TEACHING INFORMATION FOR SSQQ INSTRUCTORS 

RICK ARCHER 
01-12-96 

NEGATIVE SITUATIONS THAT CAN KILL A CLASS:

	BOREDOM - CLASS IN GENERAL.
	TEACHER TALKS TOO MUCH.
	BOREDOM - WOMEN THINKING THEY AREN'T LEARNING ANYTHING.
	WOMEN GETTING HURT.
	MEN GETTING OVERWHELMED.
	A CLASS WITH A POOR BOY-GIRL RATIO.
	HAVING YOUR CLASS DANCE TO MUSIC WITHOUT STRUCTURE (ie, CALLING IT OUT).

1. KILLER #1 is BOREDOM !
   
   Nothing nothing nothing executes a class faster than than Boredom!  Boredom is often caused by an over-emphasis on technique to the point that the students are no longer moving. If you have women twiddling their thumbs or people sitting down, your class is in trouble!
   
   SOLUTION: KEEP THEM MOVING !!!
   
   Once in a while, I actually "listen" to other teacher's classes. When I hear the students laughing and clapping and making noise, I am pretty certain you are effective. 
   
   The higher levels are different animals- here the students are already motivated and know the success of the move depends on their concentration. Beginners are different- they must achieve success right from the moment "go". You must be willing to sacrifice technique to an extent and substitute motion in its place.
   
   The faster you get students in each other's arms, the happier they are. The longer you keep them separate, the more bored they get. Learn to teach as much as you possibly can with students hanging on to each other. 
   
   The famous "ROUGH IDEA" technique allows them to walk through patterns together without even knowing what they are doing. Leads and footwork can be taught a little at a time while they are "touching each other" and "moving" around.
   
2. KILLER #2. DON'T TALK TOO MUCH !!! 
   
   I am as guilty as anyone, so don't feel like I'm pointing fingers. The longer you talk, the longer they stand still. The two things I hate to see the most are:
   
   1) standing there talking to one student for three minutes while 20 students watch. Either whisper that you will work with them on the break/after class or get the whole class in on the info.
   
   2) giving them a long lecture when the class first begins on the first night. They should be dancing around the room in less than ten minutes and here you are still giving them information. No matter how good your intentions are, you are missing the boat badly. Get them in each other's arms & moving.
   Save the info till right after the break. 
   
   Once upon a time (1989?) I went into a class taught by Susan MacKnight at the 10 minute mark. Susan was still introducing herself, her daughter Katie, telling the students about Wild West, about what they would be learning in class, etc. The students were actually sitting down in the chairs! This was their first day of class (Sunday). Ten minutes later I came back by and damn if she wasn't still telling them about how wonderful our studio was & to make things worse she started to tell the class who I was and how wonderful I was and asked if I wanted to tell them anything since I happened to be there. This is a true story.
   
   Remember these people have paid a lot of money ($80 a couple for example) and many of them are very busy people. Warm fuzzies may be nice, but most of these people want to learn and they want to get down to business fast.
   
   Remember to save your lectures for the end of class or at a very appropriate moment...for example when a student asks a question.
   
   Reduce your lectures to one or two points then get them moving again. Do not do not do not get into huge theoretical discussions about leads/rhythm/technique/history of dance/etc. Less than half your class could care less. They want to be MOVING ! 
   
3. KILLER #3 : WOMEN WHO ARE BORED AND DON'T THINK THEY ARE LEARNING ANYTHING.
   
   Let's be realistic. Beginning Jitterbug for example is brain dead for some women. So is Beginning TwoStep/Polka. So is Beginning Foxtrot/Waltz. You had best realize women in these classes are going to check out on you RAPIDLY unless you make a concerted effort to give them information! 
   
   Most important of all are ideas on following and frame. Most female dance instructors take their dance skills for granted now, but try always to remember what went thru your mind when you were taking these classes and tell your women the information you wish your instructor had told you! 
   
   If you neglect your women, leave them standing around, and treat them like vessels for the men to practice on, it's your fault when they disappear.
   
   Keep the Ladies HAPPY ! 
   A major key to the success of your class is your skill at keeping the ladies happy. One of the most maddening things I see is teachers spending most of their time on the men when there are continual small tips to remind the women of (for example: what to do with arms, where they can get into trouble the easiest, the tricks to following this particular move/dance, frame).
   
   As I said earlier, If the women don't feel like they are learning something, they check out fast. Witness the attrition rate of women in Beg. Two- Step and Beg. Jitterbug. You better not take them for granted.
   
