Ask Rhee Gold

Dance educators seek advice about teaching issues

This month I turn my advice column over to the expertise of our readers. After receiving this letter (see below) from Miriam, I posed her question to Goldrush Online readers to see what kind of feedback they might offer. The responses are still rolling in—it’s a hot topic! Not only was the advice excellent, it offered a variety of perspectives. I couldn’t have said it better . . . enjoy!

 —Rhee

I’m 29, with a degree in dance; I teach jazz, modern, and ballet for the teacher I grew up taking class from. This teacher inspired me to become a dancer and teacher. After graduating I spent a couple of years performing and then I went home to work for her.

When I started teaching I was so excited to teach and be home that I agreed to be paid $15 per class. That was five years ago, and I’ve never received a raise since, although my hours have increased tremendously. Currently, I’m working 21 hours per week teaching everything from creative movement to the competition dancers. That doesn’t include extra rehearsals, traveling with the students to performances, extra choreography, etc., all of which I receive no compensation for.

My teacher has turned most of her classes over to me, which I consider an honor because as far as I’m concerned, she’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever encountered. However, I’m starting to feel like I’m being taken advantage 

of . . . I’m opening and closing the school, while the owner rarely comes in anymore. I understand that she’s paid her dues and has earned her time off, but I think my workload and responsibility are worth more compensation than I’m receiving.

At the end of last season, I spoke with her about a raise and additional compensation for the non-teaching hours. She told me that the non-teaching hours were part of my job description, but she did say that I deserved more. She told me that she would discuss it with her husband. I never heard another word.

We’re more than halfway through this season and I can’t go on without knowing that something is going to change. I love this woman for all that she has given me. I haven’t had the guts to open my mouth because I don’t want to hurt her, nor do I want to lose my job.

You often write about the teacher who has a student or former teacher open a school up the street. I think that’s terrible, but my situation makes me wonder how many of those former students or teachers found themselves in my situation and just couldn’t take it anymore.

By the way, when I started teaching our school had about 250 students; today we have more than 400, so I do believe that my teacher could afford to give me a raise. I don’t know what to do. Please help!

—Miriam

From Melba Lucas, Washington, DC: 

My suggestion would be to look at the amount of tuition that the students are paying, and break it down by class. Then look at the average number of students per class, and base your hourly wage on 40 percent for the teacher and 60 percent for the owner. As the owner, she is doing the administrative work, and she has to pay the overhead of studio insurance, rent/mortgage, and utilities. In my area the going rate for a novice teacher is $25 per hour. As a degreed teacher you should not work for anything less than $30 per hour. I teach dance in a public school and I have not done any studio teaching for 11 years; at that time I was paid $35 per hour. I have a BA in dance and a master’s in adult education. If I went into a dance studio to teach with my credentials today, it would probably be for $45 to $50 an hour. I would schedule a conference with the owner; if she does not want to increase your salary, work on a plan to develop your own program, then finish out the year and do not return. Is she paying benefits such as health insurance, or is there a retirement plan? Does the studio operate year-round? In my school system, beginning non-tenured dance teachers with degrees in dance make about $35,000 a year on a 10-month salary.  

 From Susan Gates, Ocean Springs, MS: 

Communication is the key. Schedule a meeting with her and tell her just what you said here. Present your case—it is valid and you are obviously a rare find. She should appreciate your loyalty! You referred to her as “your teacher” several times. Have you considered how this might be affecting your ability to bring this issue to her again? Explain that you value your relationship but feel that it is time to redefine it into an owner/ employee relationship instead of a teacher/student one. If she trusts you to take over her classes and her numbers have increased, she obviously sees your value. The important thing to know is that you won’t be hurting her feelings by talking it through. What is worse is letting things go, becoming bitter, and letting your personal feelings enter into your decisions and actions. You can’t go wrong by talking it out. If she isn’t going to give you a raise or additional compensation, then you will know what to do after that. As a studio owner she knows your value for her business and if she is wise she will compensate you fairly for your work. But not if you don’t tell her what your needs are!

