Choose a dance teacher who perhaps has worked in a dance company and who may be currently presenting professional workshops at local universities. Rita Chenoweth, former owner of Dance Horizons in Redlands, California, and current Acting Director of Dance at Riverside Community College, explains that anyone can open a studio. Good studios offering a variety of disciplines and will hire several teachers each with credits in his or her own area of expertise. You don't want a music teacher who 'specializes' in classical, popular, jazz, country-western, rock and roll, or ancient oriental tonalities. Observe the teacher's interactions with students and attend a number of the studio's performances.
Good teachers are happy to have prospective students observe classes.
Watch beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels, noting the teacher's relationship with students. The basic criteria for observing dance classes also applies to music lessons, although placing your child exclusively in instrumental group classes is not recommended. Group instrumental classes produce a few stellar students, but many children learn best when they have the teacher's undivided attention. Avoid the teacher who boasts your child will be playing in two weeks. Not even adults learn the basics in mere days, and playing 'by ear' is vastly inferior to learning to read music.