Enough of the this level, I'm ready to move on.....

[peachexploration]

In your classes, how do you know when it's time to move to another level. Do you leave it up to the instructors or do you trust your own judgement of skill?

[peachexploration]

Anyone else? :D

[borikenSalsero]

I feel like it is up to each individual, I particularly don't feel that anyone should tell someone what they are ready for or not, that is unless the person really needs to hear it.

But me, I know when I'm ready for the next level of skill, the instructor can try to build me up as much as he wants, but it doesn't work. I simply say thank you but I like to drive at my pace....

[clave]

I prefer to think in terms of challenge rather than skill.
It takes a long time to become skillful with moves taught
in class, but repeating them in class becomes boring and
unproductive long before one can truly internalize a move.
The time to practice is during social dancing, when the
follow doesn't know what's coming--the only way to
become skillful at leading is to do it wrong a thousand
times.

On the other hand, the time to move up to the next level
of instruction is when one is not challenged anymore by
what is taught. To me this would typically happen long
before I'd become skillful at any given level.

Of course, it's a fine line. If a beginner follow shows up
in advanced class and can't do basic/xbl on autopilot it's
really annoying. I suppose that goes double for overeager
leads since they can be outright dangerous. The best
solution I've seen for this problem is a well-structured
sequence of four-week progressive lessons that takes
about six months to get one to the "intermediate" level.
At that point the muscle memory for basic motion is
deeply ingrained in all but the slowest learners, and the
amount one can learn from even the most advanced
class rises sharply. Unfortunately, to be able to have
such a structured syllabus requires an established studio
with a large number of students, of which there are a
handful worldwide. For a small studio the best approach
I've seen is to tailor each class depending on who shows
up--start with shines to warm up and gauge the level of
students, then choose a pattern on the fly that is likely
to challenge most of the group. Naturally, this approach
requires a good teacher, and those are the ones who
eventually end up with a big studio and lots of students,
ergo the structured syllabus. :)

So, to answer the original question, move up as soon as
you're not working hard to keep up, and if you're taking
a long time to arrive at that stage try another teacher.

[Miami Rueda dancer]

Its up to you... if you feel comfortable with the steps... you can decide whether you want to move on or not :)

[peachexploration]

.....Of course, it's a fine line. If a beginner follow shows up in advanced class and can't do basic/xbl on autopilot it's
really annoying....Absolutely right Clave. :? I've taken classes with other students who would just hop from class to class (And the instructors would let them :roll: ) just to learn a new move that they thought was cool and would barely know the basics.

Other thoughts:
*If you have a good instructor, I also think there should be somewhat of a collective decision to a degree between you and your instructor. Nothing like having a truthful instructor.
*I had an instructor keep me in a beginner class for the sole reason of not having enough beginner follows in that class. I wasted so much time. Which is why I think confidence, not arrogance, is very important in determining within yourself whether or not you should move on.