Are you a young ballet teacher with an adventurous streak? 

 

Read on to learn about a unique opportunity to provide ballet lessons in Myanmar - and help establish the country's first ballet school.

 

Background

 

My name is Gill Pattison and my husband and I are long time residents of Yangon, Myanmar (once known as Burma).  We have been staying in Princeton during the last 18 months, during which time my 11 year old daughter has been attending the Princeton Ballet School.  My family and I are now returning to Myanmar and I want to enable my daughter to continue with her ballet studies.  There is no professional ballet teacher in Yangon, yet there is strong demand for ballet and other type of dance lessons for children and adults 

 

In conjunction with an international elementary school in Yangon, I intend to establish a small dance school where both expatriate and local children could learn classical ballet and potentially other types of dance as well.  

 

Job description

 

We are looking for a person who has been trained in classical ballet and who has some dance teacher training as well.  They need to have had a minimum of two years experience teaching dance to children of all ages, and be able to teach students from beginner to advanced, including pointe.  A background in creative dance and an ability to teach other types of dance is an advantage.

 

Depending on the experience, qualifications and ambitions of the successful candidate, the job could encompass other elements in addition to the ballet lessons, such as teaching or assisting in the elementary school, teaching other types of dance or teaching other pursuits such as yoga.

 

For the first month or so, the job would entail assisting me in setting up and publicising the new dance school.  This is likely to involve establishing office systems and procedures, preparing the dance curriculum and general preparation for the classes.  It may also involve speaking with schools and expat organizations to publicise the new classes. After the initial phase, the job would largely consist of teaching the lessons.

 

Although we are confident that there will be strong demand for ballet lessons, we do not yet know what level the prospective students will be.  It is likely that there will be far more beginners than advanced, and probably more young children than older ones. However, if other types of dance lessons are offered, there could be several adult classes as well.

 

The dance teaching job will be around 25 hours per week, with most of the lessons after school and in the weekends. As noted above, there may be opportunites for additional work as well.

 

Conditions

 

The successful candidate would come to Yangon, Myanmar on an initial contract of one year, renewable if both parties were satisfied with the arrangement

 

Pay is negotiable, dependent on the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate.  In addition to the basic salary, an apartment/housing allowance would be provided.  A return airfare would be reimbursed upon the person staying a certain period of time in the job.

 

My family and I are well established in Yangon, with a wide network, and we would ensure that the successful candidate was given every assistance to establish themselves comfortably and integrate into the local community.  I already own a small business - an art gallery -  in Yangon, so have experience of running commercial operations. (www.rivergallerymyanmar.com) 

 

Type of person

 

The successful candidate will have a love of children and have the out-going, positive personality needed to be an effective teacher.  In addition to these qualities which are required for any dance teacher position, the person taking up this opportunity will need to have the following characteristics:

 

- adventurous, fond of travel and experiencing different cultures

- some experience of third world countries, and a liking for them

- self-starter and self sufficient in an "out of home" environment

- ability to get along with people of many nationalities

- easy-going and flexible personality; tolerant 

- attracted to "the road less travelled".

 

Myanmar is a fabulous place to live for an expat; very safe with no security issues whatsoever; charming local people, an intriguing and unspoilt culture to Westerners, and many opportunities to explore and discover an almost forgotten, though beautiful, corner of the world.  There is a small, but friendly expat community, including a cadre of young teachers from the US, UK, Canada, Australia who have positions in private schools where English is the medium of instruction. Myanmar is, however, one of the poorest countries in the world, and sometimes the inadequate infrastructure of the city (poor roads, unreliable electricity and phone system etc) makes daily life a challenge.  This position is not for someone who cannot live without the constant connection to the internet or who cannot tolerate some level of frustration.  However, in general the young people who have done a stint working in Myanmar find it an interesting and rewarding experience and one that distinguishes them in their earlier careers as adventurous in spirit, capable in their field and resourceful.

 

If you are intrigued by this opportunity, please contact me on gillpattison@gmail.com to find out more.