Dance Instructor job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Self-Enrichment Teachers

O*NET-SOC 25-3021.00

Preparation

Job Zone 3 of 5

medium preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$46,800

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Self-Enrichment Teachers (O*NET-SOC 25-3021.00). O*NET 31.0 lists “Dance Instructor” in its Sample of Reported Titles (the titles job holders report) for this occupation only (also listed from O*NET job-incumbent data and employer job postings). 2 other occupations carry it only as an alternate title (from O*NET job-incumbent data, user input and employer job postings), never as a reported title or a SOC Index title. Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. importance 4.5 of 5
2. Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests. importance 4.4 of 5
3. Prepare students for further development by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks. importance 4.4 of 5
4. Observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, interests, and other individual characteristics. importance 4.3 of 5
5. Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by administrative policy. importance 4.2 of 5
6. Monitor students' performance to make suggestions for improvement and to ensure that they satisfy course standards, training requirements, and objectives. importance 4.2 of 5
7. Prepare and administer written, oral, and performance tests, and issue grades in accordance with performance. importance 4.1 of 5
8. Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students. importance 4.1 of 5
9. Prepare instructional program objectives, outlines, and lesson plans. importance 3.9 of 5
10. Confer with other teachers and professionals to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning and development. importance 3.8 of 5
11. Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities. importance 3.8 of 5
12. Enforce policies and rules governing students. importance 3.7 of 5
13. Review instructional content, methods, and student evaluations to assess strengths and weaknesses, and to develop recommendations for course revision, development, or elimination. importance 3.7 of 5
14. Meet with other instructors to discuss individual students and their progress. importance 3.6 of 5
15. Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. importance 3.6 of 5
16. Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations. importance 3.5 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Training and Teaching Others, Coaching and Developing Others, Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others, Thinking Creatively and Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Assign and grade class work and homework.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injury and damage.
• Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine their priorities for their children.
• Schedule class times to ensure maximum attendance.
• Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
• Observe and evaluate the performance of other instructors.

Knowledge areas: Education and Training, Customer and Personal Service and English Language.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Hypertext markup language HTML, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years of work experience in a related occupation as typical.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 3 of 5 (medium preparation). Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

Job title: Dance Instructor
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Dance Instructor to teach or instruct individuals or groups for the primary purpose of self-enrichment or recreation, rather than for an occupational objective, educational attainment, competition, or fitness.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Prepare students for further development by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, interests, and other individual characteristics.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by administrative policy.
- Monitor students' performance to make suggestions for improvement and to ensure that they satisfy course standards, training requirements, and objectives.
- Prepare and administer written, oral, and performance tests, and issue grades in accordance with performance.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years in a related occupation as typical; adjust to this role]
- Strength in speaking, instructing and active listening
- Working knowledge of Education and Training and Customer and Personal Service
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Acrobat]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For Self-Enrichment Teachers, the median annual wage was $46,800 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $22.50. BLS estimates about 332,110 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Self-Enrichment Teachers to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 50,000 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real dance instructor posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only dance instructor work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (speaking and instructing): a real situation, what you did and what changed.