Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » Salsa teaching course

I would have hoped all the teachers have insured themselves, purely for themselves. If it all goes horribly wrong, what would be the personal consequences of being sued. There may be a good chance of being bankrupted, homes being re-possessed... And it is always easiest to get insurance if you have a formal qualification.

And interestingly enough, the two teachers you hear being recommended to most often are the two who have made the effort of gaining qualifications.

I could be talking out of my hat here, but surely there is little need for teachers to be insured.

As far as I know all businesses that supply a service to the public, i.e. Bars, Clubs, Restaurants, e.t.c; carry both Employers and Public Liability Insurance. Therefore if you are a Salsa Teacher hired by a venue under a contractual agreement, making them an Employer; the ‘Public’ (you and I) would sue the venue as the Teacher is an Employee.

I know some people may try to argue the case that surely Teachers are paid from the takings at the door, but I believe in most cases the Business has a percentage too or agrees to keep all profits made at the bar, making them part of a contract.

I guess this is different in a venue, which is hired specifically for Salsa. However, I guess most injuries would be caused whilst dancing freestyle on the dance floor. Therefore the Teacher would not be at fault, as you have chosen to take your life into your own hands making you responsible for your own actions, although again you could sue the venue as what else is the dance floor there for, unless to be used for dancing; a service that they are providing.

Anyway, since when was anyone likely to sue? This is Britain, not America! If you feel you don’t want to take the risk with your body, don’t do Salsa! Simple as that!

I don't think most salsa teachers are 'hired by the venue': most of them have to persuade the venues to let them hold a class. It might well be that, even if the public sued the venue, the venue's insurers would then sue the teacher. There is a small but significant risk of injury, particularly as some teachers are teaching 'big' and challenging moves in classes that are far too crowded - I was inadvertantly headbutted by the guy next to me on one occasion.

I've heard of at least one case of a man in the States being sued by a woman who he dipped badly and injured. Maybe somebody should tell Dr Death and then he might moderate his behaviour...

One thing I've been thinking about. There's an old expression that says "give someone a violin but don't tell them how to play it" This teacher is a business man and what type of business man really will share his clients with competetors? Which is what we would become to him if we took this teaching course.

Simple answer - Andy can't be everywhere at once and needs to recruit new teachers. We may have an oversupply in Cardiff but there are plenty of places in South Wales where there's no salsa running.

Working as a safety officer on many events large and small it is important for all people whom give any form of instruction to be competent to do so, proving this is hard, you need the history and trainning ect they have had if they are under contract to any bar club etc, they are providing a service its the venue whom would need to do this.
As Maria mentioned they come under their responsibility to ensure that the indivdaul is competent and if they allowe classes to happen and they have not checked this out they are open to be sued by any member of the public for any injury /loss etc that may happen during the class.
The teacher is still at risk as they would have make sure that all due care has been taken and that the public are doing activities well with in there own level of competance.
If they are not contracted to a pub or club they take the full responsibilty for any of there actions and instructions.
As would anyone working as a ture freelancer they should make sure that there insurance covers them to do this and they should carry the poilcy and it should be available for anyone to see or for it to be on display.
Having said all this the public attending any class are also responsible for there own undertaking and actions, and they should also know there own level of competance.
They should not enter into a class if its beyond there skill level/ competance.
As they could be sued by a partner they are dancing with and should they cause injury to another indivdaul that party could make a civil case against them.
So we should all make take due care when doing classes and when dancing with each other.
As the HSE say you are competent until proved incompetent.
(work that one out !)
Also if you are attending a class and dont feel that the teacher is competent you should not do the class, just sit on the side and wait for the free dancing . then you fall under the Licencing terms and conditions of the venue, whom hold all the insurance cover you would need and should provide you a safe and hazard free place to dance.

I hope this helps we should all take due care at all times .

A few comments from someone who has been teaching dance for (Ouch!) 20 years and salsa for 10 years.

If you are teaching classes or running dance nights or organising events and don't have Public Liability Insurance you are both nuts and irresponsible.

I have yet to see or hear of ANY teaching qualification that covers the teaching of salsa adequately in any of its incarnations.

Check out the technique books for salsa issued by the main Ballroom/Latin organisations but make sure you have been to the loo recently, lest you wet yourself laughing.

I was asked if I wanted to 'join' the UKA (Having taught many of their teachers in various congress gatherings over the years). (Someone would come and watch a class, collect the fee and the 'certificate' would be issued in due course. No training or teaching required.)

