Great teachers can be hired or trained, so it’s useful to seek new faculty from a wide network—while also keeping an eye on developing talent from within. Being clear in your job description about your studio culture and management style will help you find new hires who are a good fit for you. Here are our most successful methods for discovering new teachers:

• Ask for referrals from your current teachers or dance colleagues.
• Reach out to your alumni, especially those who went on to a college dance program.
• Post the position with the career development offices of local universities that offer a dance major or minor.
• Ask to post your opening internally with dance companies, since many professionals freelance as teachers.
• Seek out the dance teacher organizations in your largest local city, because they may send job openings to their member base.
• Put a statement on your website and social-media channels encouraging qualified teachers to submit their resumés.
• Post your opening to craigslist.org or job-specific websites.
• Really in a pinch? Reach out to your dance studio owner colleagues outside of a 20-mile radius to see if any teacher has availability for an extra day within your schedule.

It’s a good idea to make a habit of always seeking out great talent. Meet with or talk to any qualified teacher who expresses interest in your studio. Even if you don’t currently have an opening, you never know—they may be willing to sub or stay in touch for a future position.

Kathy Blake is the owner of Kathy Blake Dance Studios in Amherst, New Hampshire. She and Suzanne Blake Gerety are the co-founders of DanceStudioOwner.com.

Photo by B Hansen Photography, courtesy of Suzanne Blake Gerety