- figures 1-7 of two dances (Waltz and Foxtrot for example) are learned in seven classes. This includes all the varying elements of each step, how to take it, the sway, the lead/follow... On the eighth class is an exam with a presentation of theory and dancing, and an open-book exam. MONTH #2 -- figures 1-7 of two more dances (Tango and Viennese Waltz for example)...again with both exams; MONTH #3 -- figures 8-15 of the first two dances with theory and dancing exam presentation; and MONTH #4 -- 8-15 of the second two dances and exam presentations.

Benefits -- Additional Training

Your tuition entitles you not only to the NBDTA course itself, but also to most of the classes, parties and workshops offered by DanceWell at the Tigard Dance Center.

You will get free entry for group classes and workshops (where you are required to fill in as leader or follower as needed), and parties. A complete list of classes and workshops can be found on the CALENDAR page.

Please note: You must have the proper skill level required for classes and be able to dance as either Lead or Follow. Celebrity guest workshops taught by visiting teachers are not included.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR TRAINING

Students are invited to audit the course, just as in a college course. In this case class presentations and exams are not required and a Certificate of Completion for the course is not presented at end of course. (It is asked that you be present at exams in any case.)

Employment Opportunities

The DanceWell Program offers Teacher Trainees opportunities to assist classes and may offer teaching positions to top graduates of the Teacher Training Program, based on the needs of the studio at that time.

"The mighty oak was once a little nut who held it's ground"