Recently I viewed a video by the “Line Dance Prince” in which he listed five tips for teachers to help line dance students. I’m not sure how he gained that title, if he is self-proclaimed or next in the line of inheritance; however, since I’m open to suggestions, I’m going to review his ideas.
Tip #1 was really a question; he asked why instructors want to teach line dance. That one is easy for me to answer because I have always loved to teach dance and enjoy both the challenge of difficult dances for experienced students as well as the easy beginner ones that introduce a new student to the world of line dancing.
Tip #2 was one I already do, which is to learn the names of my students. I’m blessed to have a faithful following in my classes, so it’s easy to remember their names. As new students join, I introduce them as much as possible so everyone’s name sticks in my memory.
Tip #3 I never do, since he suggested buying water for the class. Most of the places I teach are in bars, so the students patronize that establishment by purchasing whatever beverage they wish. Even when I teach for a Senior Center, the students either bring their own or buy water from the facility.
Tip #4 was to have a clear goal for the class and make sure all the students know what it is. Honestly, my main goal for my classes is to enjoy it! Of course I want everyone to learn the dances and hopefully remember them; however, if they’re not having fun dancing, then they probably won’t come as often or will only try it once and not return.
Tip #5 was to warn line dance teachers that if they’re in this to make money, they’re in the wrong occupation. I agree that money shouldn’t be the main reason someone decides to teach; I’m happy to volunteer my time to teach line dance at local fundraisers. Any teacher can tell you that there is a lot of time devoted to finding music and learning new dances, as well as the actual time spent teaching, along with keeping students informed via emails and social media. Add up all those hours and some of us really don’t make a hefty hourly wage!
In conclusion, I’m happy to be able to teach line dance in my “neck of the woods” and wish that there were more venues in this area. Below are the links to the step sheets for two of my favorite dances that I’ve taught in the last month:
Dori Yez teaches Country Line Dancing on Mondays at Rolling Mills Bar in Girard, Ohio and at the Cortland Ohio SCOPE Center on Fridays.
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