Dancing: business and pleasure

[David Bailey]

Inspired by:

To many dancing isn't just a means of making a crust, its a way of life!

I wondered how many other people involved in the business have had problems separating the "business" end of dancing from the "fun" end?

Personally, I spent many years avoiding doing anything on the business side of things, apart from a spot of taxi-ing waaay back, and the occasional demo session. I then got dragged into teaching a little salsa (and now a little AT) as "mini-classes", but I could still keep a lot of separation between the fun and the business.

But now, I'm less sure - I don't know if the "politics" is worth the rewards, and I think that maybe I was happier as a 100% pure punter.

How do others feel about this? Do you enjoy it more since becoming a teacher / taxi / demo, or less? Are the rewards (money, fame, glamour :) ) worth it? Or in hindsight, would you rather be a dancer?

[FoxyFunkster]

i`ve only been dancing for 8 months or so i`m still bound to be in the honeymoon period so to speak with regards to my dancing, i`ve been taxiing for 2 months now and whilst i find it extremely rewarding and challenging there is always a small part of me that feels i`m missing out a little by not doing the intermediate class, so i suppose it depends on what drives you to want to teach.......i enjoy giving something back and helping new people to MJ improve if i can......

[Trouble]

Inspired by:


I wondered how many other people involved in the business have had problems separating the "business" end of dancing from the "fun" end?

Personally, I spent many years avoiding doing anything on the business side of things, apart from a spot of taxi-ing waaay back, and the occasional demo session. I then got dragged into teaching a little salsa (and now a little AT) as "mini-classes", but I could still keep a lot of separation between the fun and the business.

But now, I'm less sure - I don't know if the "politics" is worth the rewards, and I think that maybe I was happier as a 100% pure punter.

How do others feel about this? Do you enjoy it more since becoming a teacher / taxi / demo, or less? Are the rewards (money, fame, glamour :) ) worth it? Or in hindsight, would you rather be a dancer?


politics are the best bit...... nothing wrong with a little bit of gossip and a little bit of ego which is mainly what its all about when your talking about politics im sure. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

actually im joking....:D

I did not experience much of it when i was taxiing in Cheshunt and they are re-opening in January and have asked me to Taxi again. Im not over keen on it but I am going to do it to try and ensure new people come to Cheshunt and that they do not experience the politics as you call it as i find, if there are politics at a venue then it rubs off on newbies experiences.

i have seenclicky gossips and people talking about poeple at venues ( i wont mention which ones) - staff can be the worse offenders of this - and its horrible. :mad:

thankfully its not very often. so in answer to your question, staying out of it avoids getting into it in the first place. Ignore the poliltics and carry on helping. :clap:

[Babycham]

I think that as soon as you put money (you have to pay for lessons), egos (yes, we all have one), reputation (can they teach?) and rivalry (or shall I go to so-and-so's class instead) into one side of the dancing equation, politics is often what comes out the other side. I spent a few months helping to teach beginners' argentine tango and this is essentially what I encountered. I may have been unlucky, but I've also witnessed it a lot among friends during the time i've been dancing.

(I should add that the cynic in me would say it's not just in dancing that you see this, it's the same in all walks of life, no-matter how altruistic your intentions and open-minded your attitude when you go in...)

For me, the pleasure of dancing is about being lost in the music and, when lucky, experiencing that connection with your dance partner which leads to those toe-curling moments than transcend any other forms of communication I know (well, :wink: ok, most!). Which is essentially diametrically opposed to the experience I had of teaching and running classes.

I think there are many wonderful aspects which attract people to teaching dance (or any other discipline for that matter) : passing on their skills, pleasure in seeing people's dancing improve, continual learning and improved awareness through teaching, nurturing a local dance community, meeting new friends, showing off (it's not a bad thing), being known/admired, enjoying leadership, the challenge of making a success of a new hobby/venture/ proving yourself :flower: .

I just feel the attraction/motivation is different to the pleasure of dancing itself in its purest form.

I agree that politics and cliquey behaviour can ruin the atmosphere for the uninitiated (and the initiated!)

Can you have the best of both worlds?

[Lynn]

I wondered how many other people involved in the business have had problems separating the "business" end of dancing from the "fun" end? As soon as you get involved in 'running things' - even if not for profit - things shift and it becomes less 'fun'. At least it does for me.

- I don't know if the "politics" is worth the rewards, and I think that maybe I was happier as a 100% pure punter.

