The Practice of Hiring Dance Instructors to Partner You for Social Dances

[Dr Dance]

There are three ladies at the tea dance whose social dance skills range from good to excellent: my social partner Sherrie, my best friend Betty, and new friend Eleanor. One day, Eleanor decided to hire new instructor Michael to partner her for two hours during the afternoon tea dance. Eleanor recruited both Betty and Sherrie to split the cost three ways. He charges $65 per hour for this service. He rotates through each lady for successive dances. Then every fourth dance, he either sits one out or dances with another lady of his choice.

All three ladies are having a blast doing this. Last Sunday was the third week in a row that this was done.

Sherrie said that she did it because she "wasn't getting enough quality dancing" during the dance. I can see her point. Although this particular tea dance has attracted more skilled social dancers than other dances and places, partners at these dances always offer a mixed bag of skill sets... from basic beginner to very advanced. What lady doesn't enjoy being "swept off her feet" by a dancer with superior skill sets? And what lady wouldn't enjoy more of that if she had the choice? Some will even pay money to have that privilege.

Guys can do this too. Phil, an accomplished amateur, has hired professional Yana do dance socially for three hours with him during one social dance event. I have considered doing this myself. But I have declined myself this luxury because I am unwilling to pay money to get "a little more" of what I already get at these social dances. My money. My choice. My standard coach Mary often dances with me socially anyway at no extra charge because she knows how much I enjoy that. Last Sunday, Mary was feeling generous. She gave me three dances during the course of the tea dance.

Hiring yourself out for social dances is great for instructors too. It allows new instructors to display their impressive skills for others to see. Betty has already signed up to train with Michael for the next showcase. They will dance a salsa.

I see this practice as a win/ win situation. Everybody benefits. The only disadvantage that I can see is the ego blow to struggling social ams who may get "passed over" during dances... guys and gals who may NEED more dance experience. And are not getting it because the best partners are dancing with pros that they hired!

Where is the balance here?

 

[Warren J. Dew]

The three ladies who are sharing will presumably still have dances with other gents. As for the people who hire the professional partners solo, I guess their effect on the scene depends on whether they would have come at all otherwise. If not, then the only negative is that they are taking up extra space on the floor, I suppose.

 

[Artaniu]

Being relatively new to the dance world feel free to take my comments with a pinch of a salt. If everyone is happy and no harm is occurring then all is good. However I see potential issues with this.

• The three combined are paying for 2 hours but only getting 90 mins due to the 4th dance. If the coach sits out then no harm, however dancing with a lady of his choice?
• If I'm honest an instructor should be fit enough to be able to dance for 2 hours straight.
• It could cause resentment with others who use the coach, and even the three who have paid
  • A separate customer of the coach may not understand why the 3 are being rotated, as they don't get to be a lucky 4th.
  • Free dance tips are being given to the 4th dance.
  • The 4th dance could get more than one dance.

I understand fixed couples and even partners who social but dance more with there own partner. Social is supposed to be social after all.

As i said at the start, if everyone is happy then all is good. I suppose my brain just over analyses everything.

 

[fiesta0618]

The way I see it, nobody owes anybody else a dance. The ego blow you describe for folks who potentially have less access to a skilled amateur dancer? The problem is entirely inside their own head.

If it truly is the case that someone needs more dances in order to improve, and in order for that practice to be valuable it needs to happen with somebody more advanced than they are, it seems to me that the solution is to work with a professional, not other amateurs. That means either lessons, or doing the same thing with contracting a professional partner.

 

[Dr Dance]

GOOD POINTS all.

Yes, Warren J. Dew, the three ladies in question are not dancing exclusively with instructor Michael. They still work others and me in to their dancing as well. Therefore, other dancers need not feel excluded by these ladies just because they hired a pro.

To be honest, Fiesta0618, I WAS feeling less relevant. But true, this is all "just in my head." I know that this isn't just "all about me." I'll get over it! To be fair, all three of my lady friends have been more than considerate of my feelings.

But the most poignant consideration for me was made by Artaniu. Although dancers like myself use events like tea dances to improve their dance skills through practice, this is by definition a SOCIAL dance. This is an opportunity to be SOCIAL. Catching up with dance friends at these events is one main aspect that makes tea dances worthwhile.

Bottom line: By hiring instructor Michael, my three friends are more motivated to attend a dance event that I also enjoy very much. And if these ladies are happier, then I am happier.

 

[rels77]

This is a very common practice in other countries. In Argentina, for example, they are called taxi dancers.

 

[opendoor]

..common practice ..called taxi dancers..

But with the exception that taxi dancers usually are proficient amateurs with this little sidejob. I haven't seen young full-time professionals do taxi dancing. By the way, here in my hometown Hamburg we got several groups of taxi dancers that taxi voluntary at socials.

 

[ralf]

Taxi dancing used to be common in the United States as well, with entire establishments devoted to it. Patrons would typically pay ten cents per song danced, which was referenced by the title of the 1931 movie Ten Cents a Dance.

Taxi dancer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[tangotime]

Taxi dancing used to be common in the United States as well, with entire establishments devoted to it. Patrons would typically pay ten cents per song danced, which was referenced by the title of the 1931 movie Ten Cents a Dance.

Taxi dancer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

NYC had taxi dancers for many moons from the 30s thru the 70s. The 60/70 guys charged $5 per dance ( at Roseland ballroom ) .

 

[opendoor]

...only disadvantage ... social ams.. get "passed over"... because the best partners are dancing with pros..

Hi Dr, I doubt that "pros" necessarily are better dancers than "social ams". The fact that you make a living from it says nothing about your skills at all. Moreover, social dancing requires different skills than teaching: mainly musicality, floor craft, sensitivity, and of course the absence of self-publicizing.

