The world is extremely fast-changing these days. Even a year ago if we talked about travelling around as a dance teacher, you probably would think about the international dance scene of festivals and workshops. But that's not what I'd like to highlight today.

With the boom of online education you actually can experience different countries without the hurry of jumping from one plane to another every few days, and travel around without interrupting your work. To clarify: I am not talking about vacation time when you can pause your work, but about combining travelling and online teaching as a lifestyle.

In the last twelve months I have lived in Brazil, Egypt, Turkey, and am currently writing this article from Odessa, Ukraine. Here are some suggestions for dance teachers who want to do long-term travelling based on my own experience:

Behind the scenes of our recording session in Brazil. We prepared the whole intensive on Baladi Improvisation which was released later during our next trip to Egypt. You can find out more info HERE.

Style of online teaching: consider the options of pre recorded classes. Live online classes via Skype or Zoom are cool, but too risky in travel mode: what if Internet isn't good, what if accommodations are too small or too dark, and your camera won't be able to capture you properly, etc.
Recording Process: prepare content in advance. We don't stop filming classes/courses while we are travelling (again, we are not talking about vacation mode), but if there is a specific schedule to release videos, it may get stressful. I prefer to create quality classes which I put thought into, rather than just record something in a rush because I need to post it tomorrow. When you go to a new place, too many things can go wrong, too many chances for shoots to be postponed or cancelled... So we have decided to batch the main part of the content in advance, AND upload on the website galleries as unlisted whenever we get a good Internet connection. In this case, all content that we film during the trip itself serves as a 'prepared-in-advance' material for the next upcoming trip, and so on...

Equipment: camera and tripod are obviously must-haves to record any online classes. But I also would recommend getting a small microphone that you can hook to your clothes, and transmit the signal to a camera or sound-recording device. Often we shoot in quite noisy locations, or even outdoors with strong wind. The closer the mic is to me, the better sound will be on the video.
Expenses: consider 1-month AirBnB rent. Firstly, there is often a 30-40% discount for long-term stays, so at the end, 2-3 weeks cost just the same as the whole month. Secondly, you can choose a place with laundry, which is handy. Thirdly, you can cook for yourself, which lowers your daily expenses.

This photo was captured during sunrise at Pamukkale, Turkey. We have recorded the whole series of classes for my online school the Iana Dance Club. Click HERE to find out more.

Connection: getting a VPN was very helpful. Don't forget that some countries have restrictions for apps or even websites, so if you don't want to be caught by surprise when suddenly you can't access your Skype or Instagram. Better to be equipped with a VPN in advance.
Locations: research spots to shoot your classes in advance. For touristic locations (available for recordings) be ready to wake up super early, and shoot around sunrise, otherwise they get very crowded and noisy. Other than that, I always try to find local photographers or videographers, and see which spots they use. Collaborating with them is also a good option, just like connecting with local dancers and musicians.

Work-life balance: planning a schedule is one of the most challenging aspects for me. The first few days I usually leave it open, because there are too many things to figure out, or the excitement of exploring the city takes over. But after that it's a matter of finding time for work (website, emails, feedback, marketing, etc), practice (you are travelling, but you are still a dancer who needs to maintain and develop dance skills), social media and planning shoots. That's why I really enjoy long-term stays of 1-3 month because I don't feel pulled in different directions: necessity to work, but fear of missing out something in a new country.

Let me know if it was interesting, and if you have inspiration to go on a long-term trip too! We explored this topic even further in one of the episodes of the Artist Date with Pedro Bonatto.

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Author: Iana Komarnytska
Photographer: Pedro Bonatto