I Neeed Of an Opinion...

Hello everybody, I'd like to run something by you wich I haven't yet seen discussed in here.

Let's say you plan to start giving salsa classes, since you're moving to a new geografical area in wich you have something to offer that os new there, so it's worth to do it. You have the necessary training and skills to do so and are involved with a romantic partner who also dances salsa, but at a lesser level and has not the necessary skill to teach. Also you agree with the metodology that there should be both a male and female teacher teaching the class.

Should you:

A - Find someone else to teach with you. (Someone better skilled. You souldn't mix work with pleasure. Most relationships will come to an end sometime... etc...)

B - Shouldn't do so, because it will be something like romantically shooting yourself in the foot with a bazooka, and therefore should invest in training your partner first.

C - Something else.

I'd really like your input on this one if you have the time, and if you'll be so kind as to explain your choice, that'll be heaven on earth!

May give an interesting discussion...

Thanks!

Complications of a combination romantic/working relationship aside - if she's not good enough to be teaching, she shouldn't be in front of a class just because she happens to be dating you.

All of these are determined by the personality of your partner. It could work as long as you separate business from pleasure. Nobody wants to see you making google eyes and flirting all through class.

Does she want to teach?
If so, what level? Beginner is very different from advanced.
Is she jealous?
Would it be a problem for either of you if one of you greatly surpassed the other in terms of dancing ability?
Is she jealous?
Are you jealous?
What if she decided she wants another partner for teaching/performances?
What if you decided you want another partner for teaching/performances?
Will she be paid for her services?
Will she be paid for her services if you break up and she continues to teach?
If you break up will she still be teaching?

I think it's never best to mix business and pleasure. If you do, often it's your clients who suffer.

Yeah, this is not a salsa question (except insofar as delamusica responded) but a relationship question... and you shouldn't be asking relationship advice in a salsa forum of all places

If you can't teach students without the aid of a partner to show the movement, then maybe you need to rethink what you are doing. I'd be personally very wary of a teacher that could not demonstrate, and explain, both partners' movenments.

There is a big difference between saying "Also you agree with the metodology that there should be both a male and female teacher teaching the class." that Houdini said vs "I cannot teach without a partner". Let's try and read carefully what people say as I'm a little tired of the recent spats between people over the last couple days.

If your female partner is not up to the level of instructor and you think that is important you will be doing your students a dis-service by having her there.

I do know many instructors who have assistants...that is people who can dance...but don't have the skills to teach. This way the instructor has someone of the opposite sex to demo moves, maybe do a class warm-up..e.g salsa aerobics, but does not get into explaining to students how they can improve what they are doing so they get the ove well or breaking moves down. Sometimes the assistant is capable of getting people up to speed. For instance, you start a class and then some people show up week 3. Sinec you alreday have gone over the material your assistant knows a little about how to teach it. In this case the instructor offers to help the students to catch up if they really want to do it. Including them in his go-arounds, but leaving the rest for the assistant to do separately. Here it is clear that they are not receiving an isntructor level of instruction but it is the students choice as they really wnat to do it. That has worked as well.

Swevo, this is both a salsa question, as it pertains to salsa, and a relationshio question because a relationship is involved, and I'm unsure if both should be mixed once you move "up" from the social dance floor. But I have great respect for this forum as regular reader, so if moderators feel the post should not be here, they have my blessing to delete it, with no harm done. Trully!

Now as to the answers alreadu posted, I intend to star with a begginer class, since the style I intend to pass is different from what most people dance there. My Line vs the Cuban that is not more comon over there.

I have no experience as a salsa teacher (other subjects yes, but as dancint instructor no) and will be receiving formation at the same time, so, I know the begginer steps for the lady, but would have difficulty with more advanced ones.

Even if she isn't at the same level in dancing, it would be easyer to teach her first (she would be available more often than anyone) , in order to have a partner to demonstrate the step being taught. When I say I agree with the metodology of both a man and a woman teaching, is because as far as my experience as a student goes, this was always the most productive scenario when assisting classes. Whenever there's only one teacher, you get only half the attention you should get, it'll take twice the time (or more) to demonstrate a step, and you'll be using someone as a partner for the demonstration that clearlly has no idea of what he/she's doing (otherwise would be giving the class not taking it). So if not her, there will deffenitle be another partner.

Aimerouge points some good questions. Whoever partners with me will be paid. I can't be absolutle sure she'd keep teaching without me, dancing yes, teaching... The others one I'll still meditate.

I do want to do a good job, and will take steps to ensure exactly that. That was the point of the post, since several people that post here also teach from what I've been following. Therefore I'm glad for any pointers in the right direction...

Sagitta, the assistant is a good idea I hadn't thought of... Would still prefer two instructors since it's always worked best for me from the student point of view, but if unable to get someone in that geografical area, it might not be a bad solution.

Knowing you I would strongly advice you not to teach together with your girl-friend...
:nope: :twisted: :bouncy: :tongue:

Houdinni said:

Swevo, this is both a salsa question, as it pertains to salsa, and a relationshio question because a relationship is involved, and I'm unsure if both should be mixed once you move "up" from the social dance floor. But I have great respect for this forum as regular reader, so if moderators feel the post should not be here, they have my blessing to delete it, with no harm done. Trully!

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Sorry Houdini, I didn't really mean the topic had no place here, it was a (weak) joke suggesting that salsa dancers are not famous for their stable relationships

I taught a weekly class for about a year, alternating one week with my girlfriend and one week with another close friend. When the g/f and I split up it got ... uh ... interesting ... for a while. I basically had to call off that whole series of classes to avoid the friend feeling like a traitor for covering for the ex... etc. etc. But that was my experience and it would have been completely different if any one of a number of tiny details was different. So that's why I say it's about your relationship. You have to assess how the working relationship will affect your personal relationship etc. Will you get impatient with her and say the wrong thing when planning a class? Is she gonna start wishing she had the free time but not be sure how to tell you? etc.

On the debate of whether a female is "necessary" I agree that even if the guy knows both partners' roles and the girl is too shy or inexperienced to teach, it really is helpful to have a female role model present.

Salsa and relationships... Trully not knownt to go together long...

Still, your experience would point not to mix both of them, as did others. Even if now it would be easyer to teach her the main style differences than to start with someone from scratch, might pay off in the future (or present as no tension builds up) cause I'de hate to cancel a series based on external factors. Hell, no students I could handle, it would mean I just wasn't cut up for teaching, but that situation would be more unconfortable.

Still several interesting points to consider were raised here. I wonder if many people had to deal with this particular indecision.

sweavo said:

Sorry Houdini, I didn't really mean the topic had no place here, it was a (weak) joke suggesting that salsa dancers are not famous for their stable relationships

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I got the joke , I enjoy your 'dry' sense of humour.

Shooshoo said:

I got the joke , I enjoy your 'dry' sense of humour.

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Thanks, Shoosh! It's a relief to know that!

Caro-
I know a teacher who was teaching several years alone. Whenever he had to demonstrate something, he just picked a student. This went quite well for him. May be you can try this.
Big kiss
:kissme: