Why teach The Charleston?

The Charleston is a happy dance which anyone can easily learn. This popular dance is not taught in most towns and cities. Could you be the right person to bring the Charleston to your community.

  • Do you love dancing?

  • Do you want to share your passion for the 1920s with others?

  • Do you want a fun job which gives you a flexible part-time income?

"I feel so lucky to be a part of the MyCharleston teaching team"

Jess Todd

What an amazing company to work for, lots of giggles and exciting routines to learn and share. I love getting to know each student and always leave the class with a huge smile.

We carefully select applicants who demonstrate they have the skills and personality to become a great Charleston teacher

Starting September 2024, the 8 week online course includes: Live Zoom sessions every Friday, weekly video assignments and online learning modules. Once graduated you will be a qualified Licensee Teacher where you can teach MyCharleston courses.

When we receive your enquiry, we will set you two tasks via video. This will give us an idea of your dance and teaching skills. You don’t have to be a professional yet, we will provide the training! We just want to ensure that each trainee will go on to be a success.

Ready to join?

Drop us an email to apply

Apply now

Who Is this For?

We are looking for candidates who have a strong background in at least one style of dance. You do not need to have trained in the Charleston, we will cover that in the course. Some experience of teaching, performing or public speaking is an advantage but not a requirement. We are looking for people whose enthusiasm for dance shines through in their class delivery.

Incredibly supportive course

Morgan Jones

I have really enjoyed the My Charleston teacher training course. I have left every session feeling upbeat and excited for the next. The course structure is clear and I found it manageable around my full time job. I felt comfortable to ask any question and am thrilled to be a member of the team.

Ready to apply?

Contact us to apply for the course

Apply now

What does the course include?

The 8 week course consists of 8 online units, one weekly Zoom session with Fiona and Elena plus video assessments.

  • 8 weeks of live Zoom Lessons

    Each week you will get guidance and training on how to become a MyCharleston teacher including live weekly sessions with Fiona Ring & Elena Burslem, Co-Founders, MyCharleston

  • 1:1 Weekly Feedback

    Personalised feedback each week on your written and video assignments.

  • Structured Learning

    The course provides learning objectives, weekly lesson goals and structured learning

  • Video Resources: Classic Moves

    Access to our video library of Classic Charleston Moves for you to learn and perfect.

  • Dedicated Support

    Support and guidance through the 8 units to ensure you are ready to take your final assessment: Teaching your first Charleston lesson.

  • Certificate of completion

    Certificate and Branding to use on our own website and social media channels.

I have loved every minute of my teaching experience

Natalie Piper

Apart from turning my love for the Charleston into an income, it has been fantastic for me socially too. Teaching dance has pushed me out of my comfort zone and I have created a network and performance opportunities for myself and my students along the way. This experience has increased my confidence in other aspects of my life too. Since training ended it has been fantastic. There was so much support from Elena and Fiona to start with and plenty of advice about the best practice on setting up classes.

Course Programme

Our online 8 unit course includes:

  • 1

    Welcome

    • Welcome to the team!
  • 2

    Unit 1: The Charleston

    • Coaching Session

    • Teaching the Basic Charleston

    • Written Notes: Charleston in a Tune

    • Video: Charleston in a Tune

    • Unit 1: Test

    • Music For Charleston in a Tune

    • Submit your Video

    • Charleston Swivel: Dance Exercise

    • Charleston History - how it began

    • Charleston History - how it developed

    • Charleston History - how it looks today

    • Read: Brief History of the Charleston - Flapper & Feminism

    • Complete Unit 1: Written assignment
  • 3

    Unit 2: Class Structure part 1

    • Unit 2: Coaching Session

    • Your Class Structure

    • Health & Safety

    • Health and Safety Quiz

    • Video: Welcoming your class

    • Submit your welcome

    • Lesson Content: part 1

    • Charleston Drill: Find a Friend

    • Charleston Drill: Silly Runs

    • Charleston Variation Exercise

    • Charleston Drill: Stroll 1

    • Charleston Drill: Stroll 2

    • Course Structure: Quiz

    • Charleston Variation Exercise: Motem Swing

    • Charleston Drills Silly Runs: The Charleston

    • Charleston Drill Find a Friend: Yes Sir

    • Stroll 1: Yacht Club Swing

    • Stroll 2: Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby
  • 4

    Unit 3: Class Structure part 2

    • Unit 3: Coaching Session

    • Class Management

    • Learning Principles

    • Class Management & Learning Principles Quiz

    • Teachers Principles

    • Lesson Content: part 2

    • Travel Moves: Charleston & Flapper Moves

    • Travel Moves: Truckin'

