What’s a TA? What’s an Intern? What’s an SA? What’s the TAI program?
TAs, or Teacher Assistants, are Turning Pointe students who volunteer to assist teachers in classes with younger dancers. You’ll find TAs in our Twirl classes and all the way up to our level 2b classes!
Interns are Turning Pointe students who have been a TA a few years and are interested in being involved in a larger capacity. In addition to volunteering in Twirl-2b classes, they assist with events and administrative work around the studio, substitute teach classes, and receive extra training to prepare them to be dance teachers one day.
SAs, or Student Assistants, are students from Turning Pointe’s sister companies, Fidele Youth Dance Company and Starz Theater Company, who volunteer to assist in those companies. These roles are specific to Fidele and Starz and may vary season to season.
All three of these roles fall under the TAI program! Miss Jenna is the program director, and Miss Emma is the program assistant. They support the TAIs throughout the year.
What do TAIs do? What does the commitment look like?
TAs volunteer in the same class(es) at the same time(s) every single week. They may volunteer in one class, or they may volunteer in many! Either way, their job is to help their teacher by demonstrating steps and choreography, helping keep students focused and on task, and making every kid who comes through our doors feel loved! They might help lead warm ups and be given other leadership opportunities by their teacher as well.
Outside of the classroom, every TA has an Act of Service; this is something they do to keep the studio running smoothly, like sweeping the floor or cleaning the mirrors. They also attend 2 TAI retreats each year- one in the early fall and one in the spring- where they receive training on how to be a good TA and spend time in community with the other TAs! Throughout the year, there may be additional meetings or events with Miss Emma and Miss Jenna.
Interns do everything that TAs do and more! The internship is designed to equip students to become dance teachers in the future. Interns can expect to be placed in at least 3 TA classes. Additionally, they will work with Miss Emma and Miss Jenna to help lead TAI events. They will work with Miss Tina and Miss Jenner to assist in administrative tasks around the studio. They will also work with Miss Tonya to assist with studio events! Throughout the year, they will have the opportunity to substitute teach classes and lead large portions of their TA classes. In the spring, interns complete the Intern Capstone Project, which culminates with the opportunity to interview for a job at Turning Pointe.
Both TAs and Interns also have the opportunity to TA summer camps and classes in addition to their school year commitments.
Why should I apply to be a TAI?
Being in the TAI program has so many great benefits!
As a TAI, you’ll gain great life skills. From year to year, we see our TAIs grow in leadership, confidence, teamwork/collaboration, and communication skills.
As a TAI, you’ll get plugged into a great community of other leaders! Our TAIs spend a lot of time together and build strong relationships with each other.
As a TAI, you’ll get to learn from your teachers in a whole new way! Our TAIs learn about classroom management and dance development from teachers who have a lot of experience and training in these areas.
TAIs receive credits towards their Turning Pointe tuition as a thank you for their time.
TAI hours can be used to meet volunteer hours requirements for NHS/NJHS, college prep classes, student counsel, or other leadership activities that require volunteer hours.
Being a TAI is a great thing to put on resumes/applications in the future, and Miss Jenna and Miss Emma are more than happy to write letters of recommendation for TAIs.
What does it look like to move through the TAI program?
Students can become at TA starting when they’re 13. Many students stick with TAing from the time they’re 13 through high school graduation! TA’s reapply for the program every summer.
Students who are interested in becoming an intern may apply after meeting a combination of different criteria (see below). Not every TA is interested in pursuing the internship, and that is totally okay! Students are more than welcome to remain TA’s their entire time in the program. Most intern applicants are 17, have been a TA for several years prior to applying, and are juniors or seniors in high school during their intern year.
The internship is designed to be a stepping stone to joining the Turning Pointe staff as a student teacher and is the primary way students can pursue being hired at Turning Pointe. At the end of the internship, students are given the opportunity to apply and interview to be student teachers.
How can I become a TAI? What are the requirements?
TAs: To be considered to be a TA, you must be 13 by September of 2021. You must be willing and able to commit to assisting in at least 1 class for the entire 2021-2022 school year. TA applicants complete an application (available at the front desk or online starting May 16th) and go through an interview process to be selected for the program.
Interns: To be considered to be an intern, you must meet three of the following five criteria:
-Be 17 or turning 17 during the 2021-2022 school year
-Be a senior in high school
-Been a Turning Pointe TA for at least 2 years
-Danced at Turning Pointe for at least 3 years
-Come highly recommended by a Turning Pointe Staff member
Additionally, interns must be available to TA at least 3 classes, have availability throughout the week to work on internship projects, and have a reliable form of transportation to and from the studio. Intern applicants complete an application (available at the front desk or online starting May 16th) and go through an interview process to be selected for the program.
SAs: This process depends more on the company you’re interested in working with- check in with the Fidele or Starz director for more information!