What about your prof?

[nikita]

Hi-
I am some kind of curious. I've seen different schools with different rules. What about your teachers, when it comes to socials? Are they dancing with you, or do they just sit around, watching you. I've seen both possibilities so fare.

[thespina13]

Our instructor DJs and organizes the event so he's pretty busy with that most of the night. I'm new to the scene though so I haven't seen him in very many socials. But he's perfectly free to dance whenever he wants to. He usually chooses his inner cicle to dance with though, since they're usually the only ones that can really keep up with him ;) He's a great leader though and even got me started one night. I think his main purpose as host, DJ and instructor at these events is to get the night hopping, and then just hang back and maintain. I started out in a scene where the instructor/DJ drank all night and danced all night, and the music vastly suffered. He got a lot of people dancing and got a lot of phone numbers out of it, but we were all pissed off at his DJ skills. The music would stop halfway through a song he didn't likeand he'd rush to the booth to change it, or he's start a song and change his mind after the first few bars and switch... it was awful. He als relied upon one or two mixed discs to carry him through an hour or two of minimal effort at the booth, which got unbelieveably monotoous. But we all put up with it because we were short on places to dance.

I think a good instructor who is hosting a night will be more busy with the workings of the event and not be dancing as much. If he's just a guest at an event, I shgould hope to see him dancing a lot. But I understand that sometimes it's hard for instructors to really enjoy their evenings when they're out socially at a place that's their own turf. You dance all week with your students, and you want to have some fun at YOUR level when you're out, and leave the instructor hat at the office. This is why they'll frequently go to other cities to really shake their booties.

Or I could be talking out of my ass. I have no idea. :p

[SPratt74]

Our instructors usually dance with everyone. We have a couple shy ones though that if they don't know you, it's hard for them to ask you to dance. And sometimes you can tell if an instructor has a favorite, but even with that, they still dance with everyone. And our music is put onto a computer system where the computer plays it instead of having a DJ, so all of the instructors are free to dance with if you want to dance with them, or if they want to dance with you. ;)

[Sagitta]

My experience is that this depends on whether it is a male or female instructor. Males have it easier...

[quixotedlm]

Some of our instructors are nice and dance with everyone. Some others are nice but only dance with preferrred inner-circle ones. I can't be sure, but it seems to depend on whether or not you pay 'em for private lessons....

[nikita]

I started on a school, where teachers did not dance with students. I don't know, if they were not allowed to, they just didn't. So we students were enjoying all nite long, and they were watching us untill 5 in the morning.
Now on the other school the teachers dance with every student, but me. With one I took privates a whole year, but wether in the classes, nor on a social he would dance with me. Even, if I ask, he refuses 9 out of 10:-(.

[desconocida]

You're really insistant! (in its positive meaning) :)
I'd have taken it personally and perhaps would neither ask him again after 3rd time nor take privates any more - just coz he seems to be very inpolite! :confused:

[nikita]

:headwall:
Yes, I've been a very stupid girl!

[desconocida]

That wasn't what I wanted to say!!! :D
I think it's rather him who should change his ways - at the end of the day he earns his money with dancing, as far as I get, and it's just a no-go to reject one person again and again!
Or at least to explane to you in a more private situation why he acts that way - if he has any good reasons and the nervs!
Btw, in our place it's common that (male) instructors are asked by (female) students - I think they sometimes reject but mostly dance with them.
It's rather seldom other way round - we had a discussion about this on our local board and it seems like leaders are more intimidated by "better" dancers than followers

[quixotedlm]

:headwall:
Yes, I've been a very stupid girl!

I'd be pretty pissed if an instructor refused to dance with me with just a 'no', esp. if I take private classes with her.


I find it acceptable though when she is about to leave for home, too tired and not dancing, or has promised the dance to someone else. In general, I expect, and get, a good status with my teacher that makes it easy to have several dances with her if I want to. I generally don't abuse that privilige :)

[squirrel]

Well, I dance with my students, but mostly if they invite me. Very rarely do I invite them (except for some of the advanced ones).

And I said "no" to a student only once in 4 years without giving an explanation: but that girl was sooooooooooooooo annoying I could not take it anymore. I don't like people who get into my personal space and keep on talking to me even if it is plain obvious I don't want to talk anymore. So, at some point in time, after constantly explaining me she loves me and stuff, she invited me to dance... gosh... I just said "no" and left. :(

[tangotime]

From the comments, it is very apparent that the posts come from non english schools. The teachers in europe, generally speaking , have always been placed on a much higher plain , and are treated with a totally different reverance ( cannot imagine Donnie- ex world latin champ. dancing with a student at a social event ) the american system, of which I was a great part of , for many yrs, brought this activity into play due to the lack of couples . I was trained initially as a social then comp. dancer and had to make a huge mental shift in my approach to teaching when moving to the states .The informality it brings , can also have very adverse effects .They are now trying to introduce it into the u.k. thru the vehicle of pro / am comps . Will see where that ends up, personally, don,t see much hope .It become a personal choice for all pro,s. Chain schools-- mandatory-- independants-- very unlikely .