4. KILLER #4: MEN WHO HURT WOMEN AND MEN WHO CRITICIZE WOMEN.
   
   The major reason we switch partners is to allow women to share the burden of the one "intolerable" man who occasionally shows up in our class. Sometimes his problem is odor, breath, alcohol, or personality, but even worse than that is his tendency to hurt the woman. In 1995 we had a man who literally made enemies with his continual disregard for the safety of his partners. We were forced to ask him to leave the studio, but not before he chased a half dozen women students away first. He blamed everything on a personality conflict between him and one of his accusors, but I had the opportunity to dance with him and he hurt me too.
   
   Every level you let a man like this go on to without confronting him with his tendency to hurt women makes the situation worse.
   
   As you know, SSQQ gets some students who are walking wounded in an emotional sense. They are hurting from a relationship that failed and may not be in the greatest of moods. As a result, they may be defensive and tense. You may need to be very diplomatic, but the longer you avoid explaining the problem, the worse it gets.
   
   Even more INEXCUSABLE on your part is if you are not even aware of the problem. It is easiest to teach classes from the man's point of view, especially if you have extra ladies, but most men will never learn to lead based on what you tell them to do. You have to reinforce your words by literally dancing with them and feeling what they do to you - this is the time to say, "Ouch, that hurts. I realize you didn't mean to do that, but let me show you where you are getting in trouble..." If the problem takes more than one or two minutes, grab him at break or after class.
   
   DO NOT LET THIS SITUATION GET OUT OF CONTROL. SHAME ON YOU IF THIS MAN MAKES IT TO LEVEL 4 OR ABOVE AND HE IS STILL HURTING WOMEN! Report it to me if you don't know what to do.
   
   "Hurting" is not always physical. For example, the Year 2000 saw a man named Arturo asked to leave the studio because he constantly criticized women students in his class about what they were doing wrong. The bitterness expressed by some of these women was intense. 
   
5. KILLER #5: MEN WHO ARE OVERWHELMED.
   
   The sign of an inexperienced teacher is one who substitutes teaching material for teaching leading and following skills. It is always easier to teach moves. Whenever I am tired and don't feel like "making them to do it till they get it right" then I too will teach material to get me through the night.
   
   However if you do this as a steady dose, no one learns the material. If a man doesn't feel at least a certain mastery of his material, his common sense approach is to not go on to the next level. If he sees the women frown upon their turn to dance with him, he frequently leaves the studio. Or worse, he gets rougher with his leads thinking a "stronger lead" is what the woman needs.
   
   A clever dance teacher does not spend much time on any one move, but has an ingenious habit of reviewing at various times when possible in a way that doesn't bore the class. Rather than "do it till you get it right" in two hours, parcel out learning something hard over a series of lessons. Arm Tension in the Whip Basic and the Whip Hammerlock Double Turns are good examples of overwhelming patterns that are best learned over a series of lessons.
   
   Sometimes you may have to simply apologize to the class for reviewing, but find a reason to tell them why it's important. Re-doing something to a different rhythm is a good trick (2step:Polka/ Swing:Jitterbug).
   
   Learn to motivate your men to concentrate on doing it well since they will run into this particular move again in the future. Remind them this is true in just about every dance we teach since many moves at the higher levels build on patterns learned at lower levels.
   
   A good example is turns. I work with the ladies every week on turns, but not for long. If someone is really struggling, then I work with them on the break. After the first good treatment of turns, I will do mini-reviews each week. 
   
   Working with men's leads is the same way. Do one thorough job, then quick mini-reviews on the important moves like leading turns each week or whenever it seems to be a problem. After you have given men the information verbally, you can see how they have interpreted your instructions as you dance with them in the circle.
   
   Whisper one or two suggestions and follow it with encouragement since men in particular don't always handle perceived criticism very well. Don't tell them 3 things they are doing wrong; that is more information than they can process at one time.
   
   A sure sign that you are not working on skills enough is when you consistently finish the syllabus early and rely on talking or filler moves all the time.
   
6. KILLER #6 : A CLASS WITH A POOR BOY-GIRL RATIO.
   
   Remind your class the first night to do the best they can, but be sure to emphasize things will improve the following week.
   
   Solutions:
   1) Do any of your students know someone who would like to join the following week?  Suggest they do some recruiting.
   2) Look for some emergency volunteers at Practice Night to help out next week.
   3) If you knows someone who already knows the material, invite that person to join as a volunteer. 
   4) Recruit from a parallel class on another night.
   5) Get one of our assistants to help. 
   6) Rotate people constantly so they don't stand still too long.
   7) Develop a permanent Volunteer.
   8) Try to learn both the man's part and the lady's part if you are the Lead Instructor and dance whichever part balances the class. 
   
