Leadership, Team Performance, and Professional Development Among Chinese College Dance Instructors

This study explores the relationship between leadership style, team performance, and professional development among college dance teachers in China. Involving 410 dance teachers, mostly aged 26 to 40 with master’s degrees and extensive teaching experience, the research highlights the crucial role of effective leadership in fostering teamwork, personal growth, and high-quality arts education. Key findings indicate that transformational leadership—marked by inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and personalized consideration—is strongly linked to improved team performance and professional development. In contrast, transactional leadership shows mixed results in fostering creativity and long-term career growth, while laissez-faire leadership hampers team performance and career opportunities. Respondents emphasized the need for a balanced integration of teaching, academic research, and artistic creation for continued professional growth. The study also underscores the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in leadership, enhancing teaching management and team coaching. Significant differences were observed across demographics, with a positive correlation between strong leadership, team dynamics, and professional growth. The study recommends targeted training for dance teachers, adoption of transformational leadership, and comprehensive development programs to enhance team performance and individual growth, thereby improving the quality and global competitiveness of Chinese dance education