    • Travel Moves: Tick Tocks

    • Amalgamations: Classic Moves Combined

    • Amalgamations: Classic Moves to Music

    • Tune for Classic Moves Combined: ‘Junior Hop’ Johnny Hodges

    • Challenge Move: Waterfall

    • Tune for Challenge Move Waterfall : Number 19

    • Challenge Move: Fall off the Log

    • Tune for Challenge Move Fall-Off-The-Log: Walkin' Blues

    • Challenge Move: Helicopter

    • Music: Helicopter

    • Games

    • Course Structure Quiz

    • Video submission: Explain a Classic Move
  • 5

    Unit 4: Warm-ups & Patterning

    • Unit 4: Coaching Session

    • Warm-Ups - Introduction

    • Warm Up - Mobility, Cardio & Safety

    • Warm-up Quiz

    • Warm up: Jump and Jive

    • Warm-up: Pretty Little Thing

    • Warm-up: Shake, Rattle and Roll

    • Warm up: Buona Sera

    • Task: Devise your own Warm-Up

    • Patterning

    • Patterning Workbook

    • Tune for Warm-Up - ‘That Man’ Caro Emerald
  • 6

    Unit 5: Musicality & Notation

    • Musicality

    • Video: Part 1 - The Strong Beat & Phrasing

    • Exercise with Music: Part 1 - The Strong Beat & Phrasing

    • Quiz: Part 1 - The Strong Beat & Phrasing

    • Video: Part 2 - Counting The Beat

    • Exercise with Music: Part 2 - Counting The Beat

    • Video: Part 3 - Off Beat

    • Exercise with Music: Part 3 - Off-Beat

    • Video: Part 4 - Swing

    • Exercise with Music: Part 4 - Swing

    • Video: Part 5 - The 8 and The 1

    • Exercise with Music : Part 5 - 8 & 1

    • Video: Part 6 - Early Jazz & Charleston

    • Notation

    • Video with Notation

    • Exercise: Notate this sequence

    • Download Your Notation Worksheet
  • 7

    Unit 6A: Learn a Course

    • Unit 6A: Learn a Course

    • Warm-Up

    • Warm up Music

    • Charleston in a Tune

    • Music: Charleston in a tune

    • Music Charleston Silly Runs

    • Charleston Ice Breaker - Silly Runs

    • AMAL A

    • AMAL A Music

    • AMAL B

    • AMAL B Music

    • Stroll

    • Stroll Music

    • Challenge Move: Charlie Chaplin

    • Music Challenge Move: Charlie Chaplin

    • Travel 1: Flapper Walks

    • Music Flapper Walks

    • Challenge Move: Turning Charleston

    • Music Challenge Move: Turning Charleston

    • Charleston Variation Exercise

    • Music Charleston Variation Exercise

    • Cool Down

    • Cool Down music

    • Course Workbook
  • 8

    Unit 6B: Learn a Course part 2

    • Unit : Learn a Course part 2

    • Part 1- Routine

    • Part 2- Routine

    • Part 3- Routine

    • Part 4- Routine

    • Routine on a count

    • Routine to Music

    • Music: Routine
  • 9

    Submit your Practical Assessment

    • Submit your Assessment video
  • 10

    Marketing Unit. How to Market Your Courses

    • Marketing Your Course

    • 1. Find a Venue

    • 1A. Find a Venue

    • 2. Market Research

    • 3. Listings and Press Releases

    • 4. Print Media

    • 5. Social Media - Facebook

    • 5a. Social Media - Facebook Groups

    • 5b. Social Media - Facebook Tasks

    • 5c. Social Media - Instagram

    • 6. Managing your Budget

    • 7. Post Assessment and Checklist

    • 7a. Post Assessment and Checklist

    • 7b. Post Assessment and Checklist

    • 7c. Post Assessment and Checklist

  • 11

    Video Resources: Classic Moves

    • Apple Jacks

    • Box Step

    • Bunny Hops

    • Charleston Kicks

    • Charleston Squats

    • Fall-on-the-log

    • Flapper Walks

    • Happy Feet

    • Itches

    • Kick Pushes

    • Knocky-Knees

    • Messaround

    • Opposites

    • Paddle Turn

    • Scarecrow- Kick

    • Shimmy

    • Shoe Shine

    • Side to side Charleston

    • Skating

    • Tick Tocks

    • Trucking

    • Twists

    • Waterfall

Video

MyCharleston Licence

Once you have passed your training you can apply for your MyCharleston Licence. You will have access to:

  • MyCharleston Course Packs:

