Becoming a salsa instructor-where to?

[Don]

Hi everyone!
I am a salsa dancer from Portugal.

I have been dancing salsa for a few years. I started learnig Cuban style and then joined another school that teaches New York style mostly.

I've allways loved to dance. I have been an aerobics instructor and also dance "ball-room" dances for quite some time. In both classic and latin dances, I was invited to be a part of a dance group. Lately I have been invited to teach salsa. The idea is, in future, to start a new dance school.


As I search the web, I came across SalsaWeb site, which I found most interesting, especially the "Instructors Forum".

My problem is that I do not know many salsa reference points and I need to enrole a good Instructor course, as a starting point. I do not whish to attend course and waste time and especially money, by trial and error method, untill I find good instructor courses...


I was wondering if you me any guidance, good reference points where I could start. It's easy for me to dance. What I whish is to become a good salsa teacher, with a solid base in salsa.


Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Don

[Sagitta]

Welcome to df Don!! Are you looking for an instructors course in Portugal or are you willing to travel?

One important aspect of being an instructor is being able to do and teach both lead and follow roles. Can you at least do both roles?

[Don]

Hi Sagitta!
Thnk you for your reply :lol:

In Portugal, I have already been in the major salsa schools. I really don't mind traveling, as I am willing to meet people and further improve in salsa and meet new places.
My concern is to improve my technique skills and knowledge on teaching.

Unfortunately, men are not as eager as women, to exchange roles, so not much practicing as a follower :oops: . However, I plan to change that quite soon, since I have found a dancing partner to practice with. :lol:

Regards
Don

[SDsalsaguy]

I'd have to look up the information but I know that Joise Neglia runs scheduled salsa teacher training courses. I can't speak to the courses themselves, but she is a widely respected dancer and teacher.

[Don]

Hi SDsalsaguy!

Today I have mainly been searching the web to get a feeling of what's good and what's not. This is what I have already found out:
:)
In fact, Josie's site seems to be one (of the very few avaliable) that presents teaching courses for instructors. Josie, per se, looked to me to be a reference figure, in the world of salsa.

Thanks for your confirmation! Any help is welcomed!

Regards
Don

[peachexploration]

Hi Don. Welcome to the DF.

[borikensalsero]

Welcome to DF Don.

I suggest you take an introductor course like you want to, then seek to mold your teaching to each individual when you can, as you can, if at all possible, then seek for how a group best reacts to your explanations. Please don't do like many do here in NY City and expect the students to mold to their teaching, which then leads to clone dancers.

Remember that your goal to teach is to bring out the dancer in people not to implant technique. Once you get to the dancer inside of people, the technique will come pouring out from you onto them, for they will be more receptive to that which you can guide.

Show them the way, do not walk the way for them.

[salsapeter]

i'll know Josie very well and she's really good, try also Eddie Torres in NY for the NY basics.
Advice: buy first a video or DVD from the instructor
then you'll see how good someone is

[SDsalsaguy]

Welcome to the Forums salsapeter! :D

[Pacion]

Apparently Josie is doing a teaching course in Vancover (Canada) beginning of September. I believe details are on her website: latindance.com