This is not meant as a slur on UKA 'Qualified' teachers many of whom are my friends and very good teachers but they didn't get to be good teachers by 'joining' the UKA. Most joined for very sound business reasons (Cheap insurance cover and it looks good on your CV).

I would always recommend that anyone who wants to teach, goes and learns from someone who already does. Ask any teacher and if they are honest they will have a few stories about their first few classes and the frequent changes of underwear required.

Learning to teach is a continuous and ongoing process, if you aspire to be any good at it.

The core knowledge of bio-mechanics, dance technique, class structure and rhythm are relatively easy to teach/learn.

A good dancer can move well, look good and SHOW you. A good teacher can explain how and why.

Thanks for your contribution Phil.

I thought it was interesting that it was after the UKA codified their version of "salsa" (a simplification of the Cuban/open-break style) that cross-body style started to take off in the UK. A coincidence, or some teachers wanting to get "out-from-under" any possible influence of the UKA and wanting to show that a street-dance like salsa will always be changing and can't be codified?

Adding to Phil's points, I agree that many people can dance salsa VERY WELL, but I personally feel an "education" is also important. I too initially learnt salsa from Andy Witt - he gets everywhere doesn't he :-) and he would mention different music styles, concepts,
on "one" / on "two" / New York / LA / Cuban styles blah blah blah which I then went home and read about. Take a look at this list.

Pachanga
Boogaloo
Son
Bolero
Cumbia
Bachata
Charanga
Dancing on the clavé (2/3 or 3/2)
Merengue
Lambada
Soca
Zook
Forró
Pagode
Samba
Capoeira
Rumba
Bomba
Tango (and the difference between argentine and ballroom)

This list is no way near exhaustive but stick these into google and you'll be surprised by what you can learn :-) I was!

Maybe people could read up on these, add others and Hugh could put together a "glossary"? I welcome comments.

I am by no-way an authority in all of the aforementioned, but I atleast know my pagode from my pachanga. My son from my samba and as a teacher, I feel it has made me bettter by giving me the confidence to stand up and explain what and why I'm teaching, and where it came from, instead of simply "here's a routine, just copy me" I can give a bit of history to the dance as well as show the steps.

I started to teach under another teachers wings, I learned a lot from the experience, however I think that if you truely want to be a good salsa teacher you need to have as much information as possibile about what you are doing, this is why I regularly attend congresses and classes with all the internationally renowned teachers, as there is an awful lot to know, it's not just being able to teach basic steps but knowing why things are the way you are teaching them so when a student asks why you can answer.

Any course offering information is a good thing if you intend to teach, however I would tell would-be teachers not to be satisfied with just one explanation but to look for several opinions from those who have been doing this for a very long time, also to read up about the music and timings. Know the music well. It is true that the uka is the only known exam in salsa that I have heard of, I haven't taken it and nor have most of the teachers I know. Not putting it down as the average employer at a gym has nothing to go by when hiring a teacher exept recomendation. I have heard that there may be a course coming out with the idta, even so there are several different types of salsa. Are they going to bring out one in cuban one in cross body another in columbian? I think not.

If you want to teach look to several teachers that you admire, do lots of people's classes. as seeing how others teach and what you like and agree with about the way they teach always helps make you a better teacher. Teaching is not just about being a good dancer, it is about good instruction and knowing your stuff, being able to get this accross in a fun and enjoyable way.

I hear there is a teachers course in Puerto Rico not sure if we have passed the date now but that was instruction by some of the worlds best teachers. Now in my opinion you have to seek out information probably further afield than Cardiff. Not trying to put down the teachers there, in fact I would say learn everything from them but attend congresses and weekenders. ask "why"? A lot of teachers don't mind questions if they know what they're doing.

I have found several courses on the net. Eddie does a course for teachers sometimes and Josie Neglia runs a teachers course. I have never done them so cannot comment on them. Suzanna and Mario run classes in cross body on Monday and Thursdays in London that provide a lot of information, they are 2 of the worlds best teachers.

The london congress is coming up(latinfest) also the uk congress,(salsauk). These are not expensive for weekends away and I recomend any would-be teacher to attend. Just like anything that you may want to teach, teaching salsa well takes an investment in both time and money, and if any of you are interested I would suggest that an interest in guest teachers be something you discuss with your promoters.