   Remember- you are responsible for balancing the class. That's is part of your job. If you fail to balance it, the headaches you receive from students who complain are just punishment. Plus it is very difficult to teach an unbalanced class.
   
   Rule of thumb: If it's a large class, more than 5 is bad news, but you only need to get the number down to 5.
   However if it's a small class, generally just two or three extra of one sex may make a big difference. 
   
7. KILLER #7 : HAVING YOUR CLASS DANCE TO MUSIC WITHOUT STRUCTURE. 
   
   This is a subtle mistake, but a potential source of trouble. 
   
   For example, I have seen several instructors put music on at the start of class in the second week and then say, "Okay, everyone warm up!"  Now this doesn't make much sense. First of all, you have new people who weren't there the first week; what are they supposed to do? Second, if the men already knew how to dance, why did they sign up?  It is unreasonable in a Beginner class to expect that more than a handful of men are prepared to dance to music without having you call it out.
   
   The same mistake is frequently repeated at the end of class. 
   YOU SHOULD NEVER LET THE CLASS DANCE WITHOUT THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR VOICE ! 
   
   I strongly urge you not to do this. Unstructured dancing is what Practice Night is for!! I say this for several reasons. 
   1)  In class the majority of the men need the structure that your calling the pattern out provides. If men struggle then they are less likely to stay for practice or come back the following week.
   2)  Most men do not have rhythm. They don't have a clue where the beat is. If you call out the pattern, it is easier for the man to sense the speed he needs to move at. Calling out the pattern to the music is a major way that men acquire the Beat of the Music.
   3)  You might be stunned at how ragged the unstructured dancing looks. If any student looks up and takes note of the number of people struggling, then their respect for your class may drop several notches. KEEP CONTROL OF YOUR COURSE AT ALL TIMES BY CALLING OUT YOUR PATTERNS!!
   

POSITIVE MOVES THAT HELP MAKE CLASSES WORK:

	GET THE STUDENTS INVOLVED WITH EACH OTHER
	USE VOLUNTEERS SO THAT EXTRA PEOPLE DON'T STAND AROUND
	DANCE WITH YOUR PARTICULAR STUDENTS AT PRACTICE NIGHT
	DIVIDE THE CLASS IN TWO PERIODICALLY.
	THE "ROUGH IDEA" & "STATUE" TEACHING SYSTEMS KEEP STUDENTS TOGETHER.
	ANNOUNCEMENTS AT BREAK OR END OF CLASS - HAVE THEM READY
	PERIODICALLY MENTION HIGHER LEVEL CLASSES IN A GRACEFUL, NON-PUSHY WAY.
	CONSTANTLY REMIND STUDENTS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDING PRACTICE NIGHT.
	DEMONSTRATE THE MATERIAL COMING UP IN THE NEXT LEVEL OF CLASS.

1. GETTING THE STUDENTS INVOLVED WITH ONE ANOTHER. 
   
   I'm sorry to sound like Dale Carnegie, but one of the highest compliments you can give a human being is to learn their name. Even if you don't have a good memory, the act of trying (even if you fail) still generally wins you points. 
   
   Use Name Tags!!  Personally I never liked "name tag" business, especially in large classes. However some of our instructors began to use them for their own classes. I watched one night and noticed the students were putting on name tags without any prompting. It dawned on me the majority of students actually like Name Tags!!  I changed my mind that night and now believe they are very good for helping a class feel like a group. 
   
   Another thing you can do is use various students to demonstrate from time to time. Remember when you drag someone out in the middle of the floor for demonstration reasons to identify them, then have your class acknowledge "so and so" by clapping when you are done. (Be careful not too embarrass the student, however, if they make a mistake!!)
   
   Don't forget the studio tradition of giving two people by name the stupid color-coordinated award. 
   another funny thing to do is have a "concept-coordinated" award (for example, two Hawaiian shirts).
   
   Daryl Armstrong has had tremendous success with his theme nights (Elvis, Hawaiian Shirt, Red Underwear). Sadly, he is much more effective with the themes than I am, but I still acknowledge how effective they are when done properly by the right person. 
   
   Find ways to learn their name : I ask people their name as I dance with them and each week I review the roster to familiarize myself with my student's names. However to be honest if the roster is more than 25 names, I am less likely to make as much of an effort.
   
   Constantly switch partners. Constantly switch partners. 
   Do a pattern, rotate. Do a pattern, rotate.
   Constantly switch partners. Constantly switch partners.
   get it?
   
