The fact that there's a USADance chapter in El Paso means there are a fair number of folks dancing - and teaching - there. It's a couple of hours closer than Dallas.

jj

Ok, Done Deal, I have found a lady that is a Certified Teacher / Trainer for Competition. We will be getting a second look from another professional, I believe next Wed. at 4:00. Thanks so much for the help. I would have never thought of "Fresh" eyeballs! Is there a way to find out, if a teacher is good, bad, indifferent? Like in my husband's career, you can go to the Texas State Board Of Med. and find out if he is good, bad, been sued for malpractice, any complaints, ect. Is there something like that for Instructors? ScottyBoysDoll

Speaking only from experience...and not as anyone who has even pretended to teach ballroom...

Not all ballroom teachers are equal. Up until the instructor I have now I had no idea what the basic figures were and all I could do was follow. My eyes glazed over in the discussion. My current (5th one)instructor now teaches me the steps and calls them out over and over as we go through them. He breaks them apart and I do each excercise over and over and over again...until I know them. Then I have to call them out as we dance. Its worked for me. It isn't fun either.

However...as a previous Professor of Education....the best way for most people to learn something that is difficult for them is to teach that thing. This is particularly true if your husband is a global learner. Your husband may benefit from finding some poor unsuspecting friends or young relatives and instructing them in these steps. Fun for you...fun for them.

Just a suggestion....

Oh, Yes. We have tried the re-teaching method. He has a little "Freak- Out" problem. If we get on the floor, I can not let him look around to see what others are doing. I instantly force him to look at me, & concentrate. So, even for social dance. If he ever looks around he can not even do the New York.

Could it be that your husband is comparing himself to other dancers and getting discouraged? You mentioned once that he is a doctor/surgeon. Probably highly skilled and use to being the one in control and admired. Dancing is a great equalizer, and brilliantly successful people don't always get it as fast as they think they should. I have noticed that it is the men who have successful lives/careers get the most flustered and nasty when they don't get it right away. They think because they are good at one aspect of their life that they will be good at everything. Sheer exhaustion might be playing a role as well. I would back off a wee bit, sounds like a very heavy schedule to me.

I have taught groups of Drs and many couples where the man and sometimes both were Drs .
There seems to be some kind of disconnect when it involves music with motion.

Somtimes, I wonder why he can't multi- task. Like, Lead & move his feet! I sooo understand.

The learning techniques that physicians/doctors and engineers may have used successfully to acquire their considerable skills often work against them when they apply them to dancing. A small amount of humility will go a long way.

Yes, I have even thought that to myself! I thought, "Boy, What is wrong with you, you can fix someones brain, or heart, bring new life into the world, but you can't lead, & move your feet at the same time!" Then, I was quilty for even thinking it! Thank Goodness, I did not snap and verbalize it! When you are like that frustration sets in VERY quickly. Thanks, so much for the advice.

Hope you didn't misunderstand. I meant that the small dose of humility on HIS part may help him learn better: in this case, the physician cannot heal himself (w/o lots of help).

We guys can be quite frustrating sometimes. Best of luck!