 

[ProgressNotPerfection]

...struggling social ams who may get "passed over" during dances... guys and gals who may NEED more dance experience. And are not getting it because the best partners are dancing with pros that they hired!

In the case of your specific friends, it may be true that they are considered “the best partners” at your afternoon tea dances...but it’s not necessarily applicable in all cases. I, for instance, am not one of “the best partners” at any social dance. If I were to hire a taxi dancer (which is something that never occurred to me, but I like the idea!), other social ams would not be missing out on anything if I were being monopolized by the person I hired. Ideally, my taxi dancer would help me improve my following skills and floorcraft, with the goal that I would become a better social dance partner...and later I could dance with fellow social ams rather than a hired pro.

But I see your point that if someone is paying a taxi dancer BECAUSE she is already skilled and wants an equally skilled partner, then other social ams will indeed be missing out.

However, I don’t see any difference between that scenario and the version that involves experienced social ams dancing exclusively with each other at socials, rather than giving the struggling newbies some of their time & assistance. Some folks are there to enjoy a social atmosphere, including being helpful with newbies; others are there to practice their skills without being held back. *shrug* “You pays your money and you takes your choice.”

 

[Warren J. Dew]

Hi Dr, I doubt that "pros" necessarily are better dancers than "social ams". The fact that you make a living from it says nothing about your skills at all. Moreover, social dancing requires different skills than teaching: mainly musicality, floor craft, sensitivity, and of course the absence of self-publicizing.

Your argument has some merit regarding pros that make their money teaching; in principle a teacher can teach things they don't do themselves. Being paid just to dance "socially" with people, though, almost certainly does imply that one's dance skills in a social environment are good too.

 

[ProgressNotPerfection]

... Being paid just to dance "socially" with people, though, almost certainly does imply that one's dance skills in a social environment are good too.

Caveat emptor.

 

[David_In_CA]

My biggest concern (for the student) would be dancing in a monoculture. If you learn from one instructor, and then primarily dance with that same instructor, are you improving your social dance skills? I tend to think that part of the skillset is adapting to different connection styles, movement styles, body types.

This isn't a concern with the three women you mentioned, since it's only a quarter of the time, but more of a general concern.

 

[lucia_l]

If not, then the only negative is that they are taking up extra space on the floor, I suppose.

That's what my husband and I do. He rarely asks other ladies especially if it's a newer venue for us and we don't know anyone. We paid our entrance fee just like everyone else, and I assume the ladies and their taxi dancer did too.
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Two weeks ago Saturday one of the women at one of the "class/social" dances had clearly brought a dance teacher who danced every dance with her. (I don't know but recognize the woman and pro from facebook which keeps suggesting a friend them based on our mutual friends.) One thing they did that bothered me was that they would stop in the middle of the floor-- including the line of dance in things like Waltz and Foxtrot, and start discussing issues. That's not just taking up extra space. Both ought to know better. But of course, some beginners do the same thing. Teachers and hosts usually take them aside and say something.
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Honestly though, I think more people should hire taxi dancers.

Three women sharing one is a great idea. I hope it catches on. The current alternative at many dance venues is groups consist of 2 married couples, 5 unattached women, 1 single guy. The single guy generally circulates automatically -- but that will include meeting women in other groups.

There's a lot of pressure on the married men (who, honestly, often would rather dance much more with their wives and dislike dancing with at least 2 of the unattached women who exhibit various dancing flaws like resting their entire weight on the guy, or have zero frame, can't turn... blah... blah...) If the five unattached ladies split the cost of 2 taxi dancers between them, things would be great. (Heck, if I won the lotto and had money to burn, I'd bring my husband and a taxi dancer! I'd make sure the 5 unattached women knew he was a taxi dancer, pay for his business cards, and suggest he find friend who were also willing to hire out as taxi dancers! )

• If I'm honest an instructor should be fit enough to be able to dance for 2 hours straight.
• It could cause resentment with others who use the coach, and even the three who have paid
  • A separate customer of the coach may not understand why the 3 are being rotated, as they don't get to be a lucky 4th.
  • Free dance tips are being given to the 4th dance.

The instructor I saw last week was definitely fit enough to dance every dance with that particular older partner especially on that particular crowded floor. If he'd been there with a competition partner, he still couldn't have gone all out without constant collisions. I suspect any coach or taxi dancer who does this for a while will figure out what parameters he needs to set given the size of the dance floor and the dance level expectations.
As for resentment: If the coaches other students have a financial arrangement, they fact of taxi dancing should be explained to others. People who take lessons must already understand that you pay come to the dance (or group lesson/dance). You pay for a private lesson. If you pay a taxi dancer, he's yours for the period you paid him.

The issue of the fourth dance is probably negotiated. The 3 ladies may actually like it because they like for various reasons (including liking other dancers to learn of the practice of taxi-dancing.) Or it might be a condition for him because it helps him drum up business quietly. Perhaps he'd cut out the 4th free to others dance if the ladies would pay $90/hour.
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But I see your point that if someone is paying a taxi dancer BECAUSE she is already skilled and wants an equally skilled partner, then other social ams will indeed be missing out.

But if she didn't hire an equally skilled partner, she might not come to the dance at all so they'd still miss out. What they are missing wouldn't be in their face, but they'd still miss it. If they learn it's a taxi dancer, perhaps they could approach him and ask if he knows any female taxi dancers. That might increase the practice!

I've often thought if my husband stopped dancing I'd try to hire a taxi dancer. Honestly, I'd be happy to let the taxi dancer dance every fourth dance with someone else so he could promote his services and the practice of taxi dancing more generally.