Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » Female Instructors

New topic from the girl with the big wooden spoon... I go to different Salsa teaching venues and find I'm confronted with ladies teaching beg/imp and men teaching int/adv. I've recently been to a class where a lady teaches int/adv. I thought she was great and really wore the mantel of a man as she taught - although there weren't many men in the class. Is there an unspoken feeling that women teachers aren't 'good enough' to teach men int/adv salsa? Or is it that some women aren't trying to 'be the man' enough when they teach and blokes shy away from the girlie teachers, maybe due to past experience? Regardless of the border-line 'sexist issue' boards I'm treading right now I'd really like some honest opinions.

Your sample isn't really large enough to draw any firm conclusions but here are some thoughts on male/female teachers.

To teach salsa you have to be able to lead. Many excellent and experienced female dancers have no interest in leading, they are happy to express themselves and are fulfilled as followers. A man with plenty of experience leading can easily dance the followers steps. In fact, I think to be a top class leader you have to be able to follow too. It's a shorter step from there to become a teacher.

Often, the man and woman teaching are a genuine team but because the leader's role requires more explanation the man will talk more than the woman, so it might appear that he is the star of the show.

I see. So, basically female teachers of int/adv can teach just as well as male as long as they have good leadership and seeing as they also know how to follow well that should give them a good edge? I'd be interested to know what other salseros think about being taught by a female from intermediate onwards. Whether there is a bone of contention through experience or whether there is no problem at all. I've seen Josie Neglia videos and consider her a very good teacher to both sexes. My interest in this question is because i know I'm so thoroughly hooked on Salsa that while I'm an Aerobics teacher at the moment I plan to teach Salsa one day and my aspirations are to teach right through to advanced level so I'd be interested to know how women teachers are viewed today and what areas could be improved upon.

Yep, go ahead with your plan and don't worry about it. Sex comes a long way behind skill and personality when choosing a salsa teacher at any level, for any sensible person.

I have a personal fantasy that prior to teaching salsa, Josie Neglia was actually a pole-dancer! No proof of this but... But it's great to dream about and I'm constantly scanning the net to try and find "those photos". (if anyone has them - I will pay big money!!!

Go and speak to Katy James @ the Toad on Thursdays et voila!!! One female salsa instructer in Cardiff that teaches advanced.

Lisa Anscombe (Oxford) is also a fab female teacher. Also there is Kerry Ribchester (Oxford - I think), KT James (Bristol) Cressida Childs (Bristol - don't know about her teaching but she's a damn good dancer plus... get in with her an you could teach @ pontins)