Keep em Dancing

[pygmalion]

While I was out on the web, I found a couple really good articles on how to recruit and retain new dancers. Some good suggestions, like calling to remind them of upcoming events, or making sure they're mentally prepped before taking them out to clubs.

The articles basically said that people tend to quit at the very beginning stages of lessons, and at the transition into nightclubs, plus a few other places I'll share later in the thread.

do you have any experiences with this, or recommendations of how to keep people dancing, or for that matter, get them started dancing in the first place?

[ShyDancer]

Well I have an amusing story form just this week actually!

On tuesday afternoon my sister and I were out scouting some new skirts for dancing and while we were doing out usual "come out of the change room and twirl" in front of each other, The sales lady asked what we were doing, I explained to her that we were just testing out the skirts movement for dancing, she was really interested in what we were doing, and asked a million questions, saying that she had always wanted to try Latin :) She wanted the studios, number and address, I happened to have a card on me so I left that for her, she said she will come along on monday to the beginners class (I have my medal class at the same time).

Ill let you know on monday if she shows up!

[pygmalion]

That's fantastic! Keep spreading the word. :D

[Pacion]

:shock: you mean you don't hold a shotgun to their head? :shock:

:lol:

[HothouseSalsero]

Some people are always going to fall by the way side in any activity.

Only time will sort out the wheat from the tares, Jenn. :wink:

I have trouble relating to people who want or need a lot of external motivation. I wanted to learn to dance, and I have. That meant putting up with some frustration, embarrassment, ego bruising, etc.

I mean, I often talk to people about dancing, and I generally enjoy dancing with beginners, but I'm not interested in having to put a lot of energy into coddling new dancers. Sure, I will talk about my experiences and offer some help, suggest instructors, talk about clubs, etc., etc., but if someone doesn't find that being exposed to dancing is itself a strong motivator to keep dancing, I can't really relate to that. When I finally got out to some clubs and heard salsa on a quality sound system and saw good dancers dancing to it, I was mesmerized! Then again, I didn't go to clubs very much, because I was so frustrated with my dancing, but I didn't give up. Maybe I would have been better off if I had had someone to encourage me to brave the clubs earlier on. I'm not sure my ego would have survived it very well.

But here's what I have done for salsa (dancing and music) lately: In order to talk about this, I guess I am going to have to reveal my job, which I was trying not to get into just for the sake of maintaining a little more anonymity, but anyway, I'm a librarian. Someone I know at work, who knows I do salsa dancing, is involved with programming for teenagers. A couple years ago she asked me about having my salsa teachers come in to give a little lesson to a group of teens who are in some sort of volunteer/educational program. (I don't actually know much about it.) The current teen group wants a salsa lesson as well, so she spoke with me. I told her my old teachers aren't teaching salsa any more but I recommended someone who I would like to take classes with at some point. I also volunteered to be the "deejay" after the lesson, like I did last time (though there wasn't too much of a party, I'm afraid). She also asked about a hip-hop instructor for another program for these teenagers, so I recommended the person who had been teaching briefly at my instructor's studio (and after finding out more about him, I discovered he has pretty impressive credentials).

Also at work, I donated some salsa CDs I didn't want and talked a little about it with the librarian who handles gifts. She mentioned my knowledge of this music to the person who runs the CD committe, so now I'm on that. We help make up a list of titles which library agencies then select from. I get to suggest "world music" CD titles, with an emphasis on Latin music (with Puerto Ricans as the biggest target group here) and middle eastern music, two areas I know something about. This has been on hold lately, since we are experiencing a state and city budget crunch. However, I feel pretty good about some of the stuff I've gotten into the library this way. (Unfortunately, some of what I would like to suggest is hard to get from the vendors the library usually uses. Haha, I don't know if we are ever going to actually see any CDs on the EGREM label.)

[HothouseSalsero]

(My microwave oven just beeped right as the last trumpet note of "Cielo de Tambores" began.)

[pygmalion]

I can relate on several levels, HHS.

One. External motivation? (Raspberry tongue) I've never had any, for anything I've achieved in my life. Everything I've wanted to do, I've just done, regardless of what other people thnk. That approach works for me.

Two? I enjoy dancing with newbies. Not coddling, just dancing.

Three. My older sister worked in the Philly public library system for years. :D

Four. I've spent a lot of my life working with and trying to motivate teens.

Five. I'm into world music. Not Puerto Rican. african. As in Afropop worldwide (check out their web site) But I love world music. (Incidentally, most of the Afropop I listen to, can be salsa'd or merengue'd to.)


You and I have a lot in common. 8) :D

[HothouseSalsero]

I have definitely done a salsa basic to Fela's "Water No Get Enemy."

[pygmalion]

LOL. Then there's "Water No Be Sand" and " Na We O to be husband" (Meaning It's difficult to be a husband) Lots of good stuff out there in the African pop music world. :D

[tsb]

:shock: you mean you don't hold a shotgun to their head? :shock:

:lol:

no, you shoot at their feet. gets them dancing every time!

[pygmalion]

Silly! :lol: :lol:

[KevinL]

Do you have any experiences with this, or recommendations of how to keep people dancing, or for that matter, get them started dancing in the first place?

I think this question should be answered by two groups. The first is professional teachers, and the second is students (like most of the other people who have responded).

As a teacher, it is my job to encourage people at every step. I advertise classes and events so that people know that dancing exists, and that they can learn somewhere. I teach classes geared toward people being "successful" at dancing, moving slowly enough that (almost) everyone gets the concept before continuing. I encourage people to trade partners so that when they do go dancing they will have people they know available. I encourage groups of people to go out dancing together, so again they have people they are comfortable with to dance with.

When I was a student, I built an email list of all my dancing acquantences and made sure to invite everyone to events I heard about, or places where I planned to go dancing. I even called people to encourage them to come out dancing.

(I'm less comfortable with calling people to get them to come out dancing now, but other teachers do call students.)

Kevin