So you have a dance teacher in your life and you need the perfect gift for Christmas, their birthday, or another occasion. What should you buy for them?
There are a multitude of different options that will make the dance teacher in your life very happy when they open your gift. Read on to see 11 of the best dance teacher gift ideas.
1. Coffee Then Choreography Travel Mug
Travel mugs are a great gift for dance teachers. They are often on the go and will appreciate having their coffee stay warm and travel with them. This Coffee Then Choreography travel mug is the perfect choice for the dance teacher in your life. They are always choreographing and this mug will make them smile.
Pros:
- Extremely practical
- Dance related, but can be used outside of the studio
- Keeps drinks hot on the go
Cons:
- Doesn’t work if they don’t like hot drinks
- Some studios don’t allow drinks in the classroom
2. Capezio DS24 Dance Sneakers
Dance teachers are on their feet all day. Wearing soft ballet shoes can be extremely taxing on their feet if they are teaching class after class. However, wearing normal sneakers or other more supportive shoes can be difficult to dance in.
This is why many teachers prefer to wear dance sneakers. These are more supportive than other dance shoes, but still allow the foot to articulate. These would make a fantastic gift for teachers that don’t already have some or need a new pair.
These Capezio dance sneakers are a great option for the dance teacher in your life. They have built-in ventilation, padding on the tongue, an achilles notch for pointing the foot, and a spin spot on the sole of the shoe.
Pros:
- Supportive for long days teaching
- Ventilation in the arch
- Padded tongue
- Achilles notch for comfort when pointing the foot
- Spin spot for the ability to turn
- Boxed toe
Cons:
- Can be difficult to figure out sizing
- Not a good option if they already have a good pair
- Not every teacher would want to wear them
3. Dance Cosmetic Bag
Dance teachers are often on the go and travelling to different stages and studios. They also need to help their students with makeup touch-ups from time to time as well as their own. This means that they often need to be able to take their makeup on the go.
A cosmetic bag makes a great gift for dance teachers. As many cosmetic bag user know, they get dirty and wear out quickly, so an extra bag is helpful even if they already own one. There are also tons of options that feature dance-related patterns and graphics which make it an extra fun gift.
This Dancer Cosmetic Bag is a great option if you are looking for the right cosmetic bag to gift the dance teacher in your life. It’s a great price and a fun dance-related graphic. It is also simple and versatile, so it can be used for other accessories, not just makeup.
Pros:
- Good price point
- Waterproof material
- Cute dance graphic
- Depicts many dance styles, so its good for any dance teacher
- Versatile; can be used for more than just makeup
Cons:
- Size may be to big for some purses
- No organizational compartments
4. Choreography Notebook
Dance teachers are also choreographers. They choregoraph many pieces a year not to mention the combinations that they may be working on in classes with their students. This means they take a lot of notes.
Notebooks are a staple for dance teachers and choreographers. They need to write down their ideas, but also how they might be changing their choreography while teaching it. While typical notebooks do the trick, choreography notebooks are even better as they are laid out with choreography in mind.
The Choreographers Dance Notation Notebook is a perfect gift idea for the dance teacher or choreographer in your life. There are over 100 blank templates included in this notebook to help them organize their choreography and thoughts. Each section has 8 subsections for different soloists or groups to stay extra organized.
Pros:
- Organized with choregraphers and dance teachers in mind
- Separation for up to 8 different soloists or groups
- Over 100 blank templates
- Under $10
Cons:
- Some teachers may not like the layout
- Doesn’t work well for solo pieces
5. Dance Anatomy Book
Dance teachers who are serious about their job are always seeking to improve their knowledge of dance, movement, and the human body. The more they understand anatomy, the better they can teach and help their students improve. This can also help them prevent injuries in their students.
There are many dance books that are based on a specific style of dance, such as the Vaganova ballet technique, which may be a great option for a dance teacher that only teaches one style and doesn’t already own a bunch of books on it.
However, there are a lot of fantastic books on general dance anatomy, such as Dance Anatomy by Jacqui Haas. This book features loads of information on movement, how to prevent injury, what the most effective exercises are, and the proper technique for many common movements.
A book like this can greatly improve a dance teacher’s effectiveness and help them avoid injuries in their students. This book is helpful for a wide range of styles as well, because the basics of movement and anatomy remain the same across styles.
Pros:
- Contains exercises for teachers to show to their students
- Helps teachers better understand what they are teaching
- Effective across many styles of dance
- Helps teachers avoid injuries in their students
Cons:
- Long-time teachers may already own it or books like it
- Less serious teachers may not enjoy it
- Not good for non-readers
6. Ballet Wrap Skirt
Most ballet teachers where skirts when they teach sometimes. Dance teachers tend to like wrap skirts that are around knee length. Dancers and teachers alike can never have too many skirts and will welcome a new one with excitement.
Wrap skirts that are chiffon and either neutral color, like black, or a color you know they wear is the best way to go. They need to be able to match the skirt with their other dance wear that they plan on wearing with it such as leotards, warm-ups, and shrugs.
This HOEREV Adult Sheer Wrap Skirt is a great option. It’s a nice length for teachers and made out of the right material so that the students can still see their legs clearly. There are many different colors available, but if you’re not sure, going with black is always safe.