[Josh]

When I first started dancing, my instructors made a conscious effort to seek me out and dance with me, and I realllly appreciated it... I was scared, nervous, not very good, and it helped me improve a lot.

Now I make an effort to dance with all my students if possible, and yes, I do give priority to private students, but not because of the money (after all, I get paid the same regardless of whether I teach an hour group or an hour private)--I just know them better because I spend one-on-one time with them, so I'm more likely to be close to them. An instructor who doesn't dance with beginner students on the floor may not look as impressive, but a dance with a student will generally mean a whole lot more to him/her than the student just watching and being impressed.

[SuzieQ]

The instructors at our studio seem always willing to dance. The one I pro-am with will almost always dance with me when I ask, and has a reason not to when he refuses, ahd he will usually ask me to dance at least once. The others are always ready to dance, too, and they ask me often. I can be a real pest about the ones I really like to dance with, and they're so sweet.

[Houdinni]

I started on a school, where teachers did not dance with students. I don't know, if they were not allowed to, they just didn't. So we students were enjoying all nite long, and they were watching us untill 5 in the morning.
Now on the other school the teachers dance with every student, but me. With one I took privates a whole year, but wether in the classes, nor on a social he would dance with me. Even, if I ask, he refuses 9 out of 10:-(.

Assuming I'm aware of both the intervinients... Could it be you're too much of a tempatation for him?

It wouldn't excuse him, but it might help to explain...

[nikita]

:snake: If we resist the tempatation our soul becomes sick for desire.

[quixotedlm]

If we resist the tempatation our soul becomes sick for desire.


Hmm... someone's avatar is changed. Time for Blond jokes now ? ;)

[DragonFyre]

The instructors at my school make it a point to seek out beginners and dance with them during social nights out. They also do ask the more advanced dancers and that’s when they up the ante dance-wise. We’re all also free to ask them to dance anytime – but they are free to say no: eg if they need to cool down, was about to ask someone else, don’t like the song – we don’t take it personally. Of course, we don’t monopolise them either so we don’t ask them to dance 3-4 times in a night – it wouldn’t be fair to the other students.

Personally, I would have stopped classes with an instructor who danced with everyone else but me, especially if I’m taking private classes. But I would also ask him straight out why he was being discriminatory. You never know, it may be for a reason that never even crossed your mind, like he’d gotten the idea you have a crush on him or something which is why he’s avoiding you.

Like, one recent night out my instructor asked me to dance and I commented that it was a rare thing for him to do so (it seemed for months that I was the one asking him to dance all the time), and he replied that it seemed every time he turned around I was already on the floor. That possibility had never occurred to me. So, I guess you never know until you ask. But be prepared in case it's an answer you don't like!

[nikita]

Yes, DragonFyre. You are right. Or the other way around.
Only people, which are afraid of the answer, don't ask questions:D.

[BugBear]

My instructors dance all the time. Sometimes it's hard to keep them off the floor :) And still one of the female instructors was complaining lately that we rarely ask her to dance. Especially on bachatas...
Still I love dancing with her. She's so easy to lead and such a hottie! :rolleyes: Her sister - the other instructor - mostly dances with her husband or with her partner.

[saludas]

As long as you realize that instructors are at a social as a paid business situation, and not for the same reasons you are, then go ahead and 'dance' with the instructor. Otherwise, please remember that the instructor dances at an entirely different plane than you do, has his own social circle, and is there for the money. The salesmanship of a techer at a social cannot be underestimated, even if the teacher never says a word to the student about more lessons...

[Josh]

As long as you realize that instructors are at a social as a paid business situation, and not for the same reasons you are, then go ahead and 'dance' with the instructor. Otherwise, please remember that the instructor dances at an entirely different plane than you do, has his own social circle, and is there for the money. The salesmanship of a techer at a social cannot be underestimated, even if the teacher never says a word to the student about more lessons...

I agree with the overall gist of your post saludas... but I know many instructors including myself who go to salsa socials primarily for the fun of it. Will some business come from it? Perhaps. But that's not the point.