In this episode, Jean Dorfff and Ton Greten dive into the different functions, or roles, involved in teaching dance. They highlight that, like in any professional field, teaching dance has evolved from a generalist role to a range of specialized jobs.

Jean distinguishes between key roles: dance teacher, who imparts foundational knowledge; coach, who focuses on a dancer’s developmental process; and choreographer, who creates routines and innovates movement. They note that while one person can fill multiple roles, it’s crucial to understand the unique responsibilities and boundaries of each.

Ton shares his own journey from dance teaching to choreographing across various styles and stresses the value of building a diverse skill set. The discussion expands to include repetitors (who help dancers rehearse choreography), trainers (focusing on physical preparation and safety), judges, and even less obvious roles like mental coaches, lecturers, and dance researchers. Both hosts emphasize the value of teamwork and clear communication, echoing how in non-dance contexts (like sports or TV), collaborative teams deliver the best results.

They explore practical scenarios, such as the risks when a repetitor or trainer changes choreography without consulting the choreographer, the overlooked importance of understanding lighting and staging for choreographers, and how culture and industry standards shape these roles (with examples from TV productions in different countries).

Jean and Ton advocate for dancers and teachers to research these roles themselves, using modern tools like AI or traditional resources, so they can better identify what kind of expertise to seek at different stages of their development.

They touch on the common confusion around titles—like the American habit of calling any one-to-one dance lesson a “coaching”—and encourage listeners to clarify terms and expectations in their own practice.

Finally, both hosts stress the holistic nature of dance, where body and mind are deeply connected, and urge professionals to recognize how changes in one area affect the whole dancer. They close by suggesting that even with limited resources, being aware of different roles helps everyone deliver better support to dancers.

In summary: This episode breaks down the multiple, often overlapping, specialist and generalist roles in dance education, with practical advice and personal anecdotes encouraging clearer definitions, better collaboration, and ongoing research to support dancers’ growth.