Pros:
- Most teachers wear knee length wrap skirts occasionally to regularly
- Made out of chiffon
- Knee-length
- Many color options
- Good price point
Cons:
- Might be a duplicate of a similar skirt they already own
- Sizing could be difficult
- Select teachers may not wear skirts in class
7. ‘Just Dance’ Necklace
A lot of women love a new necklace to add to their collection. However, it can be really hard to decide on something, especially if you don’t know who you are buying for very well.
Dance teachers may or may not wear jewelry in the studio, as most studios have a rule against jewelry for their dancers. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t ever wear necklaces. And a dance related necklace is even better.
This JoycuFF ‘Just Dance’ necklace is the perfect option for the dance teacher in your life. It comes in 3 different colors, gold, silver, and rose gold, and it has a simple design that is sure to appeal to anyone. It is subtle, but still has an elegance to it and displays their love for their art.
Pros:
- Comes in 3 colors
- Simple design
- Subtle display of their love for dance
- Works with many styles
- Less than $15
Cons:
- Not all dance teachers wear jewelry, especially in class
8. Foam Roller
A lot of people use foam rollers on a regular basis, especially athletes. Dance teachers are no different. They are on their feet all day and dancing often. This means that their muscles are bound to get fatigued.
Foam rollers are a great option to help relieve some of that muscle fatigue that comes from teaching and choreographing all day. As a bonus, they can bring it into their studio for their dancers to use as well. This gift can be extremely helpful for a dance teacher.
This TriggerPoint CORE Multi-Density Solid Foam Roller is the perfect option for the dance teacher in your life. There are 3 different densities they can be used for different areas of the body, it’s compact and easy to travel with, and includes free online instructional videos on how to use it.
Pros:
- Fantastic for relieving muscles soreness
- Great for both home and studio use
- 3 different densities for different muscle groups
- Compact (12 inches long) and easy to travel with
- Includes free online instructional videos
- Solid-core and durable
Cons:
- Many teachers already own one
- Too short for select muscle groups
- Can be difficult for older teachers to use
9. Dance Sticker Set
Stickers are a fun gift option for dance teachers, especially ones that teach younger kids. Having little prizes and goodies for their young students can really elevate their teaching. They can also use the stickers for themselves to decorate their notebooks, studio, water bottle, and more.
Having fun stickers can make them more relatable for their younger students and motivate their students to try their hardest and do as they’re told. Ask any teacher and they will tell you that those are two of the most important things for their young students to do.
This 200 piece ballet sticker set is perfect for the teacher in your life. They will have a large supply of different designs and options for both them and their young students. This is cost-effective way to excite your teacher and help them and their students have fun both in and out of class.
Pros:
- 200 stickers
- Cost-effective
- 25 different designs
- Varying sizes from 2 to 4 inches
- Waterproof
- Durable adhesion
- Good for both the teacher and the students\
Cons:
- Teachers that teach older students won’t use them much
- Not every studio will approve
10. Dancer’s Clock
While there are many practical gifts you could give a dance teacher, sometimes you just want to give them something fun. There are lot of fun things that they can hang on their walls at home or even at their studio or office if they have their own.
A dancer clock is a fun gift for any dancer or dance teacher. They include the numbers 5, 6, 7, and 8, with the rest of them being blank. This is funny joke that is often thrown around the dance community because of the 8 counts that music and choreography tend to be in.
This Tamengi Round Dancer’s Wall Clock is a fun choice for the dance teacher in your life. It’s white and minimalistic which can match most any design style in their home or studio.
Pros:
- Fun and witty gift
- White and minimalistic
- Light weight and easy to hang
Cons:
- Doesn’t work if they can’t hang things on walls
- May not appeal to some people
- Not practical
- A bit pricey
11. Bluetooth Speaker
Dance teachers and choreographers are constant need of playing music for either themselves or their dancers. This means that a speaker is often a necessity. Some studios don’t have a good sound system or it is difficult to connect to it, which creates stress for a lot of teachers.
That’s where a good bluetooth speaker comes in. A good speaker can give them a great sound quality that is loud enough for the entire studio or stage to hear. It is also portable and easy to connect to, so they will never have to worry about music being heard again.
While there are many good options for bluetooth speakers out there, the JBL Flip 4 is a really good option on a budget. It is waterproof, which is a plus, and also has fantastic sound quality and is very durable.
Pros:
- Good price point
- Waterproof and durable
- Great sound quality
- Bass boost
- Portable and easy to connect to
- Up to 12 hour battery life
- Relieves stress for many teachers
Cons:
- Not the newest model
- Pricier gift
- They may already have one
Conclusion
There are many great gift options for the dance teacher in your life. Any of the options above would be a perfect choice. Everybody is different and has different preferences, so choose an option that you think best fits the teacher in your life along with your specific budget.
Probably the most versatile gift on this list is the choreography notebook. Every teacher needs to choreograph and you can’t go wrong giving them a notebook. If you know their size, a skirt is another great option. And lastly, the bluetooth speaker is a perfect option of they travel a lot and don’t currently have one.
Did you like this list? Be sure to share it with your friends and refer back to it when you need to buy a dance teacher a gift! They will love whatever you choose from this list!