Apprentice Program

LCCD is committed to ensuring that a quality dance program can remain available to the community by ensuring that local dancers receive training to take on instructional roles in the studio.

The apprentice program will allow local dancers to pursue a career in dance teaching through receiving training, support, and resources. This will ensure a sustainable studio that will allow for the studio to carry on for years to come through employing local talent. Students interested in applying for the apprentice program should have a strong work ethic, desire to work with youth, and an ability to work and invest time to learn at an accelerated rate to ensure strong technique and teaching skills. Students must complete the steps in order to advance and ensure continuity amongst training. Students in this program will also be required to continue developing their own technique through enrolling in classes.

Apprentice Program

Step 1

Assistant Teacher Program (12+)

  • Students in the ATP program are eligible to receive one free class for each class assisted.*

    Qualifying Requirements for Free Class

  • Must submit application and attend any and all training if accepted. 

  • Must be registered in 2 or more full-year dance classes including one in the style you are assisting in.

  • Must be able to commit to attending 90% of the class they are assisting and the class they are getting for free.

Apply

Step 2

Developing Teacher Program (15+)

  • Students in the DTP program are eligible to be paid for teaching a class under the guidance of a certified teacher.

    Qualifying Requirements for Paid Teaching

  • Must submit application, interview, and attend any and all training if accepted.

  • Must be registered in 3 or more full-year dance classes including one in the style you are teaching in.* *

  • Must commit to attending 95% of the class they are teaching along with their regular classes.

  • Responsible for leading 70-100% of the class each week and creating original choreography for the year- end recital with the assistance of the lead instructor.

Step 3

Junior Dance Teacher (16+)

  • Paid based on experience

  • Must be 16 or older (interview and application required)

  • Completion of developing teacher certifications

  • Must attend 3 technique class a week

  • Completion of dance exam in chosen style.

  • Responsible for leading 100% of the class each week and creating original choreography for the year- end recital with the support from the lead instructor.

*Student must be enrolled and paying for at least one full-year class to qualify for the free class (see FAQS for more info)

**Eligible classes for 2024/2025 are full-year programs in Intermediate Ballet, Ballet Technique, Acro Junior 1/2, Novice Jazz, and Novice Tap.

FAQs

  • Teaching dance properly is not an easy thing, and is not something you can effectively do to a high caliber without proper training and technique.

    The only exception to not needing to take 3 dance classes a week is if you have 8 years of prior dance experience at the intermediate level or higher.

    Teachers lacking in technique, understanding of the human body and biomechanics, proper certification through certifying dance bodies, and a strong knowledge of musicality, choreography, theory, and pedagogy leave students open to injury, improper technique, and other issues.

    LCCD wants to ensure that those teaching and leading classes have the tools and technique necessary to effectively and safely teach younger dancers.

  • It is necessary in today's dance industry to have a well-rounded knowledge in various dance styles. This is especially true in rural communities where there may only be a few teachers qualified to teach dance properly. While focusing on one dance style is a good thing if you only want to teach for example: ballet, our studio is using the DTP to have well-rounded dance instructors who can hop in and properly teach whatever style is necessary in order for the studio to stay in operation in the case of the main instructor leaving.

    We want to see dance grow in La Crete and bringing in other styles of dance can help inspire the next generation and community in the arts.

  • The classes you will be getting paid for require a higher level of work and commitment than the volunteer assisting program. If you are getting paid for a class, you are expected to put in the same amount of work as the head instructor in preparing for the class which includes additional unpaid hours outside of the classroom for lesson planning, music organization, activities, choreography, and teacher development (It can take 1-2 additional hours outside of regular class time for one single 30 minute class each week!). This program has been created to not overwhelm the learning process by focusing on one class at a time. The developing teacher program is currently only offering teaching certification at the Preschool level. In order to begin teaching levels higher than creative movement, exams and additional certification must be passed.

  • As required to enter the program, you must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 full-year classes a week. You must pay for at least one full-year class regardless of how many classes you assist for.

    Scenario 1: If you sign up to assist with the Tiny Acrobats/ Jazz Combo class for the 3-5 year olds and you are registered to take the full-year Senior Ballet and Acro Junior ½, you will pay the full amount for Senior Ballet, but you will get to take Acro Junior ½ for free as long as you fulfill your attendance commitment.

    Scenario 2: If you decided to volunteer for Tiny Acrobats/ Jazz Combo class for the 3-5 year olds and the pre-primary ballet class and you are registered to take the full-year Senior Ballet and Acro Junior ½, you will still need to pay the full amount for Senior Ballet, but you will get to take Acro Junior ½ and one more additional class for free as long as you fulfill your attendance commitment (1 paid and 2 free classes in total).

Hard work, dedication, and passion are the keys to achieving your dreams.