   Practice Night is a major vehicle for getting the students to meet one another (as opposed to disappearing off into the clubs). Students are more inclined to stay for practice night if you make a consistent weekly effort to remind them how important the value of practice is at some point in each class. Don't forget there are two or three people who are on the fence about staying and just talking about Practice Night might make a difference. Also remind them the material will slip thru their toes 15 minutes after leaving class if they don't practice. I often tell my class they were just on the verge of getting a pattern and if they stay for Practice they will be able to master it. I also tell them if they intend to go out dancing this weekend they had best practice !
   
   Don't forget to have the class applaud themselves after dancing a routine to music. Say, "Good job ! Give yourself a hand !"
   
2. USING VOLUNTEERS SO THAT EXTRA PEOPLE DON'T STAND AROUND.
   
   It makes a lot of sense to get a helper for your class. Many of our higher level students think it's fun to help plus they enjoy the rewards of getting into practice for free, etc. You are also able to get an extra boy or girl into the class to help balance the ratio. A volunteer can also help demonstrate moves and tell you places that students are struggling.
   
   Female instructors can use a male volunteer to work with the ladies while you work with the men.
   
   If you can't find a volunteer or an assistant, then use the most talented man and woman in your class as your two demonstrators. 
   Remember that while you are talking to one sex, the other sex should have a project. An Assistant or an experienced Volunteer can work with the other group. 
   
   DON'T LET STUDENTS STAND STILL FOR LONG!! ESPECIALLY DON'T LET LADIES STAND STILL FOR LONG. THEY WON'T COME BACK NEXT WEEK IF YOU DO...
   
3. DANCING WITH YOUR PARTICULAR STUDENTS AT PRACTICE NIGHT.
   
   When it is your night to stay for practice, if you see a member of your class standing around, please make an effort to dance with them once. Next week when they come back for class, 9 times out of 10 they will bring a sure-fire smile with them. Thanks. I might add I start to "enjoy" a class more if I feel like I know some of the people in the group. Dancing with them at Practice Night is a good way to develop a rapport.
   
4. DIVIDE THE CLASS IN TWO PERIODICALLY.
   
   Dividing the Class is a time-honored technique in teaching dance classes. I divide classes for several reasons:
   1) As a way to get people to settle down. Dividing the class is the Number One technique for getting a large class back under control.
   2) To improve visibility. 
   3) For Group Discussions. There is a lot of information that is the same for the men and the women. For example, when I introduce a new pattern, it is easier to see what it looks like with boys on one side and ladies on the other. 
   4) To work with men and women separately on gender-specific subjects. This way men can work on leads while women can work on turns or styling.
   
5. THE PERFECT WAY TO TEACH: THE "ROUGH IDEA" AND "STATUE" TEACHING SYSTEM KEEPS STUDENTS IN EACH OTHER'S ARMS.
   
   As we discussed earlier, boredom cripples a class. The more you learn to teach them while touching each other, the more successful your class will be. Separating the class in two should be kept to a minimum. 
   
   The first thing to do when using "THE ROUGH IDEA" is to situate yourself in a place where the men in particular have a clear view of you and your partner. Then - one step at a time - walk through a move while the men and women copy you. Three things get accomplished:
   1) students see how the footwork relates to their partner.
   2) the arms can be taught with each step. 
   3) class is more fun when learning with a partner / friend. I have found students would rather wobble and stumble around together than stand on opposite sides of the floor in a WATCHING MODE. 
   
   However, the Rough Idea has its limits. I often separate the class after I have taken "THE ROUGH IDEA" as far as it will go and I have figured out specifically what needs to be worked on.
   
   The "STATUE TECHNIQUE" involves the man stand still or the woman stand still or both people stand still. For example I might have the man stand still and let the women practice her footwork by walking around him or vice versa. It shows how the footwork relates to a partner. Or I might have everyone stand still and go around and correct arm positions. Much dance material can be learned through imitation...the STATUE TECHNIQUE allows copying and keeping the students together at the same time.
   
   ROUGH IDEA THOUGHTS: 
   Don't forget that LEADS CREATE FOOTWORK. Teaching footwork first makes the man and woman think if they do such and such a step, things will work magically when that idea isn't true. Walking thru moves in the ROUGH IDEA allows you to discuss what lead will make this or that happen and why. Then once they are familiar with the move, they are in a better position to work on any footwork you think is needs more emphasis. 
   
   1) Get them in each other's arms for the rough idea.
   2) Have the students learn a move by copying you and your demonstrator.
   3) Make one or two points then repeat the move. One important point to make is on specific leads or pointing out a place where people generally run into trouble. 
   4) Periodically ask if they have any questions. 
   5) Remember if they have learned as much as they can in each other's arms, but they need more information, have them separate into groups and work on the boy and girl parts. Remember in a large class to have a helper who can be doing something with the other sex to keep them busy and not waste their time. 
   