    Each pack includes: A 6-week Open Level Charleston Course with tutorial videos for each exercise including warm-up, cool down, stretches, amalgamations, challenge moves and the routine broken down on a count and to music.

    Course workbook where each exercise is written out and, where necessary, includes stage plans.

    A 6-week lesson plan to guide you through what to cover each week

    A playlist and music catalogue: What tunes to use for each exercise

  • Branding & Marketing Packs

    One licence to use the MyCharleston name, logo and branding in your area

    A marketing pack for you to personalise your own MyCharleston marketing materials - posters, flyers and digital imagery.

    Promotion of your classes via the MyCharleston website

    Promotion of your classes via our social media platforms.

  • Support

    Contact with MyCharleston for help and guidance

    Private group with other teachers where you will also receive weekly teachers tips, support and advice

About MyCharleston

MyCharleston are specialists in 1920s Dance. We run classes and online courses teaching Charleston, Musicals and Jazz. As well as our regular classes we run events, workshops, performances and The Charleston Ceilidhs

We want to bring the joy of the Charleston to as many people as possible through our fun and friendly classes. We run six-week courses, so you can build your skills week by week and by the end of the course you will know a full Charleston dance routine. You don’t need prior experience, our open level classes put the emphasis on learning through having fun. As you progress you will develop your dance skills, get fitter and discover some fantastic music.


MyCharleston offer so much more than just a dance class, we will provide students with video tutorials which break down the dance moves step by step. You can also join our weekly Zoom class if you want some extra practice and each week we will send you a recording of the online class. Those who want to can dress-up and we will film the final routine at the end of the course. We have fantastic attendance in all our classes and our dancers feel a real sense of achievement at the end of each course.

 

Dance is a social activity which brings people together through a shared experience. Our classes encourage social interaction, so you get to know the people you are dancing with. We run a number of social events such as an annual Speakeasy, where people can dress up and show of their dance moves. Through these events and dance classes our Charleston dancers have grown into a lovely community of people.

For those who want to progress their dance or challenge themselves we provide performance opportunities for all dance levels. From our professional gigs to community performances.

How MyCharleston began

The way we began was something of an accident. Elena and Fiona met as performers at a 1920s-themed cabaret night. They had both seen some YouTube films called “I Charleston The World”. There wasn’t a film of Brighton so they decided to collaborate and make a dance film featuring their city.

The problem was there were no Charleston dancers in Brighton, nor were there any classes where you could learn. Fiona already ran jazz dance classes and with their combined dance knowledge they dedicated themselves to learning the moves that define the Charleston.

“Self-educating ourselves through online tutorials was the only option initially. Over the years we have invested so much into learning and really nailing this style of dance. We’ve put the work in and I’m proud to say we are experts in the Charleston” says Fiona

Back to 2014 and the launch of Elena and Fiona’s first class, it was a sell out! So many people had wanted to learn to Charleston loved it and they all wanted to be involved in the making of “I Charleston Brighton”.

Brand Member

We are proud that MyCharleston is an affiliated member of EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise.
EMD UK