How to Become a Line Dance Instructor

Dancing is a time-honored tradition of expression, socialization and good old-fashioned fun. Line dancing stands out in that it requires a group of people to perform specific routines in near-perfect unison. Such highly coordinated teamwork does not come naturally to beginners, which makes them a ripe market for potential instructors. A caveat: you should know how to line dance well before you ask people to pay for your lessons. Other than that, there are no official requirements for becoming a line dance instructor, so you can start teaching without much red tape.

Talk with the management of a local gathering place, like a community center or senior center, and gauge the interest in line dancing lessons. If possible, hang out during lunch time or another busy period to ask patrons how they would feel about line dancing classes, what time would be best for such a class and how much they might pay for lessons. Obtain the site manager's permission to run a class on the property.

Print a flier that contains the relevant information for the class. Advertise who you are and your qualifications to teach line dancing, how long you have been line dancing and whether you have participated in any teams or won competitions. Provide the "five w's" for your class: who is invited, what is the price, when and where are the classes being offered and why people should participate. At the bottom of the page, place a series of boxes with the class name and your contact info. Cut vertically between the boxes so that they serve as pull-off tabs for interested people. Post the flier on the bulletin board of the site from which you will operate the class and any other public bulletin boards around town. Post on all the social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Craigslist.

Build a curriculum for your class in the form of one or more dance routines. Break the routines down into their basic moves, which can be taught over several classes until the students have progressed enough to string moves together with ease. Practice how you will explain the moves until you are confident that you can communicate them to your students.

Field responses to your flier and, as people join the class, and build a roster of students. Clear the floor of your practice site of any tables, chairs or other obstructions before class begins. Bring a portable stereo to play country western music during class.