 From Kay Leahy, Baltimore, MD: 

My heart goes out to you. If the owner had any respect for you she would feel embarrassed that she has never given you a raise. I suggest that you look for a counter-offer. Go to other schools you might want to teach at and see what they would offer you, then take that information back to the owner. If she does not give you an immediate raise, then you need to take the other offer. I know that this will be hard because you feel comfortable with this studio, but with a degree in dance you should be paid much more. 

From Audrey V. Lawrence, Groveland, FL: 

You have to do what is right for you. Sure, you love your teacher, but she is taking awful advantage of that fact. I was in the same situation for years, teaching over 300 children weekly and receiving $5 per hour. I started teaching at age 12, and $5 was a fortune at that time, but not at age 26. I had to muster up the courage to ask for a raise. I stayed because I felt tremendous loyalty toward my teacher and the dance school. More importantly, I loved to teach dance and that kept me there, at subpar wages. She never did give me a raise and her reasons for doing so were ridiculous to me but made perfect sense to her. How could she treat me this way? Wasn’t I generating much capital for her studio? Enrollment went from 500 to almost 1,000 when I was teaching there. Wasn’t she making money? Couldn’t she afford to pay me the $4 per student I asked for? Of course she could. Did she? No, and she made it clear that it was her way or no way. I chose to leave and it broke my heart. You must understand that your teacher is doing what is best for her. She may love you to a certain extent and expects your loyalty, but this fact still remains: she has allowed five years to pass and has not gotten back to you about your request for a raise. This lack of response speaks volumes. So you can ignore the handwriting on the wall or you can finish the dance season with dignity, give your notice with love, and move on. She will survive, because one life lesson I learned from my teacher is that no one is indispensable. You will continue to be used as long as you allow it. Don’t doubt your talent and ability; your teacher recognized it a long time ago. 

From Janice Crowe, Ottawa, ON, Canada: 

I applaud your loyalty. It is not often found. I think you need to get [the owner’s] attention. I know that you do not want to upset her and that is wonderful, but you need to sit her down, seriously, with a proposal in hand. I had a similar situation with a ballet instructor; however, I did not make her wait so long and I was paying her more. She approached me with a written proposal that she be put on contract at a set amount each month and that described what her duties would be as a result. We discussed it, set up a second meeting, and then signed a contract that we could both live with. 

From Jennifer Laura Risola, Norwalk, CT: 

You feel like you are being taken advantage of because you are. [As a school director], I know that sometimes cash can be tight. However, if I have an employee who is loyal, doesn’t cause problems with clients, follows our simple rules, and goes above and beyond (which it sounds like you are), then I do whatever I can to keep them because they are far and few between. I compensate my teachers generously, pay rehearsal and recital bonuses, and give raises when teachers stay more than a year. I also invest in a desk staff to take care of all of the extras like choosing costumes, cutting/editing music, taking care of clients, and opening and closing the studio. This is all money I could be keeping, but in the end it’s helped me grow the business each year. My staff is an investment. Want a job?

From Joan Kelly, Epsom, NH: 

I, too, own a studio, and I am sure the last thing your teacher wants to do is lose you as a teacher. You must let your teacher know how you feel; when you are the owner it is sometimes easy to overlook the things that are not right in front of you. In other words, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Please tell her how you feel and I am sure she will compensate you.

From Melanie Hedden-Perron, Waterdown, ON, Canada: 

Dance studios are businesses like any other and should be following appropriate business guidelines. In the corporate world there are financial compensations such as bonuses, cost of living [raises], etc. Studio owners should do all they can to keep valuable employees happy by offering Christmas and/ or year-end bonuses plus raises with each contract renewal. School owners should look to the corporate world to see how best to implement labor laws into their studios. Don’t forget that it’s show business!

Send your questions and comments to Goldrush, P.O. Box 2150, Norton, MA 02766 or gold5678@aol.com    

They will be answered as time allows.