Southern UK Jive

Nicky · Forum legend Joined: 22 Feb 2009 Posts: 401

I would be very interested in hearing other peoples views on what we should expect from our coaches/taxi dancers at week night classes....

I was at a venue where there were two coaches, one male and one female. Both coaches joined in the beginners class....Great, as expected!
Towards the end of the beginners lesson a very good dancer from a different venue turned up. As soon as the lesson ended the female coach headed straight for the 'fresh face'...Fair enough; good too see crew members welcoming new faces. However, she then remained dancing with him almost until the end of the break....

Whilst the intermediate class was on the coaches were outside with the beginners group......When the lesson had finished, you've guessed it, the female coach returned to the main room and latched on to the visiting guy once more. I would estimate that she danced with him for at least 75% of the freestyle time! During the time that she wasn't actually dancing with him, I saw her dance with one beginner; the rest of the time she was either chatting or dancing with the experienced men!

My understanding has always been that a coach is expected to dance with, and encourage, the beginners and less experienced dancers, until the final 30 minutes or so. Whilst the male coach at this venue did exactly that, clearly the female coach did not!

There were a lot of inexperienced male dances there who spent a lot of time sitting out as they weren't confident enough to ask for dances. I believe it's a pretty poor show to have a coach, supposedly on duty, who spends the entire evening pleasing herself rather than helping those who most need it.

What do other people think? Are my expectations unrealistic?...... I most certainly won't be taking any of my friends who are keen to learn to dance, to that particular venue, not when there are other venues with friendly, attentive coaches who are enthusiastic and keen to help beginners!

lilblue · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 12:02 pm Post subject:

Well there! I taxi on some Tuesdays at Hamworthy, and I like to think I do an alright job. As Nicky says, I join in the beginners lesson, then grab a drink in the break and dance with some beginners. Then it's off to the review session after which I make it my mission to dance with all of the beginner men at least once, and then point them in the direction of a nice friendly dancer to get them going. After all, that's the whole point of taxiing. For me anyway.

I will say I have been turned down more in the short time I have been taxiing when asking beginners than in the rest of my time dancing. Perhaps this lady had experienced something similar?

I do dance with other intermediates at the end of the night, but by then I have generally stored up quite a few dance requests... And it would be rude not to take them up... Very Happy

Dancingkev · Newbie Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 16

In an ideal world taxi dancers would spend all their evening looking after the newer members, making them feel welcome etc.

In the real world however these people are effectively working for free. The only benefit to them is the satisfaction of helping new dancers progress and getting into a dance venue for free.

From my perspective my taxi dancers are there to help the beginners, they are friendly approachable members of the group who are happy to give up some of their evening to help me. My only expectation of them is to teach the beginners class again, whilst I do my intermediate class. I ask them to try and grab the new people in freestyle time as well but do not feel it is fair for me to "Make" them dance with only new people.

At the end of the day dancing is their social activity as well and I want them to enjoy it.

Bringing it back to your experience here it could be that this female taxi dancer had not seen this guy for some time and may not see them again for a while. We all have our favourites in terms of people you like to dance with. If this happened every week then that would be a little out of order and worth raising with the people who run the night.

I know MoJive used to be very strict with taxi dancers with as you correctly state their job before the last 30 mins of the evening would be to only to dance with newer people.

Be fair to them these are basically dancers who are going above and beyond the call of duty and looking to pass on some help to our fledgling jivers. If you are a taxi dancer who has no interest in beginners and just uses the position to get free entry to venues then that needs to be addressed

Hope that’s some useful insight from a operator!

Kev
Strictly Jive Fever

Nicky · Forum legend Joined: 22 Feb 2009 Posts: 401

Lilblue and Dancingkev, thank you both very much for your comments Smile

Olly · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 1:44 pm Post subject:

Nicky · Forum legend Joined: 22 Feb 2009 Posts: 401

Andy McGregor · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:23 pm Post subject:

Steve · Forum legend Joined: 17 May 2009 Posts: 358

Taxi's have changed a lot over the years. The first Taxi I saw, frankly I am not actually sure what he did. In those days there was no 'review' class while the intermediate class happened, and he certainly didn't dance with any beginners that I saw, just his mates and friends. There was no female Taxi at the time. I can't actually remember talking to him even once, let alone getting instruction.

Of course, it has changed a lot since then.

My main beef I think is a lot like Nickys, far, too many Taxis, Teachers and Demos are appointed whose main qualification is that they are either young, and/or deemed as 'friendly'.

I presume the powers that be think that is a good think for nervous students or something, but over the years It has certainly hurt intermediate retention. Dancing with the good Taxis/Staff used to be the highlights of an intermediates night even if it was after 10:30 Smile

. I know I am generalising hugely here, but my perception is to a great extent that particular motive to attend isn't what it was. That's a shame.

The best Taxis I ever observed worked as a team, four of them, the same guys and gals for a good two years. All forty plus, and two of them would probably fail the 'friendly' test they have these days. But they nailed it, and the night was hugely successful. They actually had far more impact than the teacher/demo IMO.
That was back in the good old days when Taxi'ing got you free entry to all the franchises nights (save special events). Must admit, that was actually worth having. I'm pretty sure the loss of that hasn't helped.
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Andy McGregor · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:45 pm Post subject:

Bungle · Casual Poster Joined: 07 Jan 2010 Posts: 27

I used to taxi a few years back. I wouldn't do it again. The venue I attended had a shortage of decent male dancers. I always felt that if I didn't dance to nearly every track then I was letting the organisers down; if they ever saw me standing out they'd come over and point out women to dance with.

I only got free admission to classes, I had to pay for freestyles. I decided I'd rather just pay the money for classes, then dance as much or as little as I liked, with whoever I liked, whenever I liked!

Sorry if that sounds selfish, and I'm sure not all organisers expect their taxis to dance till they drop, but for me, taxiing sucked a lot of the fun out of MJ.