Teaching On The Dance Floor

Teaching On The Dance Floor

As a dance instructor with well over 25 years of experience
I have seen so many people come and go from the dance community that I really
thought had the passion to last. One of the main factors I would contribute to
their demise or frustration has been the seemingly helpful advise of their
peers.

It starts out with an innocent acceptance of a dance. The
advanced dancer, with good intentions, wants to help share their knowledge, and
starts adjusting the posture, the embrace, dictating the length of steps, the
part of the body to engage…. Now the once partner, feels like a charity case
and will be afraid to ask anyone again for quite sometime.

Another disturbing factor is the flow of the dance when
people are stopping for direction or advice giving. There is constant moving
with the line of dance and this is a sure way to block the flow of movement
when people stop and adjust their partners.

If asked for help the most gracious way to encourage people
is to politely and discretely remove them from the dance floor and take them to
a space where they won’t be embarrassed by others and call over the in house
instructor or give them one small suggestion. To bombard them with pointers
will only confuse them and make them feel overwhelmed.

Everyone wants to see the community grow and become better
dancers. Everyone wants to share their knowledge, but there is a time and place
for everything.