A Window into Dance Teacher Wages

Kiner Enterprises, a dance teacher staffing agency, has produced a report on industry salaries and trends in the New York City Metropolitan area. The report is simple and to the point, covering average hourly wages for teachers with less than 5 years experience and more than 5 years experience, as well as the average number of classes taught and the percentage of studios covering transportation costs for their teachers.

“We wanted to offer the dance community a neutral source of information regarding what is really happening in the dance teaching industry in the New York City Metropolitan area. We are able to offer a unique perspective based on our extensive work in the dance teaching industry, while providing dance studios with qualified dance instructors” ~ Ashani C. Kiner, CEO/President of Kiner Enterprises Inc.

I spoke with Ms. Kiner to dig a little deeper into who was involved in the survey and how information was collected. She shared with me that participants were interviewed via phone and e-mail and are clients and teachers working with the agency. The information in the report has been gathered over the last two years. One hundred dance teachers, twenty-five entities categorized as public/private schools or non-profit arts organizations, and one hundred dance studios are represented in the report. One-third of the dance studios are within New York City, while two-thirds operate in the NY Metropolitan/Tri-State area.

The full 2009 report can be viewed online on the KinerEnterprises Inc.’s Dancer’s Blog. Ms. Kiner stated that they’ll be publishing this report annually and are looking to expand it’s reach into other parts of the United States.

Even if you are not from the New York area, you may find these results interesting. If you haven’t clicked the link above yet, you may want to do so now. Be sure to come back though because I’m curious to know how you feel this compares to your own locale…

• Are the wages in your area similar or even close?
• Are you compensated for things like transportation to classes?
• Are you offered benefits outside your hourly wage/salary?
• Are some of you salaried teachers?
  
• Why do you think hourly wages are higher within the metro area as opposed to within the city itself?
• How many classes a day do you teach?
• Do most dance teachers live (pay rent, food, bills) on their income?
• How does location, experience, studio size, etc. affect dance teacher wages where you live and work?

I encourage you to leave your comments, thoughts, or even your own questions here and/or on the Kiner Enterprises blog. I’d like to broaden the discussion and facilitate positive dialog on compensation for teachers, as well as provide a realistic picture for those considering or entering the work force as a dance instructor.

Want to know more about Kiner Enterprises?

Kiner Enterprises Inc., the first dance teacher staffing agency in the U.S., provides dance studios and schools with talented dance teachers for last-minute subs, dance workshops, choreography, and temporary and permanent teaching positions. Dance studios throughout the New York Metropolitan area have already taken advantage of this revolutionary service since 2007. In Jan. 2009, Kiner Enterprises Inc. expanded nationally and launched a nationwide campaign for dance teachers. They have the largest dance teacher staffing roster in the U.S., and are industry leaders in the dance community.

In addition to the website www.kinerenterprises.com, and blog, Kiner Enterprises also operates two networks for U.S. teachers and studio owners:

For Dance Teachers:
http://danceteachersusa.ning.com
For Dance Studio Owners:
http://dancestudioownersusa.ning.com

Related posts:

1. Guest Post: The Professional Dancer’s Survival Kit
2. Help! My Child Doesn’t Listen to the Dance Teacher! (Part Two)
3. Back to School 2009 — Teacher Edition

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Nichelle Strzepek is the writer/editor of Dance Advantage. Equipped with little more than passion for movement education, she embraced her inner computer nerd and began this blog in 2008. She holds a BA in dance and is an instructor with over 16 years experience. Nichelle continues to perform as a contemporary dance artist, covers dance in the Houston area as a freelance writer and critic, and balances daily life as a full-time mom.

Nichelle has written 236 articles for Dance Advantage.