Music Factsheet 2: Dance studio etiquette

Introduction
If you are new to playing for dance classes, there will be some aspects of conventional studio etiquette which may be new to you.  Understanding these will help to ease communication and collaboration with the teacher or examiner you are working with.

Punctuality
The theatre is a highly-disciplined profession, and this discipline extends to the dance studio. If a class is scheduled to start at 10.00 a.m., this means that you should arrive early enough to be ready to start playing at 10.00.  If you are late, the teacher may well start the class without music in order to save time. If this happens, do not take offence – just make your apologies, take your seat at the piano and start playing at the next available opportunity. 

Food and drink

• Food is not allowed in studios. If you take a drink into a studio, do not put it on the piano or any other furniture which may stain, and do not put it anywhere where it could get knocked over and make the floor dirty or dangerous.
• If you have been eating greasy food before the class, spare a thought for your piano-playing colleagues and wash your hands

While you're at the piano or keyboard 

• In rehearsals with colleagues that you know well, and where you know there will be long gaps between playing, it is acceptable to bring something to occupy you discreetly when you're not needed, as long as you keep your ears and eyes alert so that you are ready to start again as soon as the music is needed again. However, don't do this when people haven't had a chance to get to know you professionally, or when it is likely to distract you. And never do it in an examination.
• Put your mobile in 'silent' mode or turn it off altogether during class, and don't use it until you're well out of the studio.
  Avoid chatting to dancers or visitors to the class or rehearsal: it's disrespectful to the person taking the class, and can be very offputting.

Your role in the class

Compared to other accompaniment work, such as playing for instrumental auditions, choirs or singing lessons, playing for dance often involves simple, direct instructions, non-verbal communication based on a shared understanding of your role and professional values. In practical terms, this means:

• In the studio, your role is to support the teacher in their work, and the teacher is the final arbiter of decisions about behaviour or tempi. It goes without saying that you should always appear to support the teacher in the studio and outside of it. 
• When working with children, the teacher may prefer you to address him or her in the same way as the children do, as a means of maintaining discipline in the class (e.g. ‘Miss Mary’ or ‘Mr Smith’) – it is advisable to check this with the teacher before the class begins.
  Don’t be offended if the teacher asks you to change the tempo or rhythm at the beginning of an exercise. It is not intended as a critique of your playing, it is merely a means of improving the exercise for the student. The appropriate tempo for an exercise is the most crucial thing to get right.
• It is not uncommon for dancers to ask the pianist to play slower or faster, but you should, for the sake of professional etiquette, resist the temptation to do this until the teacher says so.
• When the teacher is marking an exercise, it is for your benefit as much as for the students, so watch and listen carefully. Teachers will not generally expect to give any more direction than this if they have marked an exercise clearly. However, if you are uncertain about what is required, do not be afraid to ask the teacher for guidance. As the teacher may not be expecting your question, speak clearly and directly to get his or her attention.
• Classes shouldn't run overtime, but if they do, teachers will normally ask you politely if you are able to stay for an extra few minutes. If you cannot, or do not wish to, make your excuses politely and firmly and leave the class with a smile. It will be assumed that if you do stay, it will be out of kindness: do not ask for overtime retrospectively, and do not stay unless you are willing to do so out of goodwill.  
• There is rarely time during a class to sort out difficulties or misunderstandings, so try to find time with the teacher after the class or during a break. Good teacher-pianist relationships take time and talk to nurture.