Starting from scratch with a new teacher is probably best anyway. Check with any local IDTA dance schools. They will probably have a senior teacher, preferably a Fellow of the society, who is responsible for training for professional exams. They will also be able to arrange for you to join in other teachers sessions to help and gain experience.

You don't need a partner to train with. Most of the training will be on theory and knowledge of the technique manual (Guy Howard's book for the IDTA).

Unless things have changed recently you will not have to dance with a partner as lady, but you will be expected to demonstrate solo as both man and lady. You can expect most of the questioning during the exam to be on the lady's part assuming you give a faultless demonstration as man.

Give some thought to the type of pupil you plan to teach. There is a general assumption that those entering teaching later in life will tend towards adult pupils. If you plan to tear around the country taking a bus-load of children to comps every week you may need extra training.

Thank you for your helpful comments.

I have no ambition to teach youngsters, or to be involved in the competitive dance scene, but to teach and promote social dancing, so my expectation is to work with mostly people in middle age or the active retired (it would be nicer to see a wider age range in the social dancing community, but I can't change the way things are...).

I would be interested to read any other comments, particularly from anyone who might have qualified in recent times under the current IDTA Modular examination system.

Dear Friend,

We are looking for Ballroom Dance teachers to work part/full time in a dance studio in Dutchess County, New York USA. If you are interested or know some one who is, please send us an email back or fax a resume (845) 297-2759.

Sincerely,
Alex.