How to teach dance classes online: kit, camera and class flow

To teach dance online, set up a clear camera view, steady sound and a safe floor space, choose a platform with good privacy settings, keep classes shorter than in the studio and explain what to expect. Check your music licence, insurance and safeguarding steps first, especially if you teach children.

Teaching dance through a screen is a different skill from teaching in a studio. You can’t walk the room, you can’t fix a line with a gentle gesture, and your dancers might be in a kitchen with a cat on the sofa. Even so, many dance teachers run online classes for adults in the daytime, for dancers who are away, or as a back up when a hall is closed.

This guide covers the kit you need, how to shape the class, and the music, safeguarding and insurance questions to settle before your first session. It’s general guidance, not legal advice.

Decide what kind of online class you’re offering

There are three common set ups, and each one affects your music licence and your safeguarding plan.

• A live class to a closed group. Dancers join at a set time through a link you send them. You can see and talk to each other.
• A broadcast to a large or public audience. For example a live stream on a social platform. Anyone may be able to watch.
• A recorded class on demand. Dancers watch when they like.

For most teachers, the first option is the easiest place to start. It feels most like a real class, it lets you spot problems, and it keeps your audience limited to the people you’ve invited.

The kit you need

You don’t need a studio full of technology. A few well chosen pieces do most of the work.

Camera and angle

Use a laptop, tablet or phone on a stable stand. Put it at about chest height, far enough back that dancers can see your whole body, and in landscape. Test jumps, travelling steps and floor work to check that you stay in frame. Mark a spot on the floor so you can find your place each week.

Remember that a screen shows a flat picture. Turn your body slightly, or repeat key steps facing sideways, so dancers can see the shape of the movement.

Light

Put the main light in front of you, such as a window or a lamp behind the camera. A bright window behind you turns you into a silhouette.

Sound

Sound is the biggest problem in most online classes. Dancers need to hear you over the music, and the music has to sound clear at their end.

• Use a separate speaker for the music, away from your microphone.
• Try a headset or clip on microphone so your voice stays clear.
• Do a test call with a friend before your first class, and listen for echo and cut outs.
• Use your platform’s settings for music or original sound if it has them.

Internet

If you can, plug your device straight into your router with a cable. If you rely on wifi, ask other people at home to stay off heavy downloads while you teach.

Floor and space

Your own space needs to be safe too. Use a non slip, clear floor, keep rugs and furniture out of the way, and wear footwear that suits the surface. Dancers need the same checks at home. Ask them to clear a space about the length of their arms in every direction, and to stop if the floor is slippery.

Choose a platform with care

Pick a platform that suits your group, and look at its privacy and security settings before you invite anyone. Useful features include a waiting room, the option to lock the class once it starts, control over who can share their screen, and chat settings you can restrict.

NSPCC Learning advises setting up an organisation account for any online platform you use with children, not a personal one, and double checking the privacy settings. Platforms change their settings often, so check what’s available in the current version.

How to shape an online class

Online classes work best when they’re simple.

1. Welcome (3 to 5 minutes). Greet people by name, check everyone can see and hear, and remind them of the space they need.
2. Warm up (5 to 10 minutes). Keep it gentle and clear, and cue each move out loud.
3. Main skill (10 to 15 minutes). Teach one idea, such as a travelling step, a turn or a rhythm.
4. Short combination (10 minutes). Break it into small pieces and put it together slowly.
5. Cool down and goodbye (5 minutes). Stretch, thank everyone and say what’s coming next week.

A 30 to 45 minute class often works better than a full hour. It’s tiring to stare at a screen, and your dancers will have less room to travel than they would in a hall.

Teaching tips that help on screen

• Mirror when you can. If you face the camera, your right will look like their left. Tell your dancers which way you’re going, or turn and show the back view.
• Say what you’re doing. Spoken cues do the job that hands and walking round the room do in a studio.
• Choose stay in place work. Use steps that fit in small spaces, and save big travelling steps for classes where people have space.
• Use names. A quick “Well done, Priya, lovely arms” helps each dancer feel seen.
• Check in. Ask people to wave if they need a step explaining again, and keep an eye on the gallery for anyone who looks lost.
• Give feedback with words. Say what you can see and what to try next, without touching or staring at one person for too long.

