How much touching is needed for teaching Latin ?

D

dancingirldancing

Member
I just have a lesson with my latin instructor and we are working on my gold star rumba routine.

We were working heavily on my technique mainly on my hips action and walk. Also on some highlights figures (posing ?).

He did put his hand often but briefly on my bum and inner thighs.

Each time with a purpose of correcting something or turning out my legs more or making me move faster.

He has never flirted with me and even while having his hand on my bum we both had a straight face. I do not feel like we have any sexual attraction at all. He never touched me on my boobs and never even 'slipped' his hand accidentally over it.

While I do not mind this approach of teaching for the sake of better dancing I want to be sure that I am not being taken advantaged of or being thought of unfavorably.

What is your opinion ? Does people train like this normally ? Should I be upset ?

How much touching does your teacher do ?
 
I don't know about Latin, but with AT I've had pretty much all of my legs touched, as well as my hips. Not my butt, though. (Very very close--tailbone--but I knew the reason for that, and the teacher's girlfriend was there, so I didn't feel awkward.) I guess I could see that much touching being necessary, but I'm not sure.

Perhaps more to the point, though, is that you definitely seem uncomfortable about it. Regardless of anything else, IMO, you have the right to feel comfortable, so if it's bothering you I say you're perfectly within your rights to ask him not to do that.
 
Touch during dance instruction is commonplace. I find it rather clinical and matter-of-fact, and don't pay it any mind. But there are dance students who are hyper-aware of body contact, and very uncomfortable, in which case I would suggest they be candid about that with their instructors from the beginning. There are also instructors out there that probably aren't "clinical and matter-of-fact" in their touching, in which case I suggest going by one's instincts and ending any association that feels wrong.

But in the course of correction on the student's body or demonstrating & sensing on the instructor's body, it's not strange to touch body parts. I know that makes some people squeamish. For others that are deep into the study, it's just the lay of the land... another day at work, IMO.
 
I am not a prude about this but I just want to make sure that is normal and ok.

I am ok as long as it is clinical and it did feel clinical.

What are your boundaries if any ?
 
dancingirldancing said:
I am not a prude about this but I just want to make sure that is normal and ok.

I am ok as long as it is clinical and it did feel clinical.

What are your boundaries if any ?
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You don't have to be a prude to not feel comfortable.

Boundaries??? It's kind of like other things--I'll know them when I see them. So much depends on context.
 
For me, my boundaries lie in my choice of instructor, coach, and partner -- I work with those I trust and respect. Beyond that, it doesn't matter, because touch becomes a moot point. It's just an adjunct to a much larger objective.

I've had some funny moments around touch, and they were funny precisely because they truly were beside the point. :)
 
I echo Samina's sentiments.

From the opposite perspective:

In the course of my training, my mentors---both female AND male---would often "sculpt" my form and train my movement, much like one would shape clay (very "handsy", one could say).

When I was more active in Latin, it was common among my mentors (female & male) to often grab my leg right at the adductors (inner thigh) for turnout, or my bottom to get to a position, or run both palms up and down my torso to give me a feel of the shape I was expected to make.

My teachers used to do it to me and a number of my advanced partners---but always respectfully and always with our prior permission (they always would ask us first).

Funny though, a partner did observe that of all our teachers, the ones trained in the UK, were the ones who were more prone to be "hands-on".

Cultural? School Training Philosophy? I don't know.

But, it all goes to the context of the situation.






m
 
There's a lot of touching involved in dancing, both from coach and partner during practice. Hips, chest, thigh, lower back, the works.

It's a non-issue, and it shouldn't be an issue unless either makes it quite obvious that the touching is not with dancing in mind.
 
madmaximus said:
Funny though, a partner did observe that of all our teachers, the ones trained in the UK, were the ones who were more prone to be "hands-on".



m
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That's interesting to note. The one coach I've worked with who is most intensely tactile was trained in the UK for a time -- certainly his primary mentor was there. There is a lot of touching, not just when you're being "molded into place", but also during action, alone or with a partner.

There's always an intelligence and strategy about it.

I think the OP was about touching in Latin instruction, but Standard has always involved more touching for me, at least in my limited experience with Latin.

In Latin, you probably touch yourself more... LOL
 
never had pros who do much touching (thank the merciful heavens) but have had a female coach who simply teaches that way...and its all good
 
Seems to me I've done more touching of pro :D than the other way around! He would sometimes have me touch his back, chest, or hips to feel what a shape, movement, or muscle engagement should feel like. But it was all business.
 
Pheeeeeeew !

I can dance in peace now.

I really don't mind the touching (or yes moulding probaby is a better explanation) I am just mindful of what the teacher and/or other students may think of me. Some of the not so regular student sometimes looked at us funny.

But then again....it WAS very useful !
 
Definitely touching, and it's very clinical, and part of the learning. There's things you can't see, or grasp, until you feel it. lol, one of pros almost knocked me over pulling on belt loop yesterday trying to get my hips to go forward as much as I pull them back. :P

Like fasc, do notice it more from outside coaches than my pros, but it's definitely just part of the dance.
 
Yes, people who don't dance competitive Latin do sometimes find it odd. But my female coach has stuck her hand between my upper thighs and said "squeeze my hand" and my male coach has instructed me to, um, grab his behind, when we've danced rumba together (though there was nothing suggestive about it). It took a while for me to get used to, but now it's just a matter of course that I touch myself or my partner (passionately, but tastefully).
 
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