Salsa Instructor Certification!!
- Thread starter AguaDulce
- Start date
I read the format... Im amazed at what is SUPPOSED to be achieved in THREE DAYS !!
Ive been training Profs for over 40yrs, and if the above can be done in 3 days, then I would hate to see the finished product ( and.. this has nothing to do with how long one has been dancing )
PielCanela
Changui
i have seen the finished product, ... and at least in my limited experience it was not good . A couple of years ago, I trained, for free, one of this certified instructors (wonderful person mind you). And I was astounded when i found out that, the person was a certified instructor. I felt that for the money she paid, she would have been better off loging into salsa forums for free and spend the money in some regular dance classes.
I was certainly not qualified to train anyone, but this instructor asked for assistance and I was glad to help out.
I am almost tempted to post a video of another instructor who is also certified, to show the "final product". He was one of the roughest lead I know, and my then dancer partner came back rubbing her shoulders after a single dance with him.
I cant place the blame solely with the students who go there, if I would have not know better, I would have probably gone there too, thinking that in 3 days I was going to be made an instructor. Gladly I had better sources of information so early on I geared up for years, rather than days.. of training
I think this highlights the complexity whenever you want to certify anything:
Does everyone who pays gets the certificate regardless of their skills?
Do you required previews experience? what do you do when someone does not have experience .. tell them to come back later?.
How much can you really teach/retain in 3 days ?
I think certification can be a positive element in any discipline that requires teaching, however such certification is only as worth as what is certifying . If anyone one who is willing to pay can get one ... then what is the point?
What that shows, is a standard Assoc. level format that Americal Soc. use.
( Its a Bronze level of content ) for training and Qualif. .
Its a little misleading if you only want Salsa certification. The ISTD the UKA and the IDTA all have syllabi which are recognised world wide, and do provide an individual exam for Salsa.. DVIDA does not have that " cache", as do not any of the Amer.soc.outside of the States
A much higher level needs to be achieved, before it reaches International acceptance .
If one is interested in teaching with a broader range, then this would be something to consider .
The WSF has by far the best certification program, if I do say so myself. It can't be done by in 3 days even by Terrance.
I also believe the WSF was first to have a certification program for Salsa (since 2001). We certify pros and achivement certificates for Amateurs.
PielCanela
Changui
do you have a clip of a WSF certified instructor that you could share with us?.
I will take that challenge on any time...(and by the way, I was an examiner in the States covering ALL the indigenous Latin dances among other styles )
Are you asking me if the WSF has video of an instructor taking the exam? The answer is yes but we don't post those things. I do have some video of instructors teaching a may be able to post. But let me also say that getting certified is not the end of all ends. It actually is the beginning of understanding what your teaching. I would say it would be the same as one just getting their medical license from med school. They are doctors but need much more training and experience before any of us will consider them to work on our families.
I am happy Terrence that at your age your still "up" to challenges. It gives me hope. Your countryman Paul Killick is working with me to institute DanceSport in Colombia as the 2013 World Games is going to be in Cali. I am trying to teach him to be a Salsero! (hahahaha). Anyway we look at it, in general, certification is supposed to be a good thing and not something that is used to show superiority or something you can learn in 3 days or 3 easy lessons. Certification for teachers is the start not the finish. Education is breath of fresh air.
I just came back from doing a congress.. my salsa class was 95% people who had or were doing Intern style Latin( some for many yrs ).. it will take more than a few lessons ( and the quality of someones backgound in other disciplines, is generally more of a hazard than help.. ya know.. the " leopard " thing.. I teach street Cuban/Pr style ,and they just dont want to conform.. Buena suerte
PielCanela
Changui
I would like to see video of a WSF certified instructor social dancing.
I am just trying to understand the WSF certification, I can see the point you are trying to make comparing it to doctors and I agree to a degree, however let me point out, that when a doctor gets a medical license he/she has already done 3 years of internship and residency treating patience in conditions that are far more challenging that she/she will even encounter in a typical doctors office.
If i get an plumber that is certified by the state and he tells me, I have just began to understand what I am doing... I wont let him near my house. hence why would I take a teacher whose certification only proves that he/she was just began to understand ....
does it mean now that we need a second certification ? that will actually certify that so an so, is an experienced expert in his/her field and so able to teach.
by your comparison to doctors, I should not let a recent WSF certified instructor work with my family.... it kind of defeats the purpose of certification then, as a tool to find the most qualified teachers.
PielCanela
Changui
talking about certifications.
here is another:
http://www.salsafreak.com/instructor/index.htm
$400 24 hours. 2 days *eyes rolling*
here is another:
http://www.salsafreak.com/instructor/index.htm
$400 24 hours. 2 days *eyes rolling*
As a "time " comparison, to be able to take the Exam for Fellow in B/room ,we were required to have a minimum of 8 yrs before that event ( in addition to all the many yrs of dancing )... and in Germany ( dont know if this is still true ) teachers with fellowship Qualis, were addressed as Doctor ..
Piel, the WSF has levels of Certification. Professional Salsa Instructor, Advanced Salsa Instructor, and Master Salsa Instructor. (Bronze, Silver, Gold)
opm1s6
Son
I would think that that defeats the point of a certification. In my mind a certifaction serves solely as a way to protect consumers and apply a minimum standard to point to and say this guy will at least knows how to teach me XY&Z. For instance, it would correct the problem of having a nationally recognized dancer/performer executing simple basket footwork incorrectly. Currently, I and any beginner will shop around until they find the type of teacher that fits them, but also the major names in the business (once the student discovers them) will be the destination for most, because that is the pseudo certifiction that is in place. For example, "I go to Santo Rico, because I believe that they're teaching techniques are right above others." They're prestige and knowledge (not necessarily SR specifically, that was just an example) is what certification should be trying to duplicate. Now I could write a reference manual that goes through most of the leading and following techniques I've been taught and put them down on paper and that still wouldn't be enough to certify someone simply because they have the knoledge.
So who sets the rules for this manual? Which school? which styles? and what happens to all the uniqueness of certain other on2 styles if your basic rules are broken in the face of style? For instance, Adolfo and plenty of Eddie Torres dancers, bend their backs endlessly in performances and partnerwork as part of their "style" but I've been taught and crisified on multiple occassions that bending significies poor positioning resulting to having to compensate by contorting, etc. This is simply an example that has to be dealt with...
Finally what do you do about on2, vs on1, vs. PR, versus columbian, vs. cuban, etc.
Lastly PC, we both know that just because a social dancer looks good, it doesn't signifiy teaching competency.
PielCanela
Changui
I totally agree,
here is one of the best gymnastics coach in the world, and I am sure he cant even do a flip
http://www.ukuleleyes.com/issues/vol8/no4/feature/karolyi.jpg
I was just curious to see an WSF certified instructor dancing, given that when i was a beginner that was the measure I used, to chose instructors, but unfortunately it does not seem like I am going to be able to see a clip, as i have yet to provided with one
it's interesting to note that Edie is changing the format of her instructor courses:
About 1=£10 pounds per hour, 24 hours apparently of information, plus free syllabus training dvds and potential bonus dvds. If you were thinking of getting all her dvds, eh, could be an alernative!
It's not a dance instruction course -