Excuse me, but why are you calling me an idiot? That was incredibly rude and uncalled for.

Let me growl here a bit....

Really, teaching dancing rather than working at Burger King.

I have been a student of dance for a good 15 years. I pay up to 90.00 per hour for our lessons... and we take 3 lessons a week....Ca'mon on guys do the math.

I have a real problem with studio's presenting instuctors to new students who are not more than students themselves. This is common at the Arthur Murray type of studios. It took us a good few years to unlearn what we learned at AM at 10,000 a year to be ready to compete at non franchised competitions. Prior, our scoring was based thier income potential from us.

Lets stick with proper certifiations(sp), and qualified instructors rather than I can pay you more than Burger King.

Thank you both for your words. I would just like Janet to know that I have the exact same problem with unqualified instructors. I hate the fact that at the studio I take lessons from, I can dance better than quite a few of the teachers. I also wanted to let you know that the only reason my teacher offered this peice of information to me was because that, with how quickly I learn, he does believe that by age 16 I'll be atleast gold, if not higher.And also many coaches have apparently told him that they believe I'll be the next big thing at a young age. I'm not saying this to gloat or anything like that, but just to inform you that I probably wouldn't be one of those unqualified instructors. I am barely even considering it as a job, seeing as I'm so young, but I just wanted to know what other people thought. Thank you once more for your opinions.

Tangoteen, if they really truly believe in you, then ask them to help you find a suitable amateur partner and train you both with the goal of becoming strong competitors in the Youth (15-18 year old) division. It would be interesting to know what they think of that. Many teachers would be ecstatic to have a very talented Youth couple to train, a few others unfortunately might see it as a threat to their monopoly on pro/am dancers. If your studio falls into the second category, then it might be a good idea for you to find another studio that understands how to encourange and develop Youth dancers as competitive amateurs rather than trying to suck them into being teachers.

On the other hand, if your personal goal really and truly is to become a teacher rather than a competitor, and if you really enjoy teaching, then why not do it -- so long as you know what the trade-offs are for your competitive career. In my opinion, turning pro now would kill off what could be a satisfying amateur competitive experience, so to me it's not worth it. But if that's not what you're after, then that's a different story....

Thanks Laura! I'll definently look into that. Competing is my main thing, but I'd also like to teach one day. I'm young so I still have plenty of time to decide, but I do like the bit of advice you just gave me! Thanks a ton!

Since you say that you are very interested in competing, let me add this: say you do live up to or surpass your current teacher's expectations and get out there and make a mark as a Youth amateur competitor. When you decide to go into teaching, it will make you that much more attractive to prospective clients, especially other young competitors who need lessons. In my area there is a very strong Youth program, and the kids in that program are taught by successful young adults who also came out of that program -- the teachers are mentors and role models for the younger students, so the students gravitate toward them for lessons rather than going to older teachers who tend to teach adults and Pro/Am dancers. In other words, succeeding as an amateur competitor will give you a lot of "street cred" with other amateur competitors, which will help you a lot when you decide to start teaching.

Wow, Laura! You're just blowin me away today! That's awesome! I never even thought about that! Thank you so much for all your great advice and help; if I live up to my expectations I'll surely give that a try. Thanks so much!

Best of luck to you! You sound like you really love dancing *and* have a good head on your shoulders. And never forget that you have people here at ballroomdancers.com you can ask when you have questions or just want a different opinion.

At a minimum, I don't think any amateur should even contemplate turning pro until they've studied with a number of different teachers in different settings, including at least a handfull of sessions with world-ranked authorities. Studios are their own little corner of a very large world, and it would be a shame to make a nearly permanent decision without first getting a sense of the larger picture. I suppose it's not impossible that someone could grow from beginner to competing pro all within the confines of their original studio absent any outside experience, but I'd rate it extremely unlikley.

Hello, I'm a dancing teacher from germany, so at first sorry for my english. I'm employed on a regular basis in a dancing school. One of my colleagues, he is still on-the-job training, is only 20 years old and he is doing a very, very good job. In my opinion a good dancing teacher surly has to dance very good, but even more importand is that he can explain it excellent and that he can tread people very good.
But I think in germany we have a different system of dancing schools than you have in America. We have one big association of dancing teachers. And if you want to be a member of this association you have to do an education over three years. Including a pratical education in a dancing school where you learn all about the daily business. After one year you get your own little classes, for example Hustle-classes. But no beginner-classes. Teaching beginners you need a lot practice, because theire fun in dancing and theire dancing style is hinging on your teaching methods.
The education includes also a theoretical education. You go to a special scool in the morning where you train your own dancing. Mainly the five Latin dances (Rumba, ChaChaCha, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble), based on the technique by Walter Laird and the five "smooth" dances (Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrott, Tango, Vienne Waltz), based on the technique by Alex Moore respectively the revised technique by "ISTD". You also work out the techniques in a only theoretical way. Which meens you have to learn the Alignments, Footpositions, amounts of turn, etc.
If you go through this education you are allowed, as a member of the association, to teach. But you are only allowed to teach "Hobby-dancers". If some of your pupils want to dance tournaments you have to send them to a dancing club. This is a deal between dancing schools and dancing clubs in Germany. The schools are not allowed to send theire couples to tournaments and on the other hand the clubs are not allowed to teach beginners. If you want to train tournament couples you have to do an advanced education.

Back to the main theme. I think if someone starts to teach at a very young age he can become a good dancing teacher. In this job you grow with your experiances in teaching. But if you want to become a trainer , you have to do your own tournament experiances as an amateur also as an professionel. But most importand is that you know WHY you want to become a dancing teacher. Okay you like dancing, but do you love to work with people? Can you imagine to explain the same step over and over again? Can you imagine to work everytime when everybodyelse with a "normal job" has free? Can you imagine to dance every dancingstyle never mind if you like it or not? (for example: we have some Hip Hop classes, and I'm not really keen on Hip Hop, but I have to learn the basics, just to know how it works)
So, you know your school. Watch the daily business not only in the classes also in the office, etc. and than ask yourself: Can I do this a lifetime?

Greatings from Germany
P.S.: I love my job. It's the best you can do, if you love it!!!