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| Dance Notes |
| Copyright Carousel Ballroom, 2010. All rights reserved. |
Teacher’s Notes
I started teaching over three decades ago. As a young man
in the world of ballroom dancing, I was intimidated by both
experienced teachers and students. Having to learn all the
different parts of ballroom dancing, and being new, I could
say it was a bit overwhelming. One day, the studio manager
who hired me to train for 6+ months, who saw something in
me, Mr. Bill Nickle, who I will always be indebted to for the
opportunity, pulled me aside and said, “Remember, you have
the rest of your life to learn, practice, and become the best
that you can be.”
I went from rookie instructor, going through my different levels
– Bronze, Silver, Gold, Theater Art, and more – and along the
way his words of encouragement resonated within me. And
even in today’s instruction, as I am teaching, those words are
still forever present.
Today, when I am teaching students, I can see in their faces,
and in their movements, their need to get it right. But as I tell
them, some of these dance patterns – box step, underarm
turns, promenade – some of these will be easy to ascertain,
and other ones will have a little more difficulty attached to
them, which means it will take a little longer. For some, the
Latin dances are easier, and for some the smooth dances are
easier. But inevitably, they all try to get it right the first time
out.
Remembering what Bill Nickle said, I try to show and teach
how to become patient with oneself. In the art of dance, we
will always have the rest of our lives to become the best
dancers that we can be. Isn’t that wonderful! Thank you, Bill,
for giving me the understanding that I have the rest of my life
to be the best dancer I can be – or, in this case – instructor.
And I am still learning…
Carlos
June 10, 2010
I started teaching over three decades ago. As a young man
in the world of ballroom dancing, I was intimidated by both
experienced teachers and students. Having to learn all the
different parts of ballroom dancing, and being new, I could
say it was a bit overwhelming. One day, the studio manager
who hired me to train for 6+ months, who saw something in
me, Mr. Bill Nickle, who I will always be indebted to for the
opportunity, pulled me aside and said, “Remember, you have
the rest of your life to learn, practice, and become the best
that you can be.”
I went from rookie instructor, going through my different levels
– Bronze, Silver, Gold, Theater Art, and more – and along the
way his words of encouragement resonated within me. And
even in today’s instruction, as I am teaching, those words are
still forever present.
Today, when I am teaching students, I can see in their faces,
and in their movements, their need to get it right. But as I tell
them, some of these dance patterns – box step, underarm
turns, promenade – some of these will be easy to ascertain,
and other ones will have a little more difficulty attached to
them, which means it will take a little longer. For some, the
Latin dances are easier, and for some the smooth dances are
easier. But inevitably, they all try to get it right the first time
out.
Remembering what Bill Nickle said, I try to show and teach
how to become patient with oneself. In the art of dance, we
will always have the rest of our lives to become the best
dancers that we can be. Isn’t that wonderful! Thank you, Bill,
for giving me the understanding that I have the rest of my life
to be the best dancer I can be – or, in this case – instructor.
And I am still learning…
Carlos
June 10, 2010