Music, licences and insurance

Music is where many online teachers hit a snag. A licence that covers your class in a hall doesn’t automatically cover your online class.

PPL PRS has a page on online fitness and dance classes. When we checked on 28 October 2026, it described two measures. PPL has a temporary home streaming policy for instructors who already hold TheMusicLicence, with conditions on the platform, the length of the class and the size of the group, and with no on demand viewing or downloads. PRS for Music has a separate Digital Music Licence for Fitness and Dance, which covers live streaming and on demand classes but not content on platforms such as YouTube or Facebook, including Instagram. The PPL policy is listed as running until 31 December 2026, so check the latest position with PPL PRS before you plan for 2027.

Our guide to the music licence for dance classes explains the basics, and PPL PRS is the right place to confirm what you need. Ask them for a clear answer in writing.

For insurance, speak to your insurer before you teach online. Ask whether your policy covers online classes, whether it covers dancers taking part at home, and whether there are rules about class size or age.

Safeguarding when you teach children online

If you teach under 18s, treat an online class as part of your safeguarding duty. NSPCC Learning has guidance on live online events as part of its advice on photographing and filming children. The main points are:

• Use an organisation account, not a personal one.
• Get written consent from parents, carers and children before they take part.
• Keep professional boundaries, and sit in a neutral place where nothing personal can be seen or heard behind you.
• Ask children to join from a neutral area too.
• Restrict access, for example with a registration link and password.
• Have at least two adults present when you can.
• Follow your safeguarding procedures as soon as you have a concern.

The government’s out-of-school settings guidance also says settings should be aware of, and have training on, the safeguarding issues that can put children at risk, including online. Read it alongside our guide to safeguarding in dance schools.

For younger children, ask a parent or carer to stay nearby. Never contact a child privately through a personal account, and keep to the code of conduct you use in the studio.

Recording classes and data

Recording can help dancers who miss a class, but it raises extra questions. Decide whether you’ll record, who will see the recording and how long you’ll keep it. If children appear on screen, get clear consent first. Our guide to dance school data protection explains how to ask for consent and keep photos and videos safe.

Quick checklist

• Decide whether your class is live to a closed group, a public broadcast or on demand.
• Test your camera angle, light and sound before you start.
• Check your space and floor are safe, and ask dancers to do the same.
• Choose a platform with privacy controls, and set up an organisation account.
• Confirm your music licence covers online classes.
• Ask your insurer about online teaching.
• Get written consent for children, and keep two adults present where possible.
• Plan a short class with a clear shape.
• Decide whether to record, and tell people.

Frequently asked questions

What equipment do I need to teach dance online?

A laptop, tablet or phone on a stand, good front lighting, a clear microphone and a separate speaker for music. A wired internet connection helps. A safe, non slip floor is just as important as the tech.

Which platform should I use?

Choose one that lets you control who joins and what they can do, such as a waiting room, locked classes and restricted chat. Check the privacy settings before you start, and use an organisation account if children are involved.

Do I need a music licence for online classes?

Often you do, and your hall licence may not cover it. Check with PPL PRS, using the details on its online fitness and dance page, and read our music licence guide. Ask about both the PPL and PRS sides.

Can I teach children online safely?

Yes, with proper safeguards. Get written consent, use an organisation account, keep professional boundaries, restrict access and have a second adult present where you can. Always follow your safeguarding policy.

How long should an online class be?

Many teachers find 30 to 45 minutes works well. You can go longer for older or experienced dancers, but plan short breaks.

Can I record my classes and share them?

You can, but think it through first. Check your music licence, get consent from anyone who appears on screen and keep recordings secure. Recording and sharing children’s images needs extra care.

Start small and keep it safe

Start with one short class for a small group, test everything, and ask your dancers what worked. If you’d like your whole team to share the same safeguarding basics before you teach children online, Introduction to Safeguarding in Dance (Level 1) is a free BDSA course powered by Teach.Dance.