Almost every industry around the globe was negatively impacted by COVID-19, but it was the arts that was put in the most danger of collapsing. Ninety-five per cent of theatre-based organisations reported to be negatively impacted by the pandemic, with the total losses from these groups amounting to roughly £200 million. This has ultimately put 1 in 4 freelance organisations or performers out of work, forcing them to leave the sector altogether. But there are some green shoots of recovery! We at babyballet® are currently witnessing a huge increase in demand for our fun-filled classes and are on the lookout for more people with the sparkling talent that lights up our family of dance teachers.

There’s a staggering 3,500-plus children currently on our waiting list nationally. It is because of this that Claire O’Connor, our founder, is encouraging those with professional dance experience to consider applying for one of our dance teaching roles across the UK.

“With recent restrictions, we’ve only been allowed as few as five children in a class, resulting in long waiting lists and many parents disheartened,” said Claire. “Now, as we can return to our normal levels of up to 18 in a class, we’re pleased to have a number of roles opening up for our sector. We’re searching for superstar dance teachers to join our wonderful team and help the next generation of talent flourish.”

It is not uncommon for performers in their late twenties to retire from professional dancing or have limited access to roles. We are offering the opportunity for professionals to continue using their expertise, inspiring children to dance. Former performer Lauren Shepherd (stage name Adams), notable for her role in West End hit We Will Rock You in 2008, is using her specialist knowledge and skills to become one of our most successful franchisees and teachers. Having just won the silver award for ‘Business Chameleon’ at the SME Luton and Bedfordshire Business Awards, Lauren is demonstrating how problem solving has become second nature in an industry so heavily impacted by the pandemic.

“When lockdown was announced back in March 2020, it was a devastating blow to our business and we had just two days to completely change our business model… it was the toughest challenge we had ever faced, but we are proud of how we were able to offer some sort of normality to our little stars and keep them dancing at home throughout lockdown. With the support of our babyballet parents and our team of fabulous teachers, we continued to dance with our little ones and keep the business running until we were able to open our physical classes again,” said Lauren.

All of our teachers are equipped to help children between the ages of six months to six years old learn ballet and dance. You will undergo specific babyballet® training and by pairing this with your professional dance background, you create a fun, friendly and inclusive experience for everyone – no matter the child’s age or ability.

“As our classes are for pre-school children, they run during the day creating a flexibility for dance teachers who would normally be delivering classes after-school and evenings. We also find our teachers love the convenience of our pre-written syllabus as they don’t have to worry about planning classes or new choreography. But more than anything else, it’s being part of a child’s start on the journey of dance discovery that means we have babyballet teachers like Lauren and her team joining us and staying for years,” added Claire.

If you have the sparkle of a babyballet dance teacher, why not find out more about sharing your talent by clicking here?