Equity for our professionals; a review of ballroom dance qualifications in New Zealand

It is reasonable to expect that dance teachers will be qualified in the form of dance they teach.
However sensible this request, there are no legal requirements necessary to become a dance teacher and at present anybody that wishes to open a dance studio can do so with no experience or certificate needed and only their word on their dancing capabilities.

We presume our clients will recognise a well-trained dance instructor even outside the boundaries of a non-regulated profession.

In New Zealand we have three organisations that examine dancers on becoming confederate instructors in dance; these being the SATD, the NZFATD and the NZFDT. In the past these organisations have recognized each other’s qualification by cross-crediting them but unfortunately this process has faltered recently. Some dance teachers, although qualified under one society, are not being recognized by others as valuable contributors to our dance industry simply because their exams have been achieved with a rival organisation. This is a procedure that in the past was granted as a gentleman’s agreement. How sad for our dance business that this mutually beneficial etiquette is no longer honoured.

This means some former New Zealand champions, and proud representatives of our country, won’t be seen rendering a decision at certain competitions any time soon.

Compare it to graduating from high school; when being honoured with your degree it would be frustrating if the qualifications were not recognized due to you attending a particular high school!

The solution may lie in just one body taking over the qualifications of our professionals. That is possible when our organisations (SATD, NZFDT, NZFATD) are bundled into one governing body. The representation of such a body is easy to obtain and comes with great responsibility for the examiners and trainers.

The level of the dance exams can then be nationally agreed upon and could encompass more than just the technique books. Subjects such as how to run a business, how to become a respectable (and respected) teacher, the anatomy of the human body, a musical study of the rhythms could be elements included in our course process to becoming a dance teacher. This would provide a huge benefit to the candidates whether wishing to run a, social or competitive, dance studio or become an accomplished dance sport trainer. These subjects could be tutored by people already active in our business as we undeniably have enough proficiently educated people in the dance branches who can deliver this.

This may be a bridge too far for now, so see it as something to be seriously considered.
In essence, I am proposing that we start with the simple step of respecting each other’s qualifications within the dance world, certainly for those that have proven themselves to be good ambassadors for our industry.
Kanikani tonu!

Rachell van der Veek (Ngati Raukawa) is a former New Zealand Ballroom and Latin American champion, World showdance finalist, World 10-dance semi-finalist and advisor to the Dutch National Ballet Co.