   UNLESS YOU HAVE A VERY LARGE CLASS WHERE VISIBILITY IS A PROBLEM, THE "ROUGH IDEA" IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO WORK ON NEW MOVES AFTER YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
   
   Remember a great deal of the information can be delivered "for the first time" while students are using the rough idea techniques. Then once you have them acclimated, that is a good time to separate the boys & girls for fine tuning. At least they will be convinced there are some secrets to the move they haven't quite figured out on their own yet. 
   
   Even then, KEEP THE OTHER SEX TO DOING THEIR FOOTWORK OR SOMETHING USEFUL while you concentrate on the boys or the girls. If you let them stand still too long, you've blown it!
   
6. ANNOUNCEMENTS. The easiest way to promote special events like Practice Night, volleyball, Saturday Crash Courses (especially if there's one coming up particularly useful to your class) and Saturday Parties is to make Announcements. It's a big part of your job to promote these things since the literature may not catch their attention. Adding some enthusiasm will help. 
   
   One of the most important announcements is each week to remind your students when their makeup class is.
   
   Save your announcements for after the break or the end of class unless a special opportunity arises during class to make a point.
   
   Students generally pay better attention after the break. At the end of class some are more than ready to split.
   
   Always find the time to mention Practice Night. 
   
   SALES PITCH. The most common time for promoting the next level is sometime in the second hour of the last class. 
   
   However it also helps to start pitching the next level any time you see a graceful opportunity from Week 1 on. Week 3 after the break is probably the best time to give it your best shot, but Week 4 after the break is ok too. 
   
   THE SIMPLEST WAY TO PROMOTE THE NEXT LEVEL IS TO PUT ON SOME MUSIC AND JUST JUST DANCE THE NEXT LEVEL PATTERNS WITH A BIG SMILE. THEN WHEN YOU SPEAK, EMPHASIZE WHY THE COURSE IS VALUABLE.
   
   DON'T WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE TO BEGIN PLANTING IDEAS ABOUT THE FUTURE. OCCASIONAL REFERENCES TO THE UPPER LEVELS & ALL THE FUN AWAITING THEM AS A REWARD FOR THEIR HARD WORK DOESN'T HURT.
   
7. PRACTICE NIGHT.
   
   The single most important vehicle for making SSQQ work is our practice nights. This is where friendships are made, people learn how much fun dancing is, and material is mastered to the point where students are ready for the next levels. 
   
   On any given night, there are probably more students to dance with than you have energy or time. Pick your own students first. Each instructor should make an effort to practice themselves the girl's part or guy's part depending on your sex. I apologize if this sounds sexist, but you ladies should practice more than the men since learning the man's part is harder than learning the lady's part. 
   
   THE BEST WAY TO GET THE RESPECT OF YOUR MALE STUDENTS IS TO BE ABLE TO LEAD BETTER THAN THEY DO AND PROVE IT! You ladies shouldn't stick to just asking instructors when you want to practice the boys part. You need to experience of trying to lead women who aren't experienced dancers. 
   
   Due to social norms, the guys should probably just let the lady instructors be your "boy". 
   
   Dancing with your students is a wonderful way to give them one or two pointers and some encouragement. They love it! PS- Be careful not to let your dance turn into a lesson).
   
   FINAL THOUGHTS:
   
   It is difficult to teach an instructor how to actually "conduct a class" down to the Nitty-Gritty. Our Assistant Program has gone a long way towards preparing future teachers "how to teach" in addition to "what to teach". However if you are teaching a course for the first time, it helps a lot to audit a parallel class a month in advance if you have the chance.
   
   I am very open to suggestions and ideas generated by reading this article. Your feedback is welcome. Don't be afraid to speak up. I don't mind being forced to think periodically. I especially want to know when you have problems with moves in your classes. The syllabuses are not burned in stone and we can change the way we teach things if you will just speak up.
   
   I originally wrote this article 5 years ago. I changed my mind on at least 3 or 4 points when updating the article today. For example, the NAME TAG idea marked a 180 degree turn on my part. Also I realized I have toned down my use of the ROUGH  IDEA a bit. 
   
   Teaching is an ART. Like many other skills, it is best acquired through practice. Fortunately unlike doctors we don't bury our mistakes, but we do dis-arm some and cripple others. One of my favorite jokes is I love any class that can overcome my teaching. 
   
   The best skill of all is to have a sense of humor and use it.