Advices sought after for student teacher

[cxllqhy]

Sorry, I'm not sure where to post this. Please move it as appropriate.

Brief version:

I'm certified to teach ABT ballet, in my 20s. I only know ballet but never dance professionally. To make myself more employable as a FULL-TIME dance teacher, should I attempt to learn a new style of dance such as latin/ballroom/jazz and become certified to teach it OR should I specialise more in ballet teaching, e.g. to get a Master in Dance Education, get certified to teach another ballet syllabus such as Cecchetti/RAD, or say, do some private pedagogy study with a famous teacher?

Long version:

I have been thinking about this question for quite a few years now, finally I remembered this board, so here I am for advice:

* I'm essentially a ballet dancer. I trained in a small but decent pre-professional school. I was in the audition circuit for a while, never landed a contract, and now with lapping training due to repetitive injuries, I've griped the reality that I will never land a professional contract (and even if i do by miracle, i don't think my body can endure it).

* I'm doing the ABT syllabus certification courses this summer. But the reality of getting a full time job teaching ballet without professional experience is just too slim. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that I prefer to live in big cities where I can take classes myself to continue dancing (in my spare time). But then, in this economy, I'll be happy to just get a job anywhere.

* I've taken jazz and hip hop classes at summer intensives. But beside character, ballet is the only style of dance I have substantial experience in.

* While learning a new dance style may broaden my horizon, but I will never "master" (as in become the standard I am in ballet) another style of dance because I have neither the time nor financial resources to devote another 10 years of study a new style of dance. OK, I recognize that adding a new style is easier 2nd time around with the ballet background, but i've never been a very versatile dancer and I enjoy watching jazz/hip hop/tap, I never really had the flare for them. Contemporary/modern (as in Graham, Taylor, Cunningham) is easier to acquire but isn't much sought after in the private schools.

* So the question is: is it "better" (employment-wise) to make up for my lack of professional dancing experience with more degree/certifications in ballet or branch out to learn a new style of dance purposefully to teach it to recreational dancers?

[Helene]

cxllqhy, Ballet Talk is the place to discuss classical ballet from the point of view of the audience. Our sister board, Ballet Talk for Dancers, is the place for dancers, teachers, costumers -- i.e., the doers. We are separate boards and cannot move posts between the sites. You can access the board through the link at the top of our site.

BT4D requires separate registration, and we ask that if you're planning to post here about ballet from the audience point-of-view, that you use the same username on both boards.

I'm closing this thread now.