Becoming a dance teacher is an important decision. If you're considering it, it might be helpful to find out what our students think. Could one of our courses help you reach your goals?

Here's a brief Q&A with alumna Maria Spears.


How long have you known about bbodance?

Throughout my life I've been associated with a number of different exam boards, but I only become directly associated with bbodance when I started my teacher training. I had heard a lot about it while studying for my degree at London Studio Centre, where I was taught by a lot of graduates from bbodance’s TQ programme. It was from them that I became aware of their TQ course.


Why did you choose the bbodance Teaching Qualifications (TQ) programme?

I chose bbodance’s Level 6 Extended Diploma in Dance Teaching for its accelerated pathway which allows learners to achieve Levels 4, 5, and 6 within one year. I was keen to kickstart my teaching career and felt this intense year-long training was exactly what I needed.


Has the bbodance TQ programme helped you develop your teaching practice? If so, how?

The training with bbodance has completely changed my approach to teaching. I feel I have so much more control over my teaching style and I know how to cater to every student that walks into my studio in an inclusive and supporting manner.


Would you recommend Level 6 Extended to others, especially professionals with a similar background to yours?

I would definitely recommend it to others (and actively do!) because it provides you with a comprehensive knowledge of dance teaching and allows you to specialise in any genre.


What was your favourite part of the course?

The most enjoyable and valuable part of studying with bbodance was meeting the other learners on the course who all came from varied backgrounds in dance and dance teaching. The experiences the cohort could add to seminars and lectures helped expand our understanding of the information we were being taught. The course encouraged a community feel within the cohort which helped us all learn from and support each other within our teaching careers — which we still do to this day!


Any other thoughts?

The bbodance Level 6 Extended course has elevated my teaching and has given me the confidence to strive for much more within my career. It caters for so many different types of teaching pathways, from syllabus teaching to further education teaching and everything in between. I now walk into the dance studio with an assurance that I have the tools and knowledge to take on any challenge within my teaching!

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(Photo courtesy of Maria Hardcastle)