How do others feel about this? Do you enjoy it more since becoming a teacher / taxi / demo, or less? Are the rewards (money, fame, glamour :) ) worth it? Or in hindsight, would you rather be a dancer?This was something I thought long and hard about a few years ago. I was organising small events, the occasional workshop and monthly 'practice nights' (too small and informal to call 'freestyles'). I did consider doing a bit more, maybe starting to teach the basics, but I always seem to end up on committees or organising things - and I want dancing to be my 'fun' thing. I did what I did because if I hadn't there would have been nothing in NI at that time. But I was quite happy to step back.

And even though I was running things at a complete 'cost' basis (eg I hired a cheap hall, and however many of us turned up, split the cost) I still was aware of and on the edge of all the 'politics'.

I think its good to be involved in something you have a passion for - but it can get to the stage where the involvement, work and organising can turn the thing you love into just another task to be done. I didn't want dancing to be like that for me.

I'm still not just a 'regular punter', I taxi and help out when I can if needed. My rewards are seeing people enjoying themselves learning to dance. (Which is my main reward in any form of teaching I have done - I enjoy seeing other people get satisfaction from learning something.)

[Gus]

I wondered how many other people involved in the business have had problems separating the "business" end of dancing from the "fun" end?
But now, I'm less sure - I don't know if the "politics" is worth the rewards, and I think that maybe I was happier as a 100% pure punter. Well, speaking from personal experience, after 8 years of having to deal with the politics, the graft and the struggle to stay up-to-date and up-to-standard, the business end has finally killed off the fun end. I did enjoy running the clubs and being a teacher, but after a while I found it grinds you down. When you are a dancer I think there is a different attitude, its friendly, ettiquette led and supportive. When you cross to the other side it can be war. So, taught my last class tonight, teach my last freestyle on Saturday and looking forward to finding a life back in the real world. Its sad because I use to love MJ ... but the business side can be like the Dark side of the Force .... :(

[jive_me]

I was definitely happier being just a punter. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching, and I'm really not miserable over it (well, not all the time anyway), but there's a certain amount of stress that just wasn't there before.

xXx:flower:

[TheTramp]

I love both teaching and DJing. Wouldn't want to be running my own nights at all though. That's way too much like work! :rolleyes:

[Andy McGregor]

Speaking for myself, I find that teaching, DJing and running our own nights adds hugely to the pleasure I get from dancing. I still get to dance most of the night, I choose the music and the moves too. The only thing I don't like is carrying things in and out of the venue. Other than that, I love what I do :flower:

I even enjoy the politics...:whistle:

[Lee Bartholomew]

I really enjoy the teaching aspect of it and running a little MJ class, there are no real politics.

[Juju]

I like it because I know more people, so I have more potential partners to ask for a dance.

I don't like it because a lot of these potential partners don't even realise I dance because I've spent the evening behind a desk - and because after an evening behind a desk maybe I'm not in the mood to dance anyway.

As for any politics or bitching, whatever's going on it pretty much goes right over my head. Which is cool. :D

[David Bailey]

I think that as soon as you put money (you have to pay for lessons), egos (yes, we all have one), reputation (can they teach?) and rivalry (or shall I go to so-and-so's class instead) into one side of the dancing equation, politics is often what comes out the other side. I spent a few months helping to teach beginners' argentine tango and this is essentially what I encountered.
Yes, that's pretty much where I am now :sad:

[Lynn]

I really enjoy the teaching aspect of it and running a little MJ class, there are no real politics.You couldn't have had a littler group than I had - and though I didn't directly get involved - I stayed on good terms with everyone - it was impossible not to be aware of it. As soon as you are running something that is in any way in competition you start to become involved. (My first event ended up running against the teacher with the largest salsa classes in NI :rolleyes: )

[Lee Bartholomew]

You couldn't have had a littler group than I had - and though I didn't directly get involved - I stayed on good terms with everyone - it was impossible not to be aware of it. As soon as you are running something that is in any way in competition you start to become involved. (My first event ended up running against the teacher with the largest salsa classes in NI :rolleyes: )

About 20 on a good day.

Like it that way though. Can concentrate on some complex stuff and foot work, multi spins etc:whistle:

[Lynn]

About 20 on a good day. Yep, bigger than I usually got. (Aside from the occasional party nights - I think I had about 4 in total, when I got 40-50). But then we didn't have a teacher and only got together once a month.

I was aware of the politics, not involved, and I made a big effort to co-exist, not compete.

[Shodan]

I started to find normal dancing a lit bit boring a while back. So I got into little bit of coaching and also Backup Teacher in case the teacher was away. Taught a few gigs now, not that many though.

I think its nice to have a go at teacher, but I now I've done it I can see its a lot of hard work and indeed would detract from the